Ask someone whether they have a good job and they might talk about pay, flexibility or opportunities to progress. Ask what their work feels like, and the answer becomes more personal. If a workplace culture experience is positive, does it feel safe, supported, trusted, connected, challenged or valued, for example? Those words tell us something that a policy can’t: what it’s like to spend time in a workplace and be part of its culture. It also highlights whether there are any gaps between policy and practice.
This year for Good Employment Week (5-9 October 2026), the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter is asking people one simple question: “What does your work feel like?” As a Member of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, Smith Goodfellow is using this week to reflect on the culture behind good employment practices and to hear directly from the people who experience our workplace every day.
The campaign comes as the Charter explores the cultures that underpin great workplaces and how these can form part of its developing assessment process. It encourages employers and employees to look beyond contracts and written policies and consider how everyday decisions, conversations and behaviours shape the experience of work.
From employment practices to lived experience
Good employment needs strong foundations. Secure contracts, fair pay, flexibility, effective people management, employee voice and support for health and wellbeing all matter (you can read more about these in our blog series: ‘The Principles We Live By – A Good Employer’s Journey’). However, workplace culture is the point at which these commitments become something people experience.
A flexible working policy may help someone feel trusted. A regular check-in may help them feel supported. Clear expectations and manageable workloads may help them feel secure. Being invited to contribute an idea (and seeing that idea taken seriously) may help them feel heard and valued. That distinction matters because a positive culture is not created by a statement on a website. It develops through repeated actions: how people communicate, how decisions are explained, what happens when someone asks for help and whether the organisation’s intentions match the team’s experience.
What might work feel like at Smith Goodfellow?
As part of Good Employment Week, we invited colleagues to describe their experience of work in their own words. Their responses really highlight how different aspects of a positive culture are valued by different people.
Safe
“I so appreciate that the whole team here cares and looks out for one another and I always feel like I’ll be safe and supported when I’m in work – that makes a massive difference to me, especially when I’m having wobbly mental health moments. I also really appreciate that that experience has been consistent right from joining the business at entry level all the way up to being in a leadership position. That’s pretty special.”
Feeling safe at work can mean different things. It may mean knowing that health and safety is taken seriously, but it can also mean having clarity about your role, confidence in the stability of your employment and the freedom to raise a concern without fear of being dismissed or judged.
At Smith Goodfellow, we try to create that feeling through clear contracts and expectations, regular conversations about workloads and an open approach to questions or concerns. Safety is not only about protective equipment; it is also about psychological security and knowing that support is available when circumstances change.
Supported
“I struggle with social anxiety and confidence a lot. I feel so lucky to be part of a team that accepts me as I am without judgement. But they are also proactive in showing and telling me how much they believe in my knowledge, skills, and ability to navigate personally challenging situations whenever I’m ready to try something new. Just in the last year, with their encouragement and guidance, I’ve done so many things I never thought I would. And that’s so validating!”
Support doesn’t always arrive through a formal programme. Sometimes it looks like a colleague sharing their experience, a manager making time to listen or someone handing over a brew on a difficult day. At other times, it may involve practical adjustments, access to wellbeing resources or a plan to address competing priorities.
We aim to make support part of everyday working life through line management, informal check-ins and collaboration across the team. We also recognise that different people may need different forms of support at different times, so listening is as important as having resources in place.
Fulfilling
“I like that I am able to combine my love of writing with my interests in architecture and science and put my fast-running brain to good use keeping on top of multiple responsibilities and deadlines.”
Feeling fulfilled at work is about more than being busy or productive. It is the sense that your skills, interests and strengths are being put to good use, and that the work you do has purpose and value. For some people, fulfilment comes from solving problems or learning new things. For others, it comes from creativity, variety or the opportunity to contribute to something meaningful.
At Smith Goodfellow, we recognise that fulfilment looks different for everyone. We try to create opportunities for people to develop their interests, take ownership of their work and build on the skills they most enjoy using. Whether that means exploring a specialist subject, tackling a complex project or balancing a variety of responsibilities, we believe people are more likely to thrive when they can bring their whole selves to their role.
Inspiring
“We’re just a genuinely inspiring bunch and collaborating with everyone every day brings out the best in all of us. Getting to bounce ideas off each other and share inspo, learning, and different perspectives with such a curious and passionate team makes working together so interesting.”
Feeling inspired at work often comes from the people around you. It can be sparked by fresh ideas, different perspectives or the opportunity to learn from others. An inspiring workplace is one where curiosity is encouraged, creativity is welcomed and people feel motivated to contribute their own thoughts and experiences.
At Smith Goodfellow, we believe inspiration thrives through collaboration. By bringing together people with different skills, backgrounds and interests, we create opportunities to challenge ideas, share knowledge and learn from one another. Whether it’s working through a new challenge, discussing an emerging industry trend or building on a colleague’s idea, those everyday interactions can help make work more engaging, rewarding and enjoyable.
Trusted
Trust can be felt in the space people are given to manage their work, use their judgement and speak honestly. It doesn’t mean working without guidance or accountability. It means having clear expectations and the autonomy to decide how best to meet them, with help available when it is needed.
Flexible working and open communication can contribute to this feeling, but trust also shows up in smaller moments: being asked for your view, being able to challenge an idea constructively and being trusted to take ownership of a piece of work.
Connected
Workplace connection is not about expecting everyone to socialise in the same way. It is about helping people feel that they belong, that they can ask for help and that they’re part of something shared.
That might come from working together on a project, informal conversations, inclusive team activities or communication channels that allow remote and office-based colleagues to stay involved. The important point is that opportunities to connect are accessible, optional and considerate of different preferences and needs.
Able to grow
Good work should offer room to learn, contribute and develop. Growth might mean formal training or career progression, but it can also mean trying a new task, sharing knowledge with a colleague, receiving constructive feedback or becoming more confident in an existing skill.
For employers, this means creating an environment where questions are welcomed, mistakes can become learning opportunities and development reflects the ambitions and circumstances of the individual and not just the immediate needs of the business.
Culture is ongoing work
Membership of the Charter is an important commitment, but good workplace culture is not a finished product or a badge that removes the need for reflection. It has to evolve as a team grows, working practices change and people’s needs develop.
Asking what work feels like gives employers an opportunity to test whether their intentions match employees’ experiences. Positive responses can show what should be protected. Words that highlight challenges or barriers can reveal where conversations, support or change may be needed. Both are useful if people feel able to answer honestly and believe their feedback will be taken seriously.
For us, the question is an opportunity to do more than check a policy box. It is about how can we genuinely embed good employment practices into business culture. It is a prompt to listen, reflect and keep improving the everyday experience of work.
Join the conversation
What does your work feel like? Visit goodemploymentweek.co.uk to explore the campaign resources, see what Charter webinars and events are on and take part or learn more about the Good Employment Charter.
Kelly Oldham has been part of the Smith Goodfellow team since 2014. In January 2026, she was promoted to Operations Manager. You can follow her on LinkedIn or discuss any of the content in these blogs with us on our social channels: Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Threads.
