Bob Merberg
@heighho.bsky.social
450 followers 310 following 440 posts
Work, labor, organizational psychology, evidence-based health & wellbeing. Open to ukulele and cat content, too.
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heighho.bsky.social
On the 114th anniversary of the Triangle Factory Fire, I'm sharing this article I wrote years ago. It's my most-read post ever.

"We once gave our word that we would remember the sacrifice represented by the charred remains of 146 Triangle factory workers."

#labor #unions #labour #history #work
"A Nation that Catches Workers Before They Fall"
The Triangle factory fire, in which 146 workers (mostly young immigrant women) perished, marked a turning point for organized labor and worker wellbeing.
heighho.substack.com
heighho.bsky.social
When I read “How to Be Caring is out…” in PUP’s post, I first thought it meant out-of-style, and thought, “That tracks.”
princetonupress.bsky.social
A vivid new translation of selections from an inspiring guide to self-transformation through kindness by an eighth-century Buddhist monk.

How to Be Caring is out now. Learn more and order yours: press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...

#Shantideva #Buddhism #Philosophy
How to Be Caring: An Ancient Guide to a Compassionate Life by Shantideva, edited and translated by Jay L. Garfield
heighho.bsky.social
Unpopular opinion: these articles and discussions should cite head-to-head studies comparing ai- vs human-based therapy, not just assume human therapy is the paragon of excellence and virtue.
Reposted by Bob Merberg
thuyvytnguyen.bsky.social
I find the focus on social media as a scapegoat simplistic and short-sighted. There are pushes and pulls in behavior. Young people are pulled toward social media, but what pushes them away?
jayvanbavel.bsky.social
Social media is one the least meaningful things we do; spending time with family is one of the most.

Yet we are spending more time on social media and less with our kids.
Reposted by Bob Merberg
thuyvytnguyen.bsky.social
Excited to share my new preprint. My work focuses on solitude, but I am not one to advocate for a "solitude theory"; psych has too many theories so one less would be good. So, what I did the past 2 yrs is talking to people, reading work outside of my literature, essentially to shop for a framework 🧵
Reposted by Bob Merberg
princetonupress.bsky.social
Our 70% Off Sale starts tomorrow! 📚

From art history and economics to field guides and philosophy, prepare to save on select titles & editions across subjects—through October 31.

#ReadUP
Graphic reads: Starts Tomorrow. 70% Off. October 1-31
heighho.bsky.social
I've always accepted the existence of SAD, but I'm open to evidence about anything. So thanks for sharing this article.

I have to add, fwiw, that the article's headline seems to misstate the findings. The article specifically states, "lack of evidence for SAD does not prove SAD isn’t real."
Reposted by Bob Merberg
rhiannongiddens.bsky.social
Kristina R. Gaddy and I will be discussing our new book, Go Back and Fetch It: Recovering Early Black Music in the Americas for Fiddle and Banjo today (9/23) at 5:30pm EDT!

Join us in person at @umich.edu or on the livestream: bit.ly/4gAREus
heighho.bsky.social
I believe this author mislabels what she calls "wellness programs." But her experience with personal development culture at work is a meaningful employee testimonial about workplace alienation, emotional labor, grief, and, yes, the folly of workplace personal development fadism.
My Job’s “Wellness” Program Nearly Sent Me Over the Edge
Caring for my dying mother was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Corporate wellness culture made it even harder.
www.marieclaire.com
Reposted by Bob Merberg
timglowa.bsky.social
We’ve all heard it: “You can’t yoga your way to well-being.” Tomorrow on State of Work Today, I talk with Bob Merberg (@heighho.bsky.social) about what organizations get wrong about wellness—and what they need to do instead.

This one goes deep. Here is a sneak peek:
Reposted by Bob Merberg
timglowa.bsky.social
It was wonderful having Bob - @heighho.bsky.social - on the show. Wellness is such an overlooked and important issue.
heighho.bsky.social
Enjoy this episode of @timglowa.bsky.social 's podcast, in which our convo goes where no other podcast about wellbeing has gone. We chat about job crafting; a popular wellness offering that's "fairly worthless"; ROI; listening to workers; burnout; sabbaticals; etc.

Thx, Tim, for having me on!
timglowa.bsky.social
New episode is live. I spoke with Bob Merberg about why perks, apps, and surface-level wellness programs miss the mark—and what employers should really focus on. Think job design, autonomy, and dignity.

If you care about retention and real well-being, don’t miss this one.
The State of Work Today: #41 - Wellness Isn’t an App: Rethinking Employee Well-Being with Bob Merberg
What if your wellness program is solving the wrong problem? In this episode of State of Work Today, I sit down with Bob Merberg—consultant, content strategist, and publisher of the HeHo newslett...
pod.fo
Reposted by Bob Merberg
timglowa.bsky.social
Still thinking about my conversation with Bob Merberg. One key point: The best way to support employee wellness isn’t to change workers—it’s to change the work.

If you missed it, the episode’s out now.

#EmployeeWellbeing #WorkplaceStrategy #HumanCapital
timglowa.bsky.social
New episode is live. I spoke with Bob Merberg about why perks, apps, and surface-level wellness programs miss the mark—and what employers should really focus on. Think job design, autonomy, and dignity.

If you care about retention and real well-being, don’t miss this one.
The State of Work Today: #41 - Wellness Isn’t an App: Rethinking Employee Well-Being with Bob Merberg
What if your wellness program is solving the wrong problem? In this episode of State of Work Today, I sit down with Bob Merberg—consultant, content strategist, and publisher of the HeHo newslett...
pod.fo
heighho.bsky.social
I'm still thinking about it, too, @timglowa.bsky.social . I enjoyed our conversation and appreciate the opportunity to share ideas about what employers get right/wrong with wellbeing... and topics like job crafting, job retention/embeddedness, ROI, sabbaticals, and burnout.
Reposted by Bob Merberg
Reposted by Bob Merberg
hopeharvey.bsky.social
PUBLICATION DAY! Pick up a copy of Doubled Up to learn more about how families use doubling up as a private safety net and how these arrangements reshape family life.
princetonupress.bsky.social
How sharing a home with extended family or friends serves as a crucial, but imperfect, private safety net for families with children

Hope Harvey's Doubled Up is out now. Learn more: press.princeton.edu/books/hardco... @hopeharvey.bsky.social
Doubled Up: Shared Households and the Precarious Lives of Families by Hope Harvey
Reposted by Bob Merberg
rbstrategies.bsky.social
Have you bought into the "#employeehappiness" market? It's touted as the salve for all ppl probs (i.e. burnout, retention, engagement, productivity...). But it's BS. Here's why & what to do instead. tinyurl.com/mpry4fa2
#IOPsych #workplaceculture #workplacestress #employeewellbeing #wellbeingwashing
Reposted by Bob Merberg
xcao.bsky.social
✨Check out our latest paper exploring how flexible work arrangements (FWAs) relate to gender disparities in housework. Wife’s use of FWAs can increase her housework and reduce her husband’s housework, while husband’s impact depends on both partners’ gender ideologies.

More:
doi.org/10.1016/j.ss...
Redirecting
doi.org
Reposted by Bob Merberg
d2montgomery.bsky.social
Today's unscheduled blog. And to my dear friends and colleagues at NIOSH or previously funded by NIOSH: thank you for your dedication, intelligence, perseverence. My heart is with all of you. dedemontgomery.com/2025/04/29/w... #saveniosh #safetymatters
heighho.bsky.social
“ABC News travels to Appalachia as the federal institute [NIOSH] that protects miners from black lung has been gutted, talking to those most impacted from miners to laid off workers to doctors.”

youtu.be/tIAPRdk62-8
Coal miners address federal institute protecting them from black lung being gutted
YouTube video by ABC News
youtu.be
heighho.bsky.social
Unfortunately, saying some jobs will replace other jobs while employment patterns continue to ebb and flow doesn’t garner keynote gigs.
Reposted by Bob Merberg
princetonaudio.bsky.social
Our 50% Off Sale starts tomorrow, April 28th! 🌷

Get ready to stock up on great print, ebook, AND #audiobook titles at great prices through May 31st! Some exclusions apply.

Which PUP audiobooks are on your #TBLT (To Be Listened To) list? 🎧📘
Starts Tomorrow. 50% off. Print | Audiobooks | ebooks
Reposted by Bob Merberg
antoinevernet.bsky.social
It is tragic, but also, how did we get so stupid?
carlbergstrom.com
During COVID, mRNA vaccines saved millions of lives worldwide.

Today, Minnesota republicans proposed a bill stating that "whoever knowingly manufactures, acquires, possesses, or makes readily available to another mRNA injections or products" can be sentenced to 20 years in prison.
cingraham.bsky.social
This morning Minnesota Republicans introduced a bill banning mRNA vaccines and labeling them "weapons of mass destruction." It would make manufacturing, possessing or administering them a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.p...
heighho.bsky.social
Aargh! Sub-3-hour; not sub-3-minute. 🙄
heighho.bsky.social
Actually, he's correct if he's talking about kids who die of preventable infectious diseases.
heighho.bsky.social
Now we know. RFK’s not just vaccine-ignorant. He’s ASD-ignorant.
“Never play baseball”? Someone should show him this clip about J-Mac. It’s not baseball, it’s basketball. But still. (He also ran a sub-3-minute Boston Marathon).

youtube.com/shorts/pIuK0...
15 Year old Kid with autism hits 6 threes in final minutes of high school game!
YouTube video by Jake Arno
youtube.com