Writing|Where stories meet (social) science

Research-Driven Storyteller

With degrees in anthropology and journalism and a master's in writing, I use social science methods to explore the intersection of psychology and business in our evolving work landscape. Skills developed from participant observation make me uniquely attuned to relationships, work styles, and the subtle interactions that reveal authentic human motivations.

Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

The case for the 4 day work week

According to surveys of participants, 71 percent of respondents reported lower levels of burnout, and 39 percent reported being less stressed than when they began the test. Companies experienced 65 percent fewer sick and personal days. And the number of resignations dropped by more than half, compared with an earlier six-month period. Despite employees logging fewer work hours, companies’ revenues barely changed during the test period. In fact, they actually increased slightly, by 1.4 percent on average.”

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

Will AI take over marketing?

As a marketer I think daily about how AI may or may not affect my career. Marketing tools and metrics already change on a seemingly weekly basis. We are constantly chasing the latest information on where best to post links within our social posts, what the correct layout specs are, and the ever-changing marketing jargon and acronyms. Marketers are used to change, and are well equipped to move with the rising tide of AI.

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

Respecting (but not necessarily following) generational norms

Being mocked is a powerful reinforcer.  It is difficult to be the individual who begins to behave, dress, speak, and act as they believe in their heart to be true to themselves.  This requires risk and the possibility of being ostracized.  We adhere to cultural norms to fit in.   

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

What to do if you are being ignored at work

How can you handle a difficult situation at work, especially one that has you feeling ignored and disregarded? You might think that the instigator should be the one to fix the situation, however, the only person you can truly change is yourself, so you must start within.

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

Acknowledging feelings as an accurate assessment of workplace culture

Our emotional responses to workplace situations serve as valuable data about organizational culture. Feelings aren't obstacles to professional judgment but rather sophisticated intelligence systems that detect patterns, power dynamics, and cultural inconsistencies that formal assessments might miss.

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

Workplace survey

This survey is being conducted to research workplace burnout in office and healthcare professions. Your responses will help inform a book about modern workplace challenges. All responses are anonymous and confidential. The majority of the questions are simple multiple-choice questions, and the survey is designed to take less than 10 minutes.

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

Too many choices

When we have so many choices, it’s too easy to imagine something better on the horizon. Choice is necessary, and I welcome the choices that we, especially women, have today thanks to the trailblazing activists who have come before us. But there is such a thing as too many choices.

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

Using the stepping stone strategy to get buy-in and create process change

There are several ways to implement a stepping stone strategy to reduce risk, such as phased exploratory sessions or phased implementation; however, in this example, I'll share how I accomplished a project using a stepping stone of roles across the organization to obtain buy-in and ensure all needs were met.

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

Student Voices - An Interview for UPenn

I had the privilege of being interviewed for Penn LPS’s Online magazine after I completed the certificate program in Organizational Anthropology. Here is an excerpt.

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

The futility of “We should…”

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and they continued to say “We should do x…?”  Whether in the workplace or at home, the blaming power of “we should” needs to be stopped.  “We should” is an opportunity to either complain or share an idea without actually doing anything. For example:

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

Using participant observation in the workplace

Participant observation is a qualitative technique of field research where the investigator gains acceptance into a group by building rapport, establishing trust, and sharing in the group’s activities.

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

Frames of communication

Communication is the keystone of all relationships, yet we rarely address communication beyond how we perceive it. There are four frames of communication, which should be analyzed when addressing communication in the workplace: Individual, Interpersonal, Group, and System.

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

The Assistant and workplace complicity

Screenshot from The Assistant, featuring Julia Garner. Everyone, from the assistants to the producers to HR cover for the film mogul. It’s this complicity that you see wear her down. How have the others remained complicit in their leader’s behavior and at what emotional and ethical cost?

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

Setting my personal goals

I love goal setting. It gives me purpose and a guide for the year to come. But one thing I don’t do is to check on those goals regularly. Learn how I give myself mental space to achieve.

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

Equity in the workplace doesn't mean making everything the same

When an entire organization has the same rulebook, you may be excluding needs related to a particular demographic, which can lead to an unfair work environment. But how do you ask employees what they need and how they work best, without creating chaos?

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Michele Spilberg Hart Michele Spilberg Hart

The case for simple language

I’m guilty of using a thesaurus or too many words with the intent of sounding important and smart. Guess what? It sounds neither important nor smart. It requires too much thinking to get to “the ask.”

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