Work as Polis: Reclaiming the Communal Soul of Eudaimonia

This week, we’re celebrating a milestone: the 50th episode of Meaningful Work Matters!

Over the past two years, we’ve spoken with more than 50 researchers, thinkers, and practitioners who are reimagining what makes work meaningful.

To mark this moment, we are doing something different. Instead of an interview, Andrew shares his own reflections, based on an article co-written with his mentor and friend, Dr. Carol Ryff. Together, they explore what it means to see work not only as a driver of productivity or advantage but also as a moral commitment and a way of reclaiming the communal soul of work.

This special solo episode invites you to pause, reflect, and imagine how workplaces can become modern-day polis: moral communities designed for human flourishing.

Key Takeaways

• Andrew reflects on what it would mean to treat organizations as moral communities, drawing inspiration from Aristotle’s polis.
• He explores the tension between individual wellbeing and collective flourishing, and why both matter for the future of work.
• The episode touches on what makes “decent work” a foundation for human thriving, and why organizations cannot ignore it.
• Andrew shares why the business case for wellbeing is not enough, and what it takes to move beyond metrics into moral purpose.
• Finally, he considers how the arts and the stories we tell can help us reclaim the deeper soul of work.

Why This Episode Matters

This conversation is an invitation for reflection, dialogue, and action. For a deeper dive into the themes Andrew shares in this episode, visit our companion blog.

If you have been part of our journey so far, thank you. If you are new, this is a perfect time to start listening. And if something resonates, we would love for you to share it with a friend or colleague and let us know what ideas or stories it sparks for you.