Many companies make the mistake of treating their companies like children. The lives of their employees are governed by policies that extend beyond the wall of the office. Although some policies are well-intentioned, allowing a legal department or the whim of a controlling executive to dictate the behavior of employees is both counterproductive and damaging to employee morale.

The trouble with policing, micromanagement, and stifling policies is that they rob employees of the confidence they need to succeed in the workplace. If your employer is not interested in fostering an environment where employees can succeed with little oversight, proactively solve problems, and respond well to constructive criticism…then there’s no reason to listen to this.

The best work environments are environments where employees are free. Free to be creative, to make mistakes, and to be praised for their work. Free to be great. Employees need to feel like their input is valued, that their contributions are meaningful, and that their work matters. Humans are extremely resilient creatures and can, for the sake of survival, endure less than ideal situations for years on end. This typically leads to both physical and emotional health issues. Wouldn’t it make more sense for companies not to test the limits of what people can endure? Google spends an absolute fortune to provide employees with world-class benefits such as free gourmet meals every day. You know why they do it? Because it makes good business sense.

Their employees are loyal, hard-working, and the work speaks for itself.