COH faculty present on work-life fit at PCOSW event

Associate Professor Kelly Chandler and Director of Marketing and Communications, Kathryn Stroppel, presented during the President's Commission on the Status of Women (PCOSW) event “Connected & Equipped: Empowering OSU Supervisors and Employees” on April 23.

During the event, Kelly shared research related to mentoring, onboarding and work-life fit. Kathryn was a spotlight speaker who addressed work-life fit, specifically how a little flexibility at work can make a big impact on both supervisors and employees.

The bottom line? Organizations benefit when employees bring their whole selves to work. These employees, with the flexibility to meet both work and personal obligations, are more satisfied. Because they’re more satisfied, they’re less likely to leave their positions, which saves organizations money since it costs more to replace a good employee than to retain one. Research also shows that in most situations, flexible work arrangements don’t negatively impact productivity.

Although such arrangements aren’t possible for all positions, Kelly and Kathryn encouraged leaders to consider flexibility whenever possible.

Kelly, associate professor of human development and family sciences, applies a work-family justice lens to understand the diversity of lived experiences of adults at work, home and in work-family integration. She studies how job conditions, workplace culture, and work-family policies affect the health and well-being of employees and their families, as well as the impact of daily stress and emotional transmission in families.

Kathryn received her master’s degree in organizational leadership in 2024.