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Common Gender, Nationality Boost Rivalries and Performance

Cornell Chronicle
An ILR School research team found that having either the same gender or the same nationality as an opponent leads to greater perceptions of rivalry and subsequent better effort-based performance.
Common Gender, Nationality Boost Rivalries and Performance

Research: Performance Reviews That Actually Motivate Employees

Harvard Business Review
Emily Zitek explains her new research that examined narrative-based and numerical-based performance reviews and whether one format — or a combination of the two — was seen as more fair and motivating by employees.
Research: Performance Reviews That Actually Motivate Employees

Dual Tracks to the Top: Men Often Linked With Power, Women with Status

Cornell Chronicle
Men are associated with control over people and resources, and women are aligned with respect and admiration, according to new Cornell research by Charlotte Townsend.
Dual Tracks to the Top: Men Often Linked With Power, Women with Status

More Complaints, Worse Performance When AI Monitors Work

Cornell Chronicle
Organizations using AI to monitor employees’ behavior and productivity can expect them to complain more, be less productive and want to quit more – unless the technology can be framed as supporting their development, ILR research finds.
More Complaints, Worse Performance When AI Monitors Work

Here’s Why Getting Back to Work in 2024 Is So Hard—and How You Can Get Over the Slump

Wired
Take time to think about what you want out of your job. “After a long break, it can be helpful to remind ourselves of those goals—be they specific work goals or goals around the broader purpose of your work,” says Brian Lucas, assistant professor.
Here’s Why Getting Back to Work in 2024 Is So Hard—and How You Can Get Over the Slump

Yes, You Can Get Better at Saying No

Time
“We worry that we’re essentially communicating [by saying 'no'] that we’re not a helpful person; we’re not a nice, kind person; we’re not a team player,” VAnesssa Bohns says. “We’re too lazy to take something on, or we don’t want to work hard.”
Yes, You Can Get Better at Saying No

How to Ask a Stranger For Help

The New York Times
“Asking for help is hardly ever as bad as you imagine it will be,” says Vanessa Bohns, associate professor of organizational behavior. The piece highlights research studies done by Bohns on asking people for help.
How to Ask a Stranger For Help

Research: More Powerful People Express Less Gratitude

Harvard Business Review
Research from Assistant Professor Alice Lee shows that people with power tend to express gratitude less than those without it. In organizations, that can result in employees feeling underappreciated and, in some cases, more likely to quit.
Research: More Powerful People Express Less Gratitude

Why we don't dole out many compliments – but should

BBC News
Vanessa Bohn's research mentioned in BBC Worklife
Why we don't dole out many compliments – but should