At Home, our vision is to make every employee experience a great one.

But, unfortunately, sometimes the feeling we experience before work, especially on a Sunday evening, can be the total opposite. We’ve all had them at one time or another – those pit of your stomach work dreads when we think about the week ahead. Feeling this way is not healthy, and neither does it create a healthy work culture.

So, what exactly is causing people to feel this way about work?

Is it not fully understanding what’s expected of us? The feeling we’re not valued? The worry that we don’t fit in? A manager who just doesn’t listen? Home’s recent piece of global employee experience research – The Work Project – found that all these things and more result in repeated bad days at work. Leading to unhealthy work cultures, where people don’t feel good, and can’t do their best work.

The Work Project found that 1 in 4 people have felt discriminated against at work, whilst 1 in 3 don’t feel listened to. Belonging and listening are two important levers that contribute to a healthy work culture. When they’re not done right, those bad days will increase along with the number of talented people looking for their next job. We need to start listening to people about their day-to-day experiences to understand what’s really happening and where things can be improved.

Work with meaning.

Another key lever is purpose. When we understand the part we play in the wider company strategy, it’s easier for us to find purpose and meaning because we know exactly how we can make a difference. It feels good by bringing out the best in us.

I’ve been at Home for over 20 years and within that time I have experienced several roles from designer to being on the leadership team. No matter how long or little someone has been with you, or what position they hold, everyone matters. As leaders, we need to be human, build trusted relationships and understand the individual needs of others. We can do this by asking the right questions so we can provide a supportive, safe and engaging environment where everyone can thrive, do their best work and have more good days than bad. No more Sunday night dreads.