A Culture of Care – What Does it Really Mean?

By Marion Mohrlok, PEPS Development Director (Estimated reading time: 5 minutes)

As staff members at PEPS, we know what it means to have a culture of care within our organization. We experience it as reality every day, not just on paper. It’s not one of those lofty phrases that only live in the employee handbook, gathering dust between annual reviews. It is lived, it takes many forms, and it is constantly evolving to meet us where we are. 

Care needs are different for each person and can change throughout our lives. What matters isn’t having a one-size-fits-all approach, but rather creating space for authentic conversations about what each person needs to thrive both personally and professionally.  

I’d like to give you an example of what this looks like for me right now. 

When Life Calls Us Home 

My parents are elderly, live in Germany, and my dad has been told that he is nearing the end of his life. When I received this news, it was very clear to me that I needed and wanted to take care of and spend time with them. This wasn’t just a preference—it was a deep, non-negotiable need to be present for my family during this precious and difficult time. 

Based on our organizational definition of the workplace, which includes remote work from other locations, I knew that I could request approval to work outside the Puget Sound area by meeting the criteria. This includes maintaining a schedule that is aligned with Seattle (PST) and allows for attendance at all required online meetings. I then discussed my situation and my desire to spend time with my parents with my supervisor, and there was no question that we could work out a scenario that would work for both PEPS and me. The conversation wasn’t about whether I could do this, but about how we would make it work. This distinction matters profoundly. It reflects an organizational philosophy that recognizes who we are as whole people, not just as workers or employees who happen to have inconvenient personal lives. 

Thanks to factors such as technology, a favorable time difference, paid time off, a body of work that can be done from afar, and most importantly, an organizational culture of care, I am currently in Germany, taking care of my parents while continuing to contribute meaningfully to our mission. 

The Foundation: Trust and Mutual Respect 

A culture of care requires trust. But trust isn’t built overnight, and it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. 

My supervisor trusted that I would maintain my commitment to our work and our community, even while navigating a deeply personal situation. I trusted that the organization would support me in finding creative solutions rather than forcing me to choose between my family and my livelihood. 

This trust is built on several foundations: 

Consistent demonstration of care over time. PEPS has shown repeatedly that it values employees as people with needs and responsibilities outside of the workplace. When colleagues have faced health challenges, family crises, or personal transitions, the organization has consistently found ways to accommodate their needs while maintaining our collective mission. And it’s one of the reasons I’ve stayed at PEPS for 18 years! 

Flexible policies that create space for life. Having policies that allow for remote work, flexible scheduling, and creative use of leave time creates the structural foundation for care. But policies alone aren’t enough—they must be implemented with genuine empathy and a problem-solving spirit. Equally important is creating a culture where people actually feel safe using these policies. This means having leaders and colleagues who model using flexible schedules or stepping away for family needs. When policies exist on paper, but no one has ever seen them used, people naturally assume it’s not truly acceptable to take advantage of them. Real support comes from seeing others navigate these policies successfully and knowing that using them won’t harm your standing or advancement. 

Recognition that life happens to all of us. Everyone will face moments when personal needs must take priority. A culture of care acknowledges this reality and prepares for it, rather than treating each situation as an unexpected disruption.  

Being able to count on a team. For a while, I thought I might have to leave during the time we were planning our biggest fundraising event. Not an ideal time, and yet, my team would have had my back! Not only are they fundraising experts themselves, but they are also cross-trained due to our organization’s overall commitment to cross-training. They’re trusted to do the work, they’re adaptive, and they’re absolutely supportive. Other co-workers offered to change meeting times or move meetings online. And co-workers checked in and truly cared. 

Beyond Individual Benefits: Why This Matters for Everyone 

Supporting me in this moment hasn’t just been about helping one employee—it strengthens our entire organization. When people feel truly supported during their most vulnerable moments, they are more inclined to bring their whole selves to work. They’re more creative, more committed, more willing to extend care to others, and they’re far more likely to stay.  

Moreover, knowing that this support exists creates psychological safety for everyone. My colleagues see that if life throws them a curveball, they won’t have to face it alone. This knowledge allows people to take risks, be innovative, and invest deeply in their work because they trust that their humanity will be honored. 

The Ripple Effect 

Being able to care for my parents while maintaining my professional commitments has allowed me to show up fully in both spheres of my life. I’m more present with my family because I’m not consumed with worry about my job security. I’m more focused in my work because I’m not distracted by guilt about not being there for my parents. 

This is what a culture of care looks like in practice—not perfect solutions, but thoughtful ones. Not the absence of challenges, but the presence of support in navigating them. Not policies that sound good on paper, but lived experiences that honor the full complexity of human life. 

As I write this from Germany, watching my father rest peacefully while I prepare for tomorrow’s team meeting, I’m reminded that organizations have a choice: they can see employees’ full humanity as a liability to be managed, or as an asset to be nurtured. At PEPS, we’ve chosen the latter, and it makes all the difference. 

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