How can businesses improve employee well-being without sacrificing profits?
That will be the topic of conversation Friday evening as faculty experts from the 天美影视传媒 Foster School of Business share their perspectives and research in a series of short talks:
The speakers are , associate professor of management; , assistant professor of management and organization; , professor of marketing; , associate professor of management; and , the inaugural Dean鈥檚 Impact Scholar at the Foster School and vice president and global head of inclusion, diversity, equity and action at Lululemon.
Gupta studies topics related to business, politics and society. He will speak on the growing phenomenon of employee activism. Employees are increasingly speaking out against corporate employers for what they see as irresponsible behaviors, Gupta said, often risking their careers and livelihoods.
鈥淚 will describe the macro trends that have fueled the rise of employee activism, and the factors that explain why some activists are more successful than others,鈥� Gupta said. 鈥淭he goal is to share ideas that can unlock the full potential of employee activism to enhance corporate citizenship and social welfare.鈥�
Hafenbrack鈥檚 research centers around psychological processes that affect the workplace. He will speak on the benefits and drawbacks of meditation as a tool in the workplace, including how a small amount of meditation in specific situations can often change a person鈥檚 life for the better 鈥� but sometimes for the worse.
鈥淵ou just need to know the difference between when it is helpful and when it isn’t,鈥� Hafenbrack said. 鈥淚 will also explain why celebrities like Arianna Huffington, Phil Jackson and Deepak Chopra don’t like my research on meditation.鈥�
Schlosser鈥檚 talk will highlight how social media can influence the way consumers present themselves. Because computer-mediated communication allows speakers to remain anonymous and less aware of audience reactions, it would seem to allow people to be their true selves. But that hasn鈥檛 been the case, Schlosser said.
鈥淚n the over 25 years since social media sites were introduced, people continue to communicate information that seems acceptable and held by the majority,鈥� said Schlosser, who studies computer-mediated communication and internet marketing. 鈥淚鈥檒l also discuss implications for consumer well-being and the 鈥榮piral of silence.鈥欌��
Fehr, whose research focuses on building positive relationships at work, will discuss how a culture of gratitude is often missing from organizations, despite research that suggests gratitude can have a lasting effect on well-being, strength of relationships and success at work. His talk will examine the 鈥済ratitude gap鈥� 鈥� 聽the difference in the amount of gratitude people hope for at work and what actually transpires.
鈥淢y work focuses on helping employees build high-quality connections with each other,鈥� Fehr said. 鈥淓specially in a time of growing social division and virtual work, I argue that organizations must help employees forge high-quality relationships with each other if they are to succeed.鈥�
Jones, who has spent more than 20 years working with corporations on domestic and international matters of DEI, will talk about navigating the corporate DEI space as well as approaches organizations can take to create healthy, inclusive and equitable workplaces for individuals and society.