Cambridge, MA, February 2, 2023―The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced today that Dr. Connie Noonan Hadley, an organizational psychologist and professor in the Management and Organizations Department at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, will keynote the second day of the 2024 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 5-6 at the Westin Copley Hotel in Boston, MA. The title of her keynote is “The Power of Relationships to Improve Workforce Outcomes.”

“Societal trends, economic pressures, and new ways of working have upended traditional workforce dynamics,” said Dr. Hadley. “One consequence is the rise in workplace loneliness, part of what the U.S. Surgeon General called an ‘epidemic of loneliness and isolation.’ In my talk, I will explore why loneliness has risen—and why this matters for employee health, productivity, and resilience. Using research, I will explain strategies to rekindle a sense of community at work, including modifications to team designs, remote/hybrid work policies, reward systems, and cultural practices. Attendees will gain new insights and tools to improve the relational climate of their organization, as well as greater appreciation for the impact of connection on general workforce well-being.”

In addition to her work at Boston University, Dr. Hadley is the founder of the Institute for Life at Work and formerly a consulting researcher at Microsoft Research Lab. She is an expert and well-known speaker on the future of work, team dynamics, psychological safety, employee loneliness, well-being at work, and inclusive cultures. She holds a PhD in organizational behavior from Harvard University, an MBA from Wharton, and a BA from Princeton University. Previously, she worked in management consulting at McKinsey & Company and in marketing and operations at General Mills, Inc. Dr. Hadley was recently selected to the Thinkers50 2024 Radar List, a set of 30 global thinkers who are predicted to change management and work in the future.

WCRI’s two-day program highlights the Institute’s latest research findings while drawing upon the diverse perspectives of highly respected workers’ compensation experts, policymakers, and researchers from across the country. The following is a sample of the sessions you will find at the conference:

• Comorbidities and the Functional Recovery of Low Back Patients
• Excessive Heat and Work-Related Injuries
• Impact of Vertical Integration on the Utilization of Care
• Medical Inflation in Workers’ Compensation
• Psychological Risk Factors and Functional Recovery

The WCRI conference is a leading workers’ compensation forum for policymakers, employers, labor advocates, insurance executives, health care organizations, claims managers, researchers, and others. Conference participants will leave with new insights, valuable networking contacts, and a better understanding of key issues in today’s competitive environment. A discounted, early-bird conference registration rate and a special conference hotel rate are available for a limited time. Click here to learn more or to register.

About WCRI:

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI’s diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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