An action-oriented framework for well-being

Workplace well-being research offers rich theoretical traditions but limited practical tools that practitioners can readily deploy. Developed through a theory-synthesis methodology, this conceptual article presents the Well-Being Navigation Model (WBNM), an integrative framework synthesizing six established traditions—tripartite motivation, conservation of resources, flow theory, ecological systems theory, Boyd’s Observe–Orient–Decide–Act (OODA) strategic adaptation logic, and narrative identity—into a unified operational architecture for workplace behavioral health. The model’s process engine is the five-phase Observe–Orient–Decide–Act–Narrate loop (OODAN), a recursive cycle guiding individuals and teams through continuous well-being navigation across nested ecological contexts. Designed for employee assistance program professionals, coaches, and organizational practitioners, the framework supports applications including workplace counseling, onboarding, career transitions, return-to-work support, and team development. Three contributions are advanced in this article, namely systematic integration of six traditions within a single process architecture; the OODAN bridging mechanism connecting theory to practitioner-guided action; and the explicit incorporation of assertion motivation—the drive to maintain and savor existing well-being states—alongside approach and avoidance orientations.