Can we be free to be ourselves at work?

I have gotten into a lot of trouble in my life because I won’t conform. As a kid it was funny at times, like when I moved my bed outside or when my middle school had to revise the handbook because I was breaking rules that hadn’t even been created yet. I was even told once that I was like a wild horse that needed to be tamed. (I didn’t take that advice.)

As an adult, it has led to me feeling out of place in the corporate environment, like I can’t truly be myself or really put it all on the line to see what I am capable of. I understand the need for some standards and norms, but are they sometimes just a form of limitation? Why would we want to box in how people think, how they dress, how they solve problems and even how and when they work? This doesn't just limit the employees; it limits the places we work for because we don’t get the best out of people.

How do we/can we allow for people to more fully express themselves in the corporate world? Won’t we get more of the best of all of us? Better results? Possibly more fulfillment and even joy? I understand work won’t always be fulfilling, but how can we lessen the suppression? I understand that some employers distrust employees, but how do we set up the work so that the results can be verified and speak for themselves?

Would we be more productive and feel better doing our work when treated as autonomous adults vs classy prisoners?

The pendulum may have swung too far during the pandemic so the common reaction is to overreact. This is especially true because sometimes the better solution is the more nuanced one, and therefore the harder one to figure out, to implement and to maintain.

What companies have found a solution that balances providing flexibility and autonomy while also maintaining productivity and community? What does it look like, how are they measuring?

I love to work but I hate to feel boxed in. I realize this may not be that universal of a feeling so if you relate, check out my my other articles and videos on how to break free within the confines of your reality.