Psychology at Work

Psychology in the Workplace

What does psychology have to do with jobs? You'd be surprised! Psychology is used nearly every day in every workplace in one way or another. Believe it or not, some jobs employ specific psychologists to study and create balance in the workplace. From offices to research labs, industrial-organizational psychologists focus on improving the work experience for employees and employers.

Psychology is not only used by psychologists in the workplace but also by employees and employers. Some ways that psychology is used in the workplace include:

• Achieving success through Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• Understanding emotions and how our work impacts them

• Motivating employees to excel through reward programs

• Group work and projects

• Education and training in the workplace

• Hiring and onboarding process

• Self-assessments or employee observations

• Access to resources for those in the workplace that need support or assistance

Psychological Harassment, Injury, and Safety at Work

Harassment, injury, and safety in the workplace are not always about physical health. Chances are you've experienced or will experience some type of psychological harm or injury at work.

Psychological Harassment at Work

Psychological harassment at work can look like nasty or hurtful comments from a co-worker. Of course, these comments aren't always made by a peer in the same position. Sometimes they are by a superior in the workplace, putting the employee in an even tougher spot. While this type of harassment is not physical, it can make someone feel like they are being targeted in an unsafe manner. Some examples of psychological harassment could include stealing someone's ideas and framing them as your own, discrimination in the workplace, or repeatedly targeting someone with negative words or insults.

In most situations, psychological harassment can be prevented or handled by human resources teams, but it can still negatively impact an individual. Being psychologically harassed can affect someone's ability to do their job effectively. If a person is being psychologically harassed, they might become more stressed, which can negatively impact their health.

Psychological Injury at Work

Psychological injury is when too much stress at work harms your mental state of mind, often leading to some type of mental disorder, including anxiety, depression, and phobias. Too much stress can lead to burnout, putting someone at higher risk of developing psychological injuries.

Psychological Safety at Work

Psychological safety in the workplace is an environment that allows employees to openly express their feelings and speak out about things that impact them. When employees feel psychologically safe, they often feel comfortable, motivated, and inspired to take on new ideas or tasks.

Employers may also see a slight increase in work performance if their employees feel psychologically safe, as employees tend to feel supported in decision-making when they are psychologically safe. Feeling psychologically safe at a workplace can make the difference between deciding if your workplace is just a job or a career.

Psychological safety might seem pretty straightforward, but it is more complicated than you think. The workplace is a dynamic, open group of people, with some employees resigning and some starting brand new. Some workplaces have a high turnover rate, which means they are constantly losing and gaining new employees. These changes and transitions make it more difficult for everyone to feel safe emotionally.

Psychological safety begins with an established sense of trust between the employee and the workplace. The employee knows what to expect from the employer, and the employer knows what kind of performance to expect from the employee. If the employee-employer relationship is healthy, employees can speak up and express concerns. If an employee feels nervous or scared at work, these feelings will impact their productivity.

Innovation at Work through Psychological Perspectives

Innovation at work can look like exchanging ideas, overcoming challenges, and using creativity to develop new solutions. Hiring onboarding personnel psychologists and organizational psychologists to come in, assess the workplace, and provide suggestions on how to improve the overall environment of the organization is another way to discover and implement innovative ideas.

These professionals may suggest changes to the hiring process, the office space, the workplace hierarchy, or the flow of communication from one person to another. Innovation in the workplace is one of the best things that a boss or employer can encourage in their employees.

Some ways to create an innovative workplace include:

• Hiring people with different backgrounds and cultures

• Asking employees to speak up about their ideas, thoughts, or issues regarding the workplace

• Including a reward system for great work efforts and displays of appreciation

• Encouraging teamwork

• Allowing team members to get creative in expressing themselves

• Make meetings and training fun, always offering employees the chance to contribute

Theories of Psychology in the Workplace

Many theories apply to psychology in the workplace for both employees and employers. Two important theories that help explain employee motivation are Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and the Effort-Reward Imbalance Model, focusing on achievement motivation.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

In general, employees try to achieve success through Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. There are five levels of achievement in Maslow's hierarchy: physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Maslow's theory states that we have to achieve these levels in order. We can't move on to the next and become more happy and motivated until the lower level is satisfied. We naturally become more motivated by each level of achievement we meet. Each step is a new level of motivation that keeps employees focused in the workplace.

Effort-Reward Imbalance Model

The effort-reward model of psychological work stress is based on the fact that people put in a bigger effort at their job if they feel appreciated through rewards. Rewards from employers include anything from higher pay, raises, promotions, or recognition. In turn, if someone does not receive rewards, they will most likely maintain low motivation and effort. This is also known as achievement motivation.