A historical review of I/O affirms my interest in learning and applying its practice to expand the opportunities for good work. Work, especially good work, stimulates my curiosity about what, how, and why people do what they do and how organizations holistically support these efforts to collectively toward their mission.
organizational issues create more opportunities for workplace psychologists to have an impact.
The study of work and the conditions that allow employees to be productive is the foundation for I/O psychology. Early studies such as the Hawthorne effect experimented with lighting and workplace conditions until later learned how attitude is the key to productivity. What's fascinating about this historical study from Western Electric is the root causes are still evident today. We're trying to learn how to deal with attitude present day.
Since the pandemic, attitude in the workplace has been influenced by stress at home and at work. Conversations about burnout are commonplace. These conversations highlight the issues of employees will well-being. I've studied the problems of stress in the workplace for more than half a century. Terms that define these issues range from occupational stress, work stress, job-related stress, and organizational stress. The citations for workplace stress have appeared in over 22,000 psychology journals and articles in the last two decades. The conclusion of such an extensive literature review is workplace stress needs to be more conclusive. Workplace and occupational stress issues need better or clearer definitions for future studies. These studies would include holistic research on employee well-being. Secondly, the literature review concludes the need for better communication bridges and knowledge sharing (Cassar et al., 2020). Mental and emotional factors are different today compared to past studies measuring the physical effects of workforce stress. These factors affect employee engagement, performance, and productivity. What are organizations doing to support the well-being of other employees?
One hundred years ago, workplace psychologists were primarily studying IQ. Today we measure EQ and social intelligence as essentials for effective leadership and management. The IO industry progresses based on the change in times within the workforce. Progressive companies are committed to building human capital or proactively training their employees in competencies and relational skills to work in a collaborative environment. From the construction site to the start-up to healthcare and institutions, people and organizational development
The mandate for IO psychologists is to be relevant, practical, and timely in their research and reporting. The theories and studies of the past inform the future. Yet, IO's future is dependent on innovation. Innovation requires testing new theories and supporting them with evidence-based research. Its theories must align with real-world practices—institutional or academic approaches to get lost in the daily grind of organizational demands.
My role as an organizational development consultant in healthcare reminds me daily that people's lives are on the line. The welfare of nurses, providers, managers, and leaders influences the health of our patients. Healthcare is in a staffing crisis from demands throughout the pandemic. This crisis has led to an excessive turnover, limited recruitment, and decreased patient experience quality. Healthcare is not alone in its staffing challenges.
The consult guides culture-based conversations focusing on leadership gaps, trends, and issues in the workplace. Consultations begin with defining the issues and root causes, and Consults give stakeholders time and space to re-envision the desired outcome. Consulting process helps identify goals, priorities, and problems to be solved. On one level, it's aspirational to identify values. However, at the ground level, values must align with measurable behaviors that will strengthen the organization.
Reference
Cassar, V., Bezzina, F., Fabri, S., & Buttigieg, S. C. (2020). Work stress in the 21st century: A bibliometric scan of the first 2 decades of research in this millennium. The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 23(2), 47–75. https://doi.org/10.1037/mgr0000103