Job Search, Promotion, and Career Clarity: The Mid-Career GPS Podcast

326: Why People-First Cultures Win in 2026 with Kat Ortiz

Dec 9, 2025

Kat Ortiz, an industrial-organizational psychologist and owner of Core Consulting, shares her transformative journey from an unconventional education path to a focus on evidence-based workplace strategies. She emphasizes the importance of psychological safety and emotionally intelligent leadership for thriving organizations. Kat discusses how AI can enhance teamwork while urging a shift from product-focused to people-first cultures. She empowers listeners to claim their career agency and invest in self-knowledge to navigate growth and opportunities in an evolving work landscape.

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ANECDOTE

From GED To IO Psychology

Kat Ortiz left an abusive home, earned a GED, and started college in her thirties to pursue psychology.
She pivoted from clinical therapy to IO psychology to impact systems at scale and support her family's financial needs.

INSIGHT

IO Psychology Operates On Two Levels

IO psychology combines industrial (macro) and organizational (group-level) science to guide human behavior in systems.
Kat emphasizes using evidence-based research to design workplaces that enable ROI through healthy human systems.

INSIGHT

People Second To Products And Machines

A core 2026 workplace risk is treating people as an afterthought while prioritizing products and machines.
Kat warns that bringing AI without centering humans will deepen that problem rather than solve it.

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In this episode, John is joined by industrial-organizational psychologist Kat Ortiz to break down how evidence-based practices can transform workplace culture, leadership effectiveness, and employee experience in ways that genuinely support performance and growth.

Kat’s unconventional career journey sets the stage. From earning her GED and starting college in her thirties to choosing IO psychology over the therapy path, she shares how she learned to change systems at scale rather than support individuals one at a time. Her insights reveal why psychological safety, emotionally intelligent leadership, and inclusive design are not optional if organizations want to thrive in 2026 and beyond.

We look closely at what IO psychologists do and how their work shows up in real workplaces. Kat explains how better hiring practices, leadership development programs that actually work, and people-first culture strategies lead to measurable improvements in collaboration and retention. She also highlights how AI can support stronger teamwork by reducing friction, not replacing human connection.

If you are feeling stuck or overlooked, Kat’s message is especially powerful. She reframes career clarity through the idea of agency. “This is where I am now” is the starting point for building momentum, whether you are job-hugging for security or actively planning your next move. You will learn how to leverage sponsors, make small bets that showcase your strengths, and use self-knowledge as your internal career GPS.

For leaders, you will hear practical steps to build psychologically safe environments, create better feedback loops, and design culture rituals that promote accountability and respect. These insights will help you support your teams and advance your own leadership brand.

In This Episode, You Will Learn

• What IO psychology is and how it improves workplace culture
• Why Kat transitioned from therapy to IO psychology and how that shift expanded her impact
• How 2026 workplace trends are affecting mid-career professionals
• How to partner with IO psychologists inside your organization
• How to build agency when you feel stuck, unheard, or undervalued

Con

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