Thomas Mahan

Dr. Mahan is the founder and advisor of The Work Institute LLC, a human capital research and workplace development company providing workforce measurement and consulting services to help organizations more effectively attract, deploy, develop and retain talent. The Work Institute utilizes Exit Interviews, Incumbent Stay Studies, and New Hire/On-Boarding Analysis and Reporting to help companies reduce human capital expense, increase employee length of stay, and build a “Preferred Employer” brand.

Today, as an author and consultant, Mahan is often called upon to deliver Attraction, Retention and Engagement presentations at conferences, in-company workshops, and company retreats. As a workplace-focused mental health practitioner, Dr. Mahan also maintains a limited counseling practice for troubled and troubling managers.

Prior to founding the Work Institute, Tom was a Senior Vice President with the Saratoga Institute. He worked with the Saratoga and its parent Spherion in various counseling, operations, and consulting roles, including conducting research in such areas as: “The Differing Preferences and Expectations of the American Workforce”, “The Emerging Workforce” and “Finding and Keeping Talent”. He has developed assessment and selection programs, supported regional offices in consulting operations, designed career development, in-placement, executive outplacement, and coaching and human performance improvement programs. Tom has held General Management, and Career and Organization Development positions with Prentice-Hall, Education Corporation of America, Equicor/Cigna, and Interim Services/Spherion.

Tom earned his doctorate in Human Development Counseling and Consultation from Vanderbilt University. He has been a faculty member with the graduate faculty of Human and Organization Development at Vanderbilt University, a faculty member for the certification programs for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD), and a fellow of the International Association of Career Management Professionals (IACMP). He is currently a member of the American Counseling Association, the National Career Development Association, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychologists, and the American Psychological Association.

As an author, in addition to "EmployER Engagement: The Fresh and Dissenting Voice on the Employment Relationship", Mahan has co-authored "The Why Factor: Winning with Workforce Intelligence" and "Top Drawer Dads: Celebrating Fathers as They Shape our Lives".

Dr. Mahan lives in Franklin, Tennessee with his wife Dr. Beverly Brewer Mahan. He is the father and father-in-law of William and Mary Kathryn Mahan and Lindsay and Josh Lee, and the all-too-excited grandfather of Gus, Rhett and Sadie.