2 credits
Fall 2026 Lecture Upper Division
This course examines one of the central tensions facing HR professionals today: how to protect and promote employee well-being while also driving organizational performance. Drawing on research in organizational behavior, human resource management, psychology, and emerging perspectives on artificial intelligence (AI), students will explore the evidence behind the well-being - performance paradox and apply it to real-world HR challenges. The course includes a dedicated module on AI and the employee experience, investigating how intelligent technologies are reshaping work design, well-being, and notions of balance and autonomy. Students will critically examine both the risks (e.g., surveillance, burnout, dehumanization) and opportunities (e.g., personalization, recovery support, task offloading) that AI introduces for HR professionals seeking to create sustainable human-centric workplaces. Through cases, applied projects, and reflective exercises, students will learn to design and evaluate HR practices that support both performance and well-being in an era of technological transformation.
Learning Outcomes1Define and explain the well-being - performance paradox and its implications for HR professionals.
2Evaluate research evidence on burnout, recovery, engagement, and performance outcomes.
3Analyze HR practices (e.g., talent management, rewards, flexibility, job design) through the lens of the paradox.
4Assess the role of AI in shaping employee well-being and performance, identifying both ethical risks and design opportunities.
5Identify organizational trade-offs and paradoxes in real-world case studies.
6Design HR policies and interventions that balance organizational demands with employee well-being.
7Communicate the business case for sustainable and human-centered HR practices to senior leaders.
8Reflect on their own role as HR professionals, considering how to navigate personal well-being while advocating for organizational change.
Restrictions
made by Purdue students.