What is Work Psychology?
Work Psychology
To better understand what work psychology is, we have to pay attention first to the definition of psychology. Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and human behavior, understanding as behavior what people do, think and feel.
In this sense, work psychology is the part of psychology that deals in a theoretical and practical way with how people do, think and feel in the workplace or in the organization.
What is work psychology for?
The objective of this part of psychology is to improve organizational effectiveness and the quality of life of people in their work environment. In addition to the benefits that appear for talent, the organization benefits from a considerable increase in its “economic” benefits. This last aspect has aroused the curiosity and interest of entrepreneurs who are increasingly integrated in this area. The benefit is clear, but applying psychology at work is not easy and requires some experience and knowledge.
Origin and evolution of the psychology of work
The psychology of organizations has its origin around 1910 in the United States. Pioneering authors such as Walter Dill Scott , Hugo Münsterberg and James Mckeen Catell began to study aspects such as fatigue at work, intelligence, skills and other aspects of the personality that influenced the workplace. There is also a small interest in the motivation and satisfaction of the organization's workers. Selection and classification of personnel are other topics that are also discussed at this time.
Later in the period between 1941 and 1969, work psychology became the object of interest to universities, companies and governments that applied their efforts to establish this branch of psychology as an area of study and knowledge. It is then when the psychology of organizations begins to be seen from a group and social perspective where the topics that are analyzed are mainly group climate, leadership and direction. Companies are beginning to give importance to the organizational structure.
It is at this moment when we can speak of an already consolidated work psychology . The structure, technology and ergonomics of organizations were now the subjects that put new semicolons to psychological explanations.
Since 1970 a feeling of renewal awakens that will last to this day. The emergence of new theories opens the perspective of analysis to a perspective that seeks the integration of people and their social environment within organizations. The key issues analyzed are now internationalization, diversity and people's participation.
"PSYCHOLOGY AS DIFFERENT FROM CHEMISTRY, ALGEBRA OR LITERATURE, IS A MANUAL FOR YOUR OWN MIND. IT'S A GUIDE FOR LIFE." Daniel goldstein
The object of study of work psychology
From the point of view of the organization and with the voice of a psychologist, the object of study of the psychology of organizations is none other than organizational behavior.
When we speak of organizational behavior, we refer to the set of actions that people who work in an organization carry out and undertake autonomously and within its scope.
That is why you will now understand the immense amount of different values and perceptions that this branch of psychology faces. There are a large number of people but there are even more quantity and diversity of actions that these people can execute within an organization.
Conclusion
Work psychology, as you can see, becomes one of the fundamental pillars for the management of an organization. Human behavior within the company is a decisive factor in its objectives, which has a significant impact on its profits. Work psychology is therefore the branch of psychology that pays attention to the talent of a company, serving in addition to individual interests the general interests of the company. Through the study of organizational behavior, talent managers will use the indicators obtained in order to increase the economic and existential future of the organization.
