RCIO Conference Schedule

**NOTE: The information you currently see below is from our 2025 event, to provide an example of how this conference is typically structured. This schedule will be updated to reflect the 2026 presentations and structure by early Spring 2026.

The RCIO 2026 conference will take place Friday afternoon and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7, 2026. If you have questions about any aspect of the event, contact our conference chair, Dr. Chris Cunningham, at [email protected] or 423-425-4264. Note that the tentative schedule information below will continue to be updated until approximately the week before the conference. 

Friday (afternoon sessions only - no registration required)

2:30 - 4:30, Panel Discussion (with RCIO presenters and invited guests): Strategies for getting a job and/or getting into graduate school with an undergraduate degree in Psychology, Derthick Hall 101. This annual session is geared toward undergraduate students and others who are seeking input, perspective, and strategies pertaining to employment and/or graduate program admission (at the master's or doctoral level).

6:00 - 8:00 pm, Student conference attendee social networking event at Urban Stack Burger Lounge, 12 W 13th Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402. All student attendees are encouraged to at least stop by this event as a great way to network and meet each other outside of the core day of the conference.

Saturday (full-day sessions - registration required)

8:15 - 8:25 AM, Welcoming remarks (Chris Cunningham, PhD), Derthick Hall 101

8:30 - 9:30 AM, Opening Plenary, Derthick Hall 101

Richard Landers, PhD

Effectively Bridging Computer Science and I-O Psychology to Solve Practical Problems

One of the most pressing challenges facing I-O psychology today is the need to bridge the disciplinary barrier between our field and computer science. This barrier runs deep, creating challenges in both research and practice resulting from differences in our core philosophies of science. Yet if we fail to engage across this boundary, it will be the technical values and priorities of computer science, and not the human-centered values of psychology, that will define the future of work. In this talk, we will explore the philosophical and practice tensions that shape the IO-technologist interface and propose strategies for effective interdisciplinary collaboration. We will ground this discussion in a concrete example: the development of an AI-driven leadership coaching platform for the United States Naval Academy.

Speaker bio: Richard N. Landers, Ph.D., is the John P. Campbell Distinguished Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Minnesota, Principal Investigator of TNTLAB, and President of Landers Workforce Science LLC (https://landers.tech). His research concerns the use of innovative technologies like games, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, to improve assessment, hiring, learning, and research methods. He is a Fellow of SIOP, APA, and APS as well as SIOP President-Elect (2025-2026) and Editor-in-Chief of Technology, Mind, and Behavior. His research has been featured in outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, and Popular Science. His consulting focuses primarily on advising and evaluating employee hiring systems incorporating artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies, with past clients including HireVue, TransUnion, Johnson & Johnson, AON, and Criteria, among others.

9:45 - 10:45 AM, Presentations 1

Session A: Grace Winder, MS - Derthick Hall 101

Beyond Buzzwords: How AI is Transforming Learning & Development

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly revolutionizing Learning and Development (L&D), offering benefits such as personalized training, streamlined content creation, and enhanced accessibility. This session delves into the transformative power of AI in the design and delivery of training programs. By addressing common training hurdles, like outdated manuals and rigid materials, the presentation showcases how AI can significantly enhance both effectiveness and learner experience. It will also explore key theoretical frameworks, including Cognitive Load, Social Learning, Constructivist, and Self-Determination Theories, and how they underpin AI applications like immersive Virtual Reality training, adaptive learning platforms, and intelligent tutoring systems. 

This session will provide clear, actionable guidance on integrating AI into daily learning and development (L&D) practices. Participants will explore practical examples and case studies that demonstrate structured prompts, showcasing how AI can effectively summarize documents, create quizzes, craft engaging narratives, and simplify complex language. Drawing from the Technology Acceptance Model, straightforward strategies will be offered to encourage AI adoption in the workplace. By the end of the session, attendees will gain practical strategies and ready-to-use prompt guides that will allow them to immediately design and implement AI-enhanced training tailored to the needs of the modern workplace.

Speaker bios: Grace Winder is an accomplished training leader and researcher who bridges rigorous inquiry with practical, data-driven training solutions. At TreeHouse Foods, she spearheads innovative Learning and Development initiatives that empower neurodiverse learners and deliver measurable organizational improvements through the strategic use of generative AI, advanced analytics, and modern e-learning platforms. Outside of her role at TreeHouse Foods, Grace has led comprehensive research initiatives that inform evidence-based practices in diversity, mental health, and inclusive education, underscoring her commitment to merging established psychological principles with innovative digital tools to transform learning environments and drive meaningful change.

Session B: Mark Kammerdiener, MS - Derthick Hall 201

Ethical Practices of AI in Performance Management & Employee Development
Data-Driven Insights, Human-Led Conversations

As artificial intelligence reshapes the landscape of workplace systems, industrial-organizational (I/O) professionals face a pivotal challenge: integrating AI into performance management and employee development without compromising the human values that foster trust, growth, and psychological safety. This session offers a strategic and ethical roadmap for navigating that challenge, emphasizing the irreplaceable role of human judgment, empathy, and dialogue in coaching and leadership.

Participants will explore a modular framework for ethical AI use, designed to clarify where automation can enhance decision-making and where human expertise must remain central. Through real-world scenarios, interactive exercises, and cross-disciplinary dialogue, the session equips I/O professionals to lead AI adoption with clarity and courage assuring that technology serves as a compass, not a coach.

Key themes include the risks of outsourcing leadership to algorithms, the boundaries of automation in developmental conversations, and the stewardship mandate of I/O professionals to safeguard ethical, human-centered strategy. By bridging research and practice, this session will empower attendees to shape AI-integrated workplaces that honor both innovation and integrity.

Speaker bios: Mark Kammerdiener brings over 30 years of pragmatic I/O Psychology and Human Capital expertise to organizations navigating the intersection of people, performance, and purpose. His career spans a diverse range of industries—including manufacturing, construction, retail, hospitality, and luxury senior living—where he has led and advised Fortune 500 companies such as McDonald’s Corporation, Old Navy, Ann Taylor, and Classic Residence by Hyatt, as well as small to mid-sized enterprises like Trim-Tex, Inc., Armon, Inc., and Mather LifeWays, Flat Out Crazy Restaurant Group, AmeriKing, Inc., and Thrall Car Manufacturing Company. As Founder and Principal Advisor, Mark leads strategic initiatives that integrate talent management, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness. His approach blends behavioral science with business acumen, helping organizations align culture with strategy and elevate human potential. Mark also teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in I/O Psychology and Business Management, most recently at Elmhurst University. A longtime contributor to Chicagoland Industrial Organizational Psychologists (CHIOP), Mark now serves as a strategic advisor, helping shape the organization’s professional education and networking initiatives. Beyond his professional roles, Mark remains committed to youth leadership and family support by mentoring youth development organization leaders, championing his son’s collegiate rugby team, and encouraging his daughter through her professional development. Whether in the classroom, boardroom, or on the sidelines, Mark is committed to fostering growth, integrity, and meaningful connection.

11:00 - 11:45 PM, Poster presentations #1, Derthick Hall, first floor

(1) Automating Insight: AI-Driven KSA Extraction for Career Clarity (Basler et al.)

Lilly Basler, Jamie Costa, Lauryn Womble, Claire Parson, Brenna McNamara, Shawn Bergman
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

Underemployment is a battle that many psychology undergraduates face (Burning Glass Institute, 2024). This can be discouraging, and students are often unaware of alternative postgraduate options to graduate school (Halonen, 2013). To combat this, the research team has created Eugene, an online tool that can be used for career exploration. Students select from a list of psychology courses, and Eugene produces the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) they have gained in those courses alongside a list of potential jobs they may be qualified for. Currently, the team has a methodology in place that involves having multiple faculty members provide ratings on KSAs gained in their courses and then come to a consensus (Bott et al. 2023). This process can be very extensive, and the team is seeking to make improvements by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). Methods This study will focus on streamlining the current KSA reconciliation process by training an AI agent to rate syllabi from psychology courses and provide its rationale for why it rated each KSA at the level that it did. The team will continue to ask professors to rate each KSA, but once each professor’s ratings have been collected, the AI platform will rate the same KSAs as well, using the professors’ syllabi. The team will train the AI by providing it with all the KSAs and anchors currently in use. Once the team has ratings from both the professor and the AI, a report will be written that details both sets of ratings and this report will be sent back to the professor for them to decide if they would like to update the ratings or not. Incorporating AI into our consensus process is supported by recent work showing that human–AI hybrid frameworks can enhance the efficiency and transparency of expert consensus while maintaining human oversight (Speed & Metwally, 2025). Expected Results & Implications It is expected that this improved process will reduce the burden on the faculty, as it will allow them to self-reconcile on their own time. This may improve their perceptions of this KSA rating process and ultimately, Eugene. More positive faculty experiences could translate into greater student awareness of Eugene, particularly if faculty recommend the tool during advising appointments. Collectively, these improvements position Eugene as a more efficient, credible, and widely supported resource for connecting psychology coursework to meaningful career pathways.

(2) Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Employee Job Performance, Communication, and Job Security (Duck & Earnest)

Andrew Duck, David Earnest
Austin Peay State University
[email protected]

The recent mass influx of Artificial Intelligence (AI) over the last 10 years has impacted how many professions operate These operational changes include a decrease in clerical positions as AI tools, such as language automation software, have been implemented to replace routine tasks like data entry and shift scheduling and. changes can be seen in healthcare, where AI diagnostic tools assist doctors in interpreting medical images, such as tears or fractures. Research supports AI integration benefits including reduced employee burnout and lower turnover rates in jobs such as engineering, legal, and medical fields due to its ability to always be there with a low flaw rate. while also enhancing employees' work performance in key areas such as meeting weekly metrics, correcting simple errors, and even data analysis. However, AI has negatively impacted interpersonal relationships between co-workers by fostering a disconnect depending on the employee’s work environment and employees who find themselves interacting with AI frequently have reported decreased job security when AI is used in recruitment and direct work assistance. This study seeks to examine the Impact of artificial intelligence on full-time employee’s job performance, communication, and job security perceptions. Past research on the impact of AI in the workplace has been limited to surveys issued by organizational leadership which is likely biased due to employees feeling pressured to answer positively while the current study will investigate employee’s perceptions towards AI through anonymous surveys issued to full-time employees from outside the official organizational structure. Participants will include full-time employees across a broad range of industries, recruited online and in person, who report interacting with AI at least two to three days a week. Measures will include the Job Inventory Scale, the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire, the Computer Mediated Communication Competence Scale, and the Attitude Towards Artificial Intelligence at Work Scale. The results of this study can help management better understand how employees truly perceive AI. This insight could beneficially change how they implement future training, improve internal communication, and approach the recruitment and development of employees.

(3) Perceived Value of AI Integration in Education Scale (Lamprecht & Pearson)

Jacob Lamprecht, Jasil Pearson
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
[email protected]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are rapidly being adopted into education, but user perceptions of their trustworthiness and utility remain unclear. The purpose of this paper is to define and create a construct that can be used to measure the ethical and functional dimensions of AI acceptance in education. Analyses supported a two factor structure with excellent internal consistency and good construct validity. Future research should validate the scale in varied educational settings and explore its links to learning outcomes. Limitations of this scale are discussed.

(4) Making Sense of Teaming with AI: Exploring Human-AI Team Development Through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Johnson)

Elizabeth Johnson
Chicago School of Professional Psychology
[email protected]

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in collaborative work environments, Human-AI Teaming (HAIT) is reshaping how employees experience team development and view AI as an active teammate, versus passive tool. This in-progress dissertation study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore how employees make sense of team development within HAIT context. Grounded in Business Psychology and designed for I-O psychology application, the study explores how employees interpret milestones of human-AI team development and navigate emerging socio-technical dynamics. The primary research question guiding this inquiry is: How do employees make sense of their experiences of team development while working on Human-AI teams? Supporting questions examine perceptions of team collaboration, trust calibration, and shared cognition with AI across group developmental stages. The study introduces a novel conceptual scaffold integrating Tuckman’s Group Development Model and the Machines as Teammates framework that is anchored by Media Synchronicity Theory, Trust in Automation, and Shared Mental Models. This qualitative study will analyze semi-structured interviews with 8–10 U.S.-based professionals actively adopting HAIT practices (e.g., healthcare, professional services, or technology). Participants must have either 12+ months of HAIT experience or have completed a full HAIT project cycle. Interviews will be conducted via Zoom, transcribed, and analyzed using IPA’s six-step process, supported by layered coding strategies to ensure idiographic depth and analytic rigor. Expected findings will illuminate how employees may perceive AI as a teammate, navigate evolving socio- technical dynamics, and form shared understandings in hybrid human-AI environments. These insights will contribute to both theory and practice by (a) extending traditional team development models into socio-technical domains, and (b) informing I-O professionals with evidence-based guidance for designing, facilitating, and sustaining human-AI teams in ways that preserve human-centric work environments, while leveraging AI capabilities responsibly. Further implications for research include advancing existing team development theory by offering a conceptual framework designed for HAIT dynamics, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary theory and qualitative nuance in understanding emerging team phenomena.

(5) Integrating an AI Chatbot to Improve the Eugene Career Exploration Platform (Fountain et al.)

Ethan Fountain, Lilly Basler, Tony Grebentsov, Jamie Da Costa, Shawn Bergman
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

Many psychology students face underemployment, despite having employable skills; however, this underemployment can be reduced by teaching undergraduate students the job-ready skills they earn in their bachelor's degree (Burning Glass Institute, 2024). The research team implemented a website named Eugene, a tool that shows career options for psychology majors tailored by knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) they earn in their courses. The 2025 student assessment of Eugene indicated that 63% of respondents would use Eugene when considering post-graduation plans; however, when asked about the limitations of Eugene, over 40% responded that both the structure and instructions could be improved (Eugene Assessment Report, 2025). To implement these improvements, this proposal focuses on integrating a chatbot assistant into Eugene to assist students in their future careers. Methods The project will use Microsoft Copilot to create a chatbot that gives students access to immediate feedback and clarification throughout the Eugene process. The team will feed KSAs into the AI chatbot, then test and score the response. If the score satisfies the team’s grading criteria, the process will continue to the next phase. If not, the team will go back to feeding it relevant knowledge. Then, the team will create a survey for students to rate the effectiveness and utility of the chatbot. Evaluation will also incorporate IP tracking to quantify website usage. Evaluation will be focused on students' perception of usability, efficiency, helpfulness, and satisfaction of Eugene to psychology undergraduate students. Results from the 2025 Eugene assessment will be compared to the new assessment to be sent out in spring 2026. Expected Outcomes & Implications Integrating a chatbot assistant into Eugene is expected to improve usability and efficiency by helping undergraduate students better interpret Eugene’s instructions and output. We anticipate increased engagement, reflected in site analytics and survey responses, as students find the platform more responsive and tailored to their needs. Enhanced clarity given by the chatbot is likely to shift student perceptions, making Eugene a more trusted tool for career planning. If successful, the chatbot will become a permanent feature, strengthening Eugene’s role in bridging psychology undergraduates to meaningful employment. This initiative aligns with increasing student perception by assisting undergraduate students’ inquiries about KSAs and competencies, demonstrating how targeted technological enhancements can elevate student outcomes and increase job searchability.

(6) Take your time: Using Natural Language Processing on Safety Reports to Reduce Incident Likelihood (Lewis et al.)

Sophia Lewis, Ethan Fountain, Nick Rupert, Drew Sipe, Madalyn Stephens, Timothy Ludwig, Shawn Bergman
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

Workplace injuries carry significant social and financial consequences for both employees and employers. Through Behavior-Based Safety (BBS), workplaces both identify at-risk behaviors to reduce injuries and their consequences while also encouraging individuals to recognize and reinforce safe behaviors that promote safer practices (Ludwig & Laske, 2022). Most companies already use this process; however, there are often problems with the quality of these reports, aka ‘pencil whipping’ (marking reports blank or lacking any meaningful information). We aim to determine if there is a connection between the quality of safety reporting and incident likelihood, and what dimensions of ‘quality’ have the most impact on reducing incident likelihood. We hypothesize that reports with higher quality descriptions that are specific, actionable, and clear will show stronger associations with reduced incident risk compared to more vague reports. Methods Our analysis will be using three years of safety data from a manufacturing plant in the southwest region of the United States, taken from 2022 to 2024. We will select units with significant safety variance and reporting, then use text analysis to identify ‘pencil whipping’ by examining whether a safety report lacks a description or uses minimal wording (e.g., marking only “safe” or “unsafe”), which would be scored as a low-quality report. Using a natural language processing model (NLP), reports that are determined to be higher quality will be analyzed further by assessing length, specificity, actionability and clarity (Kjell et al., 2023). These ratings will then be used in a hierarchical regression model to understand the effect of each quality measure on incident and near-miss likelihood. Expected Results Because previous literature suggests that certain quality factors contribute to the effectiveness of behavioral checklists (Leslie et al., 2021), higher-quality reports are expected to reduce incident and near-miss likelihood. Specifically, reports that provide adequate actionable detail and high contextual detail are expected to significantly reduce the likelihood of safety incidents and near misses, whereas reports with vague or generic context are expected to show weaker effects. The quality of safety reporting on safety incidents is important for practitioners because it will inform safety training. Organizations that work towards increasing the quality of their safety reporting, can work towards reducing incidents, creating a safer workplace for all.

(7) AI-Enhanced Resume Development (Golfe et al.)

Manny Golfe, Abby Crane, Leah Hughes, Shawn Bergman
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

Resumes are often the first impression employers have of students, yet a plethora of graduates face underemployment, potentially due to poorly advocating for unrecognized skills. Almost half of recent graduates are underemployed one year after graduation (Vedder et al., 2013). Surveys show students constantly feel unprepared for the workforce and tend to fail to present their knowledge and skills effectively on resumes (Suleman, 2018). This study supports psychology students of Appalachian State University by improving Eugene, a tool used by students to input their courses and receive an output of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) and jobs they may be qualified for right after completing their graduate or undergraduate education. Eugene can help students use KSAs to build resumes. The integration of class-based KSAs with an addition of practical experiences like internships, labs, or research hours would increase the marketability students can have. Methods This project will focus on implementing an AI chatbot to assist translating student experiences such as research hours, internships, and work experience into effective resume language. The chatbot analyzes the students’ experience and identifies the KSAs that hold relevance to what has been developed by the student. It then generates resume content that reflects those KSAs, helping students better market their real-world capabilities. By doing so, this tool enhances resume quality, job marketability, and student depth on skills that are possessed. Expected Results & Implications Adding job or internship experience to Eugene and being able to ask the chatbot how to implement those skills on a resume will help students to stand out better. This tool will significantly enhance the career readiness of students by helping them recognize and articulate the valuable skills they have gained throughout their previous experience. This addition will help students create valuable resumes to get proper jobs and start their careers straight out of college.

(8) The impact of stereotype threat and grit on the experience of imposter syndrome (Davis)

Lindsey Davis
The University of Alabama in Huntsville
[email protected]

Imposter syndrome (IP) is a psychological phenomenon in which one has an internal experience of intellectual phoniness. This phenomenon is particularly seen within workplaces. Past researchers have found that females tend to report higher levels of IP, with Stereotype Threat (ST) being a cited explanation. A common denominator in much of the literature is how a lack of Belongingness can activate Stereotype Threat in females, especially in male-dominated workplaces. It has been found that individuals high in IP, especially females, tend to experience poor mental health outcomes. Past research has also established a link between IP and Conscientiousness in females, a personality trait related to the facet of Grit. The current study is examining the relationships between IP, Belongingness, Psychological Distress, and Grit. Hypotheses include several predictions between the variables of IP, Belongingness, Psychological Distress, Grit, and ST. Participants (N = 150) are being recruited from Psychology and STEM-related courses (all levels) at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. The experiment is utilizing a 3x2 mixed repeated measures design. The measures being utilized in this study include the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), the Domain Identification Measure (DIM), the General Belongingness Scale (GBS), the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18), and the Duckworth 12-Item Grit Scale. The data will be analyzed by using Repeated Measures Analyses of Variance (ANOVAs) and Pearson’s Correlations. Expected results include females reporting IP at higher rates than males, individuals high in IP reporting low levels of Belongingness, high levels of Psychological Distress, and low levels of Grit, and ST having an impact on reported rates of IP, Belongingness, Psychological Distress, and Grit. The implications of my research allow us to look at how IP may be impacting individuals in the workplace, as this is where this phenomenon is most observed. Specifically, we can determine if an organizational culture of openness and belonging can positively impact someone experiencing IP. If IP is impacting the mental health of employees, then research needs to be conducted to determine how severe this phenomenon is. Furthermore, there may be a mediating relationship between the personality facet of Grit and whether someone is likely to report experiencing IP. If this is the case, personal development workshops could possibly be created to help employees foster their Grit and in turn, help with their experience of IP.

(9) "From Diversity to Belonging": Exploring the interplay between diversity, perceived mattering, belonging, work outcomes, and well-being (Behm et al.)

Brody Behm, Jessica Doll, Timothy Huelsman, H. Kristl Davison, Hannah Wallace, Bella Watkins, Leila Young
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

In the workforce, belonging is the degree to which employees feel valued, appreciated, and fit in with the organization's integrated system (Thissen et al., 2023). Mattering, a person's perception of their worth to others and belief that they make a difference (Deas et al., 2023; Jung, 2015), is just as relevant to the workforce despite receiving little attention in career studies. Feelings of mattering allow workers to experience fulfilled well-being, increased motivation, and lowered job-related stress (Bucher et al., 2019). Though research recently began investigating the effect of belonging and mattering on employee outcomes, there's a larger absence of studies examining how mattering in the workplace interacts with dimensions of diversity, such as gender or neurodiversity. America currently faces unemployment rates as high as 30 – 40% for neurodiverse adults, and among people with a disability, the unemployment rates were the same for men and women in 2024 (7.5 percent) (Creative Spirit 2024: BLS 2025). This demonstrates how vital this research is for organizational development and social equity in the workplace. How do gender identity, neurodiversity, and organizational systems intersect and influence mattering and belonging among employees? This study aims to investigate how characteristics of diversity, neurodiversity, and gender identities influence employees' sense of belongingness and mattering, and the larger implications of these experiences on well-being and organizational development. We will test four hypotheses with this study: H1: Identifying as a neurodivergent individual predicts decreased levels of belongingness and mattering in the workplace. H2: Identifying as a woman or non-binary in the workplace predicts decreased levels of belongingness and mattering. H3: Neurodiversity and gender will interact to predict decreased levels of belongingness and mattering in the workplace. H4: Workplace mattering and belonging will mediate the relationship between diverse gender identities and job outcomes (i.e., job satisfaction, productivity, and performance). Prolific will be utilized to survey participants and gather their responses. Participation will be restricted to individuals who are 18 years or older and who have been employed for at least six months at their current employer. The survey will include questions related to self-identified demographics, perceptions of belonging and mattering, and their performance at their current employer. From these findings, we’ll determine how mattering, especially for people in underrepresented groups, affects employee satisfaction, job motivation, and well-being. By examining these relationships, we hope to gain insights into more inclusive workplace practices that enhance both psychological health and organizational performance.

(10) Does messenger matter? Trainer differences in sexual harassment training for young workers (McNamara et al.)

Brenna McNamara, Vipanchi Mishra, Kemp Ellington, Jacqueline Bergman
Appalachian State University, West Chester University of Pennsylvania
[email protected]

In 2016, the EEOC called for the need to spread awareness to young workers about sexual harassment. Previous research has been conducted on this issue by implementing a training specifically designed for younger workers (Stewart & Davison, 2021). The proposed study is an extension of this project. Previous research has examined messenger gender in sexual harassment training or legal policy awareness and suggests that female-led messening may incite stereotyped responses, particularly when coupled with a stereotype-incongruent occupation (Tinkler et al., 2015; Rawski et al., 2024), while diversity training led by white males (non-diverse population) is rated less favorably (Holladay & Quiñones, 2008). This study suggests potential differences in attitudes as well as knowledge gain based on trainer differences (gender and age) as opposed to frequently studied trainee gender. Methods Participants will be approximately 240 students from upper-level undergraduate Management courses at Appalachian State University. The sexual harassment training will be delivered as a part of a course component on one of the regular class meetings. After completing the informed consent form, participants will be provided with a paper pre-training assessment to complete. Upon survey completion, the training workshop will begin. During the training workshop, participants will learn about sexual harassment in the workplace, its prevalence among young workers, and what to do to when encountering such situations. Participants will also watch videos of sexual harassment scenarios for further discussion. The training will be facilitated by either a female or male trainer, with approximately 50% of the participants being in each group. At the end of the training session, participants will complete a paper copy of the post-training assessment survey. Attitudes about sexual harassment, declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge, and attitudes about the trainer will be assessed. Expected Results & Implications Based on previous studies, the researcher expects that males may rate the male-led training more favorably overall and have a greater knowledge gain. Additionally, females may rate the female-led training more favorably but have a similar knowledge gain overall. Lastly, all students may rate the student-led training higher than the instructor-led training as they perceive it to be more relevant to their demographic. Examining the potential effects of trainer differences would allow for a deeper understanding of sexual harassment training effectiveness. Organizations that create sexual harassment trainings can use these results to advise their creation, providing generalizable insight into AI-generated trainings which are becoming increasingly popular.

(11) Hiding or thriving? Psychological safety, identity management, and well-being among employees with invisible disabilities (Parson et al.)

Claire Parson, Brooke Burrows, Jacqui Bergman, Rose Mary Webb
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

Individuals with invisible disabilities face unique challenges because, unlike those with visible disabilities, they may not know how others will respond if their identity is revealed (Quinn & Chaudoir, 2009). As a result, employees must navigate identity management strategies such as concealing, downplaying, or disclosing their disability (Markou & Papakonstantinou, 2025). While these strategies can be protective, they may undermine authenticity and increase emotional exhaustion. Organization and supervisor support are theorized to foster psychological safety (Frazier et al., 2017)—the belief one can take interpersonal risks without fear of negative consequences (Edmondson, 1999)—which may shape healthier identity management choices. However, little is known about how these contextual and psychological mechanisms interact to influence outcomes for this population. This study tests a model in which psychological safety mediates the relationship between organizational/supervisor support and identity management strategies, which in turn predict authenticity and emotional exhaustion. Methods Participants (N ≈ 250) will be recruited through Prolific using prescreening to identify employed adults with invisible or variably visible disabilities. Hypothesized predictors include organizational and supervisor support (Eisenberger et al., 1986, 2002). Hypothesized mediators include psychological safety (Wang & Ning, 2024) and identity management strategies—concealment, covering, selective disclosure, and full disclosure (Beatty & Kirby, 2006; Chaudoir & Fisher, 2010). Hypothesized moderators include disability visibility (Beatty & Kirby, 2006), disability identity dimensions (Forber-Pratt et al., 2020), and anticipated stigma (Quinn & Chaudoir, 2015). Hypothesized outcomes include authenticity at work (Van den Bosch & Taris, 2014) and emotional exhaustion (Maslach & Jackson, 1981). Structural equation modeling will be used to test mediation and moderation hypotheses. Expected Results & Implications Organizational and supervisor support are expected to be positively associated with psychological safety, which in turn will encourage disclosure-based strategies and discourage concealment. Disclosure is anticipated to predict lower emotional exhaustion and greater authenticity, while concealment is expected to predict greater exhaustion and reduced authenticity. By integrating support, psychological safety, and identity management into a unified model, this study advances theory on disability inclusion and psychological safety. Practically, findings will provide organizations with evidence-based guidance for creating environments where employees with invisible disabilities feel safe to be authentic. Such climates not only reduce strain but also promote well-being and organizational effectiveness. As workplaces increasingly rely on AI for performance evaluation, reducing direct human feedback and engagement, the consequences of disability disclosure or concealment decisions become especially profound.

(12) Reducing Barriers to Workplace Accommodation for Neurodiverse Employees (Sipe & Doll)

Drew Sipe, Jessica Doll
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) established legal protections for employees with disabilities requiring workplace accommodations (American with Disabilities Act, 1990), however research demonstrates that neurodiverse employees continue to face barriers to disclosure and support (Doyle, 2020; Rollnik-Sadowska & Grabińska, 2024). Despite the implementation of formal accommodation request processes, a gap often remains between the accommodations employees receive and those they perceive as necessary (McDowall et al., 2023). This study aims to answer: How can organizations reduce barriers to satisfactory workplace accommodations for neurodiverse employees? Methods Guided by organizational support theory (OST), which focuses on employee perceptions of how much organizations value their well-being and contributions (Kurtessis et al., 2017), this research proposes a study examining how OST shapes access to and satisfaction with workplace accommodations. First, we survey neurodiverse employees to examine discrepancies between satisfaction with current accommodations and satisfaction with desired accommodations. Second, we test how organizational factors, specifically perceived organizational support (POS) and psychological safety, influence satisfaction with accommodations, intent to disclose neurodiversity, and perceived performance. Prior work suggests that anticipated stigma and low psychological safety are major deterrents to disclosure (Madaus, 2008; Toth & Dewa, 2014), which in turn limits access to adequate accommodation (Gignac et al., 2025). Finally, we experimentally evaluate whether structured accommodation request formats reduce barriers to access. Participants will be randomly assigned to request accommodations through an open-text form, a structured list, or a combined structured & open-text option. We hypothesize that providing structured lists, aligned with prior exploratory findings on technology based accommodations (Tomczak & Ziemiański, 2023), will increase satisfaction with accommodation processes, particularly for employees reporting lower baseline organizational support and psychological safety. Planned Analyses & Implications Planned analyses include paired t-tests for accommodation satisfaction measures, mediation models for organizational climate variables, and ANOVAs to test differences across experimental conditions. Data will be collected from a sample of employed adults who self identify as neurodiverse, recruited through Prolific. Expected findings will demonstrate that structured accommodation requests will reduce reliance on disclosure alone, improving accommodation satisfaction. Implications include evidence-based strategies for HR practitioners to proactively improve accommodation satisfaction, strengthen psychological safety, and overall organizational support. Together, these findings will advance both research and practice by clarifying how organizational systems can reduce barriers to neurodiverse employees' success at work.

(13) Enhancing Bystander Intervention in Sexual Harassment Through Brief Empathy Training (Barta et al.)

Tristan Barta, Zachary Piper, Harshit Chaubey, Jessica Kiebler, Peggy Stockdale
Indiana University Indianapolis
[email protected]

Sexual harassment (SH) persists as a significant barrier to healthy, productive work environments, particularly in male-dominated fields like academia and industry. Traditional compliance-based training often yields limited behavioral change, especially among men, highlighting the need for innovative approaches that foster empathy and proactive intervention. This presentation reports on two studies testing a brief, scalable empathy training module designed to enhance bystander intentions by promoting perspective-taking and emotional connection to SH victims. Grounded in empathy theory (Batson et al., 1997; Decety & Jackson, 2004), the module uses narrative reflection on real SH incidents to cultivate empathic concern and moral motivation, aligning with the conference theme by emphasizing human-centric strategies to optimize performance in digitally monitored workplaces—where AI tools may detect misconduct, but human empathy drives effective, supportive responses. In both studies, U.S. adults were recruited via CloudResearch Connect and randomized to conditions. The SH empathy training prompted participants to recall a real SH incident, retell it in first-person perspective, identify short- and long-term consequences, and reflect on evoked emotions. Study 1 (N=257) compared this to burglary empathy training (non-SH empathy control) and time management training (non-empathy control). Measures included empathic concern/distress (Batson et al., 1997), sense of oneness (Aron et al., 1992), and bystander intentions (Liang & Park, 2022). Study 2 (N=251) refined comparisons to standard SH compliance training (covering definitions, boundaries, and power dynamics) and a waitlist control, adding state empathy (Powell & Roberts, 2017) and perspective-taking for SH (Ventura et al., 2021) scales, plus social desirability checks. Study 1 found no significant condition differences but positive correlations between empathy and bystander intentions, with women reporting higher empathy and intentions. Study 2 revealed that SH empathy training significantly increased state empathy and perspective-taking over standard training and control, mediating higher bystander intentions (explaining 24-32% variance). Gender differences persisted in baseline empathy, but training effects were equivalent across genders. These results underscore empathy training's potential to supplement compliance programs, fostering proactive cultures that enhance employee engagement and performance amid AI-driven monitoring. Limitations include self-report reliance and short-term assessment; future work should test behavioral outcomes and longevity. This 60-minute interactive session, including Q&A, will discuss practical implications for I-O professionals, offering evidence-based tools to build resilient, human-focused workplaces.

(14) Pathways to Second Chances: A Multidisciplinary Integrative Review of 25 Years of Research on the Employment of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals (Patel et al.)

Tamanna Patel, A. C. Gorman, Sarah Tucker, Joseph Himmler, Tanya Contreras
University Of Alabama At Birmingham, Auburn University, London School of Economics and Political Science
[email protected] 

In this paper, we present an integrative review of the research literature on the challenges and opportunities surrounding the employment of formerly incarcerated individuals (FIIs). Our primary aim is to integrate 25 years of multidisciplinary evidence into vocational behavior scholarship, offering an employment life-cycle framework that identifies research gaps and practical implications for employers. Grounded in a multidisciplinary approach, we synthesize research across various domains, including criminal justice, psychology, sociology, law, economics, and management, to provide a holistic understanding of the systemic barriers that hinder FIIs' reintegration into the workforce. We introduce an integrative framework that examines the employment life cycle of FIIs, encompassing recruitment, selection, onboarding, development, and retention. We also highlight the critical role of social stigmatization, lack of access to vocational training, and the systemic disconnection between correctional institutions and labor market demands. Furthermore, our review emphasizes the importance of employer engagement and policy interventions in fostering inclusive hiring practices that support the successful reintegration of FIIs. We conclude with a call for future research and practical recommendations focusing on individual, organizational, and systemic factors that influence successful FII employment, highlighting the necessity of tailored vocational programs, social network support, and supportive workplace practices.

(15) Gen Z’s Perception of Supervisor Conflict Resolution on Organizational Justice, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover (Willett & Earnest)

Calli Willett, David Earnest
Austin Peay State University
[email protected]

Existing literature on Generation Z has focused on understanding how this younger generation impacts organizations, cultural dynamics, and managerial actions. More so than previous generations, Gen Z demonstrates an entrepreneurial spirit, switches jobs more frequently, holds a strong desire to be listened to by management, expects a high level of social responsibility from companies, and is willing to leave an employer when feeling unaligned with their direction or values. However, limited research exists on the preferred conflict resolution strategies of Gen Z. Five distinct types of conflict resolution strategies (integrating, obliging, domineering, avoiding, and compromising) exist and have been linked to perceptions of organizational justice. Employees who perceive their organization as having equitable outcomes, procedures, and treatment are more likely to trust leadership, feel a sense of commitment to their employer, perform job duties effectively, and feel satisfied in their job roles. Furthermore, the concept of job satisfaction may serve as a mediator between conflict resolution, organizational justice, and organizational outcomes such as turnover intentions as employees with higher levels of job satisfaction and any subcategory of organizational justice are less likely to leave their employing organization. This study intends to expand understanding around college students’ (Gen Z) perceptions of supervisor conflict resolution in relation to perceptions of organizational justice, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. It is hypothesized that perceptions of integrating and obliging conflict resolution styles will evoke higher levels of organizational justice and job satisfaction, resulting in lower levels of turnover intention. The domineering and avoiding styles of conflict resolution are hypothesized to evoke lower levels of organizational justice and job satisfaction, resulting in higher levels of turnover intention. Employed and previously employed college students will be asked to identify their most current supervisor’s conflict resolution style, report their preference of an ideal supervisor’s conflict resolution style, and respond with their perceptions of organizational justice, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions. The study’s findings are intended to provide managers and executives with guidance in approaching and effectively engaging with Gen Z employees. By further understanding this generation’s expectations of conflict resolution, organizations can adapt employee retention efforts to aid in reducing the chances of employee turnover.

(16) Anxiously engaged: general anxiety as a moderator of techno-insecurity and work engagement (Kim et al.)

Amy Kim, Ava Paull, Michelle Nguyen, Paige Watson
Auburn University Main Campus
[email protected]

As technology advances in the workplace, employees are feeling left behind and increasingly subjected to new stressors, such as techno-insecurity. Techno-insecurity is defined as employees feeling threatened about their job security due to the increasing integration of technologies (Ragu-Nathan et al., 2008). According to the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory (Hobfoll, 1989), techno-insecurity represents an anticipated loss of resources (e.g., job, income) due to technology. Consistent with the broader job insecurity research (Jiang & Lavaysse, 2018), this resource threat may undermine employee motivation, such as work engagement (WE; i.e., a positive state characterized by persistent work-related focus, commitment, and energy, Schaufeli et al., 2006). Thus, we hypothesize that techno-insecurity is negatively related to WE (H1). Contrarily, COR theory also suggests that employees may enact job preservation strategies as investments of resources into protective and promotive work efforts to secure their jobs (Shoss et al., 2023). WE indicates a job preservation strategy that illustrates employees’ workplace motivation. We hypothesize that general anxiety (e.g., experiencing general worry, fear, and irritability outside of work; Spitzer et al., 2006) moderates the relationship between techno-insecurity and WE (H2) to explain the theorized differential effects. We expect employees with higher levels of general anxiety to have a positive relationship with WE; their heightened sensitivity to threat provokes them to mobilize energy into job preservation strategies to combat being viewed as disposable. We expect a negative relationship for employees with lower levels of general anxiety; the threat posed by techno-insecurity may not trigger the same urgency for job preservation efforts. We recruited 489 participants from Prolific to complete assessments for techno-insecurity (Ragu-Nathan et al., 2008) and general anxiety (Spitzer et al., 2006) at Time 1 and WE (Schaufeli et al., 2006) at Time 2. Techno-insecurity was not related to WE (b = .04, p = .429), failing to support H1; however, general anxiety moderated this relationship (b = .13, p = .040). The relationship was positive for employees with high (+1 SD) general anxiety levels (b = .15, p = .030), whereas the relationship was negative but insignificant for employees with low (-1 SD) general anxiety levels (b = -.06, p = .490), partially supporting H2. General anxiety’s moderating role in the relationship between techno-insecurity and WE suggests that some employees may be engaging with their work out of desperation for job preservation rather than healthy motivation.

(17) The Role of Personality and Feedback Acceptance (Glassell & Earnest)

Olivia Glassell, David Earnest
Austin Peay State University
[email protected]

Previous research has identified links between the Big Five traits of openness to experience, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, and employees' receptivity and feedback acceptance. Most studies examined these traits independently, which offers only a partial view of how personality influences feedback acceptance. The unexplored relationship of how these traits interact with psychological resilience may explain why some employees constructively engage with feedback and others disengage. The current study proposes to investigate the combined influence of personality traits and psychological resilience on feedback acceptance in the workplace. Employing a correlation design, researchers will recruit full-time employees from various industries in the United States to complete measures of personality, resilience, and feedback acceptance. It is hypothesized that employees with higher scores on openness to experience, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, as well as greater levels of resilience, will report greater feedback acceptance. Findings will provide valuable insights into how individual differences affect feedback processing, with implications for organizational practices in performance management and employee development. By integrating personality and resilience factors, organizations can better foster a culture of continuous learning, improve retention, and enhance overall organizational effectiveness.

(18) Fairness, Transparency, and Feedback in Driving Motivation and Performance in Incentive-Based Roles (Gibbs et al.)

Wesley Gibbs, Christopher J. L. Cunningham, Brian J. O'Leary, Feng Guo
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
[email protected] 

Organizations are under increasing pressure to design reward systems that are not only competitive but also perceived as fair and transparent by employees. This issue is particularly salient in today’s workforce, where pay transparency legislation and widespread information sharing have heightened employee expectations for openness and equity. Guided by Equity Theory and organizational justice frameworks, the present study is aimed to investigate how pay fairness, reward transparency, and feedback quality interact to shape motivation and job performance, including discretionary effort. A survey of professionals in incentive-driven roles will be conducted, using validated measures of distributive justice, reward transparency, feedback environment, work motivation, and in-role performance. The proposed conceptual model illustrates three hypothesized effects: (H1) Perceived pay fairness will be positively associated with motivation for job performance, incentive-based employees; (H2) Perceived reward transparency will be positively associated with motivation for job performance; and (H3) Feedback quality moderates the relationship between reward transparency and motivation for job performance such that the positive association is stronger at high levels of feedback quality and nonsignificant at low levels of feedback quality. Data will be analyzed through hierarchical regression and moderation techniques, with mediation being explored appropriately. The findings are expected to advance compensation and motivation research by integrating structural features of reward systems with individual motivational outcomes. The findings will also be used to offer practical implications for organizations seeking to retain and engage talent through fair, transparent, and feedback-rich systems.

12:00 - 12:45 PM, Lunch, Discussion, and Networking, University Center - UC Tennessee Room (main floor)

1:00 - 1:45 PM, Poster presentations #2, Derthick Hall, first floor

(19) Behavioral Observations Reduce the Probability of Injury: A replication (Smith et al.)

Elizabeth Smith, Charlie Wills, Ethan Fountain, Elizabeth Arnold, Madalyn Stephens, Drew Sipe, Shawn Bergman, Tim Ludwig
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

Occupational safety is a highly effective area for applying behavior analysis in the workplace (Ludwig & Laske, 2022). Behavioral safety programs are designed to reduce workplace injuries by observing employee behavior and identifying potentially risky behaviors. These programs often include behavioral observations, where employees use a checklist to identify unsafe behaviors and provide quick, helpful feedback. Past research has consistently shown that these programs can lower injury rates over time (Ludwig & Laske, 2023). This study will use a statistical model to determine whether behavioral observations made during the past week influence the probability of incidents happening over the next seven days. Methods Safety data from a southern oil refinery company (2022–2024) will be analyzed to replicate findings from a chemical manufacturing plant (2017 - 2019). A rolling sum time-series logistic regression analysis will test whether the number of observations or hazards reported over the past seven days influenced the likelihood of an incident occurring in the subsequent seven-days. In the replication, the control variables included day of the week, actual week, number of responses marked safe/unsafe/NA, questions responded to, people per day, hours worked per day, and employee count. In the new analysis, these variables serve as predictors rather than controls. Analysis We will apply a rolling sum time series logistic regression model to capture 14‑day safety trends. This model should not only allow us to replicate previous findings but to test the time lag for all predictors. Our hypothesis is that increased safety observations reduce incident likelihood within seven days. Previous findings from a chemical manufacturing plant (2017–2019) showed each additional observation lowered incident odds by 23% in Manufacturing and 17% in Maintenance over three days, preventing an estimated four and 16 incidents annually. Replicating and extending these results will strengthen validity and enhance predictive power. Implications The replication of our findings will strengthen evidence that increased safety observations reduce injury probability. With greater dataset granularity, we expect higher statistical power and improved validity of our methodology as a practical tool for reducing workplace injuries. This replication will serve as a foundation for developing a predictive model capable of estimating daily injury probability and assessing the sustained impact of safety observations. As digital monitoring and AI tools advance, our study highlights the critical role human-generated safety observations continue to play in reducing workplace incidents. 

(20) The Pulse of Progress: A Review on Wearable Technology in Healthcare (Baumann et al.)

Allison Baumann, Grace Porter, Conner Funk, Emma Vosika, Sarah Meyer, Thomas Britt
Clemson University
[email protected]

In recent years the literature that has examined wearable technology has grown exponentially. Healthcare is a field in which numerous studies involving wearable technologies and occupational health have been conducted due to its critical and demanding nature. Wearable devices provide many advantages for research, including offering objective physiological data that can support efforts to better understand and improve the well-being of healthcare professionals. Our research team conducted a literature review of 20 peer-reviewed articles related to wearable technology in healthcare. Online databases (e.g., PsycInfo, Google Scholar) were utilized to collect studies that examined a variety of devices and measures such as heart rate variability, sleep, and stress. Data extracted from the articles included participant demographics, type of wearable device, and occupational health outcomes studied. This information was synthesized to evaluate the current state of research and identify areas for future development. The goal is to provide researchers and practitioners with practical and effective ways to incorporate wearables into future research. Common themes that arose, and will be discussed more thoroughly in the poster, include the prevalence of heart rate variability and sleep quality/duration as physiological measures most commonly collected. These measures were frequently linked to stress and burnout, demonstrating the potential of wearables to connect physiological functioning with psychological well-being. At the same time, several limitations emerged. Studies highlighted the inaccuracy of wearable data in capturing mental health states and noted compliance challenges as healthcare workers often found it difficult to wear devices consistently throughout their workday. Based on our findings, we suggest that future research should focus on improving the integration of wearable data with validated self-report measures. This would allow researchers to better capture complex variables such as stress, burnout, and cognitive performance. Additionally, enhancing device usability and minimizing participant burden are essential to improving data quality and reducing attrition. Further work is also needed to address issues related to algorithm validation, transparency, and cost to ensure that wearable technologies are both reliable and accessible. Wearable technology offers promising opportunities to advance occupational health research in healthcare. By addressing current limitations and refining how data are collected and integrated, future studies can position wearables as powerful tools to support the well-being of healthcare professionals.

(21) A Qualitative Analysis of Educator Well-being Through Teaching SEL: A Classroom Pilot (Follansbee et al.)

Laticia Follansbee, Madison Reid Reid, Chanda Murphy, Allison Henry
Austin Peay State University, Vanderbilt University, Mindful in Memphis, Innovation and Impact Alliance
[email protected]

Early childhood educators are expected to teach social emotional learning (SEL) in their classrooms, while educators themselves are in need of SEL as much as their students due to stress and burnout in this occupation being at an all-time high. We ran a small pilot study of a mindfulness, audio-based SEL tool (Moshi) to see whether brief daily use leads to easier implementation of SEL in the classroom and, in turn, relates to better educator well-being. In this qualitative study, we analyzed 12 transcripts from interviews and focus groups with 16 educators from 12 elementary schools after at least six weeks of classroom use of the tool. Two independent researchers coded de-identified transcripts and reconciled themes through a structured review. Themes that emerged were: (1) high need for SEL post-pandemic; (2) improvements in student emotion regulation, engagement/focus, and creativity; (3) educator mental health is low and needs support, with educators benefiting personally from participation; (4) learning about SEL and integrating it into daily routines; (5) family/community spillover; and (6) the need for developmentally appropriate, flexible tools. Educators described better self-regulation, feeling more connected to their classrooms and colleagues after the pandemic, and teaching SEL skills students need now and going forward. Many also became more aware of their own mental-health needs and noticed calmer, more regulated rooms. In short, technology-based SEL moments can ease educators’ mental and emotional load; when educators feel calmer and less worn down, classrooms tend to run more smoothly. This was a small, ecological qualitative study, and the findings are preliminary. However, these results, in combination with the high rates of stress and burnout for educators, show a need to continue to research how the curriculum taught by educators can indirectly affect their own well-being and, therefore, can be designed with both the student and educator in mind.

(22) Ripples of Gratitude (Rouben & Keim)

Hudson Rouben, Courtney Keim
Bellarmine University
[email protected]

Burnout is one of the most common and devastating phenomena that can occur within the workplace. Considering the government's radical funding changes, organizations have been struggling nationwide, especially nonprofit organizations. This struggle arose from executive orders from federal legislation which affected nonprofit's ability to seek fundraising and federal grants. This change led to high levels of burnout and anxiety among many nonprofits (New Tax Law, 2025; Barber, 2025). A Survey even found that up to 90% of nonprofit leaders are concerned about their own levels of burnout (State of Nonprofits, 2025). As part of a community-engaged course, I worked with Kentucky nonprofit organizations and created an initiative to tackle burnout. My research was centered on Maslach and Leiter's, The Burnout Challenge (2022). Maslach and Leiter identify the cause of burnout as “due to misalignments across six critical workplace dimensions: workload, control, reward, community, fairness, and values” (Maslach & Leiter, 2022, p. 6). After administering group interviews with nonprofit leaders and staff, I recorded comprehensive notes, observations, and themes on burnout. What emerged was a common misalignment between reward, community, and workload. The limited recognition and support along with the limited staffing creates a tense, overwhelming melting pot for burnout in nonprofits. I developed the Ripples of Gratitude initiative to synthesize a culture that recognizes what often goes unnoticed. Recognition is a basic human need for self-realization (Honneth, 1995). Individuals being recognized for efforts and contributions thrive much farther compared to when recognition is absent. The acknowledgement of attitude, skills, and effort is not a “perk” but a fundamental psychological need. The lack of recognition aligns with reward as one of six mismatches from Maslach and Leiter's Burnout Challenge. When employees go unnoticed, ignored, and undervalued, burnout increases. The Ripples of Gratitude was created to target the mismatch in worker recognition by building a culture of gratitude, involvement, and purpose by fostering a cordial ground for optimism, curiosity, resilience, and creativity. The Ripples of Gratitude involve coworkers and leaders signing “gratuity slips.” Coworkers and leaders are highly encouraged to highlight unseen contributions, proclaim emotional and relational support, or highlight the optimistic attitude towards the organization's mission. These slips are either hand delivered or placed within a designated drop box location. After receiving a slip, you are highly encouraged to write one about a separate coworker (hence: the ripple!). By adding a quick, structured, low-pressure practice, this initiative creates opportunities for reflection, gratitude and acknowledgment that directly counteract invisibility and disengagement within the workplace. Overall, the Ripples of Gratitude initiative seeks to build a self-sustaining culture centered around appreciation and individual well-being that strengthens organizational cohesion as well as reinforcing the organizations shared mission. It is now freely available for use as part of the Kentucky Psychological Foundation’s Nonprofit Wellness Initiative.

(23) The True Danger of Colors: Injury Probability during Turnaround Phases in a Refinery (Rupert et al.)

Nicholas Rupert, Taylor Brynds, Firzana Syazania, Drew Sipe, Mariana Solanilla, Shawn Bergman, Timothy Ludwig, Madalyn Stephens
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

Safety incidents during turnaround phases represent 50% of overall incidents occurring at a refinery. This study aims to understand the different phases, the incident occurrence during such phases, and determine where to have more observations happen during such phases (Ludwig & Laske, 2022). Our team took data from the turnaround phases of an oil refinery in between the years of 2022 to 2023. This involved taking data from the plant and each individual subdivision and pulling only the ones that went through a turnaround phase in the timeframe provided. Out of the fifty-four departments that we gathered information on, there were only five that were in an active turnaround. We had to manually parse the data out per turnaround phase in each department and then process it. A logistic regression was then used to pull results and make conclusions based on what we knew before and what we got from the data. The analysis from the two-year sample (2022-2023) resulted in a 9.38% incident probability occurring over any seven-day span across the five departments. One additional observation per shift over a 3-day period was shown to reduce incident probability by 1.21%. This was predicted to lower the number of incidents from 25 to 23 per year, resulting in two fewer incidents annually for the five departments studied. When extrapolated to the entire facility, with over 50 departments, one additional observation per shift could prevent at least 20 incidents annually. With how many incidents occur during turnarounds, we hope that our findings of adding another observation per shift can mean less overall incidents throughout the turnarounds (Granowsky, 2023). We hope this research can inform further studies because we know that we can go deeper into the research on how to reduce incident probability during these phases, and consider increased safety intervention during the turnaround periods (Ludwig, Leslie, 2023). One limitation that I can see is that we did our analysis on a manufacturing plant during a specific period of time, so it may not transfer that well into other environments that may not have a strict cleaning schedule.

(24) Safety Reporting, Production Rates, and their effects on the Severity of Occupational Injuries (Salinas Raya et al.)

Ivan Salinas Raya, DeVaughn Burnett-Garrett, Ailyn Sanchez Corral, Drew Sipe, Madalyn Stephens, Shawn Bergman, Timothy Ludwig
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

Despite significant advancements in occupational safety and health, there will likely always be individuals who sustain injuries (Hassan & Khalifa, 2025). Prior work has examined observation and feedback as potential means to reduce injury rates over time (Ludwig & Laske, 2023). However, there is limited research on how to reduce the severity of injuries. If we can understand factors that relate to injury severity, we can reduce injury severity, which would lead to a safer work environment. In this study, we examine how production rates and safety variables influence the severity of injuries in the workplace. Methods This research will utilize three years of archival safety data from a large oil refinery. An observational study will be conducted examining the relationship between production rate, safety variables, and incident severity. Production rate is composed of actual production values, how much oil is being extracted, and flaring rates, how much excess gas is being burnt off. Safety variables are composed of safety audits, corporate-led job site inspections, behavioral observations, employee-led job site inspections, and safety moments, moments where safe employee behavior is recognized. A multinomial regression model will be used to determine the base rate for incident severity, and then use the previous variables to determine if there is a relationship between them. Expected Results It is anticipated that results will show a relationship between operational practices and the severity of workplace incidents. Specifically, increases in safety audits, behavioral observations, and safety moments during the average production periods are expected to predict lower incident severity. Conversely, higher flare rates and production levels are expected to be correlated with higher severity incidents. The effect sizes are expected to be moderate, consistent with prior evidence on the impact of proactive safety interventions, and may reveal diminishing returns at very high levels of auditing and observation (Yang et al., 2023). Practical Implications The findings of this study have the potential to expand and refine the occupational safety literature by shifting the focus from injury frequency to injury severity, a dimension that remains comparatively underexplored. By using a multinomial regression on a large archival data set, the research also contributes a methodological example of how operational and safety metrics can be integrated to predict severity outcomes in high-risk industrial settings. Beyond theory, these findings could help HR and safety professionals target the most effective interventions, such as audits, observations, and safety moments, where they matter most.

(25) Unobtrusive Sleep Tracking and Occupational Well-being in Emergency Physicians (Norton et al.)

Carson Norton, Jayla Warren, Abby Tisdale, Sarah Meyer, Emma Vosika, Patrick Rosopa, Thomas Britt
Clemson University
[email protected]

Emergency physicians (EP) require sufficient sleep to provide optimal patient care. Sufficient sleep may lead to improved cognition and other psychological factors that are especially vital in high stress situations, such as those encountered in the emergency department; however, EP frequently work long and irregular hours under great stress, which can lead to a decline in sleep health. Most studies in the occupational health sphere track sleep with self-reported data, which is subject to limitations and biases, and there is little research using objective sleep data. By examining sleep longitudinally with objective measures, researchers are better able to understand the effects sleep has on fatigue, burnout, and overall well-being. A deepened understanding can enable better management of sleep in the healthcare sector, ensuring physicians are able to protect their health and well-being and patient safety. This study examines whether objective sleep measures predict self-reported health and well-being outcomes in EP. 39 EP participated in a longitudinal study over five months as part of a larger six-month study. They completed monthly surveys to self-report their sleep health (Buysse, 2014), fatigue (Frone & Tidwell, 2015), emotional exhaustion (Maslach et al., 1997), burnout (Muir et al., 2023), and professional fulfillment (Trockel et al., 2015). Sleep duration and sleep efficiency were continuously measured using Oura rings. Linear mixed models were implemented to examine how the objective sleep variables predicted subjective outcomes, controlling for individual differences between physicians. Correlational analyses between the study variables revealed multiple associations – specifically, sleep duration was correlated with subjective sleep health (ρ = .26, p < .001) and sleep efficiency was correlated with professional fulfillment (ρ = .23, p < .01) and sleep health (ρ = .37, p < .001). Linear mixed models found two significant relationships after accounting for individual differences. Average sleep duration significantly predicted professional fulfillment (β = .11, SE = .05, p = .04) and sleep efficiency significantly predicted sleep health (β = .09, SE = .04, p = .03). These findings support sleep efficiency as a predictor of overall sleep health. While objective sleep measures did not predict other self-reported well-being outcomes in this study, a significant relationship was found for Professional Fulfillment, suggesting that sleep may play a role in a physician's overall feelings towards their career. Future studies could aim to explore this area of impact further with more assessments of Professional Fulfillment, objective measures of sleep, and perhaps larger sample sizes.

(26) Stress fasting under pressure: The role of demands and control on healthy eating (Ashyrnepesova & Jackson)

Gulnur Ashyrnepesova, Alexander Jackson
Middle Tennessee State University
[email protected]

Stress plays an essential role in daily life, influencing physical and mental health. Many people face recurring stress cycles, like exam periods requiring a balance of deadlines and responsibilities. Over time, these cycles can become chronic stress, affecting psychological well-being, eating, sleep, and overall health. Stress often leads to coping behaviors such as overeating, reliance on stimulants, or stress fasting, skipping meals when demands and strain overwhelm. Academic and professional environments with high demands often push individuals to prioritize performance over self-care, making eating a secondary choice. This leads to irregular meal patterns that harm both body and mind. While research has focused on stress eating, stress fasting remains underexplored. (Widaman, 2014; Weaver et al., 2021). This study aims to examine whether cognitive factors help explain why students engage in stress fasting. Specifically, executive functioning will be measured in high-demand academic environments, as it plays a central role in impulse control and decision-making. When stress levels rise, weakened executive functioning may impair self-regulation, making it more difficult for students to maintain consistent eating routines (Hormann et al., 2012; O’Neill, 2020). Similarly, academic pressures may reduce interoceptive awareness, the ability to recognize and respond to internal hunger cues, which can increase the likelihood of skipping meals or developing erratic eating habits (Herbert, 2020; Robinson et al., 2021). These predictions will be tested using mediation analyses. Hypothesis 1: Executive function in high-demand environments affects impulse control and decision-making. Hypothesis 2: Weakened executive function under stress impairs self-regulation, leading to irregular eating patterns.Hypothesis 3: Academic demands reduce interoceptive awareness, increasing erratic eating habits. Participants will be recruited from the psychology research pool at Middle Tennessee State University. The measures include: Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al., 1983) to measure perceived stress, Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (Mehling et al., 2018) to measure body awareness and response to internal signals; Emotion and stress-related eating to measure emotional and stress-related eating patterns, and Fasting Behavior Questions to measure reasons behind meal skipping. The results of this study should provide insights into why stress fasting occurs and how to develop interventions that promote healthier eating habits among university students. Ultimately, this project will contribute to identifying strategies that reduce stress-related fasting and support healthier coping during periods of high academic demand.

(27) Improving Student Resumes: Evaluating the Effectiveness of the AI-Assisted Wisedoc Platform (Munoz & Earnest)

Juan Munoz, David Earnest
Austin Peay State University
[email protected]

Resume quality is a critical factor in students’ transition into the workforce, yet many struggle to create documents aligned with employer expectations and validated competency frameworks. At the same time, most large organizations now rely on artificial intelligence (AI)-driven applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes. Because these systems filter applications before a human reviews them, resumes that are poorly formatted, lack keywords, or fail to highlight relevant competencies are often rejected automatically. This creates a barrier for students who may have the skills employers seek but lack the resume-writing expertise to communicate them effectively. This study investigates whether using the AI-based Wisedoc platform enhances resume quality when evaluated against the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) eight career readiness competencies. To address the lack of standardized measures for resume quality in prior research, a rubric was developed from the career readiness literature to operationalize how resumes reflect the NACE competencies, allowing subject matter experts (SMEs) to evaluate them in a consistent, competency-based manner directly tied to the skills employers identify as essential for workforce success. Participants will include undergraduate students who voluntarily submit resumes through university-sponsored career services. Each resume will be scored by Wisedoc’s AI engine and reviewed by SMEs using the NACE rubric. Students will then revise their resumes using Wisedoc’s feedback on formatting, grammar, and keyword optimization. Final resumes will then be scored by both AI and SMEs, and students will complete a survey on resume confidence and perceived career readiness. It is hypothesized that resumes revised with Wisedoc will show significant improvements in both AI scores and SME ratings of NACE competencies, particularly in communication, professionalism, and career/self-development. Findings will demonstrate the impact of AI resume tools on students' expression of knowledge and skill gains in their resumes, complementing human coaching in career services. The study contributes to research on AI in business communication and provides practical guidance for preparing students to navigate AI-mediated hiring systems.

(28) Authenticity in Recruitment: Assessing the Accuracy of Career Websites in Representing Organizational Cultures (Goodman et al.)

Leslie Goodman, Leah Uteg-Winkelmen, Niasia Jones, Jessica Doll, Kristl Davison, Tim Huelsman
Appalachian State University 
[email protected]

Job seekers frequently use career websites and third-party platforms, such as Glassdoor, Indeed, or Great Places to Work, to learn about an organization’s values and culture (Smith et al., 2022). This behavior, called organizational anticipatory socialization, is the process by which individuals gather information that shapes expectations and influences employment decisions. Research indicates that organizations use their own websites to convey culture, yet little is known about how these portrayals align with employees’ actual experiences (Smith et al., 2022). Career websites are a primary tool for employer brand development, using visuals, messaging, and design consistency to shape job seekers’ perceptions of organizational culture (Cober et al., 2004; Gunesh & Maheshwari, 2019). When websites present cohesive designs, job seekers respond more positively, but inaccurate portrayals risk misrepresenting employees and weakening trust (Gunesh & Maheshwari, 2018). Despite their importance, research on the authenticity of career website messaging remains limited. This study addresses a critical gap between how organizations present values on their own career websites and how effectively these representations reflect authentic culture. Misalignment between online messaging and workplace reality can create dissatisfaction and misfit (Gunesh & Maheshwari, 2019; Human Resource Management International Digest, 2019). Experimental studies further highlight how website design and messaging significantly influence applicant perceptions (Lee et al., 2020), while person–environment fit research stresses that both objective and perceived alignment matter for decision making (Kaur & Dubey, 2014). New job seekers often turn to these sites to clarify uncertainties and gauge culture, so accuracy is crucial for aligning values and expectations (Smith et al., 2022). Accuracy is key to improving recruitment, retention, and organizational culture practices. To examine this issue, this study will be piloted with college students and faculty at a mid-size university in the Southeastern U.S. After viewing company websites, the study will ask the students to evaluate the culture. After doing so, the study will seek to compare the perceptions with those who are part of the organization as reported on third-party sites such as Glassdoor. Once the survey is piloted and validated, the study can be tested with a wider range of participants. Keywords: Organizational culture, recruitment, career websites, employer branding, talent attraction, online recruitment strategies, culture communication, organizational authenticity

(29) Understanding organizational drivers of employee and CEO ratings in startups (Vuu et al.)

Trinity Vuu, Jimena Lopez Flores, Dianhan Zheng, Tianxi Dong
Kennesaw State University, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Trinity University
[email protected]

Attracting new talent can be a major hurdle for startup companies, particularly in competitive sectors like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Financial Technology (FinTech). These organizations frequently face stigmatic challenges related to limited reputation, lower compensation, and perceptions of poor work-life balance (WLB), which can deter potential job candidates. Therefore, job seekers often rely on online platforms such as Glassdoor to gain insights regarding how current or former employees rated these startups in specific aspects, such as compensation, organizational culture, and WLB. However, it is unclear which aspects of the organizational environment are related to overall employee ratings of startups and their CEOs. Understanding these relationships is critical, because it can guide startups in strategically allocating their limited resources to areas that most enhance their employer appeal. To answer this question, we selected a sample of 338 startups from the Forbes AI and FinTech 50 lists (2023 and 2024), as well as its 2024 “America’s Best Startups” list. We collected employee ratings on these startups’ organizational culture, WLB, senior management, compensation and benefits, career opportunities, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from Glassdoor. While controlling for the number of reviews, we utilized multiple regression analysis to explore the relationship between these organizational factors and the company’s overall ratings, CEO approval, and recommend-to-friend rate (also collected from Glassdoor). The findings revealed that only employee ratings on organizational culture and senior management were positively related to all three outcomes. Additionally, WLB and career opportunity ratings were positively related to recommend-to-friend rate. Contrastingly, DEI ratings were negatively related to both CEO approval and recommend-to-friend rate. Our findings suggest that investing in strong organizational culture and effective leadership may yield greater returns in attracting and retaining talent than focusing primarily on enhancing compensation or benefits. For startups competing for talent, these results highlight where limited resources can make the greatest impact and offer actionable insights for startups aiming to improve their employer brand and bring in new talent.

(30) Psychological Safety in Project-Based Workgroups: The Effect of Individual Experiences on Performance Outcomes (Brown & Earnest) 

Jacob Brown, David Earnest
Austin Peay State University
[email protected]

Psychological safety is a vital resource across all occupations because it enables employees to learn, contribute, and adapt without fear of negative consequences. Psychological safety empowers members of high stakes, project-based teams to raise concerns, share expertise, and act ethically before miscommunications escalate into costly failures. While prior research in healthcare and aviation has underscored benefits of psychological safety in team environments, less is known about how psychological safety operates across other project-based professions (civil engineering, construction, software development, disaster response) and job sectors that rely on temporary, interdependent project teams. Centering on individual perceptions rather than aggregated team averages, this study surveys professionals from multiple project-based fields (e.g., architecture, public infrastructure, emergency management, IT development) and examines how psychological safety shapes promotive and prohibitive voice behavior, task performance outcomes (accuracy, timeliness, innovation), and ethical accountability. Survey instruments will be used to capture self-reported perceptions of psychological safety, voice behavior, performance, and ethical accountability on the individual team member level. By linking individual psychological safety to communication, performance, and ethics across varied project-based professions, the current study extends existing literature and offers practical guidance for leaders charged with delivering complex projects safely, on time, and within budget. The findings will highlight actionable strategies for fostering safer and more effective collaboration in dynamic, high stakes work settings. Keywords: psychological safety, project-based teams, communication, voice behavior, performance, ethical accountability, high-stakes professions

(31) Is Teamwork Influenced by the U.S. Subculture? (Terry & Jackson)

Amelia Terry, Alex Jackson
Middle Tennessee State University
[email protected]

Work teams can be defined as groups that are “composed of individuals who (a) exist to perform organizationally relevant tasks, (b) share one or more common goals, (c) interact socially, (d) exhibit task interdependencies, (e) maintain and manage boundaries, and (f) are embedded in organizational contexts that set boundaries, constrains the tram, and influences exchanges with other units in the broader entity” according to Kozlowski and Bell (200, p. 334). Teams are a dynamic collection in the workplace that are able to undergo developmental changes and reformations in their duration of existence within the workplace. Tuckman’s (1965) Model of Group Development can be seen in “Chapter 12: Team Dynamics and Processes Within Organizations” of Organizational Psychology: A Scientist-Practitioner Approach (3rd ed.). This provides a valuable model due to the important stages of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning along with the assumption that this process is a continuation and not a consistent and linear process (Jex & Britt, 2014). According to Eby & Dobbins (1997), high levels of collectivism were associated with prior success when working in teams. In a previously reported survey, 82% of United States organizations reported that their employees to some capacity belonged to a team in their work setting (Gordon, 1992). While the United States typically is considered to be an individualist culture, there is a growing section of the literature that supports the ideology that subcultures within the U.S. particularly within Appalachia align with collectivist values more than those who live outside of the region (Gore & Wilburn, 2010). Previous literature distinguishes between the larger United States and the counties that fall within the boundaries of the Appalachian Region. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is frequently referenced in research identifying key differences between Appalachian and non-Appalachian populations in an attempt to identify cultural differences, healthcare inequity and accessibility, and economic disparities throughout the mountain range as it differs from the rest of the United States (Seufert & Carrozza, 2004). The labor market in the Appalachian region yields a complex history of blue-collar occupations and the coal mining industry having a large impact on the Appalachian workforce (Seufert & Carrozza, 2004). There is a focus in the literature on the impact that the coal mining industry had on poverty, employment, and health within this distinct population (Lobao et al., 2016). Within Appalachia, there are three subregions which can be identified as northern, central, and southern regions (Appalachian Region Commission, n.d.). Previous studies have used different subregions of Appalachia to draw a comparison of Appalachian culture to hold collectivist values more so than the larger populations within the United States (Gore & Wilburn, 2010). When considering the similarities in values between collectivist values and Appalachian values, it is then reasonable to consider if this alignment is an influence on the effectiveness of teamwork within the Appalachian workplaces divided into the three subsections of the Appalachian region. Because it has been demonstrated that teamwork is prevalent amongst American workplaces, there is a contrast to be drawn between non-Appalachian and Appalachian workers to consider the efficiency of Appalachian teamwork in the workplace environment influenced by collectivist values.

(32) Do Perceptions and Explanations of Supervisor Incivility Vary Based on Leader and Manager Prompt Terminology? (Russell et al.)

Elizabeth Russell, Caleb Pollard, Jack Carson
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

The popular practice of using “leader” and “manager” terms synonymously in organizational practice, research, and public discourse has been suggested to pose issues given the implicit assignment of benevolence, merit, and morality to “leader” titles more so than “manager” titles (Learmonth & Morrell, 2021; McLaren, 2013). We contextualize this concern in the phenomenological space of workplace incivility, which consists of “rude, condescending, and ostracizing acts that violate workplace norms of respect, but otherwise appear mundane” (Cortina eta l., 2017, pg. 299). The purpose of our study is to understand what (if any) differences exist in the nature of employee explanations for supervisor incivility when prompts included “leader incivility” terms versus “manager incivility” terms. We used Prolific to collect data from 250 adults over the age of 18 who work in the US, resulting in a sample of 149 respondents who experienced “supervisor incivility” recently. Respondents recalled and described a specific event of “supervisor incivility” then were randomly assigned to one of two conditions, one asking for explanations of their “leader’s” behavior and another asking for explanations of their “manager’s” behavior. These free-response explanations were coded for the presence of reasons, causal histories of reasons, enabling factors, and agreement markers based on Malle’s (2004, 2011) folk theory of the mind framework. A blinded (condition not indicated) dataset was used for coding, and each explanation was coded individually by two of the three research teammates before reconciling codes as a group. Our initial exploratory analysis aimed to detect differences in the occurrence of these explanatory tools based on respondent assignment to “leader” and “manager” conditions. Binomial logistic regression indicated no difference between the conditions with regards to the explanatory tools used to explain supervisor incivility. This finding suggests that titling alone (“leader” vs. “manager”) may not alter how employees interpret incivility. For research, this challenges the assumption that employees view the term “leader” more favorably and emphasizes the need to closely examine the environmental factors that contribute to employees’ incivility explanations. For practice, the results suggest that organizations should be mindful in how they use job titles. Using “leader” and “manager” interchangeably may not protect against negative perceptions of supervisor mistreatment, but having inconsistent titles could influence employee expectations. We are enthused to present these findings and our future analytical directions, which include examining factors such as employee identification, frequency and intensity of interactions, and coding themes and content within explanations.

(33) Supervisor-focused impression management and social undermining as self-enhancing responses to perceived job insecurity (Wiley et al.)

J. Luke Wiley, Christopher J. L. Cunningham, Kristen J. Black, Pratibha Deepak
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
[email protected]

Job insecurity has become a more prevalent societal issue across many advanced economies since the 1980s. Previous research has demonstrated the deleterious effects of job insecurity on workers’ physical and mental health, as well as their job attitudes and performance. The proposed study aims to explore two active ways in which employees may respond to perceived job insecurity. To preserve their job, we propose that employees experiencing job insecurity will engage in impression management tactics directed at their supervisor or engage in social undermining tactics directed at their coworkers. We hypothesize that this process will be moderated by the employee’s core self-evaluations (CSE), which will influence their appraisal of the situation. Employees with high CSE will be more likely to respond with supervisor-focused impression management, and employees with low CSE will be more likely to respond with coworker-focused social undermining. Data will be gathered through Qualtrics surveys distributed initially via convenience and snowball sampling with the future possibility of utilizing the survey platform Prolific to gather additional participants.

(34) Who Becomes “One of Us”? Leaders’ Core Self-Evaluation and Prototypicality (Mohammadi)

Mobina Mohammadi
Middle Tennessee State University
[email protected]

Social Identity Theory of Leadership emphasizes the importance of prototype-based depersonalization and followers’ behavior roles by suggesting that they grant leaders power, charisma, and higher status (Hogg, 2001). However, SIL fails to answer why certain people become the prototypical member. I propose that the answer to this question lies in core self-evaluation theory. Core self-evaluation (CSE) encompasses individuals’ core appraisals about their self-worth and competencies (Chang et al., 2012). I propose that leaders’ core self-evaluation influences their leadership prototypicality, and together they impact followers’ core self-evaluation, resulting in higher job satisfaction of followers. Therefore, leaders with a high core self-evaluation tend to be more prototypical, and they influence followers’ core self-evaluations positively, leading them to be more satisfied with their job. Study one is a 2*2 design. First, we ask the participants to imagine themselves being a member of the team that the leader is going to be shown in a video. We manipulate leader prototypicality (high/low) and leader CSE signals (high/low) across videos. Then we measure participants’ CSE and anticipated job satisfaction. In study 2, we move to a field study where we ask leaders to fill out one scale about their CSE in time 1. In time 2, we ask followers to report the prototypicality of their leader as well as their own CSE. Finally, their job satisfaction is being measured. Additionally, an exploratory self-rating of prototypicality from the leaders can be collected to measure their perceived prototypicality and compare it with followers' perceptions, and examine the alignment between leader and follower perceptions. The findings can have practical implications in leader selection and leadership development, with training leaders who can be more prototypical by improving their core self-evaluation.

(35) Understanding the Effect of Perceived Supervisor Unavailability on Job Satisfaction, Counterproductive Work Behaviors, and Intent to Quit (Wasner et al.)

Paul-Augustin Wasner, Christopher J. L. Cunningham, Brian O'Leary, Kristen J. Black
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
[email protected]

This study aims to examine the influence of supervisor unavailability on employee job satisfaction, counterproductive work behaviors, and intent to quit. It introduces the construct of Perceived Supervisor Unavailability (PSU), defined as the employee's perception that their supervisor is not present, reachable, or responsive during times when support or input is expected or needed. Grounded in Job Demands-Resources and Social Exchange Theory, this study will look at personal and organizational resources as mediators of the PSU-work outcomes relationship. Role clarity acting as personal resource and perceived supervisor and organizational support, acting as organizational resources are expected to reduce the influence of PSU on work outcomes. Data will be collected from both employees and supervisors working on-site and hybrid/remote conditions to examine whether physical presence influences PSU.

(36) The Silent Strain: Workplace Hazing as a Hidden Organizational Stressor (Stephens & Huelsman)

Madalyn Stephens, Timothy Huelsman
Appalachian State University
[email protected]

Between 25% and 75% of working Americans report experiencing hazing at some point in their careers (Thomas et al., 2021). This wide range is partly due to underreporting, often driven by fears of retaliation, termination, or stalled career progression (Thomas et al., 2021; Tolfer et al., 2016). Despite its frequency, research has historically focused on non-workplace contexts, leaving a critical gap in understanding its organizational impact. Although definitions of hazing vary across disciplines, four consistent characteristics emerge: it is temporary, unidirectional, coercive, and coalitional (Thomas et al., 2021). These elements form the conceptual foundation for this study. In this study hazing is defined as the short term socialization process in which new employees within an organization are faced with high induction costs that are unrelated to their new roles and act as a barrier to their recognition as a legitimate organizational member (Mawritz et al, 2020; Cimino et al., 2019; and Cimino, 2011) To address this gap, this study investigates workplace hazing through the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, positioning hazing as a unique organizational stressor. We hypothesize that hazing exposure will significantly predict psychological strain. Additionally, we hypothesize that employee personal resources and individual characteristics will moderate this relationship, weakening the link between hazing and strain. A cross-sectional survey design will be used to examine this relationship. Participants will be recruited via Prolific, with inclusion criteria requiring individuals to be over 18 and employed full-time. The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model (Demerouti et al., 2001) will guide the theoretical framework, and the Workplace Hazing Scale (WHS) (Mawritz et al., 2020) will be used to measure hazing experiences. Understanding workplace hazing is a critical step toward identifying its harmful effects on employees, informing organizational strategies to reduce its occurrence, and exploring its long-term implications for both individuals and institutions. These findings will contribute to the research by clarifying how personal resources buffer the stressor-strain relationship of hazing and employee psychological well being. These findings will allow for future research that investigates organizational interventions and the effectiveness in mitigating potential negative effects of hazing.

2:00 - 3:00 PM, Presentations 2

Erin Lally, Jasil Pearson, Shawn Bergman, PhD, and Chris Cunningham, PhD - Derthick Hall 101

IOP Evolution during the AI Revolution: How to Level Up Your I-O Psychology Skills to Adapt in the Rise of AI

The AI work revolution is here. All information-oriented professionals, whether experienced or novice, must evolve and determine how AI can be effectively integrated into their daily workflow. However, industrial-organizational professionals (IOP) with our already broad and relevant work-ready competencies are well-positioned to adapt to AI in the workplace. In this session, we will explore nine essential AI competencies and introduce an organizing framework that can help IOP to more fully develop the professional competencies to collaborate and lead effectively in an increasingly AI-augmented world.

In this session, we will discuss the possibilities, opportunities, and challenges AI presents in the workplace and offer practical tips to students and other developing IOP regarding how to build and strengthen these AI competencies through various development opportunities. You will leave this session with a clearer understanding of what you need to know about AI and how to approach your personal AI competence development with a more complete understanding of how to level up, evolve, and remain a relevant and capable IOP. 

Speaker bios: Erin Lally, (Appalachian State University; LinkedIn), Jasil Pearson (The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; LinkedIn), Shawn Bergman, PhD (Appalachian State University; LinkedIn), and Chris Cunningham, PhD (The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; LinkedIn)

3:15 - 4:15 PM, Closing Plenary, Derthick Hall 101

Neil Morelli, PhD

Leading Through the AI Transition: How People Managers Build AI-Ready Teams

Over half of executives believe their businesses won't survive past 2030 without large-scale AI adoption. Yet most organizations struggle with either chaotic tinkering or paralyzed indecision. The key to purposeful adoption? Empowering managers to lead their teams through this transition.

This keynote provides managers with a structured approach to AI adoption: collaborate with AI before delegating to it. Through real-world use cases and practical frameworks, attendees will learn how to transform AI from a perceived threat into a team advantage. The session includes a hands-on demonstration of using generative AI for performance review preparation, providing a specific example that managers can use immediately to apply these concepts.

Speaker bio: Neil Morelli, PhD, is the managing partner of Workplace Labs, an AI adoption advisory focused on transforming HR. Before co-founding Workplace Labs, he led the development of innovative technical assessments at Codility as Chief Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, supporting clients such as Microsoft, Intel, and Zalando. He also held senior roles at HighMatch and The Cole Group, guiding product and assessment science strategy to help companies like Stripe, Workday, and Atlassian make smarter executive hires. Dr. Morelli’s expertise on AI and skills-based organizations has been featured in Dice, TechCrunch, Forbes, and Fast Company, and his research has been published in numerous books and peer-reviewed journals.

4:30 - 5:00 PM, Poster awards and conference wrap-up panel with Q&A, Derthick Hall 101

Please share any constructive feedback about this year's RCIO conference with the conference chair, by emailing it to [email protected].