Chen Wang

Dr. Wang is an associate professor of management at Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business. She also serves as director of the human resource management program and advisor for the registered student organization Society for Excellence in Human Resources which is WMU’s student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management.

Dr. Wang’s research examines how people experience work—what drives them, how they relate to leaders and colleagues, and what makes them feel part of something meaningful. She is particularly interested in how leadership and workplace dynamics shape environments where employees feel genuinely connected, empowered and motivated to contribute. Her work has been published in leading management journals including Personnel Psychology, Organizational Research Methods, Journal of Business Research, Group & Organization Management, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin and European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, as well as other leading journals. 

She received the Emerging Scholar Award from the Haworth College of Business, multiple research awards from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the Southern Management Association, and the Best Reviewer Award from the Academy of Management. One of her papers published in 2024 was named among the "Top 10 Most Cited" in Personnel Psychology. 

In the classroom, Dr. Wang integrates evidence-based practice, data-informed decision-making and purpose-driven leadership skills to prepare students for contemporary organizations. She has taught courses including Organizational Behavior, HR Analytics, Human Resource Management and Total Rewards. Prior to joining WMU, she received the Provost Award for Outstanding Teaching at Florida International University.

Explore Dr. Wang's Google Scholar page.