PSYIND1

Branch of Psychology that applies the principles of psychology in the workplace

- Enhance the dignity and performance of human beings and the organizations they work in

- Adapts the scientist-practitioner model

Walter Dill Scott (Wrote books about advertising and business management; Became president of APA)

Hugo Munsterberg (Early advocate of using psych tests to measure competencies)

Frederick Taylor (Father of Scientific Management)

Frank and Lilibeth Gilbreth (One of the pioneers of IO Psychology; Implemented scientific management principles by breaking down job components into steps)

US Army Recruits (1917-1918)

1917 - Army Alpha: verbal

1918 - Army Beta: nonverbal

Personal Data Sheet: measure neurotic tendencies, emotional stability 

Elton Mayo (Hawthorne Studies)

Abraham Maslow (Hierarchy of Needs)

Frederick Herzberg (Two-Factor Theory)

Douglas McGregor (Theory of Human Nature)

Military Service

Test, classify, and train recruits in different areas of military service

New competencies are needed to operate 

Aircrafts

Tanks

Ships

Engineering Psychology

Understanding how people behave in relation to machines

How we navigate/use machines, including their safety

1980s-1990s

Increased use of more complicated statistical techniques and methods of analysis

Application of cognitive psych to industry

Increased interest in work-life balance and well-being

Renewed interest in developing employee selection methods

More sensitive to diversity, gender, aging, workforce, stress, and org. Interventions

2000s 

Start of online administration of tests

Online recruitment and screening 

Social media for job seekers

E-learning and distance education 

Focused on motivation, interpersonal relations, and team dynamics

Studied the effects of PHYSICAL factors affecting productivity but results showed that SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL factors had a more significant impact

Studied lighting conditions - whether it had an effect on workers

Because of these studies, the human relations movement began

Change in employee behavior because they are being observed or act based on their perceived expectations of others

Physiological Needs (Air, water, food, shelter, etc.)

Safety Needs (Personal security, employment, etc.)

Love and Belonging (Friendship, family, etc.)

Esteem (Respect, self-esteem, status, etc.)

Self-Actualization (Desire to become the most one can be)

Managers should take a positive view of people and help them realize their potential

Theory X - people are lazy, don't have initiative, and should be told what to do all the time

Theory Y - people are inherently motivated, easily satisfied, self-directed

Cornerstone of HR activities

Systematic process 

Collecting and analyzing info about the job such as:

Tasks, duties, responsibilities (TDRs) 

Knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs)

Tools or types of equipment used 

Produces a job description

Identify tasks performed 

Write task statements 

Rate task statements 

Determine Essential KSAOs 

Select tests to tap KSAOs

Gather existing information

Interview SME

Job Incumbents

Supervisors

Customers

Observe job incumbents

Job participation, Questionnaires

Teaching 

Facilitate and moderate classroom discussions

Creating instructional materials

Evaluating student outputs like case reports, researches

Administrative

Preparing syllabi

Designing course curriculum

Encoding attendance and grades

Research 

Publishing psychology-related researches

Up to date with current literature and participating in professional conferences

Guiding/mentoring student researchers or interns

Provide info about the knowledge, skills, activities, work abilities, work style, work interests, background education, training requirements of the job etc. (like a database of jobs)

Position analysis questionnaire

Job structure profile

Job elements inventory

Functional job analysis

Job components inventory

Threshold traits analysis

Fleishman job analysis survey

Job adaptability inventory

Personality-related position requirements form

Performance improvements characteristics

Important for task inventory and job description

Task inventory - questionnaire containing a list of tasks that will be rated based on its importance and relative time spent

Job description - summary of the job

Must contain these elements/details:

Action - What is being done

Object - to which is the action is done

Where the job is done

How the job is done

Why the job is done

Or conduct a task analysis

Process of rating each task statement based on the frequency and the criticality of the task being performed 

Will also be rated to the extent to which each of these KSAOs is essential in performing the job

KSAOs = Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics

Rate importance of KSAOs (competences) in connection with the task

2.5 or higher will be part of the employee selection process 

1.5 to 2.49 will be taught during training

.5 to 1.49 will be learned on the job 

Determine the best methods to measure KSAOs needed at the time of hire

Relatively short summary of a job 

Ideally, should be about 2-5 pages in length (NO SPECIFIC RULE)

Job title

Brief summary

Work activities

Tools & equipment used

Work context

Performance standards

Compensation information

Job competencies

How often should a job description be updated?

Process in which employees unofficially change their job duties to better fit their interests and skills

Example: psych prof might seeks our or take on additional responsibilities like participating in community developing activity, outreach activity to better feel a sense of purpose or increase job satisfaction levels

Guides important HR and organization decisions in terms of:

Employee Selection

Training and Development

Performance Appraisal

Promotion/Transfer Decisions

Concept of promoting employees to their highest level of incompetence because there are some companies/organizations that reward good job performance with promotions.

While there's nothing wrong about promoting employees because they have a good job performance, sometimes employees are promoted to a higher position but does not meet the required competencies

Process of determining the worth of the job

How much is the job worth 

How much you’ll be paid if you’re holding the job position

Different from performance evaluation

1. Determining compensable factors

2. Determining the levels for each compensable factor

3. Determining the factor weights

Identifying internal pay equity - comparing jobs within the organization = paid accordingly

Value/trait used to determine how much to pay an employee 

Example: Psychology Professor 

Educational attainment

Teaching Experience

Research and publications

Awards, recognitions, and presentations

Trainings and seminars attended

Factors that we can think of that should be considered when be compute for the compensation or salary we are going to give an employee

Compensable factors - additional stuff like seminars, course, experience

More than 3 levels through training, seminars 

Magnitude of the compensable factors on the  compensation

For professors educational attainment is highest

Comparing jobs to the external market (other organizations)

Use a salary survey

Questionnaire that measures how much organizations pays their employee 

Determine the average salaries; specific salary for job position

For competitive advantage for the market employees

E.g. entry level, senior level salary etc. 

Company size = how many employees are currently in the company

There is concept of provincial pay (lower pay)

Direct Compensation

Amount of money paid to an employee (monetary payment)

Indirect compensation 

Non-monetary payment

Benefits, reimbursement

Insurance (HMOs) – may include dependents