Spotlight On: Amanda Shantz

May 28, 2020 by CIRHR Communications

Graduated: 2008 
ThesisAn exploratory field experiment of the effect of non-conscious and conscious goals on employee performance 
Research areas: Human Resource Management, Volunteer Management, Employer Sponsored, Volunteering, Work Engagement 
NowAssociate Professor of Human Resource Management, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin 

In addition to her academic work, Dr. Amanda Shantz consults with human resource practitioners in the development and successful implementation of engagement strategies and on measuring the impact of employer sponsored volunteering activities.  

She has recently undertaken a large research project on employer sponsored volunteering, as well as research across five organisations in the UK on purposeful leadership. Her work in human resource management, employee engagement and volunteering has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals including Human Relations, Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management Journal, and International Journal of Management Reviews. 

Selected publications: 

  • Alfes, K., Shantz, A., Bailey, C., Conway, E., Monks, K., & Fu, N., Perceived HR system strength and employee reactions toward change: Revisiting HR's remit as change agent, Human Resource Management, 2019 
  • Hewett, R., Shantz, A., Mundy, J., & Alfes, K., Attribution theories in human resource management research: A review and research agenda, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 29, (1), 2018, p87 – 126 
  • Alfes, K., Shantz, A., & Ritz, A., A multilevel examination of the relationship between role overload and employee subjective health: The buffering effect of support climates, Human Resource Management, 57, (2), 2018, p659 – 673 
  • Shantz, A., & Booth, J.E. (2014). Service employees and self-verification: The roles of occupational stigma consciousness and core self-evaluations. Human Relations, 67(12), 1439-1465. 
  • Truss, C., Alfes, K., Delbridge, R., Shantz, A., & Soane, E. (2013) Employee engagement in theory and practice. London: Taylor & Francis Books. 
  • Shantz, A. & Latham, G. P. (2012). Transfer of training: Written self-guidance to increase self-efficacy and interviewing performance of job seekers. Human Resource Management, 51(5), 733-746. 

Shantz’s publications in work engagement and volunteer management have included collaborations with fellow CIRHR alumni including Jing Wang (CIRHR PhD 2010), Rupa Banerjee (CIRHR PhD 2008) and Danielle Lamb (CIRHR PhD 2012): 

  • Shantz, A., Wang, J. & Malik, A.R. (2018) . Disability status, individual variable pay, and pay satisfaction: Does relational and institutional trust make a difference? Human Resource Management, 57(1). 365-380 
  • Shantz, A., Banerjee, R., & Lamb, D., The relationship between male and female youth volunteering and extrinsic career success: A growth curve modeling approach, Nonprofit Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 2018, p1 – 25  

Reflecting on her time at the CIRHR, Shantz says her favourite memories are of the library and of Bruce and Monica in particular. "They created a family atmosphere, were incredibly helpful and supportive to all students, and they even let me nap in the back room when I was tired!” 

Before coming to the CIRHR, Shantz completed her Bachelor of Arts at McGill University, Montreal Canada, in 2002 and Masters of Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and worked as a junior communications consultant at The Humphrey Group. During her doctoral studies, she worked as a senior strategic leadership consultant for Park Li, New York USA. After completer her PhD, Shantz taught at Kingston University (London, UK) and, as director of the Employee Engagement Consortium, was a consultant and researcher for eight organizations. She held academic positions at the University of Toronto and York University, IESEG School of Management (Paris, France) before joining the faculty at Trinity College Dublin, where she is now director of the MBA program.