What Do Industrial-Organizational Psychologists Do?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEmployee Selection and RecruitmentJob Training and DevelopmentEmployee Wellness and Life QualityWorkplace ErgonomicsOrganizational DevelopmentPerformance Management and EnhancementTeaching and Education

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Employee Selection and Recruitment

Job Training and Development

Employee Wellness and Life Quality

Workplace Ergonomics

Organizational Development

Performance Management and Enhancement

Teaching and Education

Industrial-organizational psychologists (also called I/O or I-O psychologists) apply psychological principles and knowledge to situations in the workplace. They focus on employee behavior and look for ways to improve workplace performance, satisfaction, and safety.

At a GlanceI/O psychology perform a range of important duties when it comes to understanding and supporting workplace behavior. This may involve selecting the right employees for specific roles, providing training and professional development, maximizing productivity, and supporting employee well-being. Let’s take a closer look at some of the major topics that anI/O psychologistmight explore in their work.

At a Glance

I/O psychology perform a range of important duties when it comes to understanding and supporting workplace behavior. This may involve selecting the right employees for specific roles, providing training and professional development, maximizing productivity, and supporting employee well-being. Let’s take a closer look at some of the major topics that anI/O psychologistmight explore in their work.

Hiring the right people for the job is essential to the success of any company, and I/O psychologists often work alongside human resources personnel to select candidates best suited to specific job roles.

Industrial-organizational psychologists may also be involved in developing screening tests that are used during the hiring process.

I/O psychologists are also concerned with using psychology to help train employees. This can include assessing which types of skills are needed to perform certain jobs as well as teaching managers techniques that can help them successfully motivate and work with employees.

An I/O psychologist might be charged with developing a program to help managers improve their communication skills, develop a strong management style, and enhance theirproblem-solvingabilities.

This can help ensure that the workplace is fair and equitable while also helping workers strike an ideal balance between the demands of home and work.

I/O psychologists also work to help maintain a mentally and physically healthy workforce. This process often begins with the development of job roles themselves, and I/O psychologists may be tasked with designing jobs that are rewarding.

Creating ahealthy work environment, developing fair compensation programs, and ensuring that employees have rights are just a few topics of interest in this area.

Industrial-organizational psychologists can also play an important role in helping employees cope with stressors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, these professionals played an important role in helping workers cope with stress, loneliness, depression, and the challenges of working remotely.

As businesses increasingly realize that healthy employees are better-performing employees, the demand for industrial-organizational psychologists may increase.

One topic that comes to mind when people think about I/O psychology is the area known as ergonomics, or the process of designing equipment and work procedures that are best suited to human abilities and limitations.

Professionals who specialize in this area are often charged with designing work-related products and environments that are safe and maximize productivity. For example, an I/O psychologist might help create a computer interface that helps people focus at work.

The Basics of Human Factors Psychology

Businesses often need to find ways to maximize their efficiency and improve their productivity. I-O psychologists often investigate various aspects of an organization and conduct research to find ways to optimize both effectiveness and efficiency.

The hierarchy and structure of a business organization can often impact its productivity and profitability.

I/O psychologists will often evaluate how organizations are structured to discover weaknesses and bring about positive changes that maximize efficiency,job satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness.

Many I/O psychologists work as consultants. This means that companies may hire them to understand and solve a specific problem they are experiencing.

Businesses are also concerned with helping their employees perform to the best of their potential. This can boost employee productivity as well as helping workers feel more fulfilled, satisfied, and committed to their work.

I/O psychologists will often look for ways to help employees do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. This often involves performing assessments of existing employees andproviding feedbackon how managers perform their jobs and interact with employees.

Some industrial-organizational psychology work in teaching and higher education. In addition to teaching courses in I/O psychology, they also conduct research and publish their findings in professional journals.

This helps train a new generation of industrial-organizational psychology and adds to our body of knowledge on the subject. Professionals can then take these findings and apply the information to solve real-world problems.

What This Means For YouAccording to theOccupational Outlook Handbookfrom the Bureau of Labor Statistics, industrial-organizational psychology is expected to be one of the fastest-growing psychologycareersthrough 2032.Industrial-organizational psychology is a rich and varied field, and professionals in this area perform various tasks. This can be an exciting and rewarding career area with growth opportunities.

What This Means For You

According to theOccupational Outlook Handbookfrom the Bureau of Labor Statistics, industrial-organizational psychology is expected to be one of the fastest-growing psychologycareersthrough 2032.Industrial-organizational psychology is a rich and varied field, and professionals in this area perform various tasks. This can be an exciting and rewarding career area with growth opportunities.

According to theOccupational Outlook Handbookfrom the Bureau of Labor Statistics, industrial-organizational psychology is expected to be one of the fastest-growing psychologycareersthrough 2032.

Industrial-organizational psychology is a rich and varied field, and professionals in this area perform various tasks. This can be an exciting and rewarding career area with growth opportunities.

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5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fisher E, Thomas RS, Higgins MK, Williams CJ, Choi I, McCauley LA.Finding the right candidate: Developing hiring guidelines for screening applicants for clinical research coordinator positions.J Clin Transl Sci. 2021;6(1):e20. doi:10.1017/cts.2021.853Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists.Occupational Outlook Handbook.Gardner AK, Ahmed RA.Industrial and Organizational Psychology in Medical Simulation. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Moralo TS, Graupner LI.The role of the industrial psychologist in managing the psychological impact of COVID-19 in the workplace.Front Psychol. 2022;13:920894. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.920894American Psychological Association.Pursuing a career in I/O psychology.Additional ReadingAmerican Psychological Association.Industrial and organizational psychology.

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fisher E, Thomas RS, Higgins MK, Williams CJ, Choi I, McCauley LA.Finding the right candidate: Developing hiring guidelines for screening applicants for clinical research coordinator positions.J Clin Transl Sci. 2021;6(1):e20. doi:10.1017/cts.2021.853Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists.Occupational Outlook Handbook.Gardner AK, Ahmed RA.Industrial and Organizational Psychology in Medical Simulation. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Moralo TS, Graupner LI.The role of the industrial psychologist in managing the psychological impact of COVID-19 in the workplace.Front Psychol. 2022;13:920894. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.920894American Psychological Association.Pursuing a career in I/O psychology.Additional ReadingAmerican Psychological Association.Industrial and organizational psychology.

Fisher E, Thomas RS, Higgins MK, Williams CJ, Choi I, McCauley LA.Finding the right candidate: Developing hiring guidelines for screening applicants for clinical research coordinator positions.J Clin Transl Sci. 2021;6(1):e20. doi:10.1017/cts.2021.853Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists.Occupational Outlook Handbook.Gardner AK, Ahmed RA.Industrial and Organizational Psychology in Medical Simulation. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Moralo TS, Graupner LI.The role of the industrial psychologist in managing the psychological impact of COVID-19 in the workplace.Front Psychol. 2022;13:920894. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.920894American Psychological Association.Pursuing a career in I/O psychology.

Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists.Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Gardner AK, Ahmed RA.Industrial and Organizational Psychology in Medical Simulation. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023.

Moralo TS, Graupner LI.The role of the industrial psychologist in managing the psychological impact of COVID-19 in the workplace.Front Psychol. 2022;13:920894. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.920894

American Psychological Association.Pursuing a career in I/O psychology.

American Psychological Association.Industrial and organizational psychology.

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What This Means For You