SIOP 2024 Reflections

A wonderful group of FMPers attended the 2024 SIOP (Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology) conference in Chicago. This annual conference brings together I-O psychologists from all around the world to share new research findings, discuss practical applications, and connect with each other. Our FMP attendees are excited to share their experiences and reflections on what they learned at SIOP this year!

The SIOP conference is a great opportunity to meet and connect with others in the field. What was your favorite interaction or networking opportunity?

Roxanne Lawrence: Attending SIOP each year is exciting because it is the place where I get to meet friends, faculty, and past associations across the various chapters of my journey in one location. As a remote worker, it’s also an amazing opportunity to meet my co-workers in person. It’s reassuring to know that if we don’t see each other any other time during the year, at the very least we’ll see each other at SIOP. 

Julie Jasewicz: At the UAlbany meet-up, I ran into my old roommate from senior year undergrad. She is dating a PhD in I-O now and came to the conference at the off-chance that I would be there! It was so nice reconnecting with her and my old lab again!

Melissa Donegan: I really enjoyed the FMP social; it was great to see and meet everyone in person. I also had a fun time reconnecting with my fellow alumni and professors at the George Mason University social.

Ruby Brattain: My favorite networking interaction was my grad program’s annual Alumni & Friends party where I got to reconnect with my professors and peers from grad school, as well as build new connections with other alumni while having fun! 

Christina Ashby-King: It’s hard for me to choose a favorite when I made so many meaningful connections at SIOP this year. As a remote employee with FMP, I really appreciated the opportunity to connect with my colleagues and clients face-to-face, some of whom I met in person for the first time! This was also my first SIOP since grad school, and it was nice to catch up with my professors and network with some of our program’s recent and prospective graduates. I loved having the opportunity to share about the amazing work we’re doing at FMP and build connections with others who are interested in pursuing a career in consulting!

Zoe Nerantzis: SIOP is a unique opportunity for me to spend time connecting with FMP colleagues who I’m not always able to be around, either in-person or at all! I also love getting to see my client team and interact with them in a different way. I enjoyed supporting both coworkers and clients at the sessions where they presented. I get to work with some amazing people every day, and SIOP is a great reminder of that!

Lesley Perkins: I think of the SIOP conference as a family reunion. I have been participating in the conference for a few decades. I love walking through the halls of the conference site and randomly connecting with former or current colleagues, my previous professors, former classmates, mentees and/or clients. Also, I enjoy striking up conversations with other conference attendees sitting next to me in the hotel lobby and/or at a session.

What is a fun or surprising fact you learned during the conference?

Ruby Brattain: A fun fact I learned during the conference was seeing how much new research and efforts are being made regarding neurodivergence in the workplace! I loved hearing the new insights and current best practices and am encouraged by the efforts to be more inclusive! 

Julie Jasewicz: 68% of the workforce identify as neurodivergent, 26% identify as disabled, and 21% are experiencing at least one mental health condition.

Zoe Nerantzis: I attended a session titled A New Era in Burnout, and the panelists discussed novel ways of conceptualizing burnout and factors that can decrease or increase burnout. They shared that psychological safety is correlated positively with employees’ ability to resist burnout, which I found highly interesting!

Melissa Donegan: I learned that Chicago is called the “windy city” due to a rival cities’ description of Chicago’s boastful and windy politicians and not just because of the weather. 

Christina Ashby-King: I was extremely impressed to learn that the National Science Foundation’s Mental Health Advocates Employee Resource Group (ERG) is comprised of more than 130 employees – almost 8% of their workforce! A supportive peer network such as this can strengthen employees’ sense of belonging and lead to self-disclosure, which helps the agency identify accommodations to better support their workforce.

What was your favorite session you attended and why?

Christina Ashby-King: My favorite session was Navigating Imposter Syndrome as a Neurodivergent: An Exploration of Resilience. I was incredibly moved by the panelists’ personal experiences and gained a deeper understanding of the challenges neurodivergent individuals face in the workplace. The panel offered practical strategies to build self-confidence and navigate professional challenges at work and discussed ways that organizations can create inclusive environments to support neurodivergent individuals.

Lesley Perkins: Of course, my favorite session was the one I co-chaired. We were able to bring together several thought leaders to talk about the future of DEIA in organizations. In addition, I attended a session titled Trans Inclusion: A Candid Conversation with Trans and Nonbinary Experts that provided some key insights to the issues about gender expression in the workplace.

Julie Jasewicz: Experiences from Neurodivergent Leaders (Tiffany Jameson and Nancy Doyle). I’ve never felt so seen in this industry than when watching these two powerhouse neurodiverse women speaking. I learned a lot about communicating on diverse teams and self-advocacy during this session; it was truly mind-blowing!

Melissa Donegan: I gained invaluable insights during the IGNITing DEIA Solutions Post-UNC and Harvard Supreme Court Ruling session. This gathering brought together DEIA specialists, consultants, people analysts, and legal experts to share their perspectives on the legal implications of selection practices and DEIA initiatives. Through robust discussions, we explored legally sound and data-driven strategies for implementing DEIA practices in selection processes and organizational operations. The panelists also offered valuable resources highlighting both current and anticipated legal precedents and rulings that may impact business practices and programs.

Roxanne Lawrence: One of my favorite sessions is one that spoke about sharing I-O content to the public through podcasts. It is often difficult explaining to people exactly what industrial-organizational psychology or human capital consulting is. Podcasting is a great way to break down and shed light on what we do to bring attention to the field and profession in a fun and creative way.

Ruby Brittain: My favorite session to attend was Mastering 360 Feedback: A Practitioner’s Playbook. Performance feedback is key to employee development and an important part of FMP’s commitment to continual improvement, so learning how other company’s are utilizing feedback was an interesting way to compare and contrast different methods!

What’s a key takeaway you learned that you can apply to your work at FMP?

Melissa Donegan: In another session, From Campus to Career: A Woman’s Guide to Early Career I-O Success, the speakers provided great advice on how to mentor, guide, and encourage I-O practitioners across organizations and career stages. 

Ruby Brittain: A key takeaway I learned from this year’s conference is that making materials more accessible as a default and building accommodation options in for all users often benefits everyone and not just those who request or require the accommodation.  

Christina Ashby-King: I was reminded that the majority of our learning and skill-development occurs on the job. Every project, interaction, and mistake provides an opportunity to learn. Mindfulness, self-reflection, coaching/mentoring, and feedback are all strategies that can promote learning and development throughout the workday. As a consultant and project manager at FMP, I am determined to engage in these practices, and I hope that by approaching my work with curiosity and dedication to continuous learning I can inspire others to approach work situations as opportunities to learn and grow.

Julie Jasewicz: Great leaders have three things in common: their people feel seen and respected, their people know what is expected of them, and the leader creates a space where they can function at their best and therefore serve their people at their best.

What are you looking forward to at next year’s SIOP conference?

Zoe Nerantzis: It’s always nice to be reminded of the scale, variety, and impact of I-O as a field. I’m looking forward to visiting Denver for the first time, spending more time with my fellow I-Os, and soaking in all the innovative research and stimulating conversations.

Christina Ashby-King: This year’s conference reminded me of the importance of keeping up with the latest I-O trends and building and maintaining connections outside of the formal work setting. I’m looking forward to carefully planning out my SIOP 2025 itinerary so that I can get the most out of the sessions and reconnect with my colleagues, clients, and professors in person! 

Melissa Donegan: SIOP is always an energizing experience reconnecting and learning from friends and colleagues across organizations. 

Julie Jasewicz: Exploring Denver and continuing to expand my knowledge of the latest and greatest in I-O!

Ruby Brittain: I am looking forward to building more new connections and learning more about current research and best practices regarding recruitment and DEIA!

Zoe Nerantzis joined FMP as a Consultant in May 2021 and works with the National Science Foundation team by supporting NSF’s learning and development branch. Zoe is from Rockville, Maryland and can generally be found reading fantasy novels, working out in her basement, or rooting for the Washington Commanders.