Residents in the Pacific, Mountain, and West North Central regions of the United States are the most likely to say they learned something new yesterday and that their supervisor, if they work, acts more like a partner than a boss. Their strong performance in these areas helps these regions rise to the top of a special Gallup analysis produced for Business Insider, which examined 13 forward-looking metrics that might determine which regions are poised for the brightest future.

Learning something new and interesting daily is an important psychological need, and one of the most prevalent attributes that people in communities with high well-being have in common. A key element in work environment well-being—being treated as a partner rather than as an underling—lays a foundation for higher employee engagement and productivity, as well as better emotional and physical health.

 …