Psychology at Work An

Introduction

Dr. Tanusree Chakraborty

Topic Coverage

Introduction: Meaning, definition, evolution and scope of

Organizational Psychology

Subject matter and functions of Organizational

Psychology

Development of Organizational Psychology.

Role of an Organizational Psychologist.

Introduction

Industrial and organizational psychology is the

scientific study of human behavior in the workplace and
applies psychological theories and principles to
organizations.

PSYCHOLOGY?

What is Industrial and

Organisational (I/O) Psychology?

The science of people at work

Industrial and Organisational Psychology is a specialist

area that applies psychological knowledge and skills to
the workplace, with the aim of improving organisational
effectiveness and the quality of work life.

Evolution

Industrial/Organizational Psychology

I/O psychology examines how individual behavior affects,

and is affected by, the physical environment and the
organizational structure of the workplace
Human factors psychology: how to improve machine design and

function
Personnel psychology: worker recruitment, testing, and training
Organizational psychology: managerial style

Hawthorne Studies

Early I/O psychologists studied worker productivity

in the factory
What physical factors (e.g. lighting) govern worker

productivity?
1924 study conducted at the Hawthorne factory of Western
Electric failed to find that physical environment factors
controlled productivity
Rather, any changes made increased productivity
Conclusion: Mere observation of a worker is sufficient to
change their behavior (termed the Hawthorne effect)

Human Factors Psychology

The focus of human factors psychology is to improve the

design and function of machines and the work
environment

Humans and machines form an interdependent system

Machine has displays and controls (displays allow for
human perception, controls allow the human to control
the machine)
Displays and controls can be fine-tuned to prevent
accidents and improve performance

Human-Machine
Interaction

Population Served

The distinct focus of I/O psychology is on human

behavior in work settings.

Therefore, the populations affected by the practice of I/O

psychology include individuals in and applicants to
business, industry, labor, public (including non-profit),
academic, community and health organizations.

What is I/O psychology?

The application of psychological principles to the workplace

(anywhere people work)

Help people do their jobs

help employers treat employees fairly
help make jobs more interesting and satisfying
help workers be more productive

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What is I/O psychology?

Treat employees fairly
Treat

people from diverse backgrounds

fairly
select people for jobs
provide training
reward promotions/raises
address harassment

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Subject matter and functions of Organizational

Psychology

Subject Matter

Job analysis and evaluation

Conducting studies on organizational behavior and workermanagement interactions

Getting the right people- Recruiting and Selecting Talent

Analyzing corporate culture and individual/group interactions

developing and evaluating employee selection and appraisal
techniques assessing corporate leadership and employee
motivation strategies

Subject Matter

Individual Development, Coaching mentoring and

counseling, Appraisal linked training.

Identifying causes ofand resolutions tointernal

conflicts advising management of the potential
psychological and social impact of corporate policies

Organizational Development and Change Management

SPECIFIC AREAS OF
CONCERN

Recruiting and selecting employees for jobs

Training employees
Assessing performance
Defining and analyzing jobs
Determining people feel about work
Determining why people act as they do at
work
Effects work has on people
Effects people have on one another
How organizations are structured and function
Designing work
Designing tools and equipment
Employee Health and Safety

I/O AS A PROFESSION

Graduate degree necessary (MA or Ph.D.)

Content of graduate training
Basic psychology
Research methods (heavy emphasis)
I/O content
Thesis, Dissertation
Qualifying exam
Internship, practica
Entry requirements very competitive
SIOP website for most US programs (www.siop.org)
Employment
Little or no unemployment
Academic and nonacademic market strong
Field expanding and becoming popular

Summary

I/0 psychologists employ psychological measurement

and research findings related to human abilities,
motivation, perception, and learning in seeking to
improve the fit between the needs of the work
organization and those of the people who populate it.

Work Profile

Identify training and development needs;

Design and optimize job and work and quality of work
life;
Formulate and implement training programs and
evaluate their effectiveness;
Coach employees;
Develop criteria to evaluate performance of individuals
and organizations; and
Assess consumer preferences, customer satisfaction
and market strategies.

I/O Psychologists have knowledge and skills in

areas such as:

Selection and
assessment
Job analysis
Training and
development
Career development
and coaching
Organisational
development and
change management
Attitude surveys and
research on workplace
issues

Performance
development and review
Wellbeing, conflict,
stress and work
adjustment
Occupational health and
safety
Program evaluation
Consumer behaviour
and marketing
Advisory and advocacy
regarding workplace
issues

Understand Why People Seek Jobs

One function of industrial-organizational psychology is to

study the reasons why people seek the jobs that they
do, and what can be done to help make their work
environment more stimulating.
Attract Good Employees
A second important function of industrial-organizational
psychology is to attract hard-working, motivated individuals
through the hiring process.

Create Testing Rubrics

A third important function of industrial-organizational

psychology is to create testing rubrics for all functions of
the workplace.

Job Tasks
Develop

and implement employee selection and placement programs.

Analyze

job requirements and content to establish criteria for classification, selection,

training, and other related personnel functions.

Develop

interview techniques, rating scales, and psychological tests used to assess skills,
abilities, and interests for the purpose of employee selection, placement, and promotion.

Advise

management concerning personnel, managerial, and marketing policies and

practices and their potential effects on organizational effectiveness and efficiency.

Analyze

data, using statistical methods and applications, to evaluate the outcomes and
effectiveness of workplace programs.

Assess

employee performance.

Observe

and interview workers to obtain information about the physical, mental, and
educational requirements of jobs as well as information about aspects such as job
satisfaction.

Job Tasks
Write

reports on research findings and implications to contribute to general knowledge and to suggest
potential changes in organizational functioning.

Facilitate
Identify

organizational development and change.

training and development needs.

Formulate

and implement training programs, applying principles of learning and individual differences.

Study

organizational effectiveness, productivity, and efficiency, including the nature of workplace

supervision and leadership.

Conduct

research studies of physical work environments, organizational structures, communication

systems, group interactions, morale, and motivation to assess organizational functioning.

Counsel

workers about job and career-related issues.

Study

consumers' reactions to new products and package designs, and to advertising efforts, using
surveys and tests.

Participate

in mediation and dispute resolution.

What is I-O Psychology?

Application of psychological principles to address

problems of human behavior at work, e.g.:
Increase motivation and teamwork
Improve leadership and governance
Improve employee recruitment, selection & retention
Increase organizational performance & effectiveness
Increase job satisfaction, participation, & involvement
Improve communication, decision-making, & conflict resolution
Reduce needlessly high levels of stress

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