What is Industrial-organizational Psychology?
Industrial-organizational psychology is the study of individual, group and organizational dynamics in a place of work. Those dynamics can be different in different workplaces. By using the scientific method in order to study human behavior in a place of work, a psychologist is able to determine how well teams communicate, whether or not workers are invested in the company and how happy people are in their jobs and how that correlates to their productivity, efficiency and absenteeism rate.
During the early 20th century, much focus was directed towards understanding motivation and productivity in the workplace. Interest in issues related to selection and hiring quickly developed when there was a need to better screen and assign recruits for army jobs during WWI. Assessments of cognitive ability, psychomotor skills, and personality were developed to differentiate between individuals. These programs are the root of all personnel testing. The development of these tests rapidly advanced the science of hiring.
What an Industrial-organizational Psychologist Does
Every workplace has problems. Some of those could be unique to the people who work there, and others could be common based on the type of work that is done. Every problem will be somewhat different based on the people and place involved. An industrial-organizational psychologist assesses the individuals and groups in a place of work as well as the policies, procedures, and environment of the workplace. The psychologist identifies problems and uses research in order to choose and implement solutions. The solutions are designed to improve the well-being and success of the workers and the workplace.
How an Industrial-organizational Psychologist Solves Workplace Problems?
An industrial-organizational psychologist looks at particular questions in order to solve workplace problems. For example, they might ask how decisions are made. The industrial-organizational psychologist might also ask how effective the communications are between colleagues or between workers and the management team. An industrial-organizational psychologist also designs, conducts and analyzes research studies related to interactions in the workplace. They use the data collected in order to analyze findings and find out which problem-solving methods work and which ones do not. The work of an industrial-organizational psychologist could improve worker morale, boost efficiency, decrease absenteeism or lower the turnover rate. All of these activities can result in a business that is better for workers and more profitable.
