To successfully manage your wellbeing, you have to be able to measure it. One of the most common measures of wellbeing is the PERMAH framework developed by Dr. Martin Seligman, which categorizes wellbeing into six dimensions.
Working alongside Martin, Dr. Peggy Kern and Julie Butler created a measure of PERMAH that has been tested and validated by more than 16,000 people around the world. In 2012, Kern created a workplace version of this measure which has evolved to the PERMAH Workplace Survey.
When your wellbeing is out of balance, it can be hard to know exactly what is off and how to intervene. The PERMAH framework can be used as a tool to identify areas of wellbeing intervention or maximizing wellbeing strengths.
The six dimensions of the PERMAH framework are:
Positive Emotion
The right balance of heartfelt positivity to boost our resilience
Engagement
The regular development of our strengths - those things we're good at and enjoy doing
Relationships
the creation of authentic, energizing connections
Meaning
a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves
Accomplishment
the belief and ability to do the things that matter most of us
Health
eating well, moving regularly, sleeping deeply
NKU’s partnership with Mayerson Academy and the Wellbeing Lab has made the PERMAH Workplace Survey available to all NKU faculty and staff for free . In addition, NKU worked with the Mayerson Academy and the Wellbeing Lab to develop a new version of the survey tool designed specifically for NKU and higher ed.
If you are interested in participating in the survey, click on the PERMAH Survey link on the top left nav of this page for access and instructions to this comprehensive resource, which includes the survey for getting a pulse on your personal wellbeing, a tool to build a plan for impacting your wellbeing, your personalized (and confidential) wellbeing report, and wellbeing resources and action.
Your personal responses and dashboard will be confidential. The Employee Engagement and Wellbeing Committee will review the anonymous, aggregated data to understand what NKU can be doing to better to support and nourish people’s wellbeing and to decide how to use the survey to inform decisions on engagement and wellbeing supports provided in the future.
Contact Kim Baker, Director of Wellness at bakerk7@nku.edu if you have questions, feedback or need assistance.
