Organizational Psychology is a subject that the principles of psychology is in one of the most important areas of work of people’s lives -. Specifically, we work with the human aspects of the workplace and the effectiveness of individuals and thus increase organizational efficiency, through our understanding of the workings of man.

There is a group of professionals who share a common goal and work closely with us, the human resource professionals. Despite the close relationship with human resource professionals, organizational psychologists are professionals distinctive. Unfortunately, there is still some confusion in the public that people can not just say who is who. More importantly, HR professionals know not what we do and what we can offer them.

If we say that we are psychologists, a frequent response is, “but we have no mental problems”

What the psychologists of the organization, we work work with a variety of areas of people’s lives are connected each day. We design activities, dates and places of work, we design principles based on theories of human motivation reward, we develop principles for training of trainers and training, we develop selection procedures and tools, we make rating systems and advise us on issues of organizational development and the decisions of professional development.

As you can see our work touches all people on the planet and our field of work very closely with the work of HR professionals.

While there are some areas between organizational psychology and Human Resource Management (HRM) overlap, there are fundamental differences between us.

The first and perhaps the most obvious difference between us is the knowledge base. As psychologists, we base our work mainly on the science. All work must be substantiated by scientific evidence and statistics, always in our toolbox.

However, HRM is essentially a study carried out, focusing more on the practical side, with less emphasis on science. Furthermore, in addition to work on overlapping areas, we work at different levels. Psychologists of the organization to focus more on design and development of methods, tools and principles, so that HR professionals work more at the operational level, such as the implementation of selection systems and principles of training in the actual training scenarios.

The gap between the knowledge base of organizational psychologists and human resource professionals has documented in scientific journals.

For example, Sally Carless and his colleagues conclude that although there have major advances in research on human resources, the daily practice of human resource at least benefits. They found that this is the lack of knowledge among HR professionals, especially if the formation of human resources focused on skills and general knowledge of science professionals.

However, the training of psychologists in the organization following the example of the scientist-practitioner who focuses on research and practical skills and provides that the practice will be supported by scientific evidence must be built.

Another reason may lie in the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirement. What is the psychology of the organization a legal education requirement for registration, which they keep updated with the latest developments in the area allows. However, there is no obligation for HR professionals. Carless confirmed that organizational psychologists expert in this area, particularly in the field of study and selection are articulated, that the authors of scientific integrity is a key differentiator of I / O (organizational) psychologists. “

After a closely related field work, our work is indeed complementary. Without organizational psychologists in the design and development of HR processes and various tools that HR professionals do not enjoy these scientific products and very effective.

On the other hand, without the help of HR professionals, we have never considered the situation, our work on such a large number of people. In addition, our relationship is much more complex and interactive than they could be informed. Besides the mentioned user-supplier relationship, HR professionals are also partners, consultants and suppliers sometimes for psychologists of the organization.

HR professionals are our partners in projects in which we, the technical skills and knowledge, while the support of the operational component. In addition, HR professionals are experts in their business, so we work side by side for the consulting work, where we have to help the domestic affairs, as we provide an overview of insiders.

More importantly, HR professionals frequent user of our products and services, we rely heavily on their opinions and wishes in the development of our products and services. They are also suppliers of valuable data and participants for us to scientific studies (eg, validation of tools for assessing performance). Overall, we are interdependent parts of the network of relationships, rather than independent parties or competitors.

His organizational psychologists, we can provide HR professionals? A lot. With know-how in the assessment of human characteristics and knowledge about human performance, we are experts in the selection.

Based on an understanding of job requirements and the characteristics necessary for a particular position we reach an ideal candidate, indicating that the organization is looking for. Then we can design or select the appropriate tools to accurately measure the required characteristics, knowledge and skills.

Research results indicate that create these procedures to us the best system of selection that predict the future performance of the staff can can. Do not be surprised that the best selection of tools such as psychometric tests, assessment centers, structured interviews and standardized selection procedures are all designed and developed by psychologists of the organization.

A further contribution to the profession of psychologists in the area of organizational training of human resources. A quick glance at the education market is flooded with shows that many training courses and providers.

Obviously the quality is variable and some of them do not even know what they say! Our company has undertaken its own work for the customers who have come here with trainers who have simply taken information from the Internet, an exercise without any real understanding of the object seems unhappy!

What the psychologists of the organization we are working hard to reverse this situation. We are experts in designing the training to understand how some people and learn how people learn best! In the design and provision of training, scientific theories and principles of human learning training to be followed, not only by intuition or experience only. Factors such as the transfer of learning into account the specific needs of the organization and maintenance of learning in its entirety.

Besides the selection and training, organizational psychologists, various advisory and consulting services for HR professionals. The work area can be as small as the test of a checklist of performance or assessment center exercise high as the design of a custom selection of the system.

In addition, we can also go inside the organization, diagnose basic problems and solve them accordingly with our scientific approach and advanced knowledge on the mechanisms and dynamics at work.

But, as earlier in this section, an obstacle we face is lack of knowledge about the profession within the profession of human resources (especially in Asia), and the general public.

The implication that we often with questions like “What is organizational psychology is?” Confronted: “What is the difference between psychologists and HR consultants is that?” And even “why should I use tools and scientific methods?” It can be difficult to explain to potential customers! Another problem is people always think we are very expensive!

But the fact is, all products and services we offer are based on scientific research, which they have long and complex development and cost for all these huge resources. With our scientific tools and principles of the benefit is long term and continue to contribute to organizational performance, and they are all documented in the literature.

Another hook for us in Asia due to the organizational hierarchy. Very often the first point of contact between us and our customers are the agents of HR professionals, a basic knowledge of what we need to talk. If they do not understand that they simply do not relay our message to exactly their managers.

The result is obvious that the level of management do not receive our message and name of the organization psychology is just incredible, no matter how hard we try!

What organizational psychologists, we see a real need for the public, and more HR professionals on the subject of organizational psychology, so that the fruits of science can be returned to educate.

There is considerable overlap between the areas of industrial and organizational psychology, psychologist, is human resource professionals, such as the selection, training, professional development and performance management, but we are working at different levels and perspectives, and our relationship actually cooperation instead of competition.

Psychologists of the organization can provide support for human resources professionals in various fields such as design education, development of systems selection, monitoring of the processes of performance management and more. However, organizational psychologists obstacles Asia, there is the issue relatively unknown among HR professionals and communication is often blocked by the organizational hierarchy.

It is therefore an important task for us is that the organization of the psychologist about it, so people know what we can offer our know-how to promote and enjoy! We are confident that with the growing popularity of the question, HR specialists and other professionals such as Allied Career counselors and coaches will benefit greatly from organizational psychology.


Organizational Psychology