This Working Life

Everyone at work plays a part in preventing psychosocial hazards, including you.

We ask an expert how to create a psychosocially safe workplace, and why it's important.

Guest:

Dr Laura Kirby, chief psychologist, Australian Psychological Services

Check out our companion episode: What are we getting wrong about psychosocial safety? , featuring Professor Amy Edmondson from Harvard Business School and Dr Rachael Potter, research lead and expert in psychosocial safety, Uni of South Australia.

There’s confusion about the terms psychological safety and psychosocial safety in workplaces, so what’s the difference? 

Leading expert on psychological safety, Professor Amy Edmondson, and researcher Rachael Potter explain. 

Plus, are Australia's regulations around psychosocial hazards making a difference to workplace safety and productivity?  

Guests:

Amy C. Edmondson, Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School 

Dr Rachael Potter,  research lead specialising in psychosocial factors and workplace safety at the University of South Australia 

And check out our companion episode for practical tips Try This: psychosocial safety tips edition

It’s estimated we make up to 35,000 decisions every day so how can you make better decisions at work? 

Before you start drawing up pros and cons lists, listen to this episode to hear how you can make decisions with less stress and a lot more satisfaction - from small everyday ones, to big ones like changing career.

Guests:

• Dr Ellen Langer - Professor of Psychology, Harvard University. Author, The Mindful Body.
• Dr Janneke Blijlevens - Senior Lecturer in Experimental Methods, RMIT University
• Dr Adrian Camilleri - Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Technology Sydney Business School
• Brigitte Duclos - Counsellor 

This story was first broadcast on 11 February 2024

We can learn a lot about gaining influence when you don't have power, from those who work on Capitol Hill. 

A leadership adviser reveals how Congressional Chiefs of Staff navigate a volatile political environment, with challenging bosses. 

This is a masterclass in how to manage up and build relationships that can further your career.

Guest: Margie Warrell, Leadership advisor, author The Courage Gap

Have you ever been told that if you follow your passion, you’ll never work a day in your life? As it turns out, the research doesn’t support that narrative. 

We explore what’s really going on with passion at work, and discover how to sustain and nurture it over time.

Guest:

Jon M. Jachimowicz, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School

Thanks to Renata, Yin and Melissa for sharing their stories and advice.

It can be hard to know what to say when your colleague or employee is going through a difficult time. 

We explore how to support someone who is dealing with grief. 

Guest:

Tasha Broomhall, founder and Director of Blooming Minds 

Also check out our companion episode: How to handle grief at work

The death of a loved one, a divorce, an illness, a job loss or another challenging personal issue will be experienced by just about everyone in the workplace at some point. 

What are the practical, and emotional considerations that can help?  

Guests:

Diane Bergeron, social psychologist and Senior research scientist at the Centre for Creative Leadership 

Chris Hall, Psychologist & CEO of Grief Australia, an independent, not for profit organisation, striving to change the way Australia lives with grief

Check out our bonus episode Try This: grief at work edition for tips on how to talk to someone experiencing grief at work

If you need support, help is available at grief.org.au

Diane is doing more research on grief at work, from the perspective of bereaved and non-bereaved employees. Click here to take the survey.

Videos of job applicants being interviewed by artificial intelligence avatars are being posted on social media.

How can job seekers and recruiters navigate the AI-powered recruitment process in a way that keeps things human?  

Guests: 

Dr Natalie Sheard, lawyer and McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Melbourne with expertise in discrimination by AI systems   

Daryl Keeley, Managing Director, Macro Recruitment 

Emily B. DeJeu, Assistant Teaching Professor of Business Management Communication at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business 

For more information about cases of discrimination relating to the use of AI in hiring, check out the Law Report 

It's mid way through the year and many of us are still asking ourselves, ‘ Why are we here’ ? 

What is it about the culture of work that’s leading to that feeling? And what can we do about it?  

Guest:

Jennifer Moss, workplace culture strategist, author, Why Are We Here: Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants

This story was first broadcast on 20th January, 2025

It's an important part of monitoring and improving performance, but when feedback is given or received in the “wrong” way, it can damage relationships and affect work. 

Here’s a masterclass to help you get better at giving and receiving feedback. 

Guests: 

Roisin McCann, facilitator who works with organisations to build leadership capacity and develop a better culture of feedback and strategic communication 

James Donald, senior lecturer, University of Sydney Business School