The Psychology of Work: Why People Do What They Do

Join us as Jen Fisher, former chief well-being officer at Deloitte, reveals the unexpected ripple effects of checking her email on vacation and shares insightful strategies for fostering psychological safety and connection in the workplace. Discover how vulnerability and transparency can transform your team's well-being and performance.Jen Fisher, the former Chief Wellbeing Officer at Deloitte, spent nearly three decades at the company creating and leading initiatives that prioritized human and social connection in the workplace. Fisher is renowned for her focus on integrating well-being and high performance, fostering psychological safety, and driving innovation. After experiencing burnout and receiving support from a mentor, she transitioned into a role as a Human Sustainability Leader, addressing systemic barriers to well-being. Recently, Jen has embarked on a new journey dedicated to well-being, human sustainability, public speaking, writing, and collaboration to improve the work environment.Below are the key takeaways from this episode:Support Without Spending: Jen Fisher underscores the significance of asking employees how to support them in ways that don’t involve financial expenditure, focusing on actionable and controllable aspects within organizations.Transparency and Vulnerability: Both speakers stress the difficulty yet necessity of leaders modeling vulnerability and maintaining transparent communication about personal struggles and goals for improvement with their teams.Innovative Vacation Management: Jen Fisher describes a creative system her team developed to manage work during vacations, utilizing spreadsheets instead of emails to track tasks, which significantly improved communication and catch-up processes.Impact of Personal Narratives: Dr. Bobbi Wegner discusses how personal stories and experiences influence well-being and work-life balance, highlighting the empowerment that comes from creating a supportive team in a toxic environment.Human Connection and Well-Being: Jen Fisher highlights the critical role of human and social connection in the workplace for fostering psychological safety, innovation, and overall well-being, and calls for organizations to prioritize a culture of connection.Today's guest, Jen Fisher, can be found online at:Website: https://jenfisher.substack.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-fisher-cwbo/Your host, Dr. Bobbi Wegner, can be found online at:Groops: https://www.joingroops.com/Harvard Extension School Faculty Spotlight: https://youtu.be/zwLai-lu-pk?si=GpKNhtxVvTrS3-puLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbiwegner/

Welcome to the first episode of "The Psychology of Work: Why People Do What They Do," a podcast dedicated to delving into the science and narratives behind high cohesion and high-performing teams. Hosted by Dr. Bobbi Wegner, a Harvard lecturer in Organizational Psychology and founder of Groups, this series will explore the psychological dynamics that drive team and individual performance. In each episode, we'll engage with industry experts to tackle real-world challenges and provide actionable insights designed to help teams thrive. Thank you for joining us on this journey to better understand and optimize workplace dynamics.Your host, Dr. Bobbi Wegner, can be found online at:Groops: https://www.joingroops.com/Personal Website: https://www.drbobbiwegner.com/Harvard Faculty Page: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/directory/faculty/bobbi-wegnerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbiwegner/