Flow is a state of transcendence and it is just as important in office design as any other domain of human activity.

Flow is more common at work Such moments are more likely when we are at work than in other periods of our lives and are relatively common.

According to an article by Csíkszentmihályi published in Psychology Today, in a survey of 6,469 Germans, when asked how often they entered a flow state: 23 percent said often; 40 percent said sometimes; 25 percent said rarely; and 12 percent said never or don’t know.

Organisations should seek to develop activities, cultures and environments that make it easier for people to enter flow states His own research using more objective methods found that work was better suited to the creation of flow states than passive activities such as watching television, leading him to conclude that ‘work is much more like a game than most other things we do during the day.

‘ Csikszentmihályi argues that organisations should seek to develop activities, cultures and environments that make it easier for people to enter flow states in their work.

In his 2003 book Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning, Csikszentmihályi argues that fostering flow states improves morale by creating a sense of greater happiness and accomplishment.

Designing for flow There are several characteristics of an office environment that can encourage flow states and meet these prerequisites.