#36 Above All Price: Rethinking Dignity at Work with Kristen Lucas

In this episode of the Business and Society podcast, Senthil is joined by Dr. Kristen Lucas, Professor of Management at the University of Louisville and one of the leading scholars on workplace dignity. Drawing on her personal background and decades of research, Kristen explains what dignity at work really means—beyond the absence of bullying—and how it connects to people’s sense of self-worth, competence, and contribution. She traces the evolution of dignity from its philosophical roots to its lived reality in today’s organizations, and reflects on how inequality, instrumentality, and disrespect continue to threaten dignity, particularly for low-wage and frontline workers.

The conversation also explores why dignity matters for leaders and organizations right now, especially amid rapid changes driven by AI, global economic pressures, and shifting labor markets. Kristen shares practical insights on how communication, empathy, and everyday managerial behaviors can either undermine or strengthen dignity at work—and why investing in dignity pays off through higher engagement, creativity, and retention. The episode closes with concrete steps leaders can take to assess and improve dignity in their workplaces, along with recommended readings for anyone wanting to go deeper into this often-overlooked but essential dimension of work.

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