Research Seminar: Prof Margot Joosen

Dear all,

Join us in welcoming Prof Margot Joosen from Tilburg University to Trinity Business School on Thursday, 26th of March 2026.

• The seminar will take place in room 328 and via Zoom between 1 - 2 pm.
• Tea, coffee, and sandwiches will be provided in front of Café Jolt (Lower Ground Floor) at 12 pm.

Please REGISTER HERE.

Seminar Title: Inclusive Workplace Participation of People in Vulnerable Situations - A Biopsychosocial and Capability Perspective

Abstract: Workplace participation of people in vulnerable situations, such as those living with chronic illness, mental health challenges, or unstable employment trajectories, is often framed as a problem of individual deficits or labour market integration. This seminar proposes an alternative perspective: inclusive participation should be understood as a biopsychosocial process shaped by the interaction between health, psychological experiences at work, and organizational context.

Building on the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), I examine how job design, resource distribution, and the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) influence wellbeing at work and sustainable participation. However, organizational resources and supportive practices do not automatically translate into meaningful opportunities for individuals. To address this gap, the seminar introduces the Capability Approach as a normative and evaluative framework that shifts attention from the provision of resources to individuals’ real opportunities to achieve valued forms of work participation. From this perspective, means are not the same as opportunities, and equal treatment does not necessarily produce equal chances.

This seminar illustrates this perspective through research on return-to-work and recovery among workers with cancer, physical injury and, mental health conditions, as well as examining how healthcare professionals can remain healthy and engaged in demanding work environments. These projects highlight how work capabilities mediate the relation between organizational resources and outcomes such as work engagement, wellbeing, and sustainable participation.

The seminar concludes by discussing implications for organizational and occupational health research. In particular, it argues for greater use of multi-level and longitudinal research designs, capability-sensitive measurement approaches, and transdisciplinary collaboration between management scholars, occupational health researchers, and practitioners. Rather than focusing on “fixing” vulnerable workers, this perspective calls for research that contributes to redesigning organizations in ways that expand human capability and enable sustainable participation over time.

Bio: Prof dr. Margot Joosen is a health scientist and holds a PhD in occupational medicine on the topic of work and health. She currently works as an endowed professor at Tilburg University, The Netherlands and holds the chair ‘Labour Expertise and Inclusive Participation’. Margot is an expert in (mental) health at work and sustainable employability. Her research focuses on return to work and recovery of workers with health complaints such as cancer, physical injury and, mental health problems. In addition, she studies how to strengthen wellbeing, (mental) health and engagement at work, particularly among healthcare professionals. Margot is also interested in implementation research, mixed-method design and knowledge transfer and exchange.

Note: Tea, coffee, and sandwiches will be provided in front of Café Jolt (Lower Ground Floor) at 12 pm.

Photographs will be taken during this seminar and may be shared on social media. If you do not wish to appear, please notify tbs.research@tcd.ie.