Samantha Evans

Dr. Samantha Evans is a Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management (HRM) at Kent Business School, University of Kent. She also serves as the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Lead for the School and previously held the role of Programme Director for the MSc Human Resource Management. She is a member of the British Academy of Management and holds professional memberships with CIPD and CMI.

Education:

• PhD in Human Resource Management, University of Greenwich

Research Interests:

Dr. Evans’s research is deeply rooted in HRM, with a strong emphasis on equality, diversity, and inclusion. She explores underexamined dimensions of workplace inequality, particularly focusing on social class as a legally unprotected characteristic. Her work also delves into the role of line managers in shaping employee experiences, the implementation of HR policies, and the intersection of work and life, including women's experiences of menopause in the workplace.

Her research has attracted external funding, including a BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grant, and has informed policy discussions, particularly around reforming the UK Equality Act.

Scientific Awards:

• Awarded the Athena Swan Bronze Award in 2020 as EDI Lead for Kent Business School

Supervision & Grants:

Dr. Evans supervises both current and past PhD students. Her current supervisee, Rebecca Ashley, is exploring the role of accents in workplace inequality. A past supervisee, Tejumade Siyanbola, examined HRM and employee turnover in SMEs.

She has received funding from the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust and contributed to policy-oriented reports such as the British Psychological Society’s 2022 report on social class-based inequalities.

Professional Roles:

Dr. Evans is actively involved in academic service and policy engagement. She sits on the Chartered Association of Business School’s EDI Committee and contributes to peer review for journals and grant bodies.