Importance, Scope and Applications of Industrial Psychology.



Industrial and organizational psychology involves research and application of the methods, facts and principles pf psychology to the people at work place. Psychology being a science of behavior and mental processes, Industrial/Organizational psychology aims at studying actions, behaviors, interaction among people, motivation, decision making etc.

As from the name industrial/organizational psychology caters to the requirements of industries and organizations equally. The applications of Industrial Psychology can be summarized as follows:

Job analysis
This is a process of analysis of different jobs ranging from the lowest to high ranks according to their duties, responsibilities, requirements etc.



Performance appraisal and feedback
This involves scrutinizing the performance of the employees & workers guiding them accordingly. This process enables to point out various deficiencies in the workers and their subsequent removal through proper feed back. Similarly good performers are given the due encouragement for persistency and further improvement.



Abilities and performance
This aspect of Industrial psychology caters to the inculcation, improvement and maintenance of the abilities critically important for effective management.



Workplace discrimination
Industrial psychology aims at understanding the workplace environment so as to check any discrimination among the employees on the bases of linguistic, racial, ethnic, religious background etc. The principles of Industrial psychology aim at removing discrimination among workers lowering the feeling of belongingness in industry. Hence, solid steps are taken to ensure better co ordination among employees.



Sexual harassment
The problem of sexual harassment is encountered in different organizations and industries worldwide. This problem is reported from lower to the executive level. I/O principles aim at better adapting the workers to their work environments so as to make the workers confident of their rights, properly sensitizing the fellow workers of their worth.

Recruiting, Selection&Placement
Industrial psychologists play an important role in the selection, recruitment and placement of employees. They apply the principles of I/O psychology towards the effective selection of workers ensuring that the right people get the right job. In this regard various assessment tools and techniques are employed.



Engineering psychology
Engineering psychology involves human factors and environmental designs. It is also known as ergonomics. Human characteristics and capacities are considered, along with the design of things people use and the environments in which they use them.



Working conditions
Working conditions play a very important role towards the worker’s motivation and the subsequent output. Industrial psychology can be regarded as the pioneer in establishing the role of a good and healthy working environment leading towards better production.

Contrarily organizational psychology deals with:

Organizational behavior
Organizational psychology aims towards making work teams, social behavior with in organization, ensuring smooth communication, decision-making, creativity and group dynamics.

Job satisfaction
Satisfied employees are mandatory for the efficient and smooth working of any organization. Organizational psychologist ensure that workers are paid and treated according to their input leading to feeling of fulfillment, necessary for healthy workers.

Attitudes and Job stress
Organizational psychology strives at creating positive job attitudes and minimizing the job stress by training workers to adopt healthy routines. In this context a special emphasis is laid on work family balance.

Motivation
Motivation of the workers plays a very important role in the success of any organization. In fact sometimes it is motivation alone that determines the fate of a critical project. Organizational psychologists harbor a number of measures that ensure motivated workers contributing to a successful organization.

Leadership
Effective leadership is the key to the success of any organization. Psychologists aim at training executives in a manner so as to allow healthy communication among workers and management and a democratic environment.

Individual differences
Individual differences exist among workers everywhere. Organizational psychologists aim at bridging any gaps in the performance of the workers so as to ensure the actualization of respective potentials at the fullest.

Career counseling
Organizational psychologists also provide career counseling services. They guide employees and intending workers for the sort of job best suited to their temperaments and abilities in the future.


Consumer psychology
This deals with understanding the consumer and marketing product range so as to result maximum possible sales. That is to make the consumer buy what is being marketed in such a manner that the needs of the consumer are fulfilled in a profitable manner to the industry.

Importance of I/O Psychology
The above-mentioned cases where I/O principles are applied convey the importance of I/O psychology quite well. It is seen that Industrial and organizational psychologists direct consulting and executive search firms, work for leadership centers, corporations and companies as well as universities. Hence, Industrial and Organizational psychologists are in position to play major roles in aiding corporations and companies manage their workforces.

Stigmas in organizations (weight, physical attractiveness, sexual orientation, disability, religious beliefs, race); sexual harassment; the role of personality traits in the hiring process; barriers to successful employment of workers with disabilities; workplace culture, particularly when companies merge; selection of law enforcement officers; reducing absenteeism, workplace aggression; what attracts individuals to certain organizations, and the leadership behaviors of women as managers are just a few of the studies being done by I/O psychologists. All such studies are playing a pivotal role towards determining the modern trends in industries and organizations.

All major industrial units and organizations now consider it mandatory to hire I/O psychologists for smoother and productive functioning of work places. In fact an efficient and well trained I/O psychologist can be termed as the backbone of any industry or organization.