We’ve rebranded workplace depression as "burnout" and personal failure, but the data shows the harm is actually by design.

IN THIS EPISODE

Aparna and Lars are joined by organizational psychologist Dr. Nicole DeKay to go where most U.S. workplace conversations are afraid to go: Psychosocial Hazards. While countries like Australia and New Zealand legally regulate things like "intrusive surveillance," "overload," and "poor change management," the U.S. remains a global outlier in worker neglect. We break down the "Vitality Curve" - a Jack Welch-era relic that forces managers to fire 10% of their team regardless of performance - and why PIPs (Performance Improvement Plans) have become a gaslighting tool to document layoffs. This isn’t about needing more "grit" or a better gratitude journal; it’s about naming the systemic conditions that cause measurable physical and psychological harm.

THE QUESTION WE'RE SITTING WITH

If the U.S. is one of the wealthiest nations on Earth, why do we have fewer legal protections against workplace trauma than almost any of our global peers?

TAKE THIS WITH YOU

• Identify the Hazard: Review the 17 global psychosocial hazards (like low job control or high emotional labor) and identify which one is currently triggering your body’s stress response.
• Question the PIP: If you or a colleague are put on a PIP out of nowhere, recognize it for what it often is—a liability-driven documentation tool—and prioritize your exit strategy over your "performance."
• Break the Isolation: Talk to one trusted coworker about a specific work condition that feels untenable; breaking the "hyper-isolation" of the U.S. workplace is the first step toward collective power.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Labor Rights Index — WageIndicator Foundation - https://wageindicator.org/work/labour-law/index/
• Humanalysts — Dr. Nicole DeKay’s platform for democratizing employee data - https://www.humanalysts.com/
• The Vitality Curve — The controversial "rank and yank" management practice popularized by GE - https://www.business.com/articles/the-end-of-rank-and-yank-management-practices-revisited/

CONNECT WITH US

Visit us at https://www.circleback.club/

Nicole on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolejdekay/

Aparna on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aparnarae; aparnarae.com

Lars on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lars-gallien; http://larsgallien.com/

Want to bring this conversation into your organization? Aparna and Lars speak at HR conferences, Fortune 1000 ERGs, and philanthropic foundations. pod@circleback.club