Creating a Workplace Culture Where Everyone Feels Seen and Valued
by Rachel Ryan, Enlight Media
When asked, “What’s your dream job?” Many people have quick answers. Even children respond easily, “veterinarian, astronaut, chef.” No matter what your answer is, chances are you’ve been asked the question before and have a vision of what that dream job might look like.
But what about the work environment?
Imagine you’ve landed your dream job. Now ask yourself: What does it feel like to work there? Is it remote or in person? Collaborative or independent? And deeper still; does the workplace feel like a place where you’re truly valued?
Beyond logistics, what else do you value? Do you want to work in an environment that fosters trust, commitment, care, respect, knowledge, and responsibility? As the writer bell hooks stated in All About Love, these are the core components of love itself:
“When we see love as a combination of trust, commitment, care, respect, knowledge, and responsibility, we can work on developing these qualities… we can learn to extend them to ourselves.” 1
It might feel strange, or even radical, to use the word love in the context of work. As hooks notes:
“When I first declared my desire to work in a loving environment, friends acted as though I had truly lost my mind… But I was convinced that I would work better in a work environment shaped by an ethic of love.” 2
And she was right. A loving workplace grounded in empathy is not just idealistic. It’s essential. Empathetic environments allow people to show up as their full selves, support one another, and make better decisions together. When people feel seen and respected, they contribute more freely and collaborate more effectively.
That’s the idea behind In Context. We built these video-based modules on the belief that empathy is foundational to a healthy, high-performing workplace. Each product is rooted in historical context because real empathy requires an understanding of where people come from and what they’ve lived through. To build truly inclusive environments, we have to take an honest look at the systems that have shaped inequality and how those systems still affect our coworkers today.
As hooks reminds us:
“Taking responsibility does not mean that we deny the reality of institutionalized injustice… But we can choose how we respond to acts of injustice.” 3
In Context helps companies do just that: take responsibility, not by denying the past, but by acknowledging it and using that knowledge to build a more just, caring, and equitable workplace.
If you're a company that believes in fostering a positive, empathetic environment, we invite you to learn more at In Context.
Because every workplace should be a place where people feel seen, respected, and cared for.
bell hooks was a groundbreaking author, feminist theorist, and cultural critic known for her work on the intersections of race, gender, and class. Born Gloria Jean Watkins, she adopted the pen name bell hooks to honor her great-grandmother and emphasize the substance of her ideas over identity. Her influential books challenged systems of oppression and reshaped feminist thought. hooks also emphasized the transformative power of education, love, and community in the fight for justice. 4
1 hooks, bell. All About Love: New Visions. William Morrow, 1999, p. 54.
2 hooks, bell. All About Love: New Visions. William Morrow, 1999, p. 63.
3 hooks, bell. All About Love: New Visions. William Morrow, 1999, p. 57.
4 "bell hooks." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 22 July 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_hooks. Accessed 22 July 2025.