you die what??
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Workplace as Modern Polis
Organizations shape daily lived experience
Potential stewards of stakeholder flourishing
Eudaimonic design is hard and there's limited guidance
Yet some organizations want to pursue it
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
If eudaimonia is a journey...
What kind of vessel do we need?
How do we design for flourishing?
1. The philosophy
2. The business case
3. The boat
4. The Future
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
This talk is based on a chapter I've co-authored with Carol Ryff in a forthcoming Research Handbook on Positive Psychology in the Workplace
See also: Soren, A., & Ryff, C. D. (2023). Meaningful Work, Well-Being, and Health: Enacting a Eudaimonic Vision. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(16), 6570.
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Part 1
The Communal Soul of Eudaimonia
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
So what is eudaimonia?
eu → good
daimon → soul
"Activity of the soul in accordance with virtue"
- A daily practice of doing good
- Journey involving discernment and struggle
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
The Virtuous Cycle of Flourishing
Individuals flourish when society flourishes
Society flourishes when individuals flourish
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
Where Modern Wellbeing Science Drifted
(Joshanloo, 2024)
Focus on the subjective rather than the normative
Based on Western, individualistic assumptions
Anchored in autonomy and self-expression
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
- Self-Optimization
- Self-Help
- Self-Care
- Self-Development
- Self-Actualization
- Self-Improvement
- Self-Discovery
- Self-Mastery
- Self-Realization
- Self-Transformation
- Self-Empowerment
- Self-Healing
- Self-Regulation
- Self-Compassion
- Self-Awareness
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
Not ME → but WE
Not just psychology → but ethics
Not isolated thriving → shared flourishing
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
Part Two
The Business Case for Eudaimonia at Work
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The Business Case Is Clear
Health & Longevity
Links to health, longevity, lower absenteeism
Cost Reduction
Reduced healthcare and turnover costs
Performance
Higher productivity, creativity, innovation
Market Success
Market outperformance
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Instrumental vs. Intrinsic Good
The "morally hollow iron cage" of organizational life
— Alasdair MacIntyre
Eudaimonia as moral act, not just strategic lever
Reintegrate virtue ethics into organizations
Neglect leads to burnout and harm
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
Part Three
The Eudaimonic Boat
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How do we design eudaimonia at work?
Individual interventions are insufficient
Requires interdisciplinary, systems thinking
No silver bullets → whole-boat design
Illustration by Paige Boivin
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The Waters
Context Matters
Industry and market conditions
Organisation size and structure
Cultural norms and values
Economic and social factors
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The Hull
Decent Working Conditions Keep Us Afloat
Fair compensation and job security
Safe and healthy work environment
Dignity - being treated as a human
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The Sails
Psychological well-being capture the wind and propel us forward.
Meaning & Purpose
Autonomy
Self-Awareness
Positive Relationships
Environmental Mastery
Growth & Development
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The Masts
Job design and role clarity are the structures that support wellbeing
Clear goals and success metrics
Task variety and challenge
Meaningful contribution
Stakeholder interaction
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The Captain
Leaders create the climate for wellbeing
Role Modelling Values
Demonstrating Care
Psychological safety
Autonomy support
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The Crew
Voice and choice is the social contract
Two-Way Communication
Participatory Decision-Making
Growth Opportunities
Rituals of Recognition
Organizational Justice
Work-Life Harmony
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The Destination
A shared purpose guides collective effort
Profit is necessary for sustainability
People & Planet are the moral core of inspiration
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A journey that never ends
- The whole boat matters
- Complexity is the key
- Requires systems thinking
- Leadership buy-in is necessary
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Part Four
AI and the Future of Eudaimonia at Work
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AI's Double-Edge
The Promise
- AI may strengthen every part of boat
- Sharper data on waters and hull
- Better tools for sails and leadership
The Perils
Or crew forced to "walk the plank"
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Inequality and the Bionic Arm
For the Powerful
Technology amplifies opportunity and productivity
For the Vulnerable
AI becomes an impossible thing to compete with
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
The Deeper Threat
Not just hands replaced
Risk of eroding our heads
AI outperforming technical domains
What remains uniquely human?
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
Binding Technology
Progress always involves trade-offs
Guard what matters most
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
What the Talmud says about AI
Avodah | עבודה
Assigned, routine labour
Melachah | מלאכה
Creative, meaning-making work
The question for our age of AI
What are we prepared to protect as sacred?
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Conclusion
Bringing It All Together
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NPPA 2026 | andrew@eubd.ca
Reclaiming eudaimonia as our communal soul
Work shapes identity and society
Beyond self-optimization and performance
Design as if eudaimonia matters
Organizations can be moral communities
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Q&A
Andrew Soren
CEO, Eudaimonic by Design
Executive Director, International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA)
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Eudaimonia at Work: