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In this article, we focus particularly on the social aspects of workplace well-being, including collaboration, role clarity, expectation alignment, the psychosocial work environment, organizational culture, and leadership.
If you're looking to turn poor well-being into a healthier and more positive work environment, you're in the right place. We'll also explore the link between feedback and well-being—so stick with us. First, let’s take a brief historical look.
The history of well-being: The short version
In a 1968 speech, U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, brother of John F. Kennedy, commented on the nation's focus on financial outcomes:
"Too much and for too long, we seemed to have surrendered personal excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. [...] Yet the Gross National Product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile."
Since then, much has been written in critique of our overwhelming focus on financial results at the expense of softer - yet central - aspects of life, such as well-being.
Today, more than 40 countries worldwide conduct regular official measurements of citizens’ well-being (Diener & Seligman, 2018). At the same time, very few companies or governments still question the connection between strong financial performance and overall human well-being.
Denmark has been among the frontrunners in the well-being agenda. One example is the Well-being Agreement of 2008, which made it mandatory for all municipalities to carry out employee satisfaction and well-being surveys every three years. In practice, many organizations have chosen to conduct these assessments more frequently.
What is well-being?
Well-being is difficult to define—particularly because it lacks a strong theoretical foundation. Is it simply the absence of stress? How does the psychosocial work environment affect individual well-being? What role do employees’ mental and physical health play in the experience of well-being?
Most agree that well-being is a multifaceted concept. And perhaps that’s as it should be. After all, well-being is a deeply personal experience. It’s a state that each person must define for themselves:
“How would I assess my own well-being - and what might improve it?”
If you consult the Psychological Pedagogical Dictionary (Hans Reitzel, 2006), the term “well-being” refers to a person’s sense of satisfaction as a general emotional attitude or state. The concept is often used to describe children’s general well-being in school, particularly in relation to the importance of a healthy physical and psychological environment.
If we replace the words “children” and “school” with “employees” and “workplace,” we arrive at a definition that could serve as a foundation—keeping in mind, of course, that the elements influencing well-being in children and adults may differ.
Still, let’s try to frame well-being within a few theoretical perspectives, just to give you a starting point for working with well-being in your own organization.
Theories of Well-being
Let’s explore well-being from a theoretical perspective. We consider three angles:
- The feeling of happiness and life satisfaction
- Natural and intrinsic motivation at work
- Less stress leads to more well-being
1. The feeling of happiness and life satisfaction
A useful framework for understanding and working with well-being in the workplace is the PERMA model, developed by Martin Seligman, one of the pioneers of positive psychology. While the PERMA model is typically used to assess overall life satisfaction and well-being, it can also serve as a valuable conversation tool and practical framework for enhancing well-being in an organizational context.
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The PERMA model views the individual as a whole – both in their personal and professional life. Naturally, this means there are limitations to how much of a person’s overall happiness and well-being can be addressed within an employment relationship. Still, we believe the model is an incredibly useful tool for initiating conversations about the different components of overall well-being. It can also help individual employees gain clarity on how various areas of their life contribute to their overall sense of well-being.
2. Motivation at work as a cornerstone of employee well-being
Feeling naturally motivated in your job is a key part of overall well-being. When work feels meaningful and engaging, the drive to perform becomes more self-sustaining. Within motivation research, Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (SDT) provides a strong theoretical foundation. The theory distinguishes between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, with intrinsic motivation playing a particularly important role in supporting well-being.
According to SDT, intrinsic motivation arises when three psychological needs are met – known as CAR. These three elements form the foundation for sustained motivation and, in turn, more resilient well-being.
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The degree to which these needs are fulfilled varies from person to person. That’s why creating conditions where all three needs are met requires awareness and adaptability in everyday work life.
3. More stress, less well-being
Reducing stress contributes to improved well-being, both for individual employees and the organisation as a whole. The absence of stress is therefore a key factor in any effort to support well-being.
Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman provide a theoretical framework in which stress occurs at the intersection between the demands of the environment and an individual's ability to cope with them. Their transactional model of stress explains why some people experience stress while others do not, even under similar conditions. The explanation lies in three core factors: the overall pressure, the specific stressors, and the individual’s coping strategies. Together, these elements determine how a person experiences and responds to pressure in the workplace.
Stress has both human and economic consequences. That’s why the absence of stress should be considered an active contributor to well-being. Theoretically, stress can be understood through two lenses: the transactional perspective and the role-based perspective.
The transactional perspective
Introduced by Lazarus and Folkman, this perspective describes stress as a dynamic interaction between the individual and their environment. Stress arises when demands exceed the individual’s perceived abilities or resources. In this view, stress is not solely the result of external pressure, but also of how we evaluate and manage the situation.
Coping
The strategies we use to handle stress. Some are constructive, like going for a run or talking with a colleague. Others may be unhelpful in the long term, such as overindulgence or isolation. Effective coping requires awareness and balance.
Stressors
Concrete triggers that cause stress levels to rise. These can range from a technical issue to a demanding customer.
Demands
The total amount of demands from both work and private life. Some days we are better equipped to handle pressure, and this often depends on how we’ve been feeling recently.
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The role-based perspective
This perspective builds on Katz and Kahn’s understanding of how unclear or conflicting expectations regarding an employee’s role can trigger stress. In this view, stress is seen as a result of a lack of structure and communication within the organisation.
Dialogue becomes a crucial tool. Regular alignment of expectations and ongoing feedback between leaders and employees can help prevent misunderstandings and strengthen role clarity. Job descriptions and conversations about responsibilities and tasks can provide a good starting point. Clarity creates security, and a sense of security enhances well-being.
To support well-being, it is effective to open up a dialogue about how roles are evolving, which demands may feel unclear or overlapping, and where the employee sees room for improvement or clarification. These conversations help prevent misunderstandings and strengthen collaboration.
Why is workplace well-being important?
Well-being is essential – for people, for the work environment, and for the business. When well-being is high, it boosts everything from engagement and learning to financial sustainability and job satisfaction. There are many good reasons to prioritise well-being. Here are the four most important:
In short, well-being is not just a soft value – it is a strategic necessity. For modern leaders, the question is no longer whether well-being matters, but how they will ensure that well-being is embedded in daily operations.
Well-being and feedback
When we work with feedback in organisations, the goal is rarely feedback in itself. The focus is on what feedback should lead to. Increased well-being is often one of the key objectives, but it can also include organisational learning, improved collaboration, stronger performance or a greater sense of meaning in work.
Well-being and feedback are closely linked because effective feedback is built on key elements such as expectation alignment, recognition, active listening and dialogue. When these elements are connected to well-being frameworks like CAR and PERMA, it becomes clear how feedback can support the development of both individuals and the organisation as a whole.
But this requires a deliberate agreement. Do we, as an organisation, want to work systematically with well-being through feedback? If so, that commitment must be translated into action.
A simple but effective process can be structured into four steps:
- Set shared goals and create buy-in to actively prioritise well-being
- Define the desired behaviours that support well-being in everyday work
- Use feedback to reinforce and support those behaviours
- Track and follow up to ensure visible and meaningful progress
This is where real change happens: when feedback becomes an active part of the culture and new habits are embedded in everyday practice. The path to better well-being is not a one-off initiative – it’s a shared effort where behaviours and relationships are continuously developed and strengthened.
What does workplace well-being consist of?
Well-being is a broad concept. It encompasses both mental and physical factors. Mentally, we’re talking about things like relationships, motivation, collaboration and stress. Physically, it includes aspects such as lighting, ergonomics, physical strain and illness. All of these elements appear in traditional well-being surveys and workplace assessments – and they vary from person to person.
So how do we figure out what to take action on? We can start by asking: What contributes most to your well-being right now? And what gets in the way?
When it comes to responsibility, we’ll go with the diplomatic answer: it’s shared. Some aspects are clearly the organisation’s responsibility – the working environment, role clarity, leadership and well-being initiatives. Others rest more with the individual – physical health, relationships and how we handle pressure. But it's rarely black and white.
That’s exactly why we need dialogue. Not to assign blame, but to create clarity about who does what and how we support each other in making well-being work in practice.
In short, responsibility for well-being is shared, and dialogue is the tool that clarifies expectations and reinforces well-being-promoting behaviour.
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How do you measure well-being?
Well-being surveys are typically questionnaire-based and measure employees’ subjective experience of well-being. That makes sense, as well-being is, by nature, a personal feeling. The downside is that surveys often capture only a snapshot in time, which can be influenced by temporary factors such as conflicts, restructures or layoffs.
That’s why it’s important to measure well-being regularly and consistently if you want to track progress over time – not just react to isolated fluctuations. At the same time, leadership should be mindful of how results are interpreted and, even more importantly, how they are followed up.
Well-being surveys can put leadership words into action
A well-being survey is, in itself, a strong leadership signal. It shows that well-being is taken seriously. But a survey without subsequent action can erode trust. Employees expect leadership to act on what they’ve shared.
There are many providers and methods out there, so each organisation must find an approach that suits its needs and rhythm. A great place to start is the Danish National Research Centre for the Working Environment’s questionnaire on psychosocial work conditions. For more ongoing measurement, platforms like Livingroom Analytics can be useful.
How can I improve well-being in the workplace?
One of the most effective – and often overlooked – ways to boost well-being at work is simple: give your colleagues more recognition. We all have a basic need to feel seen and appreciated, and recognition strengthens the sense of connection and belonging.
The most impactful recognition focuses on specific behaviours and efforts. When we highlight what others are doing well, we give them the opportunity to repeat and reinforce that behaviour. More of what works creates stronger relationships, greater well-being and better results.
You can also turn your attention to shared behaviours and expectations:
What do we want to see more of? Which actions create energy and a sense of connection? And which habits might be time to let go of? Small actions can leave a big impact – and recognition is a great place to start.
What should I do next with our workplace well-being?
Whether you already had a strong understanding of well-being or gained some new insights today, we hope this article has offered you fresh perspectives and useful tools for working with well-being. If you’d like a sounding board, we’re here to help.
You might also want to explore our knowledge section, where you’ll find a wide range of tools and insights designed to help your organisation raise the level of well-being at work. For example, you can learn more about trust-based leadership.
Best of luck – and thank you for reading.
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