Professor Jo Yarker
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Overview
Overview
Biography
Jo is a Registered and Chartered Occupational Psychologist, specialising work, health and well-being. She is Professor in Occupational Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London and Managing Partner of Affinity Health at Work, working in a job-share across both these roles with Dr Rachel Lewis.
Her work has been funded by private, public and third sector organisations including the World Health Organisation, NIHR and the Health and Safety Executive and has informed national guidance on work and health.
Recent collaborative projects include:* Examining the drivers of retention and absence within the NHS and developing system-level recommendations and interventions to support change.
* Pioneering a whole-system IGLOO approach that recognizes the importance of Individual, Group, Leader and Organisational resources needed for healthy and sustainable work with Professor Neilsen, University of Sheffield and Professor Munir, University of Loughborough.
*Conducting a systematic review of qualitative evidence of the barriers and facilitators to implementation of workplace health interventions for the World Health Organisation.
* Exploring the link between culture and physical workspaces, particularly in agile workplaces, to understand how our office space impacts the way we work, and contributes to our health and happiness at work in partnership with AECOM and the University of Zurich.
* Understanding the psychological risks of International Business Travel and how we can prevent and manage these with International SOS.
* Trialling Flexible Work interventions to understand what works, for whom, and under what circumstances with Lendlease.
* Developing an evidence-based toolkit to support return to work following a period of absence with the Department of Work and Pensions and the Joint Health Unit.Jo is committed to enhancing opportunities for professional development, leading her and Rachel to the design and launch the MRes in Professional Practice in Occupational Psychology, and the Professional Doctorate in Occupational Psychology, first-in-kind programmes accredited by the HCPC and BPS respectively. She has supervised 26 professional doctorate students to successful completion and, working with an expert team of practitioner supervisors, supported 65 Practitioner Psychologists to Registered status. The professional doctorate programme leadership has now transitioned to Professors Julie Gore and Alexandra Beauregard (Prof Doc) and Drs Hayley Lewis and Clare Mulligan-Foster. Jo has also supervised PhD students to completion, all of whom have continued to forge research careers.
Jo has a fractional post at Birkbeck (.2FTE), during which she supervises professional doctorate students and continues to drive research, policy and practice contributions with the aim of improving working lives.
Highlights
2020 Winner of the Vocational Rehabilitation Association for Research, for work with Affinity Health at Work and Sheffield University on the IGLOO approach to supporting return to work following mental health sickness absence.
2023 Outstanding contribution to occupational psychology awarded by the British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology.
Development and validation of the Health and Safety Executive Stress Management Competencies for Preventing and Reducing Stress, this work was published and won British Psychological Society Practitioner Book of the Year, 2013.
2020 Division of Occupational Psychology, British Psychological Society award for research for work in collaboration with Affinity Health at Work into understanding the psychological risks of International Business Travel and how we can prevent and manage these with International SOS.
Qualifications
- BSc Psychology, University of Leeds, 1998
- MSc Occupational Health Psychology, University of Nottingham, 2000
- Postgraduate Certificate in Occupational Psychology, British Psychological Society, 2001
- PhD Applied Psychology, University of Nottingham, 2003
Web profiles
Professional memberships
Executive Board Member, European Association of Occupational Health Psychology
Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy
Chartered Occupational Psychologist, British Psychological Society
Registered Occupational Psychologist, Health and Care Professions Council
Member, Society of Occupational Medicine
Member, Vocational Rehabilitation Association
ORCID
0000-0001-6360-7350 -
Supervision and teaching
Supervision and teaching
Supervision
Doctoral alumni since 2013-14
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TIMOTHY GORE
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DENISE TAYLOR
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Publications
Publications
Article
- Sayers-Brown, Rob and Beauregard, Alexandra and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo (2025) Examining multi-sector women-only leadership development programs: a scoping review of recruitment processes, design and instruction methods, content and outcomes. Diversity & Inclusion Research 2 (1), pp. 1-23. ISSN 2835-236X.
- Warrilow, Eloise and Drury, Lisbeth and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel (2024) Dog- friendly workplaces: understanding what works and lessons learned through reflexive thematic analysis. People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice 7 (1), pp. 1-22. ISSN 2575-9078.
- Kapoutzis, Nick and Whiley, Lilith and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo (2024) Developing coaching cultures: an exploration of the enacting practitioner perspective. Journal of Work-Applied Management ISSN 2205-2062.
- Kapoutzis, Nick and Whiley, Lilith and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel (2024) Coaching culture: an evidence review and framework for future research and practice. Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice 17 (1), pp. 50-76. ISSN 1752-1882.
- Weber, C. and Golding, S. and Yarker, Jo and Teoh, Kevin and Lewis, Rachel and Ratcliffe, E. and Munir, F. and Wheele, T. and Windlinger, L. (2023) Work fatigue during COVID-19 lockdown teleworking: The role of psychosocial, environmental, and social working conditions. Frontiers in Psychology 14, ISSN 1664-1078.
- Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo and Whiley, Lilith (2022) Interpersonal mindfulness in leadership development: a Delphi study. Journal of Management Education 46 (5), pp. 816-852. ISSN 1052-5629.
- Weber, C. and Krieger, B. and Eunji, H. and Yarker, Jo and McDowall, Almuth (2022) Physical workplace adjustments to support neurodivergent workers: a systematic review. Applied Psychology pp. 1-53. ISSN 0269-994X.
- Blake, H. and Yarker, Jo (2022) Managing minds at work: development of a digital line manager training program. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19 (13), ISSN 1660-4601.
- Weber, C. and Golding, Sarah and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and Ratcliffe, E. and Munir, F. and Wheele, T. and Hane, E. and Windlinger, L. (2022) Future teleworking inclinations post-COVID-19: examining the role of teleworking conditions and perceived productivity. Frontiers in Psychology ISSN 1664-1078.
- Munir, F. and Yarker, Jo and Duckworth, J. and Chen, Y. and Brinkley, A. and Varela-Mato, V. and Lewis, Rachel and Clemes, S. (2021) Evaluation of a natural workspace intervention with active design features on movement, interaction and health. Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation 70 (4), pp. 1229-1241. ISSN 1051-9815.
- Kane, Anna and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo (2021) Measuring self confidence in workplace settings: a conceptual and methodological review of measures of self confidence, self-efficacy and self-esteem. International Coaching Psychology Review 16 (1), ISSN 1750-2764.
- Kane, Anna and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo (2021) The development of the Embodied, Dynamic and Inclusive (EDI) model of self confidence. International Coaching Psychology Review 16 (1), ISSN 1750-2764.
- Weber, Clara and Ratcliffe, E. and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and Munir, Fehmidah (2020) Homeworking during COVID-19 lockdown: relationships between the physical and social environments at home, work-related burnout, and musculoskeletal pain. Health Psychology Update 29, pp. 55-56. ISSN 0954-2027.
- Nielsen, K. and Yarker, Jo (2020) Job crafting as a work adjustment strategy for workers returning after long-term sickness absence due to common mental disorders. International Journal of Rehabilitation research. 43 (2), pp. 154-158. ISSN 0342-5282.
- Barnes, Claire and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo and Whiley, Lilith (2019) Women directors on FTSE company boards: An exploration of the factors influencing their appointment. Cogent Psychology 6 (1), pp. 1691848. ISSN 2331-1908.
- Willis, D. and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel (2019) Lessons for leadership and culture when doctors become second victims: a systematic literature review. BMJ Leader 3 (3), pp. 81-91. ISSN 2398-631X.
- Russell, E. and Lloyd-Houldey, A. and Memon, A. and Yarker, Jo (2019) Factors influencing uptake and use of a new health information app for young people. Journal of Technology in Human Services 36 (4), pp. 222-240. ISSN 1522-8835.
- Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo (2018) What outcomes have mindfulness and meditation interventions for managers and leaders achieved? A systematic review. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology 28 (1), pp. 11-29. ISSN 1359-432X.
- Nielsen, K. and Yarker, Jo and Munir, F. and Bultmann, U. (2018) IGLOO : an integrated framework for sustainable return to work in workers with common mental health disorders. Work and Stress 32 (4), pp. 400-419. ISSN 0267-8373.
- Hill, E.L. and Jones, A.P. and Lang, J. and Yarker, Jo and Patterson, A. (2015) Employment experiences of parents of children with ASD or ADHD: an exploratory study. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities 61 (3), pp. 166-176. ISSN 2047-3869.
- Kennedy, F. and Hicks, B. and Yarker, Jo (2014) Work stress and cancer researchers: an exploration of the challenges, experiences and training needs of UK cancer researchers. European Journal of Cancer Care 23 (4), pp. 462-471. ISSN 0961-5423.
- Bains, M. and Munir, F. and Yarker, Jo and Bowley, D. and Thomas, A. and Armitage, N. and Steward, W. (2012) The impact of colorectal cancer and self-efficacy beliefs on work ability and employment status: a longitudinal study. European Journal of Cancer Care 21 (5), pp. 634-641. ISSN 0961-5423.
- Munir, F. and Yarker, Jo and Hicks, B. and Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2012) Returning employees back to work: developing a measure for supervisors to support return to work (SSRW). Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation 22 (2), pp. 196-208. ISSN 1053-0487.
- Bains, M. and Yarker, Jo and Amir, Z. and Wynn, P. and Munir, F. (2012) Helping cancer survivors return to work: what providers tell us about the challenges in assisting cancer patients with work questions. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation 22 (1), pp. 71-77. ISSN 1053-0487.
- Bains, M. and Munir, F. and Yarker, Jo and Steward, W. and Thomas, A. (2011) Return-to-work guidance and support for colorectal cancer patients: a feasibility study. Cancer Nursing 34 (6), pp. E1-E12. ISSN 0162-220X.
- Munir, F. and Kalawsky, K. and Lawrence, C. and Yarker, Jo and Haslam, C. and Ahmed, S. (2011) Cognitive intervention for breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy: a needs analysis. Cancer Nursing 34 (5), pp. 385-392. ISSN 0162-220X.
- Yarker, Jo and Munir, F. and Bains, M. and Kalawsky, K. and Haslam, C. (2010) The role of communication and support in return to work following cancer-related absence. Psycho-Oncology 19 (10), pp. 1078-1085. ISSN 1057-9249.
- Munir, F. and Burrows, J. and Yarker, Jo and Kalawsky, K. and Bains, M. (2010) Women’s perceptions of chemotherapy-induced cognitive side affects on work ability: a focus group study. Journal of Clinical Nursing 19 (9-10), pp. 1362-1370. ISSN 0962-1067.
- Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo and Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Flaxman, P. and Munir, F. (2010) Using a competency based approach to identify the management behaviours required to manage workplace stress in nursing: a critical incident study. International Journal of Nursing Studies 47 (3), pp. 307-313. ISSN 0020-7489.
- Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel (2009) Stress management issues in general practice. General Practice Update 2 (7/8), pp. 13-17. ISSN 1753-9773.
- Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel (2008) Line management competence: the key to preventing and reducing stress at work. Strategic HR Review 7 (2), pp. 11-16. ISSN 1475-4398.
Book
- Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel (2011) Preventing stress in organizations: how to develop positive managers. Oxford, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 9780470665534.
Book Section
- Yarker, Jo and Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Lewis, Rachel (2022) Management competencies for health and wellbeing. In: Brough, P. and Gardiner, E. and Daniels, K. (eds.) Handbook on Management and Employment Practices. Handbook Series in Occupational Health Science. Springer. ISBN 9783030249366.
- Yarker, Jo and Wolfram, H.-J. and Junker, N. (2020) Training and development for employees returning to work after parental leave. In: Karanika-Murray, M. and Cooper, C. (eds.) Navigating the Return-to-Work Experience for New Parents: Maintaining Work-Family Well-Being. London, UK: Taylor and Francis. ISBN 9780429274336.
- Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo and Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2012) The vital role of managers in managing psychosocial risks. In: Biron, C. and Karanika-Murray, M. and Cooper, C.L. (eds.) Improving organizational interventions for stress and well-being: addressing process and context. London, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9781848720565.
- Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel (2008) Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. In: Houdmont, J. and Leka, S. (eds.) European Perspectives on Research, Education and Practice. Occupational Health Psychology. Nottingham, UK: Nottingham University Press. pp. 229-256. ISBN 9781904761822.
Conference Item
- Golding, S.E. and Weber, C. and Ratcliffe, E. and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and Munir, F. (2021) Homeworking during COVID-19 lockdown: a cross sectional examination of predictors of privacy fit and work fatigue. ICEP 2021: International Conference on Environmental Psychology, 2021, Siracusa, Italy
- Memon, A. and Yarker, Jo and Russell, E. and Lloyd-Houldey, A. (2019) Young people’s health literacy and the uptake of an NHS app: a quantitative study of users. 19th Congress of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP) : Working for the greater good, 2019, Turin, Italy
- Russell, E. and Yarker, Jo and Memon, A. and Lloyd-Houldey, A. (2019) Improving young people’s health literacy with an NHS App: a qualitative evaluation. 19th Congress of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP) : Working for the greater good, 2019, Turin, Italy
- Yarker, Jo and Munir, F. and Lewis, Rachel and Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2018) The development and evaluation of a new online toolkit to support return to work following mental-ill health. 9th Annual Faculty of Business Research Conference: Contemporary Issues in Business, 2018, Kingston upon Thames, UK
- Russell, E. and Yarker, Jo and Waugh, L. and Fullman, M. and Memon, A. (2017) A competency-based mixed-methods approach to evaluating a leadership development intervention in the NHS. 18th Congress of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP): Enabling Change through Work and Organizational Psychology, 2017, Dublin, Ireland
- Yarker, Jo and Russell, E. (2017) The role of ‘purpose’ in top leadership: building an evidence-based model. 18th Congress of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP): Enabling Change through Work and Organizational Psychology, 2017, Dublin, Ireland
- Lewis, Rachel and Stride, C. and Yarker, Jo and Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2010) Exploring Leader-Member exchange from the broader social context: an examination of the interaction between individual LMX and team LMX in explaining well-being outcomes over time. British Psychology Society Annual Occupational Psychology Conference: Science and practice: developing our profession for the future, 2010, Brighton, UK
- Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo (2010) Preventing stress: promoting positive manager behaviour. British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Occupational Psychology (DOP) Annual Conference 2010: Science and Practice: Developing our Profession for the Future, 2010, Brighton, UK
- Donaldson-Feilder, E and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo (2010) Developing on-line materials to support managers in the prevention and reduction of stress in the workplace. 9th Conference of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology, 2010, Rome, Italy
- Lewis, Rachel and Stride, C. and Yarker, Jo and Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2010) Exploring leader-member exchange within teams: the interaction of team member's LMX on the relationship between individual LMX and well-being outcomes over time. Institute of Work Psychology (IWP) 2nd Biennial Conference of Work, Well-being, and Performance., 2010, Sheffield, UK
- Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo and Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2009) When what you get from a manager isn't what you want: the impact of ILT difference on employee wellbeing over time. British Psychological Society Annual Occupational Psychology Conference, 2009, Blackpool, UK
- Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel (2009) Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Occupational Psychology (DOP) Annual Conference 2009, 2009, Blackpool, UK
- Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel (2008) Promoting positive manager behaviour: developing a stress management competency indicator tool. 8th Conference of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology, 2008, Valencia, Spain
- Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and Flaxman, P. (2007) Understanding the stress management-line management link. British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Occupational Psychology Annual Conference 2007, 2007, Bristol, UK
- Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo and Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Flaxman, P. (2007) The role of implicit leadership theories in stress management: their impact upon both recall and perceived importance of management behaviours under pressure. British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Occupational Psychology (DOP) Annual Conference 2007, 2007, Bristol, UK
- Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and Flaxman, P. (2007) Identifying behavioural competencies for line managers in order to improve staff wellbeing. 13th European Congress on Work and Organizational Psychology: Sustainable Work: Promoting Human and Organizational Vitality, 2007, Stockholm, Sweden
- Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel Being fed a daily diet of abuse and self-harm: shedding light on how Prison Officers ‘just deal with it’. Division of Occupational Psychology Conference 2018,
- Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Godfree, K. A revolution in how we access good evidence: free online knowledge hub. Division of Occupational Psychology Conference 2018,
- Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and Kane, A. and Willis, D. and Barnes, C. and Redman, R. Uniting academia and practice: Understanding skill and knowledge gaps and reframing priorities and interests. Division of Occupational Psychology Conference 2018,
- Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and Kane, A. and Willis, D. and Redman, R. Becoming a pracademic: using academic approaches to answer burning questions. Division of Occupational Psychology Annual Conference 2019, Chester, UK
- Yarker, Jo and Munir, F. and Lewis, Rachel and Donaldson-Feilder, E. Putting research into practice: an evaluation of return to work guidance. Division of Occupational Psychology Conference 2018,
Monograph
- Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and Sinclair, Alice and Munir, F. (2022) A review of qualitative research that informs on implementation issues for workplace mental health interventions. World Health Organisation. ISBN 9789240053052.
- Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo (2021) What if your job was good for you? A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make work better. Business in the Community.
- Pugh, C. and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo and Green, M. (2021) Impact of COVID-19 on the L&D profession: perspectives from independent learning practitioners. London, UK: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
- Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo and Sinclair, Alice (2021) Understanding the health, safety and wellbeing risks and impacts of lone working in rail. Rail Safety and Standards Board.
- McDowall, Almuth and Teoh, Kevin and Stringer, Mark and Chatrakul Na Ayudhya, Uracha and Beauregard, T. Alexandra and MacKenzie Davey, Kate and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo (2020) Organisations, race and trauma. London, UK: Department of Organizational Psychology.
- Yarker, Jo and Sinclair, Alice and Lewis, Rachel (2020) Work adjustments for mental health work adjustments: a review of evidence and guidance. ACAS.
- Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and McDowall, Almuth and Teoh, Kevin (2020) Managing our wellbeing in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. London, UK: Birkbeck, University of London.
- Lewis, Rachel and Duckworth, J. and Yarker, Jo (2020) Developing and testing a competency framework for integrated care working. NHS.
- McCartney, C. and Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Peters, R. and Godfree, K. and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo (2019) Cross Sector insights on enabling flexible working. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
- Lewis, Rachel and Ferragamo, C. and Yarker, Jo and Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2018) Keeping business travellers healthy, happy and engaged - at home and away. International SOS Foundation.
- Yarker, Jo and Peters, R. and Lewis, Rachel and Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Blackburn, R. and Munir, F. (2018) Return to work toolkit: post-implementation learning review. Department of Work and Pensions.
- Russell, E. and Lloyd-Houldey, A. and Memon, A. and Yarker, Jo (2017) An independent evaluation of the NHSGo health app for children and young people in London. Kingston upon Thames, U.K.: Wellbeing at Work (WWK) Research Group, Kingston Business School, Kingston University.
- Russell, Emma and Yarker, Jo and Abrams, R. (2016) Defining a model of leaders with purpose. Kingston upon Thames, U.K.: Wellbeing at Work Research Group.
- Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Lewis, Rachel and Yarker, Jo (2009) Preventing stress: promoting positive manager behaviour. London, U.K.: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
- Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2008) Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work: identifying the management behaviours necessary to implement the management standards: phase two. Research Report. (RR633), Bootle, U.K.: Health and Safety Executive.
- Yarker, Jo and Lewis, Rachel and Donaldson-Feilder, E. and Flaxman, P. (2007) Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work: identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE Management Standards. Research Report. (RR553), Bootle, U.K.: Health and Safety Executive.