Reciprocity in the Workplace: Is It Entitlement or Just Give and Take?
"While the standard office hours are from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, flexibility is important, as you may occasionally need to respond to urgent queries during evenings or weekends."
Real job description Swiss organisation, 2024Give and take in the workplace is not a radical concept. It is the foundation of every healthy working relationship. Yet the job description above taken from a real Swiss organisation in 2024 illustrates exactly what happens when that balance breaks down. Employees are expected to flex. The employer offers nothing in return. That is not flexibility. That is a one-way street.
This article explores why reciprocity at work matters more than ever, what it actually looks like in practice, and why more businesses across Switzerland and Europe are turning to freelance talent as a way to reset the balance.
What Is Give and Take in the Workplace?
Give and take in the workplace refers to the mutual exchange of effort, trust, and value between employers and employees. When both sides contribute fairly, teams are engaged, productive, and loyal. When the balance tips too far in one direction, motivation drops and turnover rises.
As Diane Freymond noted recently, the real question is not whether companies expect more from their staff. It is what they are offering in exchange. Reciprocity is the answer.
According to Gallup, organisations with highly engaged workforces outperform their peers by 23% in profitability and see 81% less absenteeism. Engagement does not happen without fairness at its foundation.
The Problem with One-Way Flexibility
The language used in job descriptions often reveals deeper cultural issues. When flexibility is positioned as a requirement rather than a mutual arrangement, it signals that the employer views the relationship as inherently imbalanced.
This matters because candidates and employees notice. In a competitive talent market particularly in Switzerland where skilled professionals have strong options a job description that asks for everything and offers little in return will filter out exactly the kind of confident, experienced professionals you most want to attract.
This is not entitlement. It is fairness. And it is increasingly the standard that talented professionals expect before accepting a role.
Is It Entitlement or Just Confidence?
The traditional employer-employee dynamic is shifting. Some describe this as a workforce becoming more entitled. But there is an important distinction between entitlement and the simple confidence to ask for what is fair.
Employees who ask for reciprocity are not demanding special treatment. They are asking for the same give and take in the workplace that has always made working relationships sustainable. The difference today is that they are more willing to walk away when it is absent and more likely to find better options elsewhere when they do.
Switzerland and broader Europe have seen significant growth in freelance and remote working arrangements over the past five years, partly because these models tend to be more transparent about what each party brings to the relationship and what they expect in return.
What Give and Take Actually Looks Like
What employers can give Employer
- Flexible working hours and remote options
- Fair compensation for extra effort
- Clear career progression paths
- Psychological safety and trust
- Time off in lieu for overtime worked
- Investment in development and training
What employees give back Employee
- Commitment and reliability
- Going above expectations when needed
- Loyalty and long-term thinking
- Proactive communication
- Discretionary effort and initiative
- Ownership of outcomes
Building a Culture of Reciprocity
Organisations that get give and take in the workplace right do not leave it to chance. They build it into how they operate from day one. Here are four practical ways to do it:
Set Clear and Mutual Expectations
If you require flexibility, define what that means for both sides. Offer flexible working hours or remote work options in return for what you are asking. Clarity on both sides removes the ambiguity that breeds resentment.
Reward Extra Effort Meaningfully
When employees work evenings or weekends, ensure compensation is fair and visible. Whether through overtime pay, additional time off, or public recognition, the acknowledgement matters as much as the reward.
Prioritise Wellbeing Actively
Create a culture where taking breaks and disconnecting is genuinely encouraged. Sustainable output requires sustainable conditions. A team that is constantly overextended will eventually underperform regardless of individual motivation.
Communicate Openly and Regularly
Encourage two-way dialogue about expectations, needs, and limits. Alignment does not happen through assumption. Regular one-to-ones, team check-ins, and honest feedback loops are the infrastructure of a reciprocal culture.
How Freelancers Reset the Balance
One reason freelance and remote working arrangements have grown so significantly across Switzerland and Europe is that they naturally build reciprocity into the relationship. A freelancer agrees to a scope, delivers against it, and is compensated accordingly.
There is no ambiguity about what is expected and what is given in return. Both parties benefit and both know it. That clarity is increasingly attractive to businesses that have struggled with the give and take in traditional employment structures.
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The Future of Work Is Give and Take
The future of work will revolve around balance. It is not a trend or a generational preference. It is the logical evolution of what makes working relationships sustainable over the long term. Organisations that embrace give and take in the workplace genuinely, not just in policy documents will attract better talent, retain them longer, and build teams that perform consistently.
Those that do not will find themselves writing job descriptions that drive their best candidates straight to competitors.
So is the modern workforce entitled, or are employees simply asking for what they deserve? Perhaps it is time to stop labelling fairness as entitlement and start seeing it for what it is: the new standard of work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does give and take in the workplace mean?
Give and take in the workplace refers to the mutual exchange of effort, trust, and value between employers and employees. When both sides contribute fairly, teams stay engaged and productive. When the balance tips too far in one direction, motivation and retention suffer.
Why is reciprocity important at work?
Reciprocity builds trust and psychological safety, the two foundations of high-performing teams. According to Gallup, organisations with highly engaged workforces are 23% more profitable and see 81% less absenteeism. Reciprocity is what drives that engagement.
How can employers create a culture of give and take?
Employers can build reciprocal cultures by setting mutual expectations, rewarding extra effort visibly, prioritising employee wellbeing, and encouraging open two-way communication. The key is making sure flexibility, loyalty, and extra effort are acknowledged and returned rather than assumed.
Is asking for fairness at work the same as being entitled?
No. Entitlement implies demanding special treatment without contributing. Asking for fairness means expecting a reasonable exchange for what you bring. The growing trend of employees setting boundaries and asking for reciprocity is not entitlement. It is the natural result of a more transparent and competitive talent market.
How does freelance work improve workplace give and take?
Freelance arrangements build reciprocity in by default. The scope, deliverables, and compensation are agreed upfront. Both parties know exactly what is expected and what they receive in return. For businesses struggling with the balance in traditional employment, supplementing with vetted freelance talent is an increasingly practical solution.
What we wanted to tell you is that the grass is not greener on the other side, it’s just different grass and your own experience will depend on what you value in life. For us?
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