There are three fundamental needs people must have met to feel fulfilled in the workplace: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Autonomy means having the freedom to make decisions and manage one’s work. Competence is the sense of knowing how to do something well and feeling that this knowledge is both valued and put to use. Relatedness is the feeling of being connected with others.

When these three needs are met, employees can work and function in ways that are highly satisfying for themselves while also delivering strong results for their employers and clients.