2025 WORKING WELL CONFERENCE

The Center for Working Well, in partnership with the Purdue HR Case Competition, is pleased to present research from the Working Well Research Awards at its 2025 conference.

This year's conference takes place 8 a.m.-noon Friday, November 7, 2025, at Beck Agricultural Center in West Lafayette and focuses on:

Redefining Working Well: Rethinking HR Through Bodies, Behaviors, and Bots
Across diverse contexts — from the sales floor to the C-suite — employees are navigating hidden demands that shape how, when, and whether they can “work well.” The papers in this session challenge traditional HR assumptions by surfacing three under-recognized forces that affect employee well-being and performance: the realities of physical embodiment, the power of behavioral signaling, and the growing presence of intelligent technology. Together, these studies argue that thriving at work is not simply a matter of motivation or grit — it is deeply contextual and often shaped by what goes unseen or unsupported. The session calls on HR leaders to broaden their definition of support: to consider policies that reflect embodied needs, leadership training that attends to unintentional signals, and technologies that can either humanize or deplete the employee experience. “Working well,” these papers show, starts with noticing more.

Full 2025 Working Well Conference Agenda Coming Soon!

Friday, November 8, 2023

Purdue’s Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration

101 Foundry Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47906

Time	Sessions
8:15 – 9 a.m.	Breakfast & Registration
9 – 9:15 a.m.	Welcome and Intro to the Center for Working Well
9:15 – 9:45 a.m.	Title: Employee Push Back Against “Always-on” Work Cultures Presenter: Dr. Kate Zipay, Assistant Professor of Management Session Description: The rise of accessible technology has created an "always-on" work culture, where employees are expected to be available outside of regular hours, leading to productivity issues, burnout, and a lack of work-life balance. Proactive pushbacks, or subtle, self-initiated acts of resistance—such as ignoring after-hours emails—challenge these norms and promote healthier work boundaries. In our research, we explore the complex social reactions to being a workplace rebel, finding that while these actions may inspire admiration from coworkers for defending work-life balance, they can also provoke resentment if seen as shirking responsibilities. These emotional responses—admiration for courageous behavior and resentment for norm violations—can shape critical workplace dynamics, influencing whether others emulate or undermine boundary-setting behaviors. For HR leaders, supporting proactive pushbacks can promote employee well-being, but managing these social dynamics is key to fostering a healthy work environment.
9:45 – 10:15 a.m.	Title: Love in the Digital Age: Impact of Dating Apps on Employee Well-being and Performance Presenter: Phoenix Chen, PhD Candidate in OBHR Session Description: With over 30% of U.S. adults reporting being single, a significant number of individuals—including young professionals in the workforce—are seeking romantic relationships through online dating applications (“dating apps”). Our research examines the impact of dating app use on employees’ experiences at work—both good and bad. Results indicate that finding desirable relationships through dating app use can reduce emotional exhaustion at work, whereas finding undesirable relationships through dating app use can undermine employees’ task performance. These findings highlight the relevant impact of employees’ lives outside work on their lives inside work, meaning that organizations should allow for time away from work for employees. During our presentation, additional implications will be discussed, including ways organizations can support employees who may feel lonely and isolated in their lives inside of work (e.g., social and/or support groups).
10:15 – 10:45 a.m.	Title: Pawsitive Impact: Boosting Employee Well-being with Pets Presenter: Dr. Leanne Nieforth, Assistant Professor of Veterinary Medicine Session Description: Pets provide multiple benefits to their owners including benefits to mental health, physical health, and social health. With these benefits, it is no surprise that more and more people are integrating their pets into their workplace, whether physically bringing them to the office or incorporating them into the work from home routine. This presentation will focus on discussing the current research surrounding the influence that pets may have on employee wellbeing in the workplace, specifically highlighting outcomes from a long-standing bring your dog to work program. The results of this research can inform organizations seeking ways to sustain productivity and employee retention all while maintaining total workplace well-being.
10:45 – 11:15 p.m.	Title: Panel Discussion Panelists: AJ Brow, CHRO at White Lodging Sarah Ponsler, Director- Talent & Organizational Effectiveness at Wabash Pramukh Jeyathilak, Co-Founder and CEO, TalentLign
11:15 – 11:50 a.m.	Title: Roundtable Discussion Each table will have a facilitator and answer provided questions

Thank you to our speakers!