Industrial focused

• I/O Psychology


  Branch of psychology that applies the principles of psychology to the workplace
• Purpose of I/O Psychology

  To enhance the dignity and performance of human beings, and the organizations they work in, by advancing the science and knowledge of human behavior
• Focuses of I/O Psychology

  • Industrial (I) - Determining competencies needed, staffing, training
  • Organizational (O) - Creating organizational structure and culture to motivate, inform, and provide good working conditions
• Personnel Psychology


  Concentrates on the selection and evaluation of employees
• Areas of Personnel Psychology

  • Analyzing jobs
  • Recruiting applicants
  • Selecting employees
  • Determining salary levels
  • Training employees
  • Evaluating employee performance
• Organizational Psychology


  Investigates the behavior of employees within the context of an organization
• Issues of Organizational Psychology

  • Leadership
  • Job satisfaction
  • Employee motivation
  • Organizational communication
  • Conflict management
  • Organizational change
  • Group processes within an organization
• Human Factors/Ergonomics


  Concentrating on the interaction between humans and machines
• Focus areas of Human Factors/Ergonomics


  • Workplace design
  • Human-machine interaction
  • Ergonomics
  • Physical fatigue
  • Stress
• In 1918, the Army Alpha and Army Beta tests were developed and used for assigning and selecting employees based on their abilities
• In 1920, Thomas Edison created a difficult 163-item knowledge test that only 5% of applicants passed, to select the right employees
• The Gilbretts studied worker motions to improve productivity and reduce fatigue
• The Hawthorne studies demonstrated that employee behavior was complex and interpersonal interactions between managers and employees played a tremendous role
• Hawthorne effect


  When employees change their behavior due solely to the fact that they are receiving attention or are being observed
• Types of ethical dilemmas in I/O Psychology

  • Type A - High uncertainty, no best solution, both positive and negative consequences
  • Type B - Clearer difference between right and wrong, individuals rationalize the wrong choice as advantageous to themselves
• Job analysis


  The process of gathering, analyzing, and structuring information about a job's components, competencies, and requirements
• Job description


  A brief, 2-5 page summary of the tasks and job requirements found in the job analysis
• Uses of job analysis

  • Employee selection
  • Training
  • Manpower planning
  • Performance appraisal
  • Job classification
  • Job evaluation
  • Job design
• Conducting job analysis helps organizations comply with legal guidelines by crafting job descriptions that can help in legal issues
• Organizational analysis


  The process of examining an organization's structure, processes, culture, and performance to understand its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
• Job analysis interview


  Obtaining information about a job by talking to a person performing it
• Sections of a good job description

  • Job title
  • Brief summary
  • Work activities
  • Tools and equipment used
  • Work context/job context
  • Performance standards/work performance
  • Compensation information
  • Personal requirements (job description)
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAOs)

  The competencies or qualifications needed to perform a job
• Types of KSAOs


  • Knowledge
  • Skills
  • Abilities
  • Other characteristics
• Competencies are determined by deciding what types of KSAOs are needed to perform the tasks identified in the job analysis
• Job crafting


  The informal changes that employees make in their jobs
• Examples of abilities


  • Cognitive abilities (e.g., analytical reasoning, memory)
  • Physical abilities (e.g., strength, dexterity)
  • Sensory abilities (e.g., vision, hearing)
• Other Characteristics


  Personal attributes, traits, or qualities that are relevant to job performance but may not fit neatly into the categories of knowledge, skills, or abilities
• Competencies


  Determined by deciding what types of KSAOs are needed to perform the tasks identified in the job analysis
• Competencies sections


  • KSAOs that an employee must have at the time of hiring
  • KSAOs that are important part of the job but can be obtained after being hired
• Job Crafting


  The informal changes that employees make in their jobs (employees unofficially change their job duties to better fit their interest and skills)
• Conducting a Job Analysis

  1. Identify the tasks performed in the job

  2. Identify the conditions under which the tasks are performed

  3. Identify the KSAOs needed to perform the tasks under the conditions identified
• Step 1: Identify Task Performed

  1. Identify the major job dimensions and the tasks performed for each dimension

  2. Identify the tools and equipment used to perform the tasks

  3. Identify the conditions under which the tasks are performed
• This information is usually gathered by obtaining previous information on the job, interviewing job incumbents, observing performance, or actually performing the job itself
• Gathering Existing Information


  Gather information that has already been obtained from the organization, other organizations, trade publications, and journal articles
• Interviewing Subject-Matter Experts


  1. The most common method of conducting job analysis

  2. SMEs (Subject-Matter Experts) are people who are knowledgeable about the job and include job incumbents, supervisors, customers, and upper-level management

  3. Job Analyst interviews only one employee at a time

  4. SME Conference is a group job analysis interview consisting of subject-matter experts
• Guidelines for the interview

  • Prepare for the interview by announcing the job analysis to the employees well in advance and selecting a quiet and private interview location
  • Open the interview by establishing rapport, putting the worker at ease, and explaining the purpose of the interview
  • Conduct the interview by asking open-ended questions, using easy-to-understand vocabulary, and allowing sufficient time for the employee to talk and answer questions. Avoid being condescending and disagreeing with the incumbent.
• Ammerman Technique


  A job analysis method in which a group of job experts identifies the objectives and standards to be met by the ideal worker
• The result of these procedures will yield a set of important objectives and the behaviors necessary to meet them. These behaviors can be used to create employee selection tests, develop training programs, or evaluate the performance of current employees
• Observations


  A job analysis method in which the job analyst watches job incumbents perform their jobs