Title: A Temporal Perspective on Job Design

Speaker: Chen Zhang, Associate Professor, Tsinghua University

Host: Xueqing Fan, Assistant Professor, Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Time: 10:00-11:30, Monday, June 15, 2026

Venue: Room B207, Antai Building, Xuhui Campus, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Brief introduction of the content: 

Job design is a field of research concerned with how the characteristics, content, and structure of work are designed and implemented. Traditional job design theories primarily focus on general work characteristics, whereas emerging perspectives increasingly emphasize the dynamic role of time in shaping work processes and outcomes. In this talk, Chen Zhang will first share her research journey in the field of job design and then introduce her work on team work rhythms. This research examines how team members’ simultaneous involvement in multiple projects influences the dynamic pacing of team projects and the timing of workload surges. The study draws on more than 1.6 million records of work activities collected from over 400 team projects and is complemented by experimental studies designed to uncover the underlying psychological mechanisms. In addition, Chen will discuss several ongoing projects that explore cutting-edge topics in job design from a temporal perspective.

Speaker's profile:

Dr. Chen Zhang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Leadership and Organization Management and Assistant Dean at the School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University. She received her B.A. in Economics (with the honor of Outstanding Graduate) and M.S. in Management from Tsinghua University, and her Ph.D. in Management from the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on organizational behavior, with primary interests in job design, time, energy, and employee well-being at work, as well as proactive behavior in organizations. Her work has been published in leading international journals in management and organizational behavior, including Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of Applied Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and Personnel Psychology. Dr. Zhang serves as Principal Investigator of a General Program funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and has participated in a Key Program of the NSFC. She has received the Annual Research Excellence Award from the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, as well as the Distinguished Teaching Award for Young Faculty Members, the university’s highest teaching honor for junior faculty. She has also received multiple Annual Teaching Excellence Awards from Tsinghua University and First Prize for Teaching Excellence from the School of Economics and Management. She currently serves as a member of the Tsinghua University Teaching Committee and the Tsinghua University General Education Committee.

Welcome all!