Stephen Woods

Professor Stephen Woods is a leading academic in Work and Organisational Psychology, serving as Head of the Department of People and Organisations at Surrey Business School, University of Surrey. His expertise spans personality assessment, development, and its workplace implications, alongside recruitment practices and digital HR strategies. He holds advanced qualifications: MSc in Occupational Psychology and a PhD in Psychology, and is a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol).

Research interests focus on personality dynamics in organizations, including trait assessment, personality change trajectories, and the impact of work environments. He explores digital recruitment innovations and fair assessment practices. Notable affiliations include the British Psychological Society’s Occupational Psychology Division and the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP).

• Educations: MSc (Occupational Psychology), PhD (Psychology)
• Awards: Academy of Management (2018), British Psychological Society Division of Occupational Psychology (2019)

His research highlights include the Demands-Affordances TrAnsactional (DATA) model for personality development, and a Periodic Table of Personality mapping framework. He advises on doctoral research, with notable students exploring workplace well-being, safety behaviors, and engagement dynamics.

Teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Occupational Psychology, including leadership workshops for MBA students. He actively contributes to organizational psychology discourse through publications and professional engagement.