About the Thrive Series
“Thrive” is a positive construct that is commonly used (do a quick google search if you do not believe me) in relation to workplaces and employees. Being a thriving workplace seems to be a consensus aspirational target, but I’ve never seen it rise to KPI status. If you care about productivity, retention, burnout, and health (to name a few outcomes), Thrive is worthy of some real consideration.
So…what does Thrive mean? How can you measure Thrive? What outcomes does Thrive impact? How can you (and I) develop and maintain Thrive in the workplace?
This four-part series will answer these questions based on existing literature and conclude with evidence-based recommendations to Drive Thrive in your workplace.
Thrive Means…
Standard Definition: “Thrive” is a verb meaning “to grow or develop well or vigorously…to prosper…to flourish” (Oxford Languages, 2025).
Workplace Definition: “Thrive from work” is defined as “the state of positive mental, physical, and social functioning in which workers’ experiences of their work and working conditions enable them to thrive in their overall lives, contributing to their ability to achieve their full potential in their work, home and community” (Peters et al., 2021).
Psychological Definition: “Thrive appears to come down to an individual experiencing a sense of development, of getting better at something, and succeeding at mastering something. In the simplest terms, what underpins it is feeling good about life and yourself and being good at something” (Brown et al., 2017).
*Integrated Work-Based Definition: Thrive is a positive state influenced by the workplace that drives feeling good about your abilities, your life, and your development. Thrive leads to mastery and a sense reaching your full potential at work and in your personal life.
Related States and Concepts (Thrive triggered these two connections for me)
- Flow: This is a highly researched area related to peak performance across various settings. Check out these resources to learn more about Flow: The Founder of Flow in a Ted Talk
- Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (book)
- Maslow’s’ Hierarchy of Needs: Much like self-actualization, Thrive seems to come from a foundation of factors captured by Maslow’s work. More to come on this next week.
Look for Part 2: Measuring Thrive next Tuesday (the week of April 21st)