Our Mission Is to Improve the World of Work Through Experimental Research.
We are a behavioral science lab based at the University of Cologne with researchers from psychology, economics, and management science, bringing years of experience in conducting experiments in organizations. Together with pioneering organizations, we design and test impactful solutions for people management challenges and bridge the science-practice gap.
Work With Us: Our Offer
How do you attract employees from underrepresented groups? How can you use incentives to motivate employees? How do you design online learning systems for knowledge and productivity gain? We use a unique approach – experiments in the form of A/B‑tests in and with organizations – to generate robust causal evidence about which interventions work and which don’t. This scientific approach results in evidence-based solutions for practical challenges.
PHASE 1
Co-Creation:
Tool Design
Together with a partner organization, we discuss current challenges and identify solutions. We exchange knowledge to design scientifically rigorous and practically relevant tools.
PHASE 2
Experiments:
Tool Testing
Together with a partner organization, we implement experiments (A/B‑tests) to tackle people management challenges. The result is causal evidence about the impact of the tested tools.
PHASE 3
Translate:
Tool Scaling
We enable our partner organizations to learn from us and from each other. This exchange amplifies the impact of the co-created and tested tools.
Completed Projects
Explore case studies showcasing successful collaborations between CEAL’s scientists and our partners. From ongoing initiatives to completed projects, this section highlights real-world impact and the power of research-driven partnerships in action.
Fostering Age-Diverse Collaboration Through Training
In this field experiment with over 280 employees in a German financial institute, we tested whether age-diverse coworker training improves digital collaboration between employees and mutual technology-related learning.
When the bonus becomes a problem – attendance bonuses in retail
In this field experiment with 346 apprentices from a retail chain, we tested whether monetary attendance bonuses reduce absenteeism or unintentionally signal that skipping work is acceptable.
SpeakUp! – Confronting Workplace Discrimination Through Training
In these two field experiments at a German hospital provider and a German insurance company with 635 employees in total, we tested the effects of immersive DEI training on how employees confront workplace discrimination.
Closing the Gender Gap in Salary Increases: Evidence from a Field Experiment on Promoting Pay Equity
In this field experiment with 623 middle managers and nearly 9,000 employees at a global tech firm, we tested whether simple, gender-blind changes to the salary review process could close the gender gap in salary increases.
Contact
The CEAL network is a research initiative of the Department of Corporate Development at the University of Cologne. Meet our team members here.
Prof. Dr. Anne Burmeister
Anne Burmeister is Full Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Cologne. Her research focuses on work and aging, diversity and inclusion, knowledge transfer, and workplace interactions.
Prof. Dr. Dirk Sliwka
Dirk Sliwka is Professor of Management and head of the Department of Corporate Development. His research covers personnel economics, HR management, behavioral economics, and field experiments.
Team
CEAL unites experts from management science, psychology, and economics. Our founding associates are Joy Bredehorst, Leo Grabe, and Patrick Vestner