Prof. Sharon Toker

Sharon Toker is an Associate Professor and the head of the Healthcare Management program at Tel Aviv University’s Coller School of Management.

She graduated from Tel Aviv University, completing her B.A. in Psychology and Sociology (1997) and her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior with distinction (Accelerated Doctoral Program, 2007). In 2008 she completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University and soon after joined the Department of Organizational Behavior in Tel Aviv University’s Coller School of Management.

Prof. Toker served as the associate editor of the Academy of Management Perspectives Journal and the Occupational Health Science Journal. She has published more than 40 papers and book chapters and was awarded the Early Career Achievement Award by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) in 2013.

Sharon teaches Organizational Behavior and Stress Management courses, and was granted numerous teaching awards including the Tel-Aviv University Rector Award (2013), Tel-Aviv University best 100 lecturers awards, and the Coller School of Management teaching awards in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021.

In addition to her academic activity, Prof. Toker is an active advocate for employees' wellbeing. She is working with the Israeli Ministry of Health and with the Ministry of Law to reduce employees' burnout levels.

Last but not least, Sharon is also an illustrator, translating her research findings into visual images. Her illustrations appear in both academic and non-academic outlets. Instagram: sharon_toker 

Prof. Toker’s research strives to discover the extent to which occupational and environmental factors, stress perceptions, and organizational resources affect the physical and mental wellbeing of employees. By combining various areas of knowledge such as occupational psychology, cognition, and medicine, in addition to conducting experimental as well as observational longitudinal studies among thousands of employees, she points to the risk involved in exposure to occupational and environmental stressors (including the fear of terrorism). She also strives to identify effective ways of coping with such risks. Her studies combine new models and constructs that are at the forefront of current psycho-occupational research (e.g., stress perceptions and mind wandering). As an expert in the field of work stress and health, Prof. Toker’s research serves as the basis for policy change on both national and international scales. 

 

Focal topics of Prof. Toker’s research include:

>> Stress, burnout, and employee health

>> Stress theory, perception, and mindset

>> Mind wandering at work

>> Health promotion in organizations

>>  Gender inequality at work

>>  Organizational cynicism 

Burns, A., Toker, S., Berson, Y., & Gordon, I. (2025). Sexism in teams: Exposure to sexist comments increases emotional synchrony but eliminates its benefits for team performance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(18), e2409708122.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2409708122

Ben-Assayag, H., Brzezinski, R. Y., Berliner, S., Zeltser, D., Shapira, I., Rogowski, O., Toker, S., Eldor, R., & Shenhar-Tsarfaty, S. (2023). Transitioning from having no metabolic abnormality nor obesity to metabolic impairment in a cohort of apparently healthy adults. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 22(1), 226.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-023-01954-w

Atad, O. I., & Toker, S. (2023). Subjective workload and the metabolic syndrome: An exploration of the mediating role of burnout and the moderating effect of physical activity. International Journal of Stress Management, 30(1), 95-107.

🔗 https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2023-34174-001.html

Bianchi, R., Verkuilen, J., Toker, S., Schonfeld, I. S., Gerber, M., Brähler, E., & Kroenke, K. (2022). Is the PHQ-9 a unidimensional measure of depression? A 58,272-participant study. Psychological Assessment, 34(6), 595.
🔗 https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2022-48400-001.html

Turgeman-Lupo, K., Toker, S., Ben-Avi, N., & Shenhar-Tsarfaty, S. (2020). The depressive price of being a sandwich-generation caregiver: can organizations and managers help? European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 1-18.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2020.1762574

Gong, Y., Khavul, S., Markman, G., Mors, M. L., Phan, P. H., Toker, S., ... & Wood, G. (2019). Editorial Reflections on Academy of Management Perspectives' Revised Editorial Mission. Academy of Management Perspectives, 33(2), 131-133.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2019.0089

Toker, S. (2018). The economic evaluation of time can cause stress. Academy of Management Discoveries, 4(1), 101-102.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.5465/amd.2018.0032

Ben-Avi, N., Toker, S., & Heller, D. (2018). "If stress is good for me, it's probably good for you too": Stress mindset and judgment of others' strain. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 74, 98-110.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2017.09.002

Hoppe, A. K., Toker, S., Schachler, V., & Ziegler, M. (2017). The Effect of Change in Supervisor Support and Job Control on Change in Vigor: Differential Relationships for Immigrant and Native Employees in Israel. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(3), 391-414.

🔗 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/job.2151

Shenhar, S., Toker, S., Shapira, I., Rogowski, I., Berliner, S., Ritov, Y., & Soreq, H. (2016). Weakened cholinergic blockade of inflammation associates with diabetes-related depression. Molecular Medicine, 22, 156-161.

🔗 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5004725/

Biron, M., De Reuver, R., & Toker, S. (2016). All employees are equal, but some are more equal than others: dominance, agreeableness, and status inconsistency among men and women. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 25(3), 430-446.

🔗 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1359432X.2015.1111338

Kalish, Y., Luria, G., Toker, S., & Westman, M. (2015). Till stress do us part: An extension of conservation of resource theory using network analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 100(6), 1737-1751.

🔗 https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2015-15679-001.html

Toker, S., Heaney, C. A., & Ein-Gar, D. (2015). Why Won't They Participate? Barriers to Participation in Worksite Health Promotion Programs. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 24(6), 866-881.

🔗 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1359432X.2014.968131

Toker, S., Laurence, G., & Fried, Y. (2015). Fear of terror and increased job burnout over time: Examining the mediating role of insomnia and the moderating role of work support. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(2), 272-291.

🔗 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/job.1980

Shenhar-Tsarfaty, S., Yayon, N., Waiskopf, N., Shapira, I., Toker, S., Zaltser, D., ... & Soreq, H. (2014). Fear and C-reactive protein cosynergize annual pulse increases in healthy adults. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(5), E467-E471.

🔗 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1418264112

Armon, G., Melamed, S., Toker, S., Berliner, S., & Shapira, I. (2014). Joint effect of chronic medical illness and burnout on depressive symptoms among employed adults. Health Psychology, 33(3), 264-272.

🔗 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23895204/

Zelber-Sagi, S., Toker, S., Armon, T., Melamed, S., Berliner, S., Shapira, I., Halpern, Z., Santo, E., & Shibolet, O. (2013). Elevated alanine transaminase independently predicts new onset of depression in employees undergoing health screening examinations. Psychological Medicine, 43(12), 2603-2613.

🔗 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/elevated-alanine-aminotransferase-independently-predicts-new-onset-of-depression-in-employees-undergoing-health-screening-examinations/B04BCE491EB6BDF424537698173BFE90

Fried, Y., Laurence, G. A., Shirom, A., Melamed, S., Toker, S., Berliner, S., & Shapira, I. (2013). The relationship between job enrichment and abdominal obesity: A longitudinal field study of apparently healthy individuals. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 18(4), 458-468.

🔗 https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2013-30828-001.html?sr=1

Armon, G., & Toker, S. (2013). The role of personality in predicting repeat participation in periodic health screening. Journal of Personality, 81(6), 452-464.

🔗 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jopy.12021

Toker, S., Gavish, I., & Biron, M. (2013). Job Demand-Control-Support and diabetes risk: The moderating role of self-efficacy. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 22(6), 711-724.

🔗 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1359432X.2012.698058

Shirom, A., Toker, S., Melamed, S., Berliner, S., & Shapira, I. (2013). Burnout and Vigor as Predictors of the Incidence of Hyperlipidemia among Healthy Employees. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 5(1), 79-98.

🔗 https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1758-0854.2012.01071.x

Toker, S., Melamed, S., Shirom, A., Berliner, S., Zeltser, D., & Shapira, I. (2012). Burnout Is Associated with Coronary Heart Disease Incidence: A Prospective Study of 8,838 Employees. Psychosomatic Medicine, 74(8), 840-847.

🔗 https://journals.lww.com/bsam/fulltext/2012/10000/burnout_and_risk_of_coronary_heart_disease__a.8.aspx

Toker, S., Shirom, A., Melamed, S., & Armon, G. (2012). Work Characteristics as Predictors of Diabetes Incidence among Apparently Healthy Employees. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 17(3), 259-267.

🔗 https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-17080-001

Toker, S., & Biron, M. (2012). Job Burnout and Depression: Unraveling their Temporal Relationship and Considering the Role of Physical Activity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(3), 699-710.

🔗 https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2012-00194-001.html

Shirom, A., Toker, S., Melamed, S., Berliner, S., & Shapira, I. (2012). Life and Job Satisfaction as Predictors of the Incidence of Diabetes. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 4(1), 31-48.

🔗 https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1758-0854.2011.01054.x

Shirom, A., Toker, S., Melamed, S., & Shapira, I. (2012). The relationships between self-rated health and serum lipids across time. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 19(1), 73-81.

🔗 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12529-011-9144-y

Shirom, A., Toker, S., Alkalay, Y., Jacobson, O., & Balicer, R. (2011). Work-based predictors of mortality: A 20-year follow-up of healthy employees. Health Psychology, 30(3), 268-275.

🔗 https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2011-09497-004.html

Shirom, A., Toker, S., Jacobson, O., & Balicer, R. (2010). Feeling Vigorous and Risk of All-Cause Mortality, Ischemic Heart Disease and Diabetes: A 20-years Follow-up of Apparently Healthy Employees. Psychosomatic Medicine, 72, 727-733.

🔗 https://journals.lww.com/bsam/fulltext/2010/10000/feeling_vigorous_and_the_risks_of_all_cause.1.aspx

Shirom, A., Toker, S., Shapira, I., Berliner, S., & Melamed, S. (2010). Vigor, anxiety and depressive symptoms as predictors of changes in fibrinogen and C-reactive protein. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 2(3), 251-271.

🔗  https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1758-0854.2010.01033.x

Shirom, A., Toker, S., Berliner, S., & Shapira, I. (2008). The Job Demand-Control-Support Model and Micro-inflammatory Responses among Healthy Male and Female Employees: A Longitudinal Study. Work & Stress, 28(2), 661-669.

🔗 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02678370802180830

Shirom, A., Toker, S., Berliner, S., Shapira, I., & Melamed, S. (2008). The effects of physical fitness and feeling vigorous on self-rated health. Health Psychology, 27(5), 567-575.

🔗 https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2008-13168-008.html

Toker, S., Shirom, A., & Melamed, S. (2008). Depression and the Metabolic Syndrome: Gender Dependent Associations. Depression and Anxiety, 25(8), 661-669.

🔗 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/da.20379

Steinvil, A., Shirom, A., Melamed, S., Toker, S., Justo, S., Saar, I., et al. (2008). Relation of educational level to inflammation-sensitive biomarker level. American Journal of Cardiology, 102(8), 1034-1039.

🔗 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002914908010217?via%3Dihub

Rogowski, O., Shapira, I., Shirom, A., Melamed, S., Toker, S., & Berliner, S. (2007). Heart rate and microinflammation in men: a relevant atherothrombotic link. Heart, 93(8), 940-944.

🔗 https://heart.bmj.com/content/93/8/940

Shirom, A., Toker, S., Shapira, I., Berliner, S., & Melamed, S. (2007). Exposure to and fear of terror as predictors of self-rated health among apparently healthy employees. British Journal of Health Psychology, 257-271.

🔗 https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1348/135910707X180747

Melamed, S., Shirom, A., Toker, S., & Shapira, I. (2006). Burnout and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Study of Apparently Healthy Employed Persons. Psychosomatic Medicine, 68, 863-869.

🔗 https://journals.lww.com/bsam/fulltext/2006/11000/burnout_and_risk_of_type_2_diabetes__a_prospective.8.aspx

Melamed, S., Shirom, A., Toker, S., Berliner, S., & Shapira, I. (2006). Burnout and risk of cardiovascular disease: Evidence, possible causal paths, and promising research directions. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 327-353.

🔗 https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2006-06233-001.html

Rogowski, O., Shapira, I., Toker, S., Melamed, S., Shirom, A., Berliner, S., et al. (2005). Obesity-related correlation between C-reactive protein and the calculated 10-y Framingham Coronary Heart Disease Risk Score. International Journal of Obesity, 29(7), 772-777.

🔗 https://www.nature.com/articles/0802939

Rogowski, O., Toker, S., Shapira, I., Melamed, S., Shirom, A., Zeltser, D., et al. (2005). Values of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in each month of the year in apparently healthy individuals. American Journal of Cardiology, 95(1), 152-155.

🔗 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002914904014705?via%3Dihub

Mardi, T., Toker, S., Melamed, S., Shirom, A., Zeltser, D., Shapira, I., et al. (2005). Increased erythropoiesis and subclinical inflammation as part of the metabolic syndrome. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 69(3), 249-255.

🔗 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168822705000318?via%3Dihub

Toker, S., Shirom, A., Shapira, I., Berliner, S., & Melamed, S. (2005). The association between burnout, depression, anxiety, and inflammation biomarkers: C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, in men and women. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 10(4), 344-362.

🔗 https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2005-13344-005.html

Melamed, S., Shirom, A., Toker, S., Berliner, S., & Shapira, I. (2004). Association of fear of terror with low grade inflammation among apparently healthy employed adults. Psychosomatic Medicine, 66, 481-491.

🔗 https://journals.lww.com/bsam/fulltext/2004/07000/association_of_fear_of_terror_with_low_grade.4.aspx

Toker, S., Rogowski, O., Melamed, S., Shirom, A., Shapira, I., Berliner, S., et al. (2004). Association of components of the metabolic syndrome with the appearance of aggregated red blood cells in the peripheral blood. An unfavorable hemorheological finding. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews, 21, 197-202.

🔗 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dmrr.502