Occupational Psychology is the study and application of human behaviour at the workplace. It is an applied discipline in the field of psychology. It is also known as Industrial-Organizational Psychology or industrial psychology And Work Psychology.
Occupational psychology can help companies, organizations and organizational leaders achieve success by increasing job satisfaction, motivation, performance, leadership skills and productivity. Psychology also includes occupational psychology—safety and health of Workers’ overall health and well-being.
Occupational psychologists are concerned with people’s performance at work, how organizations function and how individuals and small groups behave. They are used to rise the effectiveness of the organization and improve the individual’s job satisfaction. Occupational psychology is wide and touches on ergonomics, time management and personnel. The work can also be in advisory, teaching and research roles and administrative and technical roles.
Occupational psychologists use their psychological knowledge, psychological principles and techniques to solve work-related problems, problems, and challenges.
Who employs an occupational psychologist?
Industrial-Organizational psychologists are more likely to work in larger companies and industries with higher levels of responsibility or are under tremendous pressure. These organizational psychologists often work in conjunction with other professionals in these fields and offer valuable advice.
Many times, larger companies have in-house occupational psychologists. These people work in consultancies and agencies with more than one client.
Why do you need an occupational psychologist in your workplace
If employees have problems with their mental health, performance and overall well-being, a business can’t function. Companies employ an I-O psychologist to evaluate and assess employees, processes, analytic skills and work environments.
These consultants offer psychological advice that can help you solve problems, improve individual employee performance, employee satisfaction, employee wellness, and increase employee job satisfaction.
Industrial-Organizational psychologists have the chance to be very satisfied with their work because they can make fundamental positive changes in people’s lives through the application of psychological theory.
Career options of an occupational psychologist
As mentioned, there are many options for graduates. They could be trained to work in teaching, consulting, job training, customer service, or time management. It has varied job opportunities.
Responsibilities of an I-O psychologist
Occupational psychologists can offer psychological insight and assistance in many areas of HR activity, including recruitment, talent or career development, and organizational change.
Sometimes, they may even be responsible for providing individual counselling for employees regarding their mental health, stress, and well-being. They are instrumental in helping employees cope with redundancy and strike action, as well as disciplinary hearings.
Skills you need to be a successful I-O psychologist
The responsibilities of an occupational psychologist are often more varied than those of other psychology-based professionals like the industrial psychologist or the forensic psychologist.
In other instances, an licensed psychologist may work with organizational leaders to deal with multiple relevant business issues, such as organizational development, professional development, leadership training and employee work-life balance.
An I-O psychologist may be brought in as a consultant to an organization to deal with a specific issue, such as employee morale.
They employ less formal, interactive tasks as well as systematic testing tools and assessment tools. Psychometric testing is something you may have heard of but not sure what it is. These tests are not just a simple set of questions asking you about your emotions. These tests are designed by occupational psychologists and administered during interview and assessment sessions. These tests are designed to help employees identify their specific interpersonal skills and personality traits.
What are the Educational Requirements to Become an I-O Psychologist?
To become an occupational psychologist, you need to have at least a Master’s degree in psychology. However, most employers require a PhD degree. Furthermore, a doctoral degree in psychology is necessary to use the “psychologist” title and practice independently.
Although psychologists typically need a doctoral degree in psychology, a master’s degree may be sufficient for school and industrial-organizational psychology positions.
Take courses in business management organizational psychology is highly recommended that you consider mediation, employment law, and mediation. Many I-O psychologist have both. Counselling degree and business degree. Each school has its graduate program for I-O psychologist. Most schools require that undergraduate applicants have attained a minimum of a 1300 GRE score and maintained a B grade throughout their undergraduate studies. Graduate education often focuses on consumer psychology and professional consultation. It also emphasizes diversity in the workplace, organizational skills, and the importance of the human workforce.
