Evolutionary Industrial and Organizational Psychology: A Framework for Workplace Transformation
Abstract
The modern workplace, a cornerstone of global society, paradoxically fosters widespread stress, disengagement, and dissatisfaction. Recent research reveals startling figures: globally, 60% of employees report being emotionally detached, and 19% experience outright misery at work (Gallup, 2022). These statistics underscore the critical need to rethink how work environments align with human nature. This talk explores how evolutionary psychology provides a profound lens to understand these challenges and proposes transformative solutions.
By examining the evolutionary history of work, from the cooperative nature of hunter-gatherer societies to the alienating environments of the digital age, we uncover evolutionary mismatches that drive workplace stressors. For instance, studies show that night shifts disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to sleep disorders, obesity, and cognitive impairments (Boudreau et al., 2013). Similarly, the lack of face-to-face interactions in digital workplaces erodes trust and cooperation, integral elements of our ancestral work environments (Shi et al., 2024).
Through the lens of gene-culture co-evolution, I will discuss how modern organizations can evolve to mitigate these mismatches. Empirical evidence suggests that exposure to natural elements in workplaces reduces job stress, increases satisfaction, and enhances organizational commitment (An et al., 2016; Van Esch et al., 2019). Likewise, fostering collaborative cultures rather than competitive ones enhances team cohesion and trust, key drivers of productivity and well-being.
This talk will also present actionable strategies for designing workplaces that harmonize with human adaptive psychology. Flexible work schedules, ergonomic designs, and intentional cultural evolution can mitigate mismatches and promote resilience. For instance, hybrid work models have been shown to yield higher-quality outcomes compared to rigid office-only or remote-only approaches (Choudhury et al., 2022).
Ultimately, this presentation aims to provoke a reimagining of the workplace as a dynamic, adaptive ecosystem—one that integrates lessons from evolutionary psychology to foster innovation, collaboration, and well-being, enabling individuals and organizations alike to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.
Key readings:
Shi, J., Feenstra, S., & van Vugt, M. (2024). Connecting work teams in a remote workplace: an identity leadership perspective. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 1-15.
van Vugt, M., Vespi, C., & Colarelli, S. M. (2025). Evolutionary Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Working With Human Nature. In: APA Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology.
Speaker Biography
Mark van Vugt is Professor of Evolutionary psychology, Work and Organizational psychology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the Director of the Amsterdam Leadership Lab. He is also a research fellow at the University of Oxford. His research explores psychological processes in workplace and organizational settings through an evolutionary lens, with a focus on leadership, power, status, conflict, and cooperation. He integrates insights from psychology, cognitive neuroscience, economics, and evolutionary biology to study these topics. Beyond his academic research, Mark is passionate about applying behavioral science to contemporary organizational challenges, including digitalization and inclusive leadership.
He has published over 200 scientific articles in top-tier journals such as Nature, Current Biology, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Psychological Science, American Psychologist, and Academy of Management Review.
Mark is a former editor of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and currently serves as a senior editor at The Leadership Quarterly. He has authored several books for both academic and general audiences, including Naturally Selected: The Evolutionary Science of Leadership, Mismatch: How our Stone Age Brains Deceive Us Daily, and, most recently, FC Sapiens, which explores the connections between football and war.
His work has been recognized with numerous research grants from national and international funding bodies, including a major EU Horizon Europe grant on mental health in the workplace. He is a frequent contributor to national and international media and has received multiple awards for his contributions to science and science communication, including recent honours from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the Academy of Management for his lifetime academic achievements.