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dr. L.E. van Zyl (Lew)

Research Associate

About Me

Llewellyn van Zyl (Ph.D.) is a positive organizational psychologist specializing in developing, implementing, and evaluating online enabling interventions that enhance human performance at work. He holds an Assistant Professorship with the Human Performance Management Group at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and an extraordinary professorship in Positive Psychology with the Optentia Research Programme at the North-West University. Academically, he has completed a Doctorate, Master of Commerce, Honours and a Bachelor’s degree in Work and Organizational Psychology, which were obtained from the North-West University (summa cum laude) at the top of his class. Professionally, Llewellyn is a respected researcher and published author of various scientific articles and specialist books on aspects pertaining to applied positive psychology at work.  Llewellyn has extensive experience within the tertiary education environment as a lecturer and researcher and within the private and public sectors as a consultant. During the past decade, he has gained extensive experience in designing strategic human resource development interventions for various multi-national corporations spanning from the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia to South Africa. He has a keen interest in developing strengths-based, fit-for-purpose interventions to optimize people’s capability at work.

Expertise

Medicine & Life Sciences
Mental Health
Mentoring
Ownership
Positive Psychology
Psychology
Psychometrics
Students
Social Sciences
Republic Of South Africa

Research

My research aims to enable people to feel good, function well, and perform better at work. It is concerned with understanding the factors that enhance mental health and performance and how they can be developed through online enabling interventions (OEIs) and positive psychological interventions. At its core, my research aims to understand if, how and why online enabling interventions could optimize human processes. In practical terms, my work employs a strengths-based approach to diagnose, optimize, and develop individuals' mental health and performance through online platforms. Building on the empirical and theoretical foundations generated within the positive organisational psychology, my work aims to (a) assess and model the psychological mechanisms underpinning employees’ mental health, wellbeing and performance (assessment: c.f. Van Zyl, Olckers & Roll, 2020; Van Zyl, van Oort, Olckers & Rispens, 2019), (b) how these states can be developed in a scientifically sound, sustainable and cost-effective manner through digital channels (OEI content: c.f. Stander & Van Zyl, 2019; Van Zyl, et al., 2020) and (c) aims to understand the elements underpinning effective OEI design (online intervention methodology: c.f. Kelders, Van Zyl & Ludden, 2020).

Publications

Recent
Posthuma, L. (Author) , & van Zyl, L. E. (Author). (2023). What is positive stress?. Web publication/site, Welcome to the Jungle. https://www.welcometothejungle.com/en/articles/what-is-positive-stress
Boisvert, M., Loughead, T. , & van Zyl, L. E. (2023). The psychometric evaluation of two leadership questionnaires to assess athlete leadership behaviours. Paper presented at North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity's Annual Conference, NASPSPA 2023, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
van Zyl, L. E., Custers, N. C. M., Dik, B. J., van der Vaart, L., & Klibert, J. (2023). The Holistic Life-Crafting Model: A Systematic Literature Review of Meaning-Making Behaviors. Frontiers in psychology, 14, Article 1271188. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1271188

UT Research Information System

Google Scholar Link

Education

Llewellyn van Zyl holds a PhD in Industrial Psychology, an M.Com in Industrial Psychology (with honors), a B.com (Hons) in Industrial Psychology (with honors), and a B.com in Behavioural Sciences (with honors), all obtained at North-West University, South Africa. He holds an extraordinary professorship in Industrial Psychology with the North-West University,  where he leads the Optimizing Performance Sub-Programme of the Optentia Research Focus Area. Lew also acts as the past president for the Society for Industrial and Organisational Psychology of South Africa.

Llewellyn is a published author of various scientific articles and specialist books. He is Associate Editor of the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology and on the editorial board of various high impact journals. Llewellyn has extensive experience within the tertiary educational environment (as a lecturer and researcher), as well as within the private and public sectors (as a consultant). As of 1 January 2017, Llewellyn holds the ranking as a C2 rated researcher with the National Research Foundation within South Africa.

Contact Details

Visiting Address

University of Twente
Drienerlolaan 5
7522 NB Enschede
The Netherlands

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Mailing Address

University of Twente
P.O. Box 217
7500 AE Enschede
The Netherlands

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