D^3 Discussions: Predicting the Future of Work

Organizations invest substantial resources in workplace wellbeing programs—flexible schedules, mental health resources, team-building initiatives—yet most fail to produce sustained benefits. The challenge lies not in the interventions themselves, but in the inability to predict which approaches will prove effective, at what scale, and for which employee populations. Traditional methods rely on costly trial-and-error or simplified models that inadequately capture how employees think, feel, and behave over time. Volpert Family Associate Professor of Business Administration at HBS and D^3 Associate Ashley Whillans and postdoctoral research associate Sumer Vaid are developing generative AI agent simulations to address this concern.  

Their research models how employees respond to specific wellbeing interventions, enabling organizations to test different approaches computationally before implementation. These simulations can optimize intervention parameters—from timing and scope to target populations for initial deployment. The models also account for how individual responses propagate through social networks, as changes in one employee’s stress or engagement can influence colleagues.  

By iteratively refining interventions through simulation, organizations can shift from intuition-based decisions to empirically grounded program design. The session will also feature Dr. Jazz Croft from The Positive Group, who will share recent insights into how organizational leaders can effectively integrate AI tools into their operations.  

Together, the session will explore both domain-specific innovations in wellbeing interventions and general strategies for responsible AI adoption in the workplace. 

Speakers:

Ashley Whillans, Volpert Family Associate Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School, D^3 Associate

Sumer Vaid, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Harvard Business School

Jazz Croft, PhD, Senior Science Communications and Research Manager, The Positive Group

Date and Time:

Friday, December 5, 2025 – 1:00pm ET

D^3 Discussions is an exclusive webinar series hosted on Future Proof with AI featuring the latest research and insights from D^3 faculty and affiliates. To attend the webinar, join our platform Future Proof with AI.