Almost every organization today claims to be “people-first.” The words appear on websites, presentations, and office walls. But a people-first culture is not defined by what we say. It is revealed by what we do, especially when decisions are difficult and pressure is high.
To understand what “people first” truly means and why many engagement initiatives fall short, we recently ran a small survey. While the responses were few, the insights were honest and deeply reflective of real workplace experiences.
When asked what a people-first workplace looks like, both Tanushree Gupta and Manya Bansal shared the same perspective:
A place where employees are heard, trusted, and supported as humans.
Not as job titles.
Not as resources.
As people.
Tanushree Gupta (Founder, Think People First) described it beautifully:
“People first means where people and people-related values are at the core of every decision… whether it is designing a policy, a process, or having a coaching conversation. The idea is to enable and empower people and help them lead lives full of dignity and respect.”
That is the essence of a people-first culture. It is not about perks or policies alone. It is about intention. It is about embedding humanity into every organizational decision.
So why do engagement initiatives still feel ineffective at times?
When asked about engagement initiatives, Tanushree Gupta found them “inspiring and genuinely motivating,” while Manya Bansal felt they were “more about optics than impact.”
This contrast shows that engagement is not the problem. Execution is. In some workplaces, engagement feels real. In others, it feels performative. Employees can always sense the difference.
When asked what truly makes people feel valued, the answers were simple:
Recognition and appreciation.
Trust and autonomy.
Not rewards.
Not events.
Not grand gestures.
Just being seen and trusted.
People don’t disengage because organizations lack activities. They disengage because they feel invisible or controlled.
When asked why engagement initiatives fail to create real impact, the reasons were clear:
- They focus on activities instead of culture
- Leadership involvement is limited
- There is no consistency
- They feel disconnected from everyday reality
Organizations try to do engagement instead of being people-first.
Engagement becomes a calendar.
People-first is a character.
Engagement asks: What should we run next?
People-first asks: Who are we becoming as an organization?
Pizza parties don’t fix burnout.
Town halls don’t rebuild broken trust.
Surveys don’t replace honest conversations.
Culture does.
Manya Bansal (People Operations Partner, Ocrolus) shared:
“Policies must be flexible and have space and consideration for the people element. Engagement activities should be more than a checkbox and focus on delivering real value and impact.”
A truly people-first workplace is built through:
- Policies that respect real lives
- Leaders who listen before they decide
- Managers who trust instead of control
- Engagement that is co-created with employees, not imposed on them
When organizations shift from asking:
“What engagement activity should we do next?”
to
“Are our decisions genuinely honoring our people?”
Everything changes.
Engagement stops being an effort.
It becomes a natural outcome.
Because people do not need more programs.
They need more presence.
More trust.
More dignity.
And that is what People First truly means at work.
