Are Your Employees Thriving?
Have we missed the mark by focusing on employee engagement? Perhaps what we should be focusing on is employee thriving.
What does it really mean to thrive at work? Research in this area defines thriving as a psychological state in which individuals experience both a sense of vitality and learning at work. Recently Microsoft defined thriving at work as “to be energized and empowered to do meaningful work”.
Energy and vitality come from being excited about your work. That energy will be contagious and impact those around you.
Employees are empowered by working in a psychologically safe environment in which they have the agency and autonomy to make decisions. They work collaboratively with colleagues to accomplish the work.
Meaningful work is linked to having a purpose and feeling that what you do each day is contributing to something bigger than the task at hand.
When employees thrive, they are less likely to burn out, are committed to the organization, and more satisfied with their jobs. That can result is lower turnover, lower use of sick days, and ultimately increased productivity.
By focusing on creating the conditions in which employees thrive, both engagement and well-being will be outcomes.
