Invited Paper: Prof Maria João Gouveia with Marcela Almeida Alves & Prof Stephen Palmer
Promoting Wellbeing and Health at Workplaces: Developing an online version of BeST Programme
Positive Psychology movement, especially Positive Organizational Behaviour and Positive Organization Scholarship, bring to companies the knowledge and practices that facilitate Flourishing at work. Evidence-based interventions can contribute to more effective organizational practices. BeST Programme: Promoting Wellbeing and Health at Workplace was designed to test the effectiveness of a Positive Coaching Psychology Intervention to promote psychological flourishing at work. The initial results were promising. However, in times of the pandemic crisis, the Programme development requires a review to adjust and adapt the methodology to the new reality. The content of the original Programme is based on facilitating character strengths, healthy lifestyles and mindful behaviour. All of them are important variables in face of the “new normal”. Strengths like creativity, perspective, bravery, zest, perseverance, hope, spirituality, kindness, prudence, leadership and others are more than ever challenged. Workers and enterprises need to be prepared to find and activate these characteristics in order to cope well with the circumstances and keep alive the ability to thrive. This paper describes the online intervention and the qualitative data of the BeST Programme.
Prof Maria João Gouveia is a Professor of Psychology at ISPA-Instituto Universitário /Applied Psychology Research Center-Capabilities and Inclusion – (APPSY-CI).