A workplace meeting with staff sitting on sofas
Research_

Work and organisational studies

Redesigning the future of work and organisations
The Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies is home to a long standing and highly regarded group of scholars in this field.

Our research and teaching aim to examine, analyse and influence the world of work and organisations in Australia and beyond by exploring challenges around the employment relationship and the workplace. Our research themes include:

  • how perceptions and behaviours of individuals and groups impact the organisation’s functioning and performance
  • design, management and regulation of work
  • development and support of team member and leadership qualities
  • gender, diversity and inclusion at work
  • the future of work and organisations.

Our theory-led, strategy-focused and policy-relevant teaching and research equips our students with the knowledge and skills to work in diverse organisational settings. We contribute directly to knowledge, policy and practice in the fields of management, leadership, organisational behaviour, human resource management and employment relations.

Research groups

Our people

Meet our academics and research students.

Professor Marian Baird

Professor Rae Cooper

Professor Bradon Ellem

Professor Angela Knox  

Professor Kevin Lowe

Professor John Shields

Emeritus Professor Russell Lansbury

Emeritus Professor Greg Patmore

Associate Professor Stephen Clibborn

Associate Professor Dimitria Groutsis

Associate Professor Myra Hamilton

Associate Professor Anya Johnson

Associate Professor Sunghoon Kim

Associate Professor Helena Nguyen

Associate Professor Chris F Wright

Postdoctoral Research Associates

Dr Andreea Constantin

Dr Shanta Dey

Dr Alison Williams

Research Fellow

Dr Mina Askovic

Dr Hannah Kunst

Research Officer

Connie Deng

Emmilly Mendelevich

Amy Tapsell

Honorary Professors

Professor Felicia Huppert

Professor Susan McGrath-Champ

Honorary Associate Professors

Associate Professor Flora Gill

Associate Professor Suzanne Jamieson

Associate Professor Jim Kitay

Associate Professor Diane van den Broek

Honorary Associates

Sue Bussell

Jonathan Hamberger

Dr Min-Kyu Joo

Dr Emma Lees

Phillip McDonald

Dr Sarah Mosseri

Dr Sarah Oxenbridge

 Susan Price

 Troy Roderick

Adjunct Professor

Dr Iain Ross

Adjunct Associate Professor

Joseph Catanzariti

Research Affiliates

Elisabeth Kirkby

Annalena Welp

Journals

Journal of Industrial Relations

The publication of the November 2021 issue of the Journal of Industrial Relations marks the end of a 22-year period where Australia's leading journal in this field was based at the University of Sydney Business School.

This was the second such long run of editorship: the journal had previously been based at the University from its founding in 1959 (making it one of the first industrial relations journals in the world) until 1974.

In this final editorial (pdf, 491KB), the outgoing team reflects upon the trajectory of the journal and the practice, research and teaching of industrial relations. 

Research seminars

We host regular seminars as part of our Work and Organisational Studies Speaker Series. If you would like to attend one of these talks, please email wos.admin@sydney.edu.au. All other enquiries should be directed to Associate Professor Stephen Clibborn, who coordinates the series.

Recent publications

Recent grants

  • When, why, and how well do we regulate other peoples emotions, MacCann C, Pinkus R, Nguyen H, Johnson A, Niven K, Gross J, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP)
  • Enhancing Healthcare Access for People with Communication Disabilities, Dennis S, McAllister S, Johnson A, Ng J, Brunner M, Elbourn E, Nisbet G, Rietdijk R, Togher L, National Disability Insurance Agency/Mainstream Capacity Building (MCB) Grant Round
  • Women's Working Futures Program of Research, Cooper R, Hill E, Vromen A, Baird M, Probyn E, DVC Research/Sydney Research Excellence Initiative 2020 (SREI)
  • Creating Sustainable Employment Pathways for Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Groups, Ingold, J, Knox A, Fatouros S, Crichton E, Molaeb H, Fowkes L, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage Projects (LP)
  • Algorithmic management and the future of work: lessons from the gig economy, Veen A. Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA)
  • The Role of Middle Managers in Progressing Gender Equity in the Public Sector, Cooper R, Colley L, Baird M, O'Donnell M, Blackman D, Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG)/Research Support
  • Smashing Glass Walls: Building gender equality in hyper-masculine jobs, Cooper R, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Future Fellowships (FT)
  • Designing Gender Equality into the Future of Work, Cooper R, Vromen A, Foley M, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage Projects (LP)
  • Climate, Work, Community and Just Transition, Ellem B, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU)/Client Commissioned Research
  • Employers perspective: New understandings of employment law non-compliance, Clibborn S, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA)
  • Grandparent childcare: negotiating work and care across generations., Hamilton M, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP)
  • Buy or Build Employer Strategies for Developing a Skilled Workforce, Wright C, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA)
  • Women in the Tasmanian State Service Career Narratives Project, Williamson S, Foley M, Blackman D, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Tasmania/Women in the Tasmanian State Service Award

Head of Discipline

Anya Johnson
Anya Johnson
Academic profile

Contact the Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies

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