Cultivating Thriving Environments: Exploring Self-Worth as a Key to Hiring and Developing Employees

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a qualitative study with 17 senior leaders across eight industries exploring which employee behaviors contribute to a thriving work environment (i.e., one that is healthy and productive). The paper outlines six propositions based on prior literature and then examines how the exploratory study aligns and diverges from previous research. Fourteen behaviors emerged that described thriving employees (e.g., Engage the Mess, Play, and Contextual Awareness) and 13 behaviors were coded for non-thriving or toxic behavior (e.g., Manipulation, Entitled, and Isolated). The results of this study seek to close the gap between practical needs of companies to build a strong workforce and tangible behaviors that can be identified and developed.