Returning to the office is good for you!

In the fall of 2021, I was invited to attend and present at a meeting with a client. I had been working with the employees of this organization for 8 years. We had been through the pandemic together for the preceding 18 months, and at that point we were back together in person for the first time. I was so excited that as I was speaking to them, I got emotional, and even a bit teary. I was definitely joyful, and as I learned later after reading the article discussed below, I was actually experiencing eudaimonia.

While commonly translated as “happiness,” the concept of eudaimonia originated during the Classical period in Ancient Greece to describe the condition of human flourishing or of living well. For Aristotle, eudaimonia was the highest human good, and the only human good desirable for its own sake.

In this LinkedIn article, Paulo Lopez explores four advantages to returning to the workplace: Function, Eudaimonia, Efficiency/Effectiveness, and Learning.

Regarding eudaimonia, Lopez shares that being together releases oxytocin, which helps us feel happier and decreases the release of hormones that are associated with stress levels, weight gain, and heart diseases. Face-to-face interactions are beneficial for physical and emotional wellbeing and help to reduce tech fatigue. Since human interactions have been drastically limited the past two years, going back to the office will support an improvement in wellbeing for all employees.

Describe a time when you felt like you were flourishing at work. Have you experienced eudaimonia in your workplace, or while collaborating with colleagues  ?