An experiential group activity where participants move between seven career well-being stations, leaving reflections on meaning, relationships, balance and growth to uncover personal values and strengths.
Target group:
Career counsellors and clients. The activity can be implemented both in counsellor training and in direct work with individuals or groups.
Duration:
- Approximately 60 minutes in group format
- Approximately 40 minutes in individual format
Inspiration for the tool:
Developed by Slovak career practitioners as part of the Well-being in Career Guidance module. It draws on research and practice linking career satisfaction, positive emotions, values, and strengths to overall well-being (see e.g. Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Model; Seligman’s PERMA; Green Guidance approach). The method is inspired by experiential and reflective learning approaches and promotes embodied, participatory exploration.
Objectives:
By the end of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Identify and understand what career well-being means for them.
- Recognise the interconnection between career well-being and other dimensions of overall well-being.
- Explore personal experiences of satisfaction and positive emotions related to their work or learning.
- Identify personal values, strengths, and resources that support their career well-being.
- Reflect on concrete actions to enhance or sustain career well-being.
Resources needed:
- Space for group seating in a circle.
- Room large enough to set up seven stations corresponding to 7 components of career well-being (on the floor or marked on the wall with tape) allowing participants to move freely.
- Post-it notes (for participants to leave reflections at each station).
- Worksheet (career well-being reflection sheet) and pens.
- Optional: printed mind map or diagram illustrating the seven elements of career well-being. This can alternatively be used as individual activity.
Activities:
- Introduction to the concept:
Begin with a short presentation or discussion on career well-being—what it means, its connection to other areas of well-being, and why it is relevant today (see section Career/Professional Well-being as One Component of Overall Well-being). - Presentation of the model:
Show a mind map or diagram representing the seven elements of career well-being. Explain each briefly.
The seven elements of career well-being
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Sense of Meaning and Purpose | Feeling that one’s work has meaning, contributes to something larger, and aligns with personal values. |
| Career Transitions | The ability to navigate changes in work and life (starting, ending, or shifting careers) with adaptability and confidence. |
| Interpersonal Relationships | Quality of relationships and interactions at work; support, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. |
| Work–Life Balance | Managing time and energy between professional and personal domains to maintain overall well-being. |
| Relationships with Organisations | The sense of trust, fairness, and identification with one’s workplace, employer, or professional community. |
| Work Performance | Experiencing competence, achievement, and recognition in one’s tasks and responsibilities. |
| Learning and Development | Opportunities for continuous learning, growth, and use of one’s potential in professional life. |
- Movement and reflection – the seven stations:
- Set up seven stations around the room, each representing one element of career well-being.
- Participants move freely between the stations, responding to guiding questions from the worksheet.
- At each station, they leave a post-it note with their reflections:
- When have I felt satisfied or experienced positive emotions related to this element?
- What values, strengths, or resources were involved?
- Exploration walk:
Invite participants to walk around and read the post-its collected at each station. Encourage noticing shared values, recurring themes, and collective strengths. - Individual reflection:
Participants complete their worksheet, deepening their reflections and noting insights gained from movement and observation. - Group discussion:
Facilitate a final dialogue on key learnings, connections between elements, and possible actions to strengthen career well-being.
Extension activities:
- Participants identify one or two elements they wish to focus on improving.
- Develop an individual action plan or “well-being goal” for the coming month.
- Integrate follow-up questions in future counselling sessions.
- For counsellor training: add a meta-reflection on how this method could be used with clients.
Reflections / Consolidation of learning:
Possible reflection questions include:
- What were your main insights or “aha” moments?
- Which elements of career well-being felt most relevant to you? Are there any missing ones?
- Think of one positive career-related situation you recalled—what did you do, who else was involved, and which values or strengths were present?
- Which values, strengths, or resources appeared repeatedly across different elements?
- How could you apply these insights to improve your overall well-being?
- (For counsellors) How could you use this tool in your own guidance or coaching practice?
Recommendations / Trainer’s notes:
- You may extend the activity by adding questions such as:
- Are the values and strengths you identified also expressed in other areas of your life or well-being?
- What could you do to improve your career well-being in the near future?
- Works best in a face-to-face setting where participants can move and interact freely.
- Ensure a safe and reflective atmosphere—emphasise that there are no right or wrong answers.
- Encourage noticing both individual and collective patterns (shared strengths, group values).
Contact:
Katarína Štukovská, katarina.stukovska(at)gmail.com
The publication is available here: https://www.euroguidance.sk/document/publikacie/47.pdf