Career as an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist


Industrial- Organizational Psychologist applies principles of psychology to human resources, administration, management, sales, and marketing problems. Activities may include policy planning; employee testing and selection, training and development; and organizational development and analysis. They may work with management to organize the work setting to improve worker productivity. Industrial- Organizational Psychologist duties include identifying how attitudes and behaviors can be improved in the workplace, ensuring that workplace moral remains high during periods of change, observing the efficacy of training programs and assisting in developing them. They Use science-based research to help human resources teams develop initiatives and hire programs that will be successful. Industrial Organizational Psychologists who choose to work in business positions can expect to operate closely with HR teams. This can either be in direct relation to the well-being of individuals in the work place, or it can be related to how people fit into particular roles. Those who focus on the latter tend to match employees to certain tasks depending on their personal characteristics. In contrast, those who focus on the well-being of individuals in the work place will have a more varied role. Overseeing the well-being of individuals in the workplace as a industrial organizational psychologist can involve several duties. A typical industrial psychologist will focus on how societal norms influence the wellbeing of employees, as well as how managerial approaches affect morale. Alternatively, the role can also include finding ways to boost productivity based on employee behavior. Enhancing productivity as an industrial organizational psychologist involves organizational management, performance management, training development, and ergonomics (which focus on office design for optimal comfort).

  • Although Industrial Organizational Psychologists who work in the business industry can focus on organizations in general, it is normal for them to only work in larger organizations. Many of the psychological issues that pertain to the job role tend to revolve around organizations that have a large, set hierarchy, and as such smaller and medium-sized businesses tend not to be a primary focus. In the academic field, those who work as industrial organizational psychologists can expect to work in universities and colleges. Although the field itself is specialized, academics who focus on this particular branch of psychology are just as likely to find themselves lecturing undergraduates as they are postgraduates. Finally, industrial organizational psychologists can work on a freelance basis. This tends to come later in their career when a lot of experience has been gained, and involves being outsourced by larger corporations.

  • Master's Degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology for entry-level; Doctoral Degree for Research and Consultant position.

Is this career right for you?

Take our psychometric tests and find out which is the ideal career meant for you.

Share this career with your friends and family