Fundamentals of Industrial and Organizational Psychology - Research Paper Example

?Fundamentals of Industrial and Organizational Psychology Industrial Organizational psychology often known as I-O psychology isa branch of psychology that pertain psychological theories and ideologies to organizations. It is a field focusing on increasing productivity at the workplace and related issues such as the mental and physical welfare of employees. It is a field which provides a fundamental notion that is crucial in the improvement of the environment’s quality for employees (Rogelberg, 2002, p. 8). Also, enhances positive and efficiency of the employees’ behavior. The evolution of Industrial Organizational psychology became acknowledged in the 20th century going back to the late 18th century and early 1900s. I-O psychology has had immense influences to many societies. In periods of the industrial revolution, Industrial Organizational psychology became relevant, and an asset to organizations and industries hitherto (Britt, 2008, p. 32). This paper will discuss the fundamentals underlying the Industrial Organizational psychology concept. I-O psychology involves two sides. First, the Industrial part looks on how to match individuals to particular tasks. It is a segment of psychology which may be sometimes called personnel psychology. Folks who deal in this segment of psychology might assess employee personality and match them to jobs they are likely to perform perfectly (Van Vianen & De Dreu, 2001, p. 102). This segment involves other functions. I. Training employees II. Measuring job performance III. Developing proper standards for job performance Second, the organizational segment of psychology focuses on understanding how individual behaviors may be influenced by organizations. The influential factors encompass social norms, organizational structure, role and expectations, and styles of management. Through a proper analysis of such factors, the Industrial Organizational psychologists anticipate improvements in individual performance (Guzzo & Shea, 1992, p. 267). This benefits the entire organization. With the underlying pedigree in experimental psychology, I-O psychology comprises a number of distinguishing sub-areas like personnel psychology, human computer interaction, and human factors (Landy & Conte, 2004, p. 12). Industrial Organizational psychology entails some key areas. I. Development and training: in this area, professionals often determine the necessary and type of skills for performing particular jobs. In addition, it evaluates and develops employee training programs. II. Employee selection: involves structuring employee selection assessments like screening tests to verify if the job applicants qualify for specific positions (Guion, 1998, p. 25). III. Ergonomics: is a field that engages designing procedures and equipments to minimize injuries and maximize performance. IV. Work life: this area entails improving satisfaction of employees and optimizing the workforce productivity. I-O psychologists dealing with this area might employ rewarding system in jobs or design programs that perk up the quality of life within the places of work. V. Performance management: the I-O psychologists within this area build up techniques and assessments to determine if the employees are performing their duties in a well organized manner. VI. Organizational development: the Industrial Organizational psychologists working in this area support organizational improvement. This is through redesigning products, increasing profits and initiating the organizational structure improvement. Workers within an organization require motivation to gain job satisfaction and improve their job performance (Pinder, 2008, p. 79). The Industrial Organizational psychologists apply fundamental theories for motivation to enhance proper job performance, and establish strong relationships between employees and managers. These theories involve fulfilling the employees a variety of needs, cognitive process, expectations, and goals at work. The Maslow’s hierarchy of needs applies to offer the clarification of how the environment at work motivates employees. Employees at work strive to fulfill their needs hierarchically. Employees would be motivated to work so as to satisfy the physiological basic needs for survival. The safety needs is the next level of needs where the worker feels safe within the existing environment. Another satisfaction includes the psycho emotional needs such as love and belonging. Self esteem entails mastery and competence. Self actualization is the highest order of needs in which few individuals can satisfy. The Industrial Organizational psychology would apply the need based theories. The key concepts for need for achievement theory encompass achievement, authority, and affiliation. Achievement involves seeking feedback, sense of accomplishment, and position advancement. Authority entails the need to lead, be heard by others and cause an impact. Affiliation involves the need for social and friendly environment among others and to be liked. I-O psychologists assist employers in structuring task related goals for workers within organizations (Aube & Rousseau, 2005, p. 201). They aim at goals which are specific, attainable, feedback providing, and appropriately difficult. The aim of designing these goals is to stimulate tunnel vision focus within the worker. Feedback from the employee’s self-efficacy and the employer must be present during setting goals. The fundamental feedback should be seen in the group or employee in striving to achieve the set goals. Motivation in the work place is a cognitive evaluation process in which the employee seeks to balance between efforts and rewards in the workplace. Equity theory of cognitive process explains employee inputs as: quality and work volume; skills and knowledge; attributes and behaviors; and performance (Landy & Conte, 2004, p. 32). The organization’s generated rewards or outcomes include advancement opportunities, praise and compensation. Under compensated employees adjust their behaviors to attain equilibrium in a number of ways: I. Adjust or change the relative standard which he or she compares own situations II. Reduce the levels of inputs to amounts he or she believes matches compensation levels III. Withdraw or address the state with his employer by inquiring for raise IV. Adjusts his perception cognitively about his inputs and rewards received. Fundamentals of equity theory extend concepts of organizational justice. It points out the significance of fairness opinions in the work place. Organizations should apply fairness perceptions such as procedural justice, distributive justice, and interactional justice. Distributive justice is a perception of impartiality of a person’s outcomes. Interactional justice ensures fair treatment of respect and dignity. Procedural justice provides fair criteria of procedures used to decide one’s rewards. Managers within organizations create fair organizational procedures and policies by being: consistent to every party in the organization; accurate and free from bias; representative to all concerns; correctable and based on the prevailing ethics (Koppes, 2007, p. 98). In designing the reward system within the organization, managers apply the expectancy theory. If procedures and policies are fairly, clearly and consistently implemented, then the organization becomes productive (Hughes, Ginnet & Curphy, 2009, p. 69). It posits workers satisfaction as an outcome of performance than a source of performance. Motivation can be fortified based on anticipation. If the employee expects a high chance of success in their actions and that their actions will lead to valued outcomes, then there is where they direct their efforts. In conclusion, Industrial Organizational psychology has fundamentals that apply to the present, past and future organizations. Managers study workers behaviors, and implement procedures that may motivate their employees to raise their job performance for productivity. References: Aube, C., & Rousseau, V. (2005). Team Goal Commitment and Team Effectiveness: The Role of Task Interdependence and Supportive Behaviors. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 9, 189-204. Britt, T. W. (2008). Organizational Psychology. Hoboke, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Guion, R. M. (1998). Assessment, Measurement and Prediction for Personnel Decisions. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Guzzo, R. A., & Shea, G. P. (1992). Group Performance and Intergroup Relations in Organizations. Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 3, 213-269. Hughes, R. L., Ginnett, R. C., & Curphy, G. J. (2009). Leadership: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience (6th Edition). Boston: McGraw-Hill. Koppes, L. L. (2007). Historical Perspective in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Landy, J. F., & Conte, M.J. (2004). Work in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 3rd Edition. New York: Baruch College, City University. Pinder, C. C. (2008). Work Motivation in Organizational Behavior (2nd Edition). New York: Psychology Press. Rogelberg, S.G. (2002). Handbook of Research Methods in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Malden, MA: Blackwell. Van Vianen, A. E. M., & De Dreu, C.K. W. (2001). Personality in Teams: Its Relationship to Social Cohesion, Task Cohesion, and Team Performance. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 10(2), 97-120. Read More