Research within the Wellbeing and Behavioral Science (WBS) Lab at UMD examines how behavioral science can be used to understand and improve workplace well-being. Our work integrates perspectives from behavior analysis, organizational behavior management, industrial/organizational psychology, and occupational health psychology to examine how physical and social work environments influence employee well-being, sustainable performance, and organizational effectiveness.

Members of the lab work on projects that fall within five themes: (a) worker well-being and healthy workplaces; (b) burnout, work engagement, and sustainable work; (c) leadership, psychological safety, and organizational climate; (d) chronic health conditions, invisible disabilities, and work; and (d) behavioral science in healthcare and human service organizations. Our goal is to use behavioral science to develop evidence-based assessments and interventions that support healthier workplaces and improve the experiences of individuals at work.

Opportunities exist for undergraduate and graduate students interested in organizational behavior management (behavior analysis applied to the workplace), industrial/organizational psychology, occupational health psychology, and related areas. Students in the WBS Lab gain experience conducting applied research addressing socially meaningful workplace challenges, including literature reviews, survey research, quantitative analysis, conference presentations, and manuscript development. If you are interested in joining the WBS Lab, please contact Dr. Julie Slowiak (jslowiak@d.umn.edu) or fill out an application.