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Psych Tech @ Work

Psych Tech @ Work

Written by: Charles Handler
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 Science 4-Hire is now Psych Tech @ Work! - a podcast about safe innovation at the intersection of psychological science, technology, and the future of work. Psych Tech @ Work promotes safe technological innovation and human/machine partnerships as an essential force in creating equilibrium and between psychology and commerce. Maintaining this balance in a time of unprecedented change is essential for ensuring that the future of work is ethical, positive, and prosperous. Creating such a future requires an unprecedented level of interdisciplinary collaboration. With the goal of educating, engaging, and inspiring others through thoughtful and practical discussions with guests from a wide variety of backgrounds and specialties, Psych Tech @ Work provides a smorgasbord of food for thought and practical takeaways about the issues that will make or break the future of work!

charleshandler.substack.comCharles Handler Economics
Episodes
  • AI Education, Personalized Learning, and the Future of Work

    AI Education, Personalized Learning, and the Future of Work
    Dec 19 2025
    TL;DRAI literacy is becoming a baseline skill. This episode explores how organizations and individuals are actually building AI capability at work, with a focus on:* Self-directed learning and AI education at scale* Personalized learning journeys versus one-size-fits-all training* The shift from basic AI use to agentic workflows* The role of human strengths—creativity, judgment, and adaptability—in an AI-driven workplaceIn this episode, I’m joined by Erica Salm Rench, an AI educator and leader at Sidecar AI.Sidecar is an AI education platform and learning management system (LMS) designed to help organizations educate their employees on AI through self-directed learning. It combines structured courses, role-based learning paths, and hands-on use cases so individuals can build AI capability at their own pace while organizations raise overall AI fluency.Our conversation explores what AI education actually looks like beyond hype—how people are learning it, how organizations are rolling it out, and why understanding AI is quickly becoming a career differentiator rather than a technical specialty.AI Education Has Shifted from “What Is It?” to “How Do I Use It?”Erica explains that the conversation around AI in associations has changed dramatically over the last several years. Early on, organizations were hesitant to even talk about AI. Today, the question is no longer what is AI? but how can we use it to advance our mission, improve operations, and better serve our members?That shift brings a new challenge: helping people move from curiosity to competence in a way that feels approachable rather than overwhelming.Meeting People Where They AreOne of the strongest themes in our discussion is the importance of meeting learners at their current level of comfort and knowledge. AI education isn’t one-size-fits-all.This means combining:* Foundational AI concepts* Role-specific applications (marketing, events, operations)* A growing library of real-world use cases* Ongoing updates as tools evolveThe goal isn’t to turn everyone into a AI engineer—it’s to help people understand what’s possible and apply AI meaningfully in their day-to-day work.From Prompting to Agentic WorkWe spend time talking about the evolution from simple AI use cases—like writing emails or summarizing content—to agentic AI, where systems take action on a user’s behalf.This shift matters because it fundamentally changes how work gets done. Instead of just assisting with tasks, AI begins to:* Automate multi-step workflows* Scale work that previously required human labor* Act as a force multiplier rather than a one-off toolWe agree that while much of this is still clunky today, the direction is clear: agents are becoming a core part of how work will be organized.Personalized Learning Is the Future of EducationA major insight from the episode is that personalized learning journeys will define the next phase of education—especially in fast-moving domains like AI.Erica describes how Sidecar uses AI within its learning environment to:* Act as a learning assistant* Answer questions in real time* Reinforce concepts* Help learners connect theory to applicationThis mirrors a broader trend: education becoming less about static courses and more about continuous, adaptive support.The Psychology of Learning AI at WorkWe talk openly about fear—fear of job loss, fear of falling behind, fear of not being “technical enough.” Erica makes the case that leaders have a responsibility to educate their teams, not just for organizational performance, but for people’s long-term career resilience.From a psychological perspective, AI education:* Reduces anxiety by replacing uncertainty with understanding* Increases confidence and autonomy* Helps people see AI as a collaborator, not a threatSpending even 20–30 minutes a day learning AI can quickly change how people see their own future at work.Human Strengths Still Matter More Than EverOne of my favorite parts of the conversation is where we zoom out to the human side of all this. As AI removes technical barriers, the differentiator becomes human qualities—creativity, resilience, judgment, adaptability, and the ability to ask good questions.AI doesn’t replace these traits. It amplifies them.Used well, AI allows people to overcome past limitations, work around weaknesses, and bring their ideas to life faster than ever before.What Listeners Should Take AwayAI literacy is becoming a baseline skill. The people who thrive won’t be the most technical, but the most curious, adaptable, and intentional about learning how to work alongside intelligent systems.Education—done thoughtfully and continuously—is the bridge between fear and opportunity.Where to Find EricaErica is highly active on LinkedIn and can be found through Sidecar AI, where she and her team are building education-first pathways into AI for associations, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations. This is a public ...
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    44 mins
  • Jobs, Security, and Survival: Is Universal Basic Income in our Future?

    Jobs, Security, and Survival: Is Universal Basic Income in our Future?
    Nov 21 2025
    Conrad Shaw “So much of the labor market is driven by desperation. UBI shifts that. People can actually hold out for what they’re worth or for work that aligns with who they are.” — Conrad ShawConrad is perhaps the most unique guest I have had in the 5 year history of this show and he is on to talk about Universal Basic Income (UBI) , a very unique topic that is growing in exposure.For almost a decade Conrad has dedicated his life and career to furthering the cause of Universal Basic Income (UBI).In 2016 he and his wife started a documentary called Bootstraps which focuses on following families who lived through the experience of a basic income.Since then, he has:* Fundraised for and operated a nationwide basic income pilot* Filmed a multi-year docuseries currently in post-production* Co-founded Commingle, a mutual-aid platform enabling communities to self-fund their own grassroots basic income systems* Worked extensively on messaging, outreach, and public education around income, stability, and societal transformationI learned a lot from Conrad and our conversation debunked my own myths about UBI. So a really important part of this episode is the truth about what Universal Basic Income (UBI) actually is — and what it is not.What Universal Basic Income (UBI) Is — And What It Isn’tUBI is the idea that every person receives a recurring, unconditional, baseline income — a financial floor that ensures no one starts the month at zero. It is not meant to replace work or equalize everybody’s income. Instead, it shifts the starting point so people can make decisions from stability rather than desperation.What UBI is:* A stable, universal base-level income for all* A platform for economic mobility and personal freedom* A modernized, simplified social safety net* A tool for reducing the survival-based pressure in the labor marketWhat UBI is not:* It does not eliminate jobs* It does not cap how much people can earn* It does not remove incentives to work* It is not a socialist equal-wealth systemUBI reframes the labor market so people compete for work based on interest, alignment, and ability, not raw financial need.Practical Ways UBI Could WorkConrad’s work goes beyond speculation. He has spent nearly a decade building practical UBI experiments, including the national pilot documented in Bootstraps (2016) and his current role with the Income To Support All Foundation and Commingle, a new community-driven model.He explains that UBI can be implemented through several pathways—government programs, private pilots, or community-level mutual aid—but none are simple. A government-led UBI requires political will and rethinking how we allocate resources. Philanthropic pilots can demonstrate impact, but they’re temporary. Community models like Commingle allow people to pool and redistribute resources now, without waiting for legislation, but scaling them is challenging.What’s clear is that executing UBI at any level is difficult, requiring trust, infrastructure, and cultural acceptance. Yet the difficulty doesn’t diminish the need. Instead, it underscores why experimentation and new models matter.Individual Differences: Why UBI Supports People Doing What They’re Meant to DoOne of the deepest connections between Conrad’s work and mine is the concept of individual differences—the idea that every person brings a unique constellation of strengths, traits, interests, and abilities that make them naturally better suited to certain kinds of work.When people are trapped in survival mode, those natural gifts often go unused. They pick jobs they can get, not jobs that reflect who they are. Freedom from this paradigm reshapes careers in ways that benefit both individuals and employers, allowing people to walk away from toxic or exploitative conditions and take jobs they genuinely care about, leading to better performance and engagement.With a secure foundation, people have the psychological and financial freedom to make career decisions based on fit, not fear. This supports:* Better alignment between person and role* Higher engagement and intrinsic motivation* Better workforce outcomes because people choose work that matches their abilities* Greater societal value, as more people apply their genuine talents instead of defaulting to whatever job pays immediatelyFrom Conrad’s perspective, this alignment is one of the most compelling aspects of UBI. When people are free to choose work that resonates with their abilities, the labor market becomes more efficient and more human. Employers gain workers who actually want to be there. Individuals gain a sense of purpose rooted in their authentic strengths.In a world where AI, automation, and job volatility make career paths uncertain, helping people express their natural abilities becomes more important—not less.How AI Fits Into the UBI ConversationAI enters this conversation as both a catalyst and a complicating force. As Conrad points out, ...
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    56 mins
  • You Can’t Microwave Skills Based Hiring! Here’s the Five Star Recipe!

    You Can’t Microwave Skills Based Hiring! Here’s the Five Star Recipe!
    Oct 27 2025
    “You can’t implement skills-based hiring by flipping a switch. It’s about changing mindsets, systems, and the language your organization uses to describe talent.”-Ashley WallvoordIn this episode of Psych Tech @ Work, me and my AI co-host, Mayda Tokens, welcome fellow I/O psychologist (and LSU Tiger!) Ashley Walvoord, Senior Vice President of Talent at Verizon.We are joined by my AI co-host Mayda Tokens who continues to impress at times and but showing a tendency to be pretty boring at other times and always telling really bad jokes (I think the API to Chat-GPT 5o gets a very different sense of humor than the consumer version).I reached out to Ashley after seeing her SIOP presentation about Verizon’s skills based hiring (and organizational transformation) program. Her and her fellow presenters-Max McDaniel (Verizon)Christina-Norris Watts (J & J)Ruth Imose (J & J)Jason Frizel (Walmart)provided amazing insights into their company’s’ amazing and inspiring skills based hiring programs.The hype around skills based hiring these days makes it seem easy. But talk is cheap- and doing skills based hiring right takes a total ALL IN approach. - one that is rooted in the commitment to become a true skills based organization.Ashley has lived this life and her experience provides an awesome preview of how one of the world’s largest organizations is reimagining hiring and development through skills and AI. We are all lucky to have her on the show!Verizon’s transformation provides a rare look at how enterprise-scale companies operationalize skills-based hiring while navigating the practical realities of change management, technology integration, and workforce readiness.SummaryThis conversation bridges strategy and execution, offering a clear-eyed view of how a Fortune 50 company is aligning people, process, and technology around skills. Ashley shares the lessons learned from Verizon’s commitment to a multi-year, organization wide transformation. A journey with many whistlestops along the way— from defining skills frameworks to embedding them in hiring and internal mobility.Key Themes1. Building Skills Infrastructure at ScaleAshley explains how skills-based hiring starts long before implementation — requiring shared language, governance, and validation across the enterprise. Verizon’s approach focuses on sustainability and integration rather than one-off pilots.2. Human Oversight in an AI-Driven SystemAI plays a growing role in matching and mobility, but Ashley underscores that human judgment remains central. The goal isn’t automation for its own sake, but augmentation — using technology to help people make better, more equitable decisions.3. Culture Change Through Data TransparencyVerizon’s success depends on building trust with employees and leaders by showing the “why” behind skills data and AI insights. Visibility into how skills are used for development and promotion helps drive adoption.4. Enterprise Challenges and Lessons Learned Ashley shares the realities of scaling change: aligning functions, managing vendor relationships, and ensuring consistency across geographies. Her advice is practical — start small, demonstrate impact, and scale what works.5. Future Vision for Skills and AI in Talent Ashley envisions a future where skills become the connective tissue between learning, mobility, and performance — and where AI acts as a trusted partner in enabling opportunity at every level.Takeaways* Enterprise-scale transformation requires governance, not just technology.* AI can accelerate fairness and insight, but must remain transparent and human-centered.* Data visibility is the key to cultural adoption — employees must see personal benefit.* Scaling skills frameworks demands partnership between HR, technology, and business leadership.The future of work will depend on how we align AI, human judgment, and purpose at scale. And a commitment to verifying and managing skills at scale. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit charleshandler.substack.com
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    46 mins
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