Why Putting People First Builds Better Businesses and Stronger Teams

For many years, workplaces operated under rigid expectations: long hours signaled commitment, personal issues stayed hidden, and success was measured by endurance rather than well-being. But as Dr. Angela Jackson emphasizes, these old norms no longer support the realities of today’s workforce or the needs of modern organizations. When the pandemic blurred the line between home and work, leaders could no longer ignore the complex lives their employees were navigating. And that shift revealed something critical: organizations thrive when people do.

Managers are now at the center of this transformation. Your day-to-day actions, how you listen, how you support, and how you respond have more influence on employee experience than any corporate policy. Angela’s research across 1,700 companies shows that the highest-performing workplaces embrace a “win-win” approach: support people well, and performance follows.

Why Employee Voice Matters More Than Ever

One of the strongest findings in Angela’s work is the impact of consistently listening to employees. Not through a yearly survey, but through ongoing dialogue that makes people feel heard. Companies that do this well outperform their peers significantly, with revenue up to 43% higher.

For managers, this begins with simple, human conversations. Angela says we must ask employees how they’re doing, and ask again in a way that invites honesty. Many employees have learned to say “I’m fine,” even when they’re struggling. Building trust takes repetition, sincerity, and follow-through.

Equally important, according to Angela, is letting employees know what happened with the feedback they shared. Even if you can’t solve an issue immediately, closing the loop shows respect and transparency. People don’t need everything fixed; they need to know you’re paying attention.

The Power of Benefits That Match Real Life

Win-Win Workplaces rethink benefits with empathy and practicality. Instead of offering generic perks, they tailor support to real needs. Angela highlights examples such as:

• Emergency financial assistance

• On-site childcare

• Flexible schedules that support caregiving

• Support for housing costs

  
  

These tailored supports dramatically increase retention, sometimes above 85% in industries with high turnover. As Angela notes, organizations that helped working parents during the pandemic retained far more women than those that didn’t. When people feel supported through life’s hardest moments, they stay, and they give back through commitment and performance.

Foster Mutual Trust Within Workplace Hierarchy

A win-win culture doesn’t require flattening the organization. Hierarchies can still function well when relationships within them feel respectful and mutual. Angela shares the example of a CEO who regularly sends personalized holiday and birthday messages to employees and their families. These small gestures send a powerful message: You matter beyond your work output.

When people feel seen, they show up with stronger motivation, greater creativity, and deeper loyalty.

Manager Actions That Make the Biggest Difference

While organizational practices matter, managers shape the everyday experience employees feel most directly. To build a stronger team, according to Angela’s research, a few simple habits have an outsized impact:

Ask more thoughtful, layered questions.

Start with “How are you?” but follow with “How are you really?” Then go deeper: “What’s one barrier I can help remove for you?” These are invitations, not checkboxes, and they encourage employees to share what’s truly affecting their work.

Track what employees tell you.

Themes emerge over time, patterns you can use to advocate for improvements with confidence. When you can say, “Six people have mentioned this over the last few months,” your influence grows.

Bring data to leadership discussions.

Data shifts conversations from emotion to action. Instead of saying “My team is overwhelmed,” you can say, “Seven out of ten people identified workload as their top barrier.” Specificity accelerates change.

Build an Ownership Mindset for a Stronger Team

Employees feel more engaged when they believe their ideas matter. Win-Win Workplaces invite people into problem-solving, not just execution. Angela shared an example of a delivery driver pointing out route inefficiencies, for instance, helped one company rethink their operation, saving time and money. They later reinvested those savings into improvements employees cared about, including warehouse air conditioning.

Managers can nurture this mindset by:

• Inviting employees to identify inefficiencies

• Asking for solution ideas, not just problems

• Sharing context so people understand why decisions are made

  
  

People want to contribute meaningfully, and when they do, everyone benefits.

Rethink Hiring and Development

Angela’s research shows that internal mobility is a major driver of long-term success. Promoting from within boosts morale, enhances retention, and shortens ramp-up time, especially when combined with thoughtful training.

She also emphasizes shifting away from credential-heavy hiring. Many roles do not require specific degrees; they require skills, adaptability, and willingness to learn. Using simple performance tasks or simulations often reveals far more about a candidate’s potential than traditional interviews.

For managers, this reframing opens the door to more equitable and effective hiring.

A Better Workplace for Everyone—and a Better Bottom Line

The core of Angela’s message is simple: supporting employees is not a soft strategy. It’s a high-impact business practice. When people feel heard, supported, and trusted, they show up with stronger commitment and creativity. They stay longer. They collaborate more. They innovate more.

Managers play an essential role in activating this win-win approach. Through thoughtful questions, relationship-building, and genuine care, you create the conditions where employees and the business can succeed together.

A win-win workplace isn’t built through grand programs. It’s built in everyday interactions, one moment of listening, respect, and support at a time.

Listen to the entire episode HERE to learn more about building a win-win workplace.

Keep Up with Angela Jackson

- Connect with her on LinkedIn here

- Follow her on Facebook here

- Follow here on Instagram 

- Read her book here

Guest Bonus: 1 Free registration to The Win-Win Workplace Summit

The Win-Win Workplace™ Summit is where visionary employers and workplace innovators gather to tackle real challenges. Grounded in research and a commitment to practice, the 2026 Summit is built to spark bold action. Come with real questions. Leave with new strategies, trusted advisors, and partnerships that last long after the event. This is where leaders stop going it alone—and start building what’s next, together.

MAY 4-5, 2026 | CHICAGO, IL

Learn more about the summit here:

https://www.winwinworkplacesummit.org/

If you’re not able to attend the summit, enter the drawing anyway, and you’ll be able to select another event to attend in the US.

Enter the drawing by February 27, 2026.

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The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.

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