About
Dr Yi-Ling Lai is a Lecturer of HRM and Organisational Behaviour at the University of Southampton. Before joining Southampton Business School, Yi-Ling gained experience working in other academic institutions in the UK, such as Birkbeck College, University of London and University of Portsmouth. Yi-Ling had several years' professional experience in a global talent management consulting firm before her academic research career. Therefore, Yi-Ling often integrates pressing practical issues in management into her research and teaching.
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Psychological evidence in coaching
- Social identity approach and HRM policies
- Identity work and organisational behaviours
- Workplace well-being
Current research
Yi-Ling's research mainly concentrates on psychological evidence in the coaching process and coaches' learning and development. Recently, Yi-Ling's research interests have extended to applying social psychological theories (e.g., social identity and identity work) to organisation studies.
Research projects
Active projects
Completed projects
Publications
External roles and responsibilities
Biography
Dr Yi-Ling Lai is a Lecturer at the Southampton Business School. Yi-Ling is an award-recognising researcher in the area of psychological evidence in workplace coaching. Yi-Ling's research mainly focuses on how coaching approaches impact individuals' work-life, learning and development (L&D), as well as organisational change management. In addition, Yi-Ling's research interests have extended to the understanding of individuals' work-related identities and their professional development. Since 2019, Yi-Ling has worked closely with the National Health Service in the UK (the Fountain Centre, Royal Surrey County Hospital) to examine how the psychologically informed coaching approach could support cancer patients' well-being and illness identity transition. Yi-Ling has received the British Psychological Society (BPS) President's Award 2024, which recognises her efforts in producing a body of outstanding research; this is one of the most prestigious honours awarded by the BPS.
Please get in touch if you consider studying a PhD which is relevant to my research area.
Prizes
- Research Paper of the Year 2022, The Henley Centre for Coaching, Henley Business School (2022)
- Highly Commended Paper, Emerald Literati Awards (2020)
- Outstanding Paper in the 2023 Emerald Literati Awards (2023)
- Emerald Literati Awards 2023 - Outstanding Paper (2023)
- Emerald Literati Award: Best Paper (2023)
- The relationship between coaching supervision and internal coaches’ role conflict: A new insight into future HRD (2024)
- An investigation into the Fountain Centre organisational culture in cancer care (2024)
- British Psychological Society President's Award 2024 (2024)
- Research Paper of the Year 2022, The Henley Centre for Coaching, Henley Business School (2022)
- Highly Commended Paper, Emerald Literati Awards (2020)
- Emerald Literati Awards 2023 - Outstanding Paper (2023)
- The relationship between coaching supervision and internal coaches’ role conflict: A new insight into future HRD (2024)
- An investigation into the Fountain Centre organisational culture in cancer care (2024)
- British Psychological Society President's Award 2024 (2024)
- Navigating Professional Development and Identity as A Black, Indigenous and Other People of Colour (BIPOC) External Workplace Coach with Their Skin Colour (2026)
- The Best paper presentation: Female academics' identity transitions during their perinatal period - an autoethnography through my qualitative study. (2026)