What does it really take to understand well-being?

In this episode, Andrew Soren speaks with Llewellyn van Zyl, a positive organizational psychologist and data scientist who is rethinking how we measure and design for human flourishing.

Llewellyn shares why traditional “top-down” models of well-being often fall short, and introduces a bottom-up, person-centered approach that treats every individual as a unique case. From there, he explains how artificial intelligence and machine learning might help scale these insights, and where we need to be cautious about over-reliance and ethical risks.

Key Takeaways

• Top-down models have limits. Frameworks like PERMA can’t fully capture cultural differences or personal experiences, and often prescribe “averages” that don’t work for everyone.
• Bottom-up approaches start with the person. Llewellyn outlined eight principles for understanding well-being as a dynamic, context-dependent process that unfolds uniquely for each individual.
• AI offers possibilities and pitfalls. Machine learning can help identify unique drivers of well-being and burnout at the individual level, but it also raises concerns around ethics, dependence, and the dehumanization of care.
• The future of work will require balance. Technology should augment human wisdom, freeing us to focus on the creativity, ethics, and relationships that machines cannot replicate.

Why This Episode Matters

As organizations grapple with the well-being of their employees, this conversation offers both a critique of the “one-size-fits-all” approach and a vision for what’s possible when data, AI, and human-centered design come together. It challenges us to think carefully about how we measure what matters, and how to ensure technology supports, rather than replaces, what makes work meaningful.

Llewellyn also shares concrete practices and stories, such as why “connection to nature” isn’t universal and how AI can identify signs of burnout in unexpected ways.

You can explore these ideas further in our blog here: eudaimonicbydesign.com/resilience/llewellyn-van-zyl

About Our Guest

Prof. Llewellyn E. van Zyl, PhD, is an award-winning positive organizational psychologist and data scientist. He is a professor at the Optentia Research Unit at North-West University and Chief Solutions Architect at Psynalytics, where he pioneers person-centered, idiographic approaches to employee well-being through advanced analytics and AI. With more than 15 years of consulting experience and over 100 scientific publications, his work is reshaping how organizations understand and support the employee experience.