Center for Positive Organizations

Congratulations to POS community scholar Dejun "Tony" Kong on becoming a Fellow of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) for his distinguished contributions to the field of personality and social psychology. 🎉

In this "The Happiness Lab" podcast episode, hosted by Laurie Santos, POS Scholar Micaela Rodriguez reveals how alarmist messaging around loneliness heightens anxiety and shame. Her research shows that solitude is not loneliness; cultural perceptions dictate how solo time feels. By rethinking time alone, we can unlock "emotional deactivation"—a powerful process that reduces stress and restores balance to our well-being.

Why Being Alone Might Be Better Than You Think | The Happiness Lab Podcast In recent years, we've heard a lot of unsettling news about the lon...

A big congratulations to Amy M Young, Ph.D., and Kim S. Cameron on the release of their new book, "Relational Energy: How to Beat Burnout and Ignite Your Team." 🎉

Amy and Kim reveal how everyday communication creates relational energy, the powerful force that fuels engagement, creativity, resilience, health and well-being, and performance across teams. Grounded in peer-reviewed research, "Relational Energy" shows leaders how to use everyday language to spark energy, revive exhausted teams, and build workplaces where people thrive.

Coming January 12, 2027! Pre-order now:

Relational Energy: How to Beat Burnout and Ignite Your Team Barnes & Noble’s online bookstore for books, NOOK ebooks & magazines. Shop music, movies, toys & games, too. Receive free shipping with your Barnes & Noble Membership.

Happy ! Today, we are celebrating Community Scholar Colin Fisher for joining the Academy of Management Discoveries, a premier journal of empirical exploratory research in the areas of management and organizations, as an Associate Editor! 👏

…And the good news doesn't stop there! We’re thrilled to share that Colin is our Positive Links Speaker Series speaker in February 2027. Keep an eye out for upcoming registration details!

Join the Eisenberg Family Depression Center at the University of Michigan for its seventh annual Workplace Mental Health Conference on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. This half-day virtual event brings together employers from all sectors who want to improve how their organizations support employee mental health.

Register now to join the conversation! https://michmed.org/qxV7K

Congratulations to Elizabeth Trinh and Julia Lee Cunningham for their new publication, 'Humanizing the frontlines: individuating connections reduce customer mistreatment.' 👏

Their paper introduces the concept of individuating connections—brief relational moves in service encounters that surface person-revealing cues about an employee to shift customer perception from a functional role to a distinct individual.

Their takeaway? Humanization doesn't require deep or lengthy interactions... even brief cues of personhood can transform how customers view and treat frontline service workers. Read the paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749597826000440

Celebrating POS Community Scholar Jon Jachimowicz on accepting an Associate Professor position with Penn State Smeal College of Business at Penn State University! 👏

We wish you and the future Center for Meaningful Work the best of luck as you continue to champion passion, thriving, and connection in the workplace! 🎉

What if the secret to a thriving organization isn't a massive overhaul, but a series of small, everyday habits❓

Monica Worline and Jane Dutton come together in this 'Kindness in Action' podcast episode with Natalie Gruber to explore what transforms organizations for the better. They share how micro-moments and high-quality connections fuel organizational thriving, unlock collective resilience, and drive deep human impact, proving that small, everyday shifts are the key to building truly vibrant, compassionate, and adaptable cultures.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4MPyxOJAVIfaklzbmTxBLT?si=iL83qfhaQTuRqrKV8FR1Ww

Micro-Moments, Mega Payoffs: Transforming Workplaces with High-Quality Connections with Dr. Jane Dutton & Dr. Monica Worline In Kind Company: Kindness in Action with Dr. Natalie Gruber · Episode

It's a indeed! We are absolutely thrilled to share a tremendous double celebration for CPO Faculty Associate Sara Soderstrom! 🎉

Join us in congratulating Dr. Soderstrom on her official promotion to Professor with tenure at the University of Michigan, AND on receiving the 2026 John Dewey Award from the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA)! The John Dewey Award is an incredibly selective honor given by the College Executive Committee to very few faculty members each year. It recognizes those who demonstrate a profound, long-term commitment to undergraduate education.

An incredible recognition for a scholar who has spent years championing student success and positive change. Congratulations, Sara, on this wonderful and deeply deserved dual honor!

Is exhaustion proof of rigor? 🛑

In academic life, we’ve learned to treat a depleted battery as a badge of honor. But grind culture isn't a personal flaw—it’s a structural challenge. We can't change this culture alone, so be sure to join us for "(Re)Ignite: Rigorous Rest as a Source of Resilience in Academic Life" on 7/15, as we embrace rest as a form of personal and community restoration and resistance.

We're excited to introduce two more featured panelists:
✨ Hilary Hoyt, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation, within Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and her research on workplace relationships and organizational change.
✨ Alaina Segura, Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard's Center for Public Leadership, within Harvard Kennedy School, and her research examining the social processes through which organizational members construct, negotiate, and change organizational life.

Join us online next week, register: https://myumi.ch/gkWe4