< Back Together We Thrive: A Toolkit for Learning, Care and Career Development at DBCA Read the report About the report This toolkit provides guidance on how park rangers (or similar) can ask for and give peer support that can help people in times of difficulty (care conversations), can help them develop professional mastery (learning conversations), and can help them continue to grow (career conversations). Boeing, A., Gunson, H., Hosszu, K., Chi, J., & Jorritsma, K. (2024). Together We Thrive: A Toolkit for Learning, Care and Career Development at DBCA. Toolkit by the Future of Work Institute, Curtin University funded by the Mental Health Commission of Western Australia. Citation: Previous Next

Navigating the Job Search Journey Project members Project lead Professor Marylène Gagné Project lead Cheryl Skyes Overview (Research approval number HRE2020-0551)

We welcome PhD candidates who are passionate about improving work and contributing to healthier, more productive workforces. Study with us Browse current opportunities and find out why FOWI is the perfect place for a PhD. Is a PhD the right next step for me? Are you excited by the idea of conducting original research that could influence how millions of people experience work? Do you thrive on deep, sustained investigation into complex workplace problems? If you are intellectually curious, passionate about addressing complex workplace challenges, and eager to make a meaningful impact through research, pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) may be the ideal next step. At the Future of Work Institute (FOWI), we welcome candidates who are passionate about improving work and contributing to healthier, more productive workforces. What support and funding options are available? Eligible candidates may receive a Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, funded by the Australian Government. Each scholarship includes: Tax-free living stipend Tuition fee offset Additional allowances for research expenses In addition to financial support, you will benefit from a rich research experience, including: Opportunities to collaborate on industry-funded projects that shape real-world policy and practice Individualised supervision and mentoring from internationally recognised researchers A collaborative, inclusive environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth Publication and writing support to help you build a strong academic profile Access to conferences and networking opportunities to connect with global experts and peers Illustrative research projects (2026) PhD Project: Generative Artificial Intelligence Disruption in Talent Acquisition The project aims to unpack how generative artificial intelligence co-pilots will impact both the assessment of candidates seeking paid work and the evaluation of incumbents’ job performance. Supervisor: Professor Patrick Dunlop PhD Project: Motivational Assumptions of Leaders The project involves a comprehensive business school curriculum assessment, following the development of business school students’ motivational assumptions, developing a valid psychometric assessment of motivational assumptions, and testing different methods to change motivational assumptions. Supervisor: Professor Marylene Gagne PhD Project: Motivational Architecture This project involves developing and validating organisational design assessments across a variety of organisations and assess their influence on (1) manager’s leadership styles, and (2) employee motivation, performance, and well-being. Supervisor: Professor Marylene Gagne PhD Project: Modelling Human-Automation Team Decision Making This project addresses a major gap in our understanding of human-automation interaction, with direct implications for safety, productivity, and technology design in domains like aviation, defence and health care. By advancing theory and translating it to applied contexts, this project offers a rare bridge between psychological science and critical workplace challenges. Supervisor: Dr Luke Strickland Expressions of Interest have now closed Download our prospectus to learn more about the PhD experience at FOWI, explore available research projects and find detailed information on Curtin University’s Higher Degree by Research (HDR) application process. Download Current PhD candidates Contact Natalya Desai Project title: Adapting to new technologies in multidisciplinary healthcare units Natalya is investigating the introduction of two new technologies: Remote Monitoring System, designed to improve the quality of healthcare by 24/7 monitoring of acute patients, and the Undiagnosed Diseases Program (UDP), designed to increase the diagnostic rate of rare diseases. Supervisors: Professor Mark Griffin, Professor Marylene Gagne and Dr Georgia Hay Contact Eyüp İlker Camgöz Project title: Want more Leaders? Think Enriched Work Design Ilker is investigating whether enrichment of one's work design (which basically means the "awesomeness level" of one's work in terms of psychological factors) affects one's aspirations to become a leader (i.e.., leadership motivation, intentions and actual emergence), which may help us tackle the leadership shortage. Supervisors: Professor Sharon Parker, Dr Florian Klonek and Dr Anu Jolly. Contact Annika Mertens Project title: The Role of Work Design in the Technology Implementation Process in Healthcare In collaboration with Perth Children’s Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital, Annika is investigating how a new technology introduced at work changes existing work design and how existing work design impacts the technology implementation process. Supervisors: Professor Sharon Parker, Dr Madison Kho and Dr Gareth Baynam. Contact Rachel Xia Project title: The social class effect on employee selection Rachel's thesis aims to investigate how job candidates' social class signals influence recruiters' hiring evaluation and decisions, with the ultimate goal of helping organisations develop effective practices to mitigate unintentional discrimination and improve hiring quality. Supervisors: Professor Patrick Dunlop, Professor Amy Tian and Associate Professor Serena Wee. Contact Shannon Rowley Project title: Employee Recruitment Messaging, Anticipated Universal Needs Satisfaction, Value Congruence, and Individual Characteristics Shannon is investigating if employee recruitment activities, including information provided on career websites and job advertisements impacts jobseeker attraction and pursuit intentions through a motivation and fit perception lens. Supervisors: Professor Patrick Dunlop and Professor Marylene Gagne. Contact Yijing Liao Project title: Understanding how Generative AI Tools Influence Task Performance: The Role of Skill Level and Human Learning Yijing's research employs a range of experimental interventions to explore how Generative AI tools can impact workers learning or 'skill levelling'. Supervisors: Professor Sharon Parker, Dr Claire Mason and Professor Eva Kyndt. Contact Guofan Li Project title: Will AI Hire Me? - How and when AI Decisions Affect Applicant's Psychological Mechanisms, Reactions, and Intentions Guofan is exploring how AI decisions affect workers' psychological mechanisms, reactions, and intentions, as well as providing intervention measures to alleviate workers' negative reactions. Supervisors: Professor Sharon Parker, Dr Fangfang Zhang, and Professor Patrick Dunlop. Contact Wanghuan Lin Project title: A Unified Cognitive Model for Understanding Human Operators' use Automated Advice Wanghaun is using computational models to explore the affects of automation on human learning and decision-making, her research will examine if an over-reliance and dependance on information aids can influence cognitive processes, and whether key task-related factors such as workload and time pressure are impacted. Supervisors: Dr Luke Strickland and Professor Mark Griffin. What our students say "Professor Gagne is a walking example of a need-supportive and committed leader who brings out the best in people." - Dan Agate, PhD Candidate from the United States Learn about Dan's story PhD Alumni Dan Agate Project title: The Communication Dynamics Behind Team Motivation Emergence Completion year: 2025 Supervisors: John Curtin Distinguished Professor Marylène Gagné, Dr Florian Klonek, and Professor Thomas O'Neill Eva Zellman Project title: The role of leadership in managing an ageing and age-diverse workforce Completion year: 2024 Supervisors: Associate Professor Daniela Andrei and John Curtin Distinguished Professor Sharon Parker Hayley Moore Thesis title: I Can't Get No (Need) Satisfaction: Applying Basic Psychological Needs Theory to Foster Human Connection and Improved Applicant Reactions to Asynchronous Video Interviews Completion year: 2023 Supervisors: Professor Patrick Dunlop, John Curtin Distinguished Professor Marylène Gagné, Dr Djurre Holtrop Lucinda Iles Thesis title: An Investigation into the Organisational Challenges Associated with An Ageing and Age Diverse Workforce Completion year: 2023 Supervisors: Associate Professor Daniela Andrei and John Curtin Distinguished Professor Sharon Parker Notable achievements: Hal Kendig Prize for Best ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR) PhD Thesis 2023 Cheryl Sykes Thesis title: Thinking Beyond 'Sticks' in Australian Employment Services: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective Completion year: 2022 Supervisors: John Curtin Distinguished Professor Marylène Gagné and Professor John Phillimore Cheryl Yam Thesis title: Examining the Curvilinear Effects of Autonomy at Work Completion year: 2022 Supervisors: John Curtin Distinguished Professor Sharon Parker and Dr Laura Fruhen Notable achievements: Best paper in the Journal of Organisational Behaviour (2019) Belinda Cham Thesis title: Endurance in Extreme Work Environments Completion year: 2021 Supervisors: John Curtin Distinguished Professor Mark Griffin, Associate Professor Daniela Andrei, Dr Micah Kate Wilson, Dr Sam Huf Notable achievements: Eureka Prize Finalist (2021) Bin Wang Thesis title: Thrive in a Digital Age: Understanding ICT-enabled Work Experiences through the Lens of Work Design Completion year: 2020 Supervisors: John Curtin Distinguished Professor Sharon Parker and Dr Yukun Liu Notable achievements: Recipient of the Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad Fangfang Zhang Thesis title: Reorienting Job Crafting Research: Theoretical Clarification and Novel Investigations into Demands Crafting Completion year: 2020 Supervisors: John Curtin Distinguished Professor Sharon Parker and Professor Marylène Gagné Notable achievements: Best paper in the Journal of Organisational Behaviour (2019) 10 reasons to do your PhD at FOWI Learn more Testimonials from our PhD Alumni "Knowing that the research I do has a real impact on people in society, is a really rewarding experience." - Dr Cheryl Yam, FOWI Research Fellow and PhD Alumni Learn about Cheryl's story "One of the best aspects of doing a PhD at FOWI is that I can do both of these things at the same time. I receive great mentorship and guidance to develop my own research expertise, but I also get to conduct research that is impactful, multidisciplinary and collaborative... This has made my PhD journey more meaningful, interesting and varied." - Dr Belinda Cham, FOWI Research Fellow and PhD Alumni Learn about Belinda's story "The Centre for Transformative Work Design is a place where Work Design is researched, understood and practiced. You can hardly ask for a better environment in which to learn and conduct research." - Jia-Xin Tay (Jay) Ready to begin your PhD journey? Submit your Expression of Interest by 18 August 2025. Download our prospectus to learn more about the PhD experience at FOWI, explore available research projects and find detailed information on Curtin University’s Higher Degree by Research (HDR) application process. Download

Thrive at Work Audit: Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC) Project members Project lead Professor Karina Jorritsma Project lead Megan Orchard Overview Led by Curtin University's Future of Work Institute (FOWI), Thrive at Work is a ground-breaking workplace well-being initiative centred on designing work that helps employees, organisations and industry to thrive. The Thrive at Work Audit is a practical and simple tool developed to assist organisations, of all sizes and maturity, in evaluating their current state and their progress towards creating a thriving workplace. The collaboration In 2018, the Future of Work Institute commenced a collaboration with the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC) to undertake an audit of RAC’s current mental health and well-being activities across the pillars of the Thrive at Work Framework, which include: Mitigating Illness, Preventing Harm, and Promoting Thriving. The aim of the collaboration was for the audit results to inform the development of an RAC employee mental health and well-being strategy. As part of the audit process, RAC undertook three facilitated workshops that involved representatives across functional departments including Human Resources, Occupational Health and Safety, Organisational Development, and People and Culture. During these workshops, they consolidated their current workplace mental health and wellbeing activities and assessed the maturity of those activities using the Thrive at Work Framework. Visit the Thrive at Work website, to learn more Industry outcomes Where they sit currently Establish a baseline position in terms of mapping current policies, procedures, activities and practices against the Thrive at Work Framework. Mapping out the organisation Identify gaps, strengths, and opportunities for development. Take stock and assess impact Prioritise resources and investments based on their impact.

< Back Thrive at Work Toolkit Read the report About the report This toolkit introduces the Thrive at Work initiative, showcasing the vision, framework, step-by-step implementation process and further available resources. Jorritsma, K., Parker, S., & Griffin, M. (2019). Thrive at Work Toolkit. Published by the Future of Work Institute, Curtin University funded by the Mental Health Commission of WA, 2017. https://www.thriveatwork.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Thrive-at-Work-Toolkit.pdf Citation: Previous Next

The Risk of Age Discrimination in Potential Appraisals of Employees Project members Project lead Giverny De Boeck Project member Nicky Dries Project member Prisca Brosi Overview The purpose of this research was to evidence the higher susceptibility of potential appraisals to age and gender bias in comparison to performance appraisals. To test our hypothesis empirically, we analysed two large archival datasets, one from a German chemical multinational and one from a Belgian finance company, using regression analyses and structural equation modelling. We also conducted a vignette experiment to replicate our findings, while keeping all other factors constant. Our results Showed that potential appraisals were biased against older employees who received systematically lower ratings than younger employees, and that this negative age effect was stronger for potential than for performance appraisals. Moreover, age also affected pay raises and promotions in the next year via potential ratings. Our experiment showed that the different scores of older and younger employees could not be attributed to differences in competence level, meaning that they reflected actual bias. For gender, effects were largely absent. In conclusion Our results suggest that potential appraisals entail a serious risk for age discrimination in organisations, because they structurally limit the career opportunities of older employees, creating a so-called ‘silver ceiling’. The collaboration Industry collaboration between researchers of the Centre for Transformative Work Design and two large companies: A chemical multinational corporation based in Germany, and an organisation active in the financial and insurance services industry in Belgium. Serves the mission of the Centre of Excellence for Population Ageing Research (CEPAR) and, specifically, the research stream on ‘Organisations and the Mature Workforce’ led by Prof. Sharon Parker which aims to deliver solutions to one of the major economic and social challenges of the 21st century. Jointly funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) as well as the Flemish Research Council (Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - FWO). Industry outcomes Evidence backed by data Provide evidence for and identify actual sources of bias in organisations using statistical analyses to help employers decide where to target the investment of their resources. Build on theoretical knowledge Advise organisations on how to tackle bias (i.e., using a contextualised- rather than a competency-based approach to prevent age bias when identifying employee potential) Solution orientated Articulate suggestions for organisations and governments about how they can better manage demographic changes in the future. Promote fairness Develop fair appraisal procedures in organisations’ human resource management to break the ‘silver ceiling’ and keep older employees motivated to work longer.

WA Department of Education Unplanned Absenteeism Analysis Project member Project lead Yukun Liu Overview Client: Western Australia Department of Education The Future of Work Institute (FOWI) partnered with the Western Australia Department of Education’s internal workplace planning team to investigate unplanned absenteeism within the department. This collaboration marked the first time that the WA Department of Education’s absenteeism data had been analysed for scientific purposes. Through rigorous statistical analyses, FOWI researchers generated several interesting findings and patterns. Highlights of the findings include: Yearly leave statistics by different categories such as job groups, leave types, regions, and schools; Statistical associations between staff demographics and duration and patterns of their unplanned leave; Pattern differences among teaching and support staff; Statistical associations between yearly leave patterns at the school-level and Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) and; Patterns of monthly leave durations at both the department level and the person level. Industry outcomes Generation of useful data Enabling the WA Department of Education to gain an overview using data insights. Identify features Thoroughly analyse leave patterns across different organisational levels, categories, and time periods. Reduce unplanned absenteeism Propose and design planning strategies or initiatives to effectively reduce department staff.

Podcasts We shared our thoughts and insights in this selection of radio interviews, podcasts and audio files about a range of work-related topics. Home > Resources > Podcasts REFINE SEARCH Sort by Date (New → Old) Filter by Researcher All Prof Sharon Parker SMART Work Design with Prof Sharon Parker When it comes to work design, we sometimes have an idea of what NOT to do — such as micromanaging, overloading, and mistreating staff. But what SHOULD we be doing? 25 Aug 2025 SMART model, Work design Listen now Prof Sharon Parker New baby, missing partner: Can your relationship survive FIFO life? Having a baby is huge but try doing it with your partner away for weeks at a time. Fly In Fly Out work life - known as FIFO - adds a whole new layer to the chaos of new parenthood. 19 June 2025 Mining, Mental health Listen now Prof Sharon Parker Failing up: why are mediocre workers around me getting promotions? It’s frustrating if you're working hard for a promotion at work just to see a colleague you feel is less deserving advance ahead of you. 19 Dec 2024 Work, Promotions Listen now Prof Sharon Parker SMART Work Design Pt 2 The second of our two-part SMART work design episode sees us explore how we as individuals can ensure that our work settings enable us to thrive. 10 Dec 2024 SMART model, Work design Listen now Prof Sharon Parker SMART Work Design Pt 1 This episode sees Fleur talk us through the SMART work design framework, which supports organisations and individuals to ensure that their work settings enable us to thrive. 26 Nov 2024 SMART model, Work design Listen now Prof Karina Jorritsma Psychosocial Toolkits for First Responders with Karina Jorritsma Karina shares insights from a recent project developing toolkits to assist first responder organisations in preventing psychological harm. 11 Nov 2024 Mental health, Work Listen now Prof Patrick Dunlop Workplace Conversations Podcast by Paul Clifford with Professor Patrick Dunlop In this episode, Professor Patrick Dunlop discusses the impact of AI-based monitoring of employee work performance within organisations. 4 Nov 2024 Work, Recruitment Listen now Prof Sharon Parker WA Scientist of the YEAR - Prof Sharon Parker In this special feature on the WA Scientist of the Year, Professor Sharon Parker reflects on her career journey and her research in work design. 8 Aug 2024 Work design Listen now Prof Sharon Parker Forming Community with S.M.A.R.T Work Design In this episode, we explored Professor Sharon Parker's perspective how the work she does overlaps with this ability to build community. 17 June 2024 SMART model, Work design Listen now Prof Marylène Gagné You Oughta Know with Marylène Gagné Our discussion today will focus on various types of work environments- specifically in how pay and other compensation and benefit models affect motivation, productivity, and performance. 24 May 2024 Work, Motivation Listen now 1 2 3 4 1 ... 1 2 3 4 ... 4

< Back Promoting Care and Careers in the WA Police Force: A Guide to Checking-in with your People Read the report About the report This toolkit provides guidance on how police supervisors (or similar) can support their officers in times of difficulty (care check-ins), can help them develop professional mastery (learning check-ins), and can help them continue to grow (career check-ins). Boeing, A., Gunson, H., Hosszu, K., Chi, J., & Jorritsma, K. (2024). Promoting Care and Careers in the WA Police Force – A Guide to Checking-in with your People. Toolkit by the Future of Work Institute, Curtin University funded by the Mental Health Commission of Western Australia. Citation: Previous Next

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< Back Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety in the mining industry – Towards a healthy and safe workforce in the mining industry: A review and mapping of current practice Read the report About the report This report report provides an overview and assessment of employee well-being in the Australian mining sector and develops an innovative approach to construct measures of employers’ prioritisation across three focus areas: mental health and well-being, physical health and safety, and workplace culture and sexual harassment/assault. Duncan, A., Kalsi, J., and Mavisakalyan, A. (2022). Towards a healthy and safe workplace in the mining industry: A review and mapping of current practice, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, September 2022. A report prepared by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre for the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, Government of Western Australia, 2022. Citation: Previous Next

< Back Emergency Services Workforce 2030 - Changing Work Literature Review Read the report About the report The report collates a high-level evidence base around nine major themes related to internal workforce management approaches and working environments of fire, emergency service, and rural land management agencies. Chong, J.X.D., McLennan, B.J., and P.D. Dunlop. (2022) Emergency Services Workforce 2030 – Changing Work Literature Review. Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre, Melbourne. https://espace.curtin.edu.au/bitstream/handle/20.500.11937/89056/88880.pdf?sequence=2 Citation: Previous Next