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Lesson 05

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6 views

Lesson 05

Uploaded by

rokirokia
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Lesson: 05

What does an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist Do?


Early industrial-organizational psychologists mainly focused on job efficiency, such as optimizing
the number of items a factory worker could inspect per workday. Today, I-O psychologists use
scientific methods to apply psychological principles across a wide range of areas, including
administration, human resources, personnel psychology, marketing, management, and training.
Their ultimate goal is to identify and solve problems relating to the workplace.

Today’s industrial-organizational psychologists may:

 Determine barriers to company growth and employee productivity


 Design measures to examine workplace performance and job satisfaction
 Formulate more effective training programs
 Optimize the work environment to promote quality of life for employees
 Identify core personality traits that work best for specific roles and skills
 Help companies select and promote the best candidates
 Evaluate the effectiveness of newly implemented training programs or workplace protocols
 Research consumer behavior and marketing trends

Industrial-organizational psychologists may be employed in a variety of settings, such as


consulting firms, I-O psychology consulting firms, research and development firms, colleges and
universities, large corporations, psychology companies, and community organizations. In addition
to working in-house or by consultation, I-O psychologists also work with research groups to
explore aspects of employment such as using research methods to improve employee
engagement and job analysis.

What Does an Industrial Organizational Psychologist Do?

IO psychologists study human behavior in workplace settings to identify solutions to problems that
affect an organization's bottom line or that lead to an improved work environment for employees.
IO psychology careers often coincide with human resource duties unless an organization has
enough resources to create a separate learning and development department.

Practitioners working internally for a company often carry out performance evaluations, data
analytics, or training and development. In this role, practitioners often work with other HR
professionals and directly with employees.
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Internal IO psychologists may need to hold meetings with management and senior executives.
External IO psychologists often work more closely with management and senior executives, as
these individuals hire IO psychologists to solve a particular issue.

IO psychologists possess an in-demand skill set that qualifies practitioners for opportunities in any
industry. Work settings may include factories, hospitals, or white collar offices. Though IO
psychology is the scientific study of human behavior, practitioners do not need access to a lab. In
fact, IO psychologists can complete most of their work from their computer.

Skills and Competencies:

The best IO psychologists possess a high degree of emotional intelligence. They can pinpoint their
own emotions or biases, as well as those of others, and respond to them effectively. IO
psychologists must also engage in critical thinking to uncover the issues within an organization.
Other necessary career skills include resourcefulness, creativity, and organization.

In fact, IO psychologists benefit from adaptability, as this field is highly dynamic. Even when
contracted for a specific concern, practitioners often uncover other issues that require additional
attention. External practitioners also need to adapt easily, since contracted services last for a
limited amount of time.

IO psychologists should demonstrate strong data analysis skills, since success is measured by
improvements within an organization. Additionally, IO psychologists must possess excellent
communication abilities to present findings in a way that clients can understand and use.

Activities
Answer the following questions

1. What was the main focus of early industrial-organizational psychologists?


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2. What scientific methods do modern industrial-organizational psychologists use, and for what
purpose?
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3. List at least three activities that today’s I-O psychologists engage in.
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4. What types of organizations or settings might employ I-O psychologists?
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5. How does the work of internal I-O psychologists differ from that of external I-O psychologists?
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6. Why is emotional intelligence important for I-O psychologists?
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7. What skill is especially important for I-O psychologists in presenting findings to clients?
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8. Why might adaptability be a valuable skill for I-O psychologists?
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9. What role does data analysis play in the success of an I-O psychologist?
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10. What are some specific functions that I-O psychologists fulfill to improve employee engagement?
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