Flow at Work

The experience of Flow is familiar to anyone who is passionate about what they do. It refers to that almost transcendental state we dive into when the world around us disappears and we are fully involved and focused in the moment. Recent research suggests that the flow experience is what human beings seek at a deep level, and that providing this experience is a major pillar of “good business”. 

Flow is a special kind of enjoyment and is a common experience shared by a wide range of people— creative artists, mountain climbers, stay-at-home parents, workers in all types of jobs, and visionary leaders. A flow activity is intrinsically rewarding, worth doing for its own sake, even if it involves monetary or other rewards. Experiencing flow contributes to our happiness and improves the quality of the work we do.

When you are in the state of flow you experience/have:

1. Deep, focused attention, sometimes to the point of joy

2. Being fully in the present moment

3. Very clear goals; you know what has to be done

4. Immediate ‘on-line’, real time feedback; you know what you are doing is right

5. A fascinating challenge and you have the skills to respond to it

6. Harmony with the situation; you are not in circumstances beyond your control

7. An altered sense of time; time usually seems to stand still or pass slowly.

8. The loss of ego; you immerse yourself in the moment and the activity.

Because business is so central in today’s world—it controls the flow of vast resources and has a significant say in the direction of nations—bringing flow to work at an individual level is, therefore, essential. Strains that have appeared in the free market businesses such as the financial crisis, excessive greed, unethical practices and exploiting workers—are becoming increasingly frustrating and people are looking for a new approach in which short-term financial achievement is not the only indicator of success.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Professor of Psychology describes flow in his book, Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning, an extensive university research project that interviewed 39 extraordinary “visionary business leaders”. They included Sir John Templeton, Anita Roddick of The Body Shop and Leon Gorman, Chairman of L.L.Bean. The visionary business leaders broadly agree on a simple proposition: “To be successful you have to enjoy doing your best while at the same time contributing to something beyond yourself.” These leaders suggested when individuals find their own unique talent and do work that contributes to a greater good, they experience flow which in turn leads to human well-being and business success.

Creating flow at Work

Flow experiences are not coincidental and the number of them in the business environment can be ‘engineered’ to be more frequent. Surveys show that more than 80 percent of adults do not experience flow on a regular basis. The potential for increasing flow at work is immense. 

Leaders can design jobs to make workplaces more conducive to flow, by creating an environment where employees enjoy their work, gain skills and are given challenges to help them grow. There are a number of things that can be done to increase the experience of flow:

By the organisation

• Top management commit to building a workplace that fosters flow. 

• The organisation has an overriding worthwhile purpose and vision 

• Continuous communication of the purpose, vision and values to everyone

• Clear performance goals at the individual, team, and organisational level.

• Good feedback mechanisms. 

• Match the challenges given to people to the skills they have. 

By the individual

• Think about the occasions when you have experienced flow and what you were doing, and use them as a springboard for increasing future flow at work. 

• Learn mindfulness and meditation techniques: awareness of the breath, letting the monkey mind and attachments go, and bring your attention to the present moment. 

• Consider how you can contribute to the prosperity of your organization, beyond the financial bottom line, and act on your ideas. 

• Hire a coach who can help you experience flow, mindfulness and greater happiness. 

• Ask for clarification of your goals and for more feedback. 

• Find work that challenges you but matches your skill set. 

In effect, bringing flow into work suggests that the purpose of work is not just to make profit or to grow a sustainable business but to experience flow, since that is what leads to true wellbeing and success for employees, managers and organisations.