UCLouvain has an open PhD position for a critical WOP research project. With a focus on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), this research seeks to contribute to broader discussions on workplace inequalities. The deadline for applications is the 23rd June, 2024.
Research Background: Research on psychological resources / psychological capital (resilience, self-efficacy, hope, optimism) has primarily focused on its potential benefits for organisations. Within this research tradition, employees’ positive psychological states are often viewed as strategic assets serving business organizations, thereby regarding them as resources to elevate organisational productivity and efficiency. As a result, most research on psychological resources / capital has centred on investigating their organisationally relevant outcomes, with overwhelming attention to their positive impact on performance. Most research on the topic has ignored structural inequalities in employees’ access to psychological capital. Additionally, most research on psychological capital has been conducted with the participation of employees from dominant social groups. We know little about the ways through which marginalised and minoritised employees become deprived of (the relational and organisational sources of) psychological capital, and how they compensate for these deprivations.
PhD Opportunity: UCLouvain are offering a funded PhD opportunity for a critical research project focusing on the psychological resources and experiences of minoritised and marginalised employees in the workplace. Building upon literature ranging across several disciplines (e.g., organisational behaviour, work and organisational psychology, critical management studies, community psychology, sociology), this project uses a qualitative approach (interviews, ethnography) to gain insights about the psychological resource formation and maintenance of minoritised employees.
Research Aims: The project aims to collect (counter)narratives from minoritised employees to understand the psychological resources they rely on, how these resources develop within their unique experiences, and the (organisational and interpersonal) obstacles they face that deplete their resources. Additionally, the project will investigate the organisational and social processes that influence the development of psychological resources among minoritised individuals, shedding light on the systemic factors at play. Furthermore, the research will examine managerial and HRM practices that either support or hinder the cultivation of psychological resources among marginalised employees. By challenging traditional paradigms and engaging in interdisciplinary dialogue, this research seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of workplace inequalities and advocate for meaningful change in HRM practices to foster equitable and inclusive work environments.
For further details on this opportunity, see: https://academicpositions.com/ad/universite-catholique-de-louvain/2024/doctoral-scholarship-in-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-1-fte/216808.
