6-11-2020
10 tips for boosting zest at work
We’ve compiled 10 simple and effective approaches that you could apply at your workplace to set the stage for zest.
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First there was employee engagement. Then work passion, vitality and vigour became part of the workplace conversation. Today, thriving seems to be gaining ground. But is thriving at work simply the latest buzzword?
Not quite. Thriving at work brings together two important experiences: feeling energised and continuing to learn and develop. This makes it relevant not only to individual employees, but also to organisations looking to support employee wellbeing, engagement and sustainable performance.
Spreitzer et al. [1] define thriving at work as a psychological state in which employees experience both vitality and learning.
Vitality refers to feeling alive, energised and alert at work. Learning is about experiencing growth, development and progress. Both matter. An employee may have plenty of energy but feel that they are no longer developing. Another may be learning constantly but feel exhausted. In either situation, one of the two essential elements of thriving is missing.
Thriving is also a dynamic state rather than a fixed personal characteristic. People can experience higher or lower levels of vitality and learning at different moments, depending on their personal circumstances and the environment in which they work. [1,3]
This is why thriving is related to, but not the same as, work engagement. The two are strongly connected, but thriving places particular emphasis on the combination of vitality and learning. [2]
That combination also connects thriving closely to employee wellbeing. People need enough energy to contribute effectively, but they also need opportunities to develop, adapt and make progress if that energy is to be sustained.
A systematic review of personal energy at work found that energy and thriving are influenced by three broad areas: personal factors, the work environment and the balance between strain and recovery. [3]
This means that workplace thriving is not solely an individual responsibility. Personal habits and behaviours matter, but so do the conditions in which people work.
Learning is one of the two defining elements of thriving.
Employees are more likely to experience positive energy when they feel competent and capable in their work. Opportunities to develop skills, receive useful feedback, try new approaches and make progress all support the learning side of thriving.
Learning and development therefore matter for more than capability building. They also support motivation, employee vitality and a sense of forward movement.
Three so-called agentic work behaviours are closely associated with thriving: task focus, exploration and heedful relating. [1,3]
Task focus means directing attention and energy towards the work at hand. Exploration involves experimenting, discovering new approaches and learning new ways of working. Heedful relating means working with others in an attentive, supportive and coordinated way.
Together, these behaviours help employees build knowledge, create positive meaning and strengthen relationships. Thriving at work is therefore not only about how people feel, but also about how they approach their work and interact with others.
Meaningful work can also support personal energy. When people understand why their work matters and how it contributes to something larger, they are more likely to experience motivation and a stronger sense of purpose. [3,4]
That does not mean every role needs to feel like a personal calling. It does mean that employees benefit from seeing the value of their contribution and understanding how their work connects with their own values, strengths and ambitions.
This is also central to our Career Resilience programme, which helps people explore what drives their motivation, satisfaction and sustainable career development.
Thriving does not happen in isolation. Relationships with colleagues are an important part of the work environment.
Feeling connected, respected and supported at work is positively associated with thriving. Supportive relationships also make it easier for people to ask for help, share knowledge and work effectively with others. [2,3,6]
A thriving workplace therefore needs more than individual wellbeing initiatives. It also requires an environment in which people can build strong professional relationships and feel that they belong.
Personal characteristics also influence how people experience work. Studies have linked traits such as proactivity and a generally positive outlook with higher levels of thriving, while other personality characteristics may make it more difficult to sustain energy and learning. [2,5]
These characteristics do not determine whether someone will thrive. Workplace conditions still matter greatly. People with similar roles can experience very different levels of energy depending on their workload, relationships, opportunities to learn and ability to recover. [3]
For organisations, the aim should therefore not be to look for a particular ‘thriving personality’, but to create conditions in which different people have the opportunity to thrive.
Because thriving is shaped by both the individual and the work environment, organisations have an important role to play. Two areas are particularly influential: the quality of leadership and the opportunity employees have to recover from work demands.
The relationship between an employee and their manager can strongly influence the day-to-day experience of work. Supervisor support is positively associated with workplace thriving, while supportive leadership is also linked with stronger employee engagement. [2,4]
Managers shape everyday working conditions through the clarity, feedback, support and autonomy they provide. Persistent overload, unclear expectations or poor manager relationships, on the other hand, can drain energy and make it harder for employees to remain engaged.
Supporting managers is therefore an important part of creating a workplace in which employees can perform, develop and maintain their wellbeing.
A thriving workplace gives employees the resources and opportunities they need to contribute, learn and maintain their energy.
Supportive leadership, positive relationships, organisational support and opportunities for development all play a role. [1,2] Trust, respect and access to useful information can also help people take initiative and engage more fully with their work.
This is why workplace wellbeing needs to go beyond individual wellbeing activities. Organisations also need to look at how work itself is designed and experienced.
When employees understand what is expected of them, have room to develop and feel supported by the people around them, the conditions for thriving become much stronger.
Pressure is not automatically harmful. Challenging work can create focus, energy and opportunities to learn. Problems are more likely to arise when demands remain high for too long without sufficient resources or recovery.
Energy is renewable, but it is not unlimited. Sustainable performance therefore depends on a healthy rhythm between effort and recovery rather than expecting employees to operate at maximum intensity continuously.
Our Behavioural Resilience programme focuses specifically on this balance. It helps people understand how to manage and renew their energy so they can respond to work and life demands more sustainably.
Recovery should not be something employees only think about after work. Organisations can also create working conditions that make recovery possible throughout the working day.
Proper breaks, stepping away from screens, making time for lunch and creating moments of mental or physical relaxation can all help people restore energy. Recognising stress signals and responding to them more effectively also supports recovery. Our Emotional Resilience programme focuses on building this awareness and self-regulation.
Thriving at work is therefore more than another HR buzzword. It reflects the interaction between vitality, learning, supportive working conditions and the opportunity to recover.
Studies associate thriving with outcomes such as work engagement, job satisfaction, organisational commitment, health and task performance. [2] Creating the conditions for employees to thrive can therefore support both workplace wellbeing and sustainable organisational performance.
[1] Spreitzer, G. M., Sutcliffe, K., Dutton, J. E., Sonenshein, S. & Grant, A. M. (2005). A Socially Embedded Model of Thriving at Work. Organization Science, 16(5), 537–549. DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1050.0153.
[2] Kleine, A.-K., Rudolph, C. W. & Zacher, H. (2019). Thriving at Work: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 40, 973–999. DOI: 10.1002/job.2375.
[3] Klijn, A. F. J., Tims, M., Lysova, E. I. & Khapova, S. N. (2021). Personal Energy at Work: A Systematic Review. Sustainability, 13(23), 13490. DOI: 10.3390/su132313490.
[4] Paterson, T. A., Luthans, F. & Jeung, W. (2014). Thriving at Work: Impact of Psychological Capital and Supervisor Support. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(3), 434–446. DOI: 10.1002/job.1907.
[5] Hennekam, S. (2017). Thriving of Older Workers. Personnel Review, 46(2), 297–313. DOI: 10.1108/PR-07-2015-0195.
[6] Ehrhardt, K. & Ragins, B. R. (2019). Relational Attachment at Work: A Complementary Fit Perspective on the Role of Relationships in Organizational Life. Academy of Management Journal.
We’ve compiled 10 simple and effective approaches that you could apply at your workplace to set the stage for zest.
Learn more
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