CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA - The Harvard Flourishing at Work Summit took place at Harvard University from May 1st – 2nd, 2025. The event is sponsored by Sovereign’s Capital and hosted by Lx Partners and the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard. ELO is one of the partners of the Human Flourishing Program.

Rick Goossen (ELO), Steve French (Lx Partners), and Brendan Case (HFH)

 This is an invitation-only gathering that convenes leading executives, academic researchers, and organizational leaders to explore how workplaces can become environments that actively support human flourishing. The summit goes beyond traditional metrics of workplace success—like productivity and profitability—to focus on deeper dimensions of employee well-being, including meaning, purpose, mental health, and social connection.

Steven French, Founder, Lx Partners, is a collaborator with ELO Network on the ELO Oxford Leadership Program and was part of the 2024 Cohort. Brendan Case, Associate Director for Research, The Human Flourishing Program, Harvard University, will be an adjunct instructor in the ELO Oxford Leadership Program 2025.

Dr. Richard (Rick) J. Goossen, Chairman, ELO Network, had an opportunity to introduce the ELO Oxford Leadership Program and focused on key distinctives:

• Teaching format – a limited size cohort of 20-30 participants in highly interactive sessions
• Instructors – a premier group including John Lennox, Lord Nigel Biggar and Chris Kutarna
• Ambience – a unique university town, with shadows of CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien and John Wesley

Through a series of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops, participants engage with the latest research and practical strategies for fostering flourishing in professional settings. Topics often include inclusive leadership, workplace culture transformation, psychological safety, and aligning organizational practices with values that enhance both human and organizational thriving.

The goal of the summit is to create actionable insights that can be implemented across industries, helping leaders design healthier, more compassionate, and more effective workplaces. It reflects a growing movement to reimagine success not just in economic terms, but also in terms of human fulfillment and societal impact.

 Brendan Case spoke on “Flourishing and Work: An Overview of the Evidence.” He defined “flourishing” as “a state in which all aspects of a person’s life are good.” He defined meaning/purpose as including:

• Sense of coherence, Sense of direction, Sense of significance
• There are four pathways to flourishing (institutions):
  • Family
  • Work
  • Education
  • Religious community

Case stated that virtually every society has a record of having some element of religion as a pathway to flourishing. High personal well-being and high job satisfaction reduce worker turnover, job satisfaction matters most when personal well-being is low.

Many studies show the benefits of human flourishing. One study indicated that worker loneliness cost employers in the UK £2.5B/yr, primarily via reduced productivity and increased turnover. Further, a US manufacturer lost $16m/yr in revenue from sick days, but $307m/yr from employee distraction.

There were a number of other impressive speakers for the day, including Bill Yeargin, the CEO of Correct Craft. The company was founded in 1925 and today is a global organization with several boat brands, an engine and transmission company, multiple waterparks, an innovation company, and distribution into 70 countries. Bill was interviewed by Ben Pascut, Ambassador Enterprises, Fort Wayne, IN, a company that focuses on private equity and public impact.