Dr Zara Whysall

Expertise

Zara is responsible for conducting research to evaluate the impact of Kiddy’s client work, and for providing evidence-based insight papers to support clients and prospective clients in tackling key challenges. She has over a decade of experience in conducting and applying research to help organisations enhance their performance.

Zara is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, with experience in consultancy, research, and training roles across private and public sector organisations. She is an accredited user of the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI, MVPI & HDS), and British Psychological Society accredited Psychometrics Test User for Ability and Personality (TUA & TUP; formerly Level A and B).

Zara is also an Associate Professor at Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University where she conducts research, teaches Executive Education, and leads a post-graduate programme in Global Business. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and is widely published, including reports for professional bodies such as the CIPD and HSE, practitioner orientated articles, peer-reviewed academic journal articles and book chapters.

Prior to joining Kiddy, Zara was Head of Research at Lane4 Management Group, where she was responsible for developing and implementing their thought leadership strategy, conducting research to underpin product development, and delivering commissioned research to address client challenges. 

She has also worked in occupational health management consulting, where she conducted research and delivered management training and consultancy services to a wide range of clients on issues such as management of presenteeism and reduction of work-related stress. Zara was also the human factors specialist in HSL’s horizon scanning team, responsible for identifying and advising on emerging trends for managing future work-related risks to health and wellbeing.

She has a PhD from Loughborough University, a Masters in Occupational Psychology from Nottingham University, and a BSc (First-class Hons) in Human Psychology from Aston University.

Experience

1. Conducting research identifying talent management challenges in the engineering sector, including evolving skills needs, lack of diversity, middle management capability, and workforce resistance to change.
2. Investigating the use of human capital management as a lever for value creation in the private equity industry, identifying the potential for bias in decision-making regarding senior appointments.
3. Evaluating the impact of an assessment and development intervention on capability development within a large defence and aerospace organisation.
4. Conducting research into the factors likely to inhibit or accentuate interventions to promote diversity and wellbeing within a large professional services organisation. 
5. Advising on the merger of two media organisations in terms of organisational culture.