Laurier faculty member Lindie Liang appointed Canada Research Chair in Workplace Well-being

Oct. 23, 2026

Lindie Liang, an associate professor of Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, has been appointed the Canada Research Chair in Workplace Well-being. The Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Program invests in retaining some of the world’s most accomplished minds. Liang’s Tier 2 CRC position includes research funding for a five-year term, including support for Laurier student researchers. Laurier is currently home to 13 CRCs.

As the CRC in Workplace Well-being, Liang plans to develop and test practical ways to create healthier workplaces. Workplace well-being includes the physical and psychological health of employees and leaders, as well as their relationships and sense of connection with others. It is a cornerstone of resilient and productive organizations, yet well-being is frequently undermined by abusive supervision: leaders belittling, ridiculing or mistreating employees.

“My previous research has examined how dysfunctional leadership behaviours affect employee well-being and take a toll on the leaders themselves,” says Liang. “Alongside this work, my research on mindfulness has examined how it can support leader empathy, reduce employee aggression and help teams manage conflict more co-operatively.”

Liang’s CRC program will bring these strands together to focus on self-compassion: treating oneself with kindness during challenging experiences, recognizing that struggle is part of being human, and acknowledging difficult thoughts and feelings without becoming consumed by them.

“I want to examine whether cultivating self-compassion can help employees respond constructively to mistreatment and help leaders handle workplace pressures without resorting to abuse,” says Liang.

Liang will introduce a self-compassion intervention at partner organizations and study the effects on leaders and their teams over time. For leaders, she will examine changes in coaching, abusive behaviour, emotional exhaustion and physical health. From an employee perspective, Liang is curious whether self-compassion can reduce emotional exhaustion and destructive responses while helping employees feel more capable of taking constructive action, such as speaking up or reporting wrongdoing.

“We all want to feel respected, supported and happy at work,” says Liang. “Through my research, I want to develop practical tools that help employees and leaders navigate adversity, prevent harmful behaviours and create healthier, more supportive workplaces.”

Since joining Laurier in 2017, Liang has published 24 peer-reviewed journal articles, including eight in Financial Times Top 50 journals. Her research has been covered by international news media outlets, including BBC, The Washington Post and The Globe and Mail. Liang is the recipient of a President’s New Researcher Award from the Canadian Psychological Association, the Ig Nobel Prize in Economics and a Laurier Early Career Researcher Award.

“I am honoured by this appointment because it’s a meaningful recognition of my research and the contributions of students, partners, mentors and colleagues who helped make it possible,” says Liang. “The CRC position will allow me to deepen my research, collaborate with organizations, and train students who will bring new ideas and perspectives to this work.”