
We are a values-driven Department that champions decent, inclusive, and sustainable work. This translates into the pursuit of collaborative, high-impact research that addresses the grand challenges facing individuals, organisations and societies alike.
Our research strengths are reflected in our well-established international reputation, the distinctiveness of our multi-disciplinary expertise base, our ongoing engagement with and contributions to varied stakeholder groups, and our continued attraction of international scholars and thought leaders. Our research is published in leading international peer-reviewed journals and books, along with policy and practitioner-focused reports. Our research has been funded through numerous competitive research awards from leading international bodies and agencies such as the IRC, ERC. ESRC and the EU Commission.
We leverage our research capabilities in response to pressing global challenges and selected UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in an effort to better understand the evolving nature of work and employment. Our research priorities are to make work and employment more sustainable and inclusive, with more positive experiences and outcomes for all stakeholders. The breadth and scope of our research activities can be found below.

Decent & Sustainable Work

Our research:
Precarious work
Regulation of work
Work futures
Digitalisation, AI, and work
Bullying/harassment/incivility
Work intensification
Employee voice/silence
Courage
Wellbeing & Performance
Our research:
High performance work systems (HPWS)
Job design, productivity, and wellbeing
Emotion regulation
Motivation, wellbeing, and performance
Resilience
Sustainable careers across the lifespan
Workplace interventions to support health and wellbeing
Work ability across the work lifespan
Equality & Inclusion
Our research:
Workplace ageism
Gender in organisations
Migration
Employee representation
Trade union organising
Work identity
Sustainable Leadership

Our research:
Leader development
Leader identity
Leader-follower relationship
Courage and leadership
Leadership to support employee safety, health, and wellbeing
Decent and Sustainable Work Recent Brainstorm Articles:
How to deal with the serious issue of bullies in the workplace.
Is AI a problem or a solution when it comes to hiring staff?
Can a HR department help a business to go green? (rte.ie)
Why workers don't like their company's HR department (rte.ie)
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2019/0319/1037306-can-trade-unions-play-a-new-role-in-modern-society/
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2022/0209/1278725-recruitment-crisis-hospitality-tourism/
Wellbeing and Performance Recent Brainstorm Articles:
Is this the end of the high-intensity workplace?
How listening to music at lunch increases afternoon productivity (rte.ie)
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2018/0522/965220-how-to-deal-with-stress-in-the-workplace/
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2018/0515/963627-what-motivates-us-to-work/
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2022/0120/1274861-ireland-graduates-workplace-survey-2022/
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/0109/1105180-is-resilience-really-a-good-thing-for-employees/
Equality and Inclusion Recent Brainstorm Articles:
Ongoing research to find a path to more female farm ownership.
Do you work in a fair workplace? (rte.ie)
Can your accent really affect your job prospects? (rte.ie)
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/1008/1170264-national-coming-out-day-lgbtqi-workplace/
Forget Indiana Jones, archaeologists don't 'stumble' upon finds (rte.ie)
Sustainable Leadership Recent Brainstorm Articles:
Why leaders decide it's time to go.
The utter hell of working for a visionary like Elon Musk
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2022/0527/923739-my-boss-is-a-psychopath-why-bad-people-get-good-jobs/
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2019/0819/1069566-the-ups-and-downs-of-superstar-ceos/
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2021/0106/1187967-leadership-managers-greek-gods/