The lab
We Practice What We Preach.
We don’t make assumptions. We hear from real people. We partner with academics and practitioners to ensure that our research is rigorous but accessible and actionable.
Current Research Initiatives
Organizational listening framework
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Dr. Jeffrey Yip, Simon Fraser University, Founder & Director of ListeningWorks
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Millions of dollars are spent each year on employee surveys and feedback tools that employees see as performative exercises. The result? Disengaged teams, wasted resources, and leaders who still don't know what their people are thinking.
We're developing a framework for effective employee listening that goes beyond annual surveys and suggestion boxes. Through interviews with Chief People Officers, Talent Leaders, and senior executives, we're identifying what separates truly effective listening from the checkbox exercises that breed cynicism.
Outputs: Article for practitioner publication (targeting venues like MIT Sloan Management Review) and podcast interview series launching soon
Get Involved: We're currently conducting interviews with senior leaders who have implemented listening strategies in their organizations.
Family-building friendly climate scale
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Dr. Gloria Gonzalez-Morales, Claremont Graduate University
Dr. Jennifer Feitosa, Claremont McKenna College
Dr. Barbara Junisbai, Pitzer College
With an exceptional team of graduate and undergraduate research assistants from the associated schools. Made possible through the BLAIS grant.
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What makes an organization truly supportive of employees who are building their families? Beyond parental leave policies on paper, we're working to understand—and ultimately measure—what family-building support really looks like in practice.
Study 1 (Current Phase): We're conducting 60-90 minute qualitative interviews with individuals who have navigated family building while working. These in-depth conversations will reveal the experiences, challenges, and organizational factors that matter most to employees growing their families.
Next Steps: Thematic analysis, scale development, and factor analysis
Get Involved: We're seeking participants who are U.S.-based, 18+ years old, and have experience building their family while employed. We're especially interested in hearing from blue-collar workers, men, LGBTQIA+ parents, single parents, and individuals outside of California—though all voices are welcome.
The human side of AI adoption
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The conversation about AI at work often focuses on productivity gains and technological capabilities. But what about the people navigating this transformation?
Through ongoing conversations with employees, managers, HR professionals, and academics, we're exploring the messy, human reality of AI adoption: Who's championing these tools? Who's resisting, and why? How are workplace relationships and climates shifting? What happens when the AI tools provided don't match what people actually need?
Early themes emerging from these conversations include a hunger for more exploration and experimentation, employees using personal AI tools because workplace options fall short, and a widespread feeling that individual voices aren't being heard in the AI implementation process.
The Bigger Picture: Most AI assessments offer a single-person survey that provides a siloed snapshot of AI maturity. We're building something different: a comprehensive AI Listening offering that truly measures how organizations are adopting AI across all levels. These conversations are giving us the insights to create a robust assessment that captures the full spectrum of employee experience with AI—not just what leadership thinks is happening.
Get Involved: We're seeking diverse perspectives for these conversations—from individual contributors to executives, across industries and roles. Whether you're an AI champion, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, your experience matters.
Foundational Research
High-Quality Connections at Work
Alyssa Birnbaum’s doctoral research explored what makes workplace relationships meaningful and how those connections shape our daily experience at work. This work formed the foundation of her TED talk, "3 Simple Ways to Build Stronger Relationships at Work," and continues to inform everything we do at Teal Elephant.
Key Findings:
The quality of our workplace connections matters more than the quantity or duration—brief, meaningful interactions throughout the day increase engagement
Burnout significantly impairs our ability to form quality connections with colleagues
High-quality connections happen equally well in person and via videoconference (with cameras on), but audio-only interactions—including video calls with cameras off—result in lower quality connections
These insights shape how we approach organizational development, team effectiveness, and workplace culture change.
Read the full dissertation: High-Quality Connections in a Post-COVID-19 Landscape (free download)
