Helena Cooper Thomas

Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 82833
Email: h.cooper-thomas@auckland.ac.nz
Room: HSB 633 / 721-331 (Tamaki)
Office Hours: Tuesday 12 - 2pm

I completed my BSc (Hons) at Durham University, UK, my MA at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, and my PhD at the University of London. My current service contributions to the University are as Director of Postgraduate Studies in Industrial, Work, and Organisational (IWO) Psychology, and also on the Faculty of Science Equity Committee. I serve on the International Affairs Committee of the Society for Industrial and Organisational Psychology, and recently have been appointed to the NZ Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. I am actively involved in organizational psychology activities in Aotearoa/ New Zealand, such as supporting ionet and the Auckland IO Special Interest Group. I am on the Consulting Editorial Board for the Journal of Business and Psychology. I teach on IWO Psychology courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate level (Psych 322, Psych 760, Psych 761).

My research interests focus on employee attitudes and behaviours, and employee-employer relations. I research in the areas of newcomer adjustment and organizational socialization, the development of the psychological contract and person-organisation fit, organisational engagement, stress and bullying, and upward influence. I have published in a number of respected applied psychology, organizational behaviour and human resources journals, and presented my research at various international conferences. I have also provided consulting to a range of private and public sector organizations. I enjoy working collaboratively with students and colleagues, and with a range of employees and other stakeholders in participant organisations.

I currently supervise the research project "Investigating the proactive behaviours of employees in new work roles".

Please find below six “white papers” from students in PSYCH 761 Organisational Psychology. One of the assignments in this course was to write an authoritative white paper that drew on academic research but provided an educational document for practitioners, written in lay language. These students kindly agreed to share their work with a broader audience. These papers will be posted here for approximately one month. This is a new initiative supporting the bridge between science and practice in Organisational Psychology. Your feedback would be appreciated.
 

• Cooper-Thomas, H. D., & Burke, S. E. (in press). Newcomer proactive behavior: Can there be too much of a good thing? In C. Wanberg (Ed.), Handbook of organizational socialization, New York: Oxford University Press.
• Viljevac, A., Cooper-Thomas, H. D., & Saks, A. M. (in press). An investigation into the validity of two measures of work engagement. International Journal of Human Resource Management. doi: 10.1080/09585192.2011.639542
• Geertshuis, S. A., Cooper-Thomas, H. D., & Price, M. (in press). Appraisals of self and situation as determinants of upward influencing tactics. Journal of Applied Social Psychology.
• Cooper-Thomas, H. D., Anderson, N., & Cash, M. L. (2012). Investigating organizational socialization: A fresh look at newcomer adjustment strategies. Personnel Review, 41(1), 41-55. doi: 10.1108/00483481211189938
• Bentley, T., Catley, B., Cooper-Thomas, H. Gardner, D., O’Driscoll, M.P., Dale, A., & Trenberth, L. (2012). Perceptions of workplace bullying in the New Zealand travel industry: Prevalence and management strategies. Tourism Management, 33, 351-360. 10.1016/j.tourman.2011.04.004
• Geertshuis, S. A., & Cooper-Thomas, H. (2011). Learning about health. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 51(3), 518-547.
• Cooper-Thomas, H. D., & Wilson, M. G. (2011). Influences on newcomers’ adjustment tactic use. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 19(4), 388-404. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2389.2011.00567.x
• O’Driscoll, M. P., Cooper-Thomas, H. D., Bentley, T. A., Catley, B. E., Gardner, D. H., & Trenberth, L. (2011). Workplace bullying in New Zealand: Work attitudes and performance, coping and organisational responses. Asia-Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 49(4), 390-408. doi: 10.1177/1038411111422140
• Chen, G., Ployhart, R., Cooper-Thomas, H. D., Anderson, N., & Bliese, P. D. (2011). The power of momentum: A new model of dynamic relationships between job satisfaction change and turnover intentions. Academy of Management Journal, 54(1), 159-181. doi: 10.5465/AMJ.2011.59215089
• Xu, J., & Cooper-Thomas, H. D. (2011). How can leaders achieve high employee engagement? Leadership and Organization Development Journal, 32(4), 399-416. doi: 10.1108/01437731111134661.
• Saks, A. M., Gruman, J. A., & Cooper-Thomas, H. D. (2011). The neglected role of proactive behavior and outcomes in newcomer socialization. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79(1), 36-46. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2010.12.007.