A new study finds that Fair Workweek laws have made work schedules more predictable for service sector workers, improving job quality and financial stability. The laws also reduced exposure to back-to-back shifts and last-minute changes without cutting wages or benefits.
A new study reveals that employer points systems, which penalize workers for absences regardless of reason, are strongly associated with presenteeism and undermine public health benefits of paid sick leave laws. Workers in the US who were subject to these systems were more likely to show up to work while sick.
A Harvard study analyzed 1.6 million patents and found that industrial research labs enabled large-scale science-based team-oriented invention, transforming the U.S. innovation system. The researchers propose exploring whether today's organized corporate research promotes radical versus incremental innovation.
A global study of nearly 16,000 people in 84 countries found that negative framing in public health messaging increases anxiety but doesn't shift attitudes or behavior related to protective actions. The research suggests using positive wording may be more effective for encouraging action.
A group of Harvard scholars, including David Keith and Joseph Aldy, argue that more thorough social science research is needed into solar geoengineering to understand its potential risks and benefits. They suggest pursuing three research themes: assessing costs and benefits, understanding deployment incentives, and evaluating SG in a p...
A Seattle ordinance requiring more notice in scheduling for hourly workers resulted in improved worker well-being, sleep quality, and economic security. Researchers found that predictable shifts led to measurable changes in workers' schedules and positive effects on happiness, sleep quality, and material hardship.
Researchers found that reappraisal strategies consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions among participants from 87 countries. The study's findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions to build resilience during the pandemic and beyond.
A recent study published in PNAS found that women who lose local or state elections are equally likely to run for office again as men. Despite prior research suggesting women may be more risk-averse, the study reveals no statistically distinguishable difference between genders in choosing to seek office after losses.
New Harvard research reveals a direct link between incoming business travel and economic growth, ranking countries by knowhow flow. The study raises concerns about the consequences of international travel restrictions on global GDP, suggesting a potential double-digit loss if business travel were to halt completely.
The article highlights the need for a new approach to biosecurity governance, grounded in experimentation. Key findings include the importance of framing governance experiments with hypotheses, developing capacity to quickly identify difficult cases, and fostering cross-biology communities for iterative improvement.
A recent study by Harvard's Growth Lab analyzed administrative data on Sweden's 9 million inhabitants, finding that workers with complementary coworkers earn high wages and returns on education, comparable to having a college degree. The research offers a tool to assess the right and wrong coworkers in fields of expertise.
A set of four integrated studies by Harvard researchers reveals that sadness plays a strong role in triggering addictive behavior relative to other negative emotions like disgust. The studies show that individuals experiencing sadness are more likely to be smokers and relapse into smoking after quitting.