Mind On The Job

This episode looks at the value of lived experience: how consultation with people who have lived experience of disability or illness (in this case, specifically mental illness) can help make workplaces more inclusive and supportive. My guest is Professor Y.  Lena Wang from LaTrobe Business School . Professor Ying (Lena) Wang conducts research that focuses on understanding and developing individual...

This episode looks at compassion, its importance in the workplace, and how we can make workplaces more compassionate. My guest is Dr Robert Styles , Director of Bespoke Programs at ProSocial World . Robert initially trained in music then went on to become an academic doing applied research in the field of contextual behavioural science through the Australian National University. This stream of act...

This episode discusses the positive sides of work and working. My guest is Dr Kathryn (Kat) Page , an organisational psychologist, leadership partner at ByMany, and author of the newly released book Good Work: Transforming Your Work from the Inside Out . Kat works with leaders and organisations to design work that supports mental health, wellbeing, and sustainable performance. Her work bridges psy...

This episode features a thoughtful discussion about technology, the meaning of work, and the questionable goal of "efficiency". My guest is Anya Johnson , Professor of Organisational Behaviour and interim Head of the School of Work and Organisational Studies at the University of Sydney Business School. Anya investigates how employees regulate their emotions in the workplace, and the relationship b...

In this episode, we discuss fly-in fly-out (FIFO) work arrangements, focusing on the inherent psychosocial hazards and how they can be managed.  This episode's guest is Sandra Lam , an AHPRA endorsed Organisational Psychologist and Managing Director of FIFO Focus and PerMentis . With over two decades of experience across Australia and overseas, she specialises in psychosocial risk, organisational...

In this episode, we discuss some of the psychosocial hazards and other challenges affecting teachers and principals in Australian schools, along with what can be done to address them.  My guest is Melinda Phillips , an organisational psychologist, researcher, and teacher who is committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of principals, school leaders, and school staff. Melinda has supp...

This episode draws on Self-Determination Theory to discuss basic psychological needs and how they affect motivation, performance, and wellbeing in the workplace. It may help if you first listen to our mini-episode about Self-Determination Theory (2.9) -- or watch the video . This episode's guest is  Professor Marylène Gagné , a John Curtin Distinguished Professor at the Future of Work Institute in...

This mini-episode introduces listeners to Self-Determination Theory, a metatheory of motivational concepts connected by the psychological value of autonomy and other basic psychological needs. Basic psychological needs and autonomous motivation are central to my upcoming interview with Professor Marylène Gagné. This season's mini-episodes are also available in video format -- look for Mind on the...

This episode is about workplace emotional labour and ways to manage it. It may help if you first listen to our mini-episode about emotional labour -- or watch the  video of that minisode. This episode's guest is Professor Helena Nguyen from the University of Sydney Business School Work and Organisational Studies unit, where she is co-director of the Body, Heart and Mind in Business research group...

This mini-episode introduces listeners to the concept of emotional labour (or emotional labor, depending on your region), specifically the way many of us need to suppress and/or display certain emotions to align with workplace expectations of emotional behaviour. Emotional labour is central to my upcoming interview with Professor Helena Nguyen. This season's mini-episodes are also available in vid...

This episode is about strategic ways to manage mental health at work. This involves monitoring workplace demands and resources, so it may help if you first listening to our mini-episode about the Job Demands—Resource model -- or watch the  video of that minisode. This episode's guest knows a lot about workplace mental health management. Psychologist Teegan Modderman is passionate about building st...

This  Mind on the Job mini-episode introduces listeners to the Job Demands and Resources model, first described in 2001 by Evangelina Demerouti and colleagues . The concept is important for my upcoming interview with psychologist Teegan Modderman, but it will be relevant to many other episodes this season. This season's mini-episodes are also available in video format -- look for Mind on the Job o...

This episode is about psychosocial hazards. Never heard of them? Start by listening to our mini-episode about Psychosocial Hazards -- or watch the  video version on our website . In many countries, employers are responsible for measuring and minimising physical and psychosocial hazards in the workplace. But how do we measure psychosocial hazards -- and what are the challenges we face when we try?...

This  Mind on the Job mini-episode introduces listeners to the concept of "psychosocial hazards", which is important for our upcoming interview with FlourishDX founder Jason van Schie, but it will be relevant to many other episodes this season. Psychosocial hazards are aspects of jobs and work environments with the potential to harm a worker's mental health. This season's mini-episodes are also av...

This episode is about work design. Never heard of it? Start by listening to our mini-episode about Work Design. When it comes to work design, we sometimes have an idea of what not to do -- such as micromanaging, overloading, and generally mistreating staff. But what SHOULD we be doing? Is there a way of describing what good work should be like? This episode's guest answers to these questions. An A...

Season 2 is finally here! This  Mind on the Job mini-episode introduces listeners to the concept of "work design", which is important for our upcoming interview with Professor Sharon Parker about SMART work design, but will be relevant to many other episodes this season. Work design refers to features present at some level in any job, such as workload, complexity, and decision-making freedom. This...

This Mind on the Job episode is an update about the show . This show has been on hiatus since changes in my situation (work difficulties from 2018-2019 and we all know what happened in 2020) led me to burn out. But although it took me a long time, I can announce not only that I've recovered, but also that I'm working on two new seasons of this podcast! The first of these should begin around August...

Mind on the Job episode 06 is about  Designing & coaching terrific teams ! When a group of people get together under the right conditions, they can make a successful team -- one whose collective capability is greater than the sum of its parts. But not all teams are effective, and some are downright dysfunctional. So why aren't all teams effective? What conditions are necessary for a team to work w...

Mind on the Job episode 05: Organisational Culture & Climate ! When people work in social groupings, like organisations, they tend to develop a shared set of perceptions, attitudes, and values. These can be reinforced through systems, behaviours, and personnel selection until you have measurable phenomena that we call organisational culture (and its more easily measured attitudinal cousin, organis...

People are an organisation's greatest asset, and from time to time, an organisation needs new people. But when a bunch of candidates apply for the one job, how do we work out who is the best person for the job? What are the limitations of traditional job interviews? What use are psychometric assessments? What differentiates executive selection from entry-level selection? Organizational psychologis...

Work can sometimes be stressful, but if it gets too bad or goes on for too long, people can burn out. But what does that look like? How would you know if you're at risk of burning out? What causes burnout, and what should organisations be doing to prevent it? To answer these questions, Ben chats to organisational psychology experts Professor Michael Leiter  (Deakin University) and Ms Diya Dey  (FB...

Workplace bullying! It's a menace, it causes huge problems, and it happens in more workplaces than you'd think. So if someone is treating you badly at work, why is that happening, and what steps should be taken? In this episode, Ben chats to organisational psychology experts Associate Professor Michelle Tuckey (University of South Australia) and Ms Heather Ikin (formerly of Workplace Health & Safe...

Welcome to Mind on the Job! This short episode introduces your host (@drbensearle), explains what organisational psychology (also called I/O Psychology) is all about, and outlines the reasons why knowing about it can help you strive for workplace excellence.  It should be of interest to: professionals in HR, OD, change management and other human service areas, current and aspiring leaders and mana...