Research and Publications

Study Overview

This research investigates the impact of a trauma-informed, decolonized approach to mental health services for students with specific emphasis on historically marginalized and underserved communities. The study centers on the SC2.0 framework, which prioritizes strengths-based interventions and minimizes potential biases in traditional assessment methods. A pilot outreach campaign will be conducted to effectively engage target populations. Subsequently, a stratified randomized controlled trial will evaluate the effectiveness of the SC2.0 framework in improving mental health outcomes for these students, while also examining the impact on service utilization and overall well-being.

Study Results

Pending

Populations: University students

IBSI Funding Acknowledgement: Workplace Mental Health Initiative

Study Overview

This study represents an in-depth landscape analysis of research focused on mental health in the workplace. The analysis includes 240 articles with wide geographic reach and assesses nearly 50 interventions. This project aims to examine trends in research, identify the most effective interventions and environmental factors promoting success, and illuminate opportunities for further research. Results from the analysis will be shared with California state agencies, as well as other public and private stakeholders.

Study Results

Pending

IBSI Funding Acknowledgement: Workplace Mental Health Initiative

Study Overview

WMH is administering the HWI, a research-based assessment tool designed to measure and enhance workplace well-being, to UC Berkeley staff. Developed in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the HWI provides organizations with actionable insights into employee experiences linked to health, safety, and job satisfaction. The HWI can help organizations identify their strengths, address weaknesses, and suggest how they can create healthier, more productive work environments.

Populations: UC Berkeley staff

IBSI Funding Acknowledgement: Workplace Mental Health Initiative

Study Overview

WMH developed and administered a survey to first-year Haas undergraduates to assess several aspects of their entry experience and current health and well-being status. The survey assessed their perceived overall health, their coping skills, and strategies for dealing with stress, challenges to their personal and academic lives, and their sense of belonging and stress resilience. The survey was designed to take a snapshot of their initial status in order to help develop targeted intervention strategies that will support and enhance their academic and personal growth throughout their years at the university.

Populations: First-year Haas undergraduates

IBSI Funding Acknowledgement: Workplace Mental Health Initiative

Study Overview

WMH has partnered with the MHSOAC to establish a Center of Excellence (COE) at the Unversity of California, led by UC Berkeley, to address workplace mental health. In collaboration with One Mind at Work, and UCLA’s Semel Center, the CEO will focus on creating curriculum, training, and innovative research that will help organizations implement strategies to improve workplace mental health outcomes. Outcomes of the new center include a landscape analysis report summarizing the most effective approaches to workplace mental health, a process foe engaging employers in workplace mental health, results of mental health engagement activities with employers across sectors, and a comprehensive workplace mental health roadmap.

IBSI Funding Acknowledgement: Workplace Mental Health Initiative

Study Overview

WMH has partnered with UC Berkeley’s Interdisciplinary Center for Healthy Workplaces (ICHW) and UCSF’s California Labor Laboratory (CALL) to launch an initiative to gather “unfiltered” information from diverse occupational groups and stakeholders in a “Sandbox” style format to understand the current state of worker experience, challenges and issues to worker health and well-being, and preparation for the future of work, worker experience, and workplaces. Summaries of information shared in the Sandboxes will be the source material for a gathering of diverse experts to devise a new vision for the future of work and a framework for implementing the vision. The ultimate outcome of this work is a series of implementation products that translate the vision into practice.

IBSI Funding Acknowledgement: Workplace Mental Health Initiative

Study Overview

This white paper proposes a new paradigm for business success: becoming a 'healthcare business'. It argues that prioritizing employee health, safety, and well-being is not just beneficial but essential for overall business success.

Study Results

The modern workplace struggles with low engagement, job satisfaction, and commitment, leading to costly people-related issues. This paper introduces the 'healthcare business' model, where organizations embed health, safety, and well-being into their policies and practices across functions like HR, Risk Management, Facilities, and Finance. A cross-functional management structure is proposed to tackle barriers such as job vacancies, weak culture, and workplace injuries, creating a win-win for employees and employers by reducing costs, boosting productivity, and fostering well-being. Dr. Cristina Banks concludes that prioritizing employee health leads to stronger business performance and long-term success.

Populations: US businesses and their employees

Working Paper: Banks, Cristina.2023. Blueprint for Building Business Success by Becoming a 'Healthcare Business' (opens in a new tab)

Study Overview

This study examines how psychosocial needs shape university employees' perceptions of work's impact on their health. Analyzing 11,533 Norwegian faculty members, it finds that different needs influence positive and negative health in distinct ways, with notable gender differences—women's health is most affected by work engagement (positive) and autonomy (negative), while for men, meaning (positive) and social community (negative) are key factors. Although needs vary across faculty, PhD students, and staff, their overall impact is similar. The findings suggest that improving workplace health requires distinct interventions for positive and negative influences and should account for gender differences.

Study Results

The article found that different psychosocial needs influence positive and negative work-related health among university employees, with notable gender differences. For women, work engagement was the strongest predictor of positive work-related health, while autonomy had the greatest impact on negative health. For men, meaning was the most significant factor for positive health, while social community had the strongest effect on negative health. Although the levels of these needs varied among faculty, PhD students, and administrative staff, their overall influence on work-related health was similar across groups. The findings suggest that improving workplace health requires separate interventions for positive and negative influences and should consider gender differences.

Research Partner: Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Populations: University employees

Journal Publication: Innstrand, S. T., Banks, C., Maslach, C., & Lowenstein, C. (2023). Healthy universities: Exploring the relationship between psychosocial needs and work-related health among university employees. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 38(2), 103–126. https://doi.org/10.1080/15555240.2023.2194026 (opens in a new tab)

Study Overview

This white paper explores the concept of "quiet quitting" and its implications for the modern workplace. It argues that quiet quitting is fundamentally about a loss of intrinsic motivation rather than laziness or minimal effort.

Study Results

The paper examines quiet quitting as a shift in employee motivation rather than laziness, linking it to disengagement caused by inadequate workplace resources and excessive demands. It argues that the pandemic altered employee expectations, emphasizing control over work time and rejecting pre-pandemic norms of overwork. Managers are caught between organizational pressures to increase engagement and employees’ needs for support, autonomy, and better working conditions. The study suggests that businesses should focus on removing workplace barriers, enhancing intrinsic motivation, and fostering a healthier work environment to improve both engagement and productivity.

Populations: US employees and managers

Working Paper: Banks, Cristina. 2023. Quiet Quitting and a Pathway to Better Work. (opens in a new tab)

Study Overview

Public expenditures on non-contributory pensions are equivalent to at least 1 percent of GDP in several countries in Latin America and is expected to increase. We explore the effect of noncontributory pensions on the well-being of the beneficiary population by studying the Pensiones Alimentarias program established by law in Paraguay, which targets older adults living in poverty.

Study Results

Households with a beneficiary increased their level of consumption by 44 percent. The program improved subjective well-being in 0.48 standard deviations. These effects are consistent with the findings of Bando, Galiani and Gertler (2020) and Galiani, Gertler and Bando (2016) in their studies on the non-contributory pension schemes in Peru and Mexico. Thus, we conclude that the effects of non-contributory pensions on well-being in Paraguay are comparable to those found for Peru and Mexico and add to the construction of external validity.

Journal Publication: Bando, Rosangela, Sebastian Galiani, and Paul Gertler. 2022. “Another Brick on the Wall: On the Effects of Non-contributory Pensions on Material and Subjective Well Being.” Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 195: 16–26. (opens in a new tab)

Study Overview

This study examined changes in work practices and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic using a mixed-methods approach with panel data collected twice from an insurance company in Norway.

Study Results

The article found that most employees transitioned to remote work due to infection concerns and government mandates, with many reporting greater flexibility, time savings, and improved work-life balance. Employees working from home generally had a positive outlook on digital tools and wanted more remote work opportunities in the future. However, work motivation and digital competence decreased over time, and younger employees reported greater social isolation. While home-based employees saw increased productivity, hybrid and office-based employees experienced a decline. Women and home-based workers expressed greater fear of COVID-19 infection. The findings suggest that hybrid work will remain a key aspect of the future workplace, with varying impacts depending on age, gender, and work location.

Research Partner: Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Journal Publication: Innstrand ST, Christensen M, Grødal K and Banks C (2022) Within- and between-person changes in work practice and experiences due to COVID-19: Lessons learned from employees working from home, hybrid working, and working at the office. Front. Psychol. 13:948516. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.948516 (opens in a new tab)

Study Overview

This study explores how healthy workplaces can be leveraged as a strategic benefit for organizations. It argues that prioritizing employee health and well-being not only enhances individual performance and job satisfaction but also contributes to organizational success. The paper outlines key workplace factors that impact health, such as job design, leadership, workplace culture, and work-life balance. It emphasizes that investing in employee well-being leads to higher engagement, lower turnover, and improved business outcomes, making it a competitive advantage rather than just an ethical responsibility.

Study Results

The article finds that healthy workplaces provide a strategic advantage by improving employee engagement, productivity, and retention. It highlights how factors like leadership support, positive workplace culture, and effective job design contribute to well-being. The research suggests that organizations that actively prioritize employee health see benefits such as lower healthcare costs, reduced absenteeism, and higher overall performance. The findings reinforce that investing in workplace well-being is not just a moral obligation but a smart business strategy.

Journal Publication: Banks, C.G. and Witt, L.A. (2021). Leveraging healthy workplaces as a strategic benefit. Journal of Total Rewards, Q1, 55-70. (opens in a new tab)