JW

1.1. Field of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (I/O Psychology) - Key Terms

The Field of Industrial and Organizational Psychology

  • I/O Psychology is about understanding behavior at work.
  • Names vary by region:
    • "occupational psychology" in the UK
    • "work psychology" in Europe
    • "industrial and organizational psychology" in the US
  • Despite different names, they describe the same field.
  • Key definitions:
    • Borman et al. (2003): focuses on behaviors that improve organizational success and employee well-being.
    • Rothmann and Cooper (2022): explores the relationship between individuals and organizations to boost efficiency and effectiveness; research centers on both the worker and the organization.

Two main areas

  • Work psychology: Focuses on managing people; often known as human resource management (HRM).
  • Organizational psychology: Looks at how organizations function; often called organizational behavior.

Human Resource Management

  • Focuses on managing people in organizations.
  • Main goals:
    • Supporting organizational goals: Aligns employees with the company’s objectives.
    • Building a high-performance culture: Encourages productivity and motivation.
    • Ensuring skilled employees: Attracts and retains talented workers.
    • Maintaining good relationships: Promotes trust and resolves conflicts.
    • Providing positive experiences: Enhances employee satisfaction and loyalty.
    • Promoting well-being: Supports physical and mental health.
  • Managing ethically: Ensures fairness and builds trust.

Work psychology tasks

  • Human resource planning: Ensuring enough employees with the right skills are available.
  • Job analysis and descriptions: Understanding roles, responsibilities, and required qualifications.
  • Recruitment and selection: Attracting and hiring suitable candidates.
  • Induction, training, and development: Helping employees adapt, learn, and grow.
  • Career development: Guiding employees in their long-term growth.
  • Job evaluation and compensation: Determining fair pay and rewards.
  • Performance management: Monitoring and improving employee effectiveness.

Organizational Behavior

  • According to Wagner and Hollenbeck (2010), organizational behavior studies how people act in workplaces to understand, explain, predict, and improve their actions.
  • It focuses on three levels:
    • Micro: Individuals.
    • Meso: Groups and teams.
    • Macro: The whole organization.
  • Rothmann and Cooper (2022) highlight that organizational psychology examines topics such as:
    • Individual differences and inclusion: Embracing diversity.
    • Motivation: What drives performance.
    • Communication: Sharing information effectively.
    • Leadership: Guiding and influencing others.
    • Group dynamics: How teams function.

Health and well-being; Organizational design and culture

  • Health and well-being: Supporting employee wellness.
  • Organizational design and culture: Structuring and shaping the workplace.