Understanding Workplace Flourishing: Insights from South African Employees
Rethabile Natasha Tigedi 
, Freda van der Walt & Mpho Prudence Nyetanyane
Issue: Vol. 6 No.14 Article 5 pp. 3571 – 3585
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256145 | Published online 12th December, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
In today’s high-pressure and fast-paced working environments, employees are not just seeking to survive, but they want to flourish. This study investigated workplace flourishing among South African employees by examining emotional, psychological and social well-being as dimensions of optimal functioning. Grounded in PERMA, the study addressed a gap in understanding how flourishing manifests in developing country contexts, particularly within the South African public sector. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected from 394 employed individuals within the Free State province. The results revealed high levels of flourishing, where employees frequently reported positive emotions, strong job satisfaction, and low negative affect. Psychological well-being aspects (i.e. autonomy, competence, meaning and engagement) were also consistently strong. Similarly, social well-being results reflected a sense of inclusion, community and social contribution. The findings suggest that employees are capable of experiencing meaning, connection, and personal growth within their work. These insights underline the value of intentionally cultivating environments that support holistic employee well-being. The study offers practical recommendations for fostering flourishing through supportive leadership, growth opportunities and emotionally intelligent organisational cultures. It further contributes to the broader literature on positive organisational behaviour and provides a framework for sustainable employee well-being in the South African context.
Keywords: Workplace Flourishing, Emotional Well-Being, Psychological Well-Being, Social Well-Being, South Africa
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Natasha Tigedi is a Doctoral candidate and a lecturer at the Central University of Technology. Free State (Welkom Campus), South Africa, in the Department of Business Management. Her research interests include workplace spirituality, employee well-being, emotional intelligence, growth mindset and psychological capital (PsyCap).
Prof Freda van der Walt is a NRF-rated researcher and established scholar in the field of organisational behaviour, with a special interest in workplace spirituality and organisational behaviour. In 2008, she completed a PhD in Organisational Behaviour at the University of Pretoria and holds the position of Assistant Dean of teaching and learning in the Faculty of Management Sciences at the Central University of Technology (CUT).
Mpho Prudence Nyetanyane is a PhD candidate and lecturer at the Central University of Technology in the Department of Business Management. Her research interests include human resource management, employment relations, organisational behaviour, employee well-being and AI.
Tigedi, Rethabile Natasha, Freda van der Walt and Mpho Prudence Nyetanyane. “Understanding Workplace Flourishing: Insights from South African Employees.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 14 (2025): 3571 – 3585, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256145.
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
