Healthy Work

In Episode 47, we discuss a paper ( Briggs, Gardner, & Ryan, 2023 ) on perceived sexist behavior in the workplace. Consistently the most damaging behavior, and the behavior perceived to be sexist most consistently, was condescendingly explaining something (i.e., mansplaining). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...

In Episode 47, we discuss a paper ( Shifrin & Michel, 2022 ) on the impact of workplace flexibility (i.e., flexibility in when and where you work) on health outcomes. Largely, flexible work arrangements are associated with better physical and psychological health. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit healthywork.s...

We're baaaaaack! In Episode 46, we discuss a paper ( Regina & Allen, 2023 ) on what a masculinity contest culture is and how it can be harmful for your emotional health. These cultures are especially harmful for men who aren't competitive or women who are. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit healthywork.substack....

In Episode 45, we discuss a paper (Caulderwood, Meyer, & Minnen, 2022) on the experience of being asked to work at a time, in a location, or in a way that is different from how you would normally expect to work. Turns out if companies have strong consequences or limit your choices around these asks then your wellbeing takes a hit. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with ot...

In Episode 44, we discuss a paper ( Rivkin, Diestel, Gerpott, & Unger 2022 ) on the experience of going to work while feeling sick. Largely, working while sick is a draining experience, but this can be made a little better if you actually are productive. Yet another case for guaranteed paid sick leave. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access...

In Episode 43, we discuss a paper ( Gardner & Prasad, 2022 ) on the outcomes of experiencing authenticity at work for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual employees. LGB employees who were out at work were more likely to experience authenticity at work which led to more job involvement and organizational commitment. But the employees had to feel psychologically safe at work to fully realize these benefits....

In Episode 42, we discuss a paper (Lu et al., 2022) on how people react and respond to customer mistreatment. If you have a positive self-view you’re more likely to view mistreatment as a challenge and react with kindness and help towards customers. But if you view it as a threat, you’re more likely to react with rudeness. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subs...

In Episode 41, we discuss a paper (Gerpott et al., 2022) on how having a bad commute ruins your experience of flow at work, and harms your performance and engagement at work. This is especially the case if your work is demanding or if your psychological needs aren’t being met. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...

In Episode 40, we discuss a paper (Dugan et al., 2022) on how having a bad work schedule (e.g., long hours, no days off, night hours) is linked to your sleep and depressive symptoms. We also discuss how schedule flexibility can help reduce these effects. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit healthywork.substack.co...

In Episode 39, we have a special guest host, Dr. Kimberly French, to discuss her paper (French, Drummond, Storey, 2022) on how experiencing psychological neglect and abuse as a child leads to a reduced sense of control and social support as an adult, thus making it more likely that you’ll experience work-family conflict. We also talk about governmental policies and organizational strategies that c...

In this BONUS episode Keaton talks with Drs. Gordon Schmidt and Sy Islam about their upcoming book Leaders Assemble: Leadership in the MCU. Specifically, we chat about the chapter on leadership and stress. You can pre-order the book from an independent book store here . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit healthy...

In Episode 38, we discuss a paper by Pluut, Ilies, Su, Weng, & Liang (2022) on how social stressors at work can impact how you treat your partner at home. Specifically, in line with a wealth of literature, this study shows if you have social stressors at work, you’re more likely to feel burnt out, and ultimately treat your partner poorly, especially if you’re a trusting person. This is a public ep...

We’re back from our unexpected hiatus! In Episode 37, we discuss a paper by Hughes, Freier, & Barratt (2022) on the experience of receiving unhelpful help at work. Receiving unhelpful help is associated with a range of negative attitudes and behaviors, and there are certain personality traits that put you at higher risk for these outcomes. We suggest creating a culture and habit of asking people i...

In Episode 36, we discuss a paper by Cho & Kim (2022) on the impact of eating behaviors at night on next day job performance. If you eat “poorly” at night you feel bad physically and psychologically the next morning, and this translates into worse on-the-job behavior (less likely to engage in helping behaviors and more likely to withdraw). Please note that in this episode we do talk about “unhealt...

In Episode 35, we discuss a paper by Cheung, Anderson, King, Mahabir, Warner, & Jones (2022) on the subtle discrimination women with children face when applying for jobs. Parenthood and applying for jobs are both stressful enough on their own, but this study shows that women applicants with children are viewed more negative and rejected more quickly than their men counterparts and their women coun...

In Episode 34, we discuss a paper by Shen, Liang, Brown, Ni, & Zheng (2022) on how supervisors abuse poorly performing subordinates, but that this causes emotional exhaustion for the supervisors. Having a chronically poorly performing subordinate increases supervisors’ emotional exhaustion, due in part, to supervisors’ higher levels of abusive supervision. This further challenges the usefulness of...

In Episode 33, we discuss a paper by Van Egdom (2022) on how companies' announcements about upcoming cost-cutting measures during COVID impacted employees' feelings of job insecurity and their ability to focus their attention. Take away: these announcements made employees feel less secure which makes it harder to focus, unless they have a supportive supervisor. This is a public episode. If you wou...

In Episode 32, we discuss a paper by Yuan, Ye, & Zhong (2021) on how people reengage with work after a long break (like the one from COVID-19 lockdowns). In this sample, having leaders who were safety-oriented made reattachment efforts more effective at increasing work engagement, safety behavior, performance, and withdrawal at work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this...

In Episode 31, we discuss a  paper by ten Brummelhuis, Calderwood, Rosen, & Gabriel (2021) on the impact of physical activity during the day on self-efficacy, ego depletion and job performance. People who are intrinsically motivated to work out experienced a self-efficacy boost on days they did vigorous or light workouts, but a self-efficacy drop if they only had moderate workouts. People who...

In Episode 30, we discuss a  paper by Shin & Hur (2021) on the impact of being forced to stick to a script when dealing with customers, and how job crafting can help offset these negative outcomes. If you can't give workers flexibility in how they respond to customers, give them flexibility in other areas of their jobs. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other sub...

In Episode 29, we discuss a  paper by Leger, Lee, Chandler, & Almeida (2021) that discusses the impact of an organizational intervention designed to increase and support worker flexibility on how employees react to stressors. Employees whose organizations went through the intervention had more flexibility, and were less reactive to workplace stressors, particularly when in comes to stressors t...

In Episode 28, we discuss a  paper by Watkins, Krishnan, & Barnes (2021) that discusses the impact of lack of sleep on cyber incivility (things like sending rude emails). People who get less sleep are more likely to engage in incivility, especially if they're already low in agreeableness. This is likely because they were less able to regulate themselves, and ended up engaging in cyber incivili...

In Episode 27, we discuss a  paper by Miner, Costa, He, & Wooderson (2021) that discusses the impact of incivility from coworkers of the same or different political group on your physical symptoms. There are A LOT of findings in this paper, but we mostly focus on the takeaway that being in the political minority at work makes you more susceptible to incivility from others. This is a public epi...

We wanted to raise your awareness of this week's celebration of Smarter Workplace Awareness Month. Kenneth De Meuse and Erin Bowen wrote a piece on agile and adaptable work cultures and Stacey Boyle talks about virtual learning on Bias Check-In an I-O an Careers podcast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit health...

In Episode 26, we discuss a  paper by Kundro, Burke, Grandey & Sayre (2021) that examines what leads to customers sexually harassing workers. The study finds that needing to provide service with a smile and dependence on tips increase the customer's power, which predicts sexual harassment. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus...