A Week to Remember: The Story Behind Capabilities at Work

Where the story begins

Some weeks pass quietly. Others stay with you long after they end. As this week draws to a close, I find myself looking back on seven days filled with conversation, learning, nature and gratitude. They led us to one moment we had worked towards for a long time: the launch of our book, Capabilities at Work: The Added Value of the Capability Model for Well-Being and Work (https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009600576).

But a book launch is never only about a book. It is about the people who make it possible. This is the story of that week.

Saturday: around the fire

The week began where the best conversations often do, around a braai at our home. We invited two of our PhD candidates, Maryke Marais and Geraldine van Heerden, and our master's student, Kele Ramagaga. Waiting to meet them were three guests from the Netherlands: Marianne Holleman, Prof. Margot Joosen and Prof. Evelien Brouwers.

It was a joy to watch our students connect with academics and practitioners whose work they had read about. Around the fire, the lines between student and professor, and between South Africa and the Netherlands, grew softer.

For me, the day held a special meaning. Marianne Holleman wrote the foreword to Capabilities at Work together with Prof. Valerie Møller. She also sponsored almost half of the funds needed to make the book open access, so that anyone, anywhere, can read it freely. Having her in South Africa for the launch was a gift. This time, it was my turn to say thank you.

The hours we spent with Margot and Evelien were just as valuable. We learned more about each other's work, and more about each other.

Sunday: a pause in nature

On Sunday, we took seven international visitors to Mongena Lodge. After months of planning, it felt good to simply stop.

There is something about time in the bush that clears the mind. Away from screens and schedules, we could breathe, talk and look around us. Nature opened our minds for everything that lay ahead.

Monday and Tuesday: learning together

Refreshed, we returned to work. Monday was dedicated to a workshop on the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT), a chance to go deeper into how we understand and measure burnout.

On Tuesday, Prof. Jasper Van Assche gave a lecture on diversity and inclusion. Later that day, Prof. Wilmar Schaufeli spoke to academics and support staff about burnout. It was a reminder that the wellbeing of people at work is not a topic for researchers alone. It matters to everyone in the room.

Wednesday: the launch

And then came Wednesday, the highlight of the week for us.

Our networks at Momentum helped us bring the launch of Capabilities at Work to life, and they made sure it ran professionally from start to finish. Seeing senior managers in the audience was deeply inspiring. It told us that the ideas in this book speak not only to scholars, but also to the leaders who shape how people experience work every day.

Standing there, I thought of every step that had brought us to that moment: the writing, the partnerships, the support from friends near and far.

Having both established and emerging academics at the event was a privilege. It brought together those who have shaped the field and those who will carry it forward.

After the event, I went back and paged through the chapters of the book. Only then did I fully realise its importance: the effort and emotion that went into it, and the valuable contributions our authors made.

Thursday: Heritage Day

On Thursday, our international visitors joined us for a Heritage Day lunch at the Peppertree Restaurant in Pretoria. It was the perfect way to close the week: good food, shared stories, and time to relax and enjoy the beauty of South Africa together.

Looking back

As I reflect on this week, what stays with me most is the people. Students meeting mentors around a fire. Colleagues from two continents sharing a quiet day in nature. Friends and partners who believed in this book enough to help it reach the world.

Capabilities at Work carries our names on its cover, but this week reminded me that it was never ours alone.

The book is available open access here. at the following link.

If you missed the launch, you can watch it on YouTube. Click here.