What happens when an organization changes the rules but not the culture?
Nearly 20 years after The Devil Wears Prada introduced us to Miranda Priestly—a demanding, intimidating leader who made fear practically part of the office dress code—The Devil Wears Prada 2 gives us a glimpse of how workplace expectations have evolved.
Miranda is finally hanging up her own coat. She’s more mindful of language that could be considered demeaning or exclusionary. Progress, right?
But beneath those changes, some familiar leadership habits remain: limited transparency, tightly controlled information, and an expectation of unwavering commitment without always extending the same trust in return.
Sound familiar?
Most organizations don’t have a Miranda Priestly at the helm, but plenty struggle with the same disconnect between the culture they promote and the culture employees actually experience.
A healthy workplace culture isn’t about lowering expectations. It’s about creating an environment where people are trusted, supported, and empowered to meet them.
You Can’t Demand Ownership Without Building Trust
We often encourage employees to take initiative, think strategically, and act like owners. But what happens when we don’t give them the information or autonomy to do so?
In The Devil Wears Prada 2, Miranda’s response to Andy’s concerns about the magazine’s future is simple: “It’s not your problem.”
It’s a familiar leadership contradiction. We want employees invested in organizational success, but sometimes shut them out of the very conversations that would allow them to contribute.
Transparency doesn’t mean sharing every confidential detail or involving everyone in every decision. It means providing the context people need to understand their work, make informed decisions, and feel connected to the organization’s direction.
When that context is missing, employees fill in the gaps themselves. Sometimes they disengage. Sometimes they make assumptions. And sometimes, like Andy, they take action without the full picture, creating unintended consequences.
Belonging Is More Than Being Included
In a recent workshop on Burnout, Belonging, and the Future of Work, Jillian explored how workplace environments influence employees’ sense of connection, engagement, and well-being.
One important consideration for leaders is whether employees feel they have a voice.
It’s possible to be part of a team, attend every meeting, and consistently deliver excellent work while still feeling disconnected from the organization.
Belonging isn’t just about being included. It’s knowing your perspective is welcome and your contributions matter.
And that requires psychological safety—the confidence to ask questions, raise concerns, challenge ideas, and acknowledge mistakes without fear of humiliation or retaliation.
Even Miranda eventually acknowledges Andy’s value. But recognizing someone’s talent and creating an environment where they feel valued are two very different leadership skills.
Burnout Isn’t Always About the Workload
When employees are exhausted or disengaged, our first instinct may be to examine how much work they’re doing.
But workload is only part of the equation.
Unclear expectations, limited decision-making authority, inconsistent communication, and a lack of support can make even manageable workloads feel overwhelming.
Consider the employee who is accountable for an outcome but has little influence over the decisions that affect it. Or the manager expected to solve problems without access to critical information. The frustration isn’t necessarily the amount of work—it’s the inability to do the work effectively.
Over time, those experiences can erode trust, connection, and engagement.
That’s why addressing burnout requires more than encouraging employees to take breaks or practice self-care. It requires examining the organizational practices that shape their everyday experience.
Culture Is What Employees Experience
Organizations can update policies, revise their language, and introduce new employee engagement initiatives. Those efforts matter, but they don’t automatically create connection.
Culture is experienced in everyday interactions: how leaders respond to questions, how information is shared, how employees are recognized, and whether people feel supported when challenges arise.
Miranda may have learned to hang up her own coat, but the more important question is whether the people around her feel any differently about coming to work.
For leaders, that’s the question worth asking.
Are we simply changing how leadership looks, or are we changing how employees experience it?
Because the strongest workplace cultures don’t choose between high performance and employee well-being. They recognize that trust, belonging, and connection help make sustainable performance possible.
As Miranda would say…That’s all.
Take a closer look at your workplace culture.
Our Sustainable Work and Belonging Scorecard offers a practical way to reflect on the organizational practices that support employee well-being, connection, and sustainable performance.
