In episode 117, we explore a question many working parents and professionals experience daily: Why do some demanding workdays leave us energized and fulfilled at home, while others leave us completely drained?

Drawing on a recent daily diary study published by Junker and colleagues in Work & Stress, we unpack new research on workload, work‑related rumination, boundary control, and work‑to‑home spillover. The findings help explain why workload has long shown mixed and confusing effects in the research: sometimes it’s harmful, and sometimes it actually enhances life outside of work.

We discuss:

* Why high workload isn’t always bad—and when it can lead to positive work‑to‑home enrichment

* The critical difference between work‑related rumination (stressful, tense replaying) and problem‑solving pondering (energizing, creative thinking)

* How these two mental processes shape whether work stress helps or hurts family life

* Why boundary control matters, and why it helps amplify positive spillover but doesn’t eliminate negative rumination

* Practical implications for managers: how framing, autonomy, and prioritization can reduce harm when workloads increase

* What individuals can do on high‑demand days to protect their energy and relationships at home

We have a video version of this podcast available on our YouTube:

In episode 116, we’re joined by Dr. Beth Stelson, Assistant Professor at Washington University in St. Louis, to unpack an often invisible, but consequential, workplace hazard: vicarious trauma.

Vicarious trauma occurs when workers are repeatedly exposed to other people’s traumatic experiences, leading to psychological and physiological stress responses—even when they haven’t experienced the trauma firsthand. This is especially common among healthcare workers, social workers, substance use disorder professionals, and other helping professions, yet it’s rarely treated as a core occupational health issue.

We explore:

* What vicarious trauma is and how it differs from burnout and PTSD

* Why focusing only on symptoms misses the root of the problem

* How repeated exposure to trauma at work affects mental health, physical health, job satisfaction, and turnover

* New evidence linking vicarious trauma to serious physical health outcomes

* The Vicarious Occupational Trauma Exposure (VOTE) Index, a new tool designed to measure where and how trauma exposure happens in the workplace

* Why prevention requires organizational and system‑level interventions, not just individual self‑care

This conversation reframes vicarious trauma as a workplace hazard, similar to chemical exposure or noise exposure, and makes a compelling case for redesigning work, increasing organizational responsibility, and protecting the health of the workers our communities depend on most.

If you work in healthcare, social services, public health, or any trauma‑exposed role, or if you manage, study, or support people who do, this episode offers a powerful, research‑driven look at why vicarious trauma matters and what can actually be done about it.

You can find Dr. Stelson here: https://publichealth.washu.edu/faculty/elisabeth-stelson/

You can find the VOTE here: https://psycnet.apa.org/psycarticles/2027-28298-001.pdf

In episode 115, we explore a workplace trend that refuses to die despite years of employee complaints and growing research evidence: open office layouts. Drawing on a newly published study by Michael Rosander and Morten Nielsen in Occupational Health Science, we break down what different types of office setups mean for bullying experiences, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions.

Using a large, representative dataset of Swedish office workers, the researchers compare private offices, small shared rooms, traditional open offices, and activity‑based workspaces. Their findings are striking: employees in traditional open office environments are 54% more likely to experience workplace bullying than those in private offices. And while all office types have some level of risk, the most unstructured, desk‑sharing open plans show the highest rates of negative interpersonal experiences, lower job satisfaction, and greater intentions to leave.

You can find the original article here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41542-025-00246-x

You can find the video version of this episode here