Together we are shaping the future of business
The Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources hosts world-leading researchers and award-winning educators who provide a research-led education to our students. Our cutting-edge research drives business practice, policy, and regulation, and our internationally recognised degree programs are informed by our latest findings.
Our department takes a proactive approach to research, education, and industry partnerships, ensuring that our students receive a highly relevant education and can effectively tackle the challenges of the domestic and global business environment.
Research highlights
Higher Degree Research
We pride ourselves on supporting emerging scholars and actively involve our Higher Degree by Research students in the activities of the Department and our partner research centres.
Project highlights
Thesis: Anytime and anywhere, not all the time and everywhere: examining the connectivity agency of teleworkers
As work becomes increasingly technologically-mediated and geographically-dispersed, the notion of connectivity has become imperative within organisational studies. The central idea of this mixed-method research project is connectivity agency, that is, the decisions that remote employees make regarding when, how, and where they ‘connect’ to their work. Existing research suggests that such technological agency is an important facet of employee autonomy and may have implications for important individual-level outcomes.
As technology serves as a catalyst for overwork, burnout, and work-life conflict, this research project intends to highlight how agency over one’s connection may mitigate these problems. Firstly, qualitative data will address important questions regarding how connectivity agency is shaped through individual, group, and organisational-level factors. The secondary objective of this project is to modify and revalidate an existing connectivity scale and explore the relationship of these variables upon outcomes such as wellbeing and work-life conflict.
Thesis: Career management for First Peoples in Australia
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (hereafter, First Peoples) are the traditional custodians of the land, Australia. This research examines the challenges, opportunities, and strategies for career management of First Peoples in Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths, and Medicine ( STEMM ) organisations and First Peoples Enterprises ( FPE ).
To explore the perspectives of both First Peoples and Non-First Peoples regarding First Peoples’ career management, this research adopted a qualitative approach. This involved semi-structured interviews with managers and employees in STEMM organisations and yarning with business owners/managers and employees in FPE . The theories examined were identity theory, social identity theory, attribution theory and systems theory.
The findings reaffirm challenges include the themes, under-representation, recruitment and selection, career progression and learning and development to name a few. The opportunities identified are support, culture, and relationships. The findings reveal the key themes in formulating career strategies are relationships, cultural capability, and career progression. The research will provide practical implications for organisations to improve career management of First Peoples, which also has broader implications for society, as career management strategies to enhance First Peoples’ career development and advancement will improve social equality.
Thesis: Exploring the lived experiences of professional working mothers in Australia, with children in their early years
Women's workforce participation in the workforce has been recognised as one of the greatest economic developments of the last century. However, despite Australian women being among one of the most educated in the world, Australia’s economic participation is still not where it should be globally. The disparity in workforce participation for women in Australia is even more paramount for mothers with children under school age (i.e., in their early years). This disparity also impacts women’s ongoing career prospects, perpetuates under presentation in leadership positions and creates ongoing economic disadvantages for women globally and in Australia.
This research project aims to understand the lived experiences of working mothers with children in their early years from a positive workforce participation perspective. The overall aim of the research project is to better incentivise and support workforce participation for mothers with young children in Australia. Ultimately, the research project also aims to provide practical theoretical applications for potential strategies and interventions that can better support mothers positive workforce participation, while caring for children in their early years.
Afrouz was runner up in the GBS Research Conference Poster Competition in July 2023 for her research project.
Research supervisors
Our research team of psychologists, sociologists, industrial relations specialists, historians and lawyers are dedicated to offering new and existing research candidates opportunities to explore their research ideas and guidance towards tangible outcomes.
Applying for a PhD/MPhil program
Find a supervisor
To apply for entry to a PhD/MPhil program, you must include the names of two academic supervisors at Griffith University who have agreed to supervise your research.
For assistance finding a suitable supervisor in the department, please email the HDR Convenor with:
- a copy of your CV
- tertiary academic transcripts
- and a research proposal.
If potential supervisors are available, you will be advised and you can then proceed with your formal online application for entry.
How to prepare a research proposal
In preparing a brief research proposal (no longer than 750 words please), the following headings can be used as guidelines:
- Clear statement of your proposed research topic
- Objectives of your proposed program of research investigation
- Brief overview of previous relevant research, including references to key literature sources
- Proposed research methods and plan.
Please also ensure you make clear why you believe your research proposal best fits with disciplines covered by the department.
Become a researcher
A research degree gives you the freedom to follow your interests, explore new ideas and create new knowledge. If you are passionate about a particular topic, a research degree could help you become an expert in your chosen field and make a difference in the world.
Contact Employment Relations and Human Resources
Enquiries
- Department phone
- +61 (07) 555 27650
- Department email
- erhr_admin@griffith.edu.au
Stay connected
- Student enquiries
- Student Connect
- Higher degree by research phone
- Freecall within Australia: 1800 154 055
- +61 7 3735 3817
Nathan campus
- Location and postal address
- Griffith Business School
- Business 1 (N50) 1.22
- Nathan campus, Griffith University
- 170 Kessels Road, Nathan QLD 4111 Australia
Gold Coast campus
- Location and postal address
- Griffith Business School
- Business 3 (G42) 5.17
- Gold Coast campus, Griffith University
- Parklands Drive, Southport QLD 4222 Australia