At the workplace, the positive psychology concept of "flow" or "flow state" occurs when the level of challenge a person faces matches their level of mastery. Some people call this being, "in the zone."

When a challenge is too easy, a person can get bored or disengaged from their work. On the other hand, giving someone a challenge too great can lead to frustration or anxiety.

When onboarding new talent or helping someone transition to a new role, it's important to provide challenges that are not too far from the person's level of expertise to maximize the chances that this person can experience flow at work, which can lead to a happier, more productive workplace. Learn more