How to become an Industrial Psychologist (Organisational Psychologist)

I/O psychologists apply the knowledge of psychological principles and scientific research to the workplace and organizational settings. By understanding the work environment and the behaviour exhibited by the employees, they focus their efforts on increasing workplace productivity and efficiency. They employ a range of research and evaluation methods to assess management styles, work culture, existing group dynamics among other things. They are keen to understand the factors affecting employee satisfaction and motivation, in order to determine the best ways to drive employee performance.

In collaboration with the company's management to build and execute employee development programs, reorganize work conditions, and. Assessments related to the recruitment of new employees as well as appraisals and promotion of existing employees are undertaken by the I/O psychologist. It is applying their knowledge of human behaviour and the information gathered about the organization in order to diagnose methods to help the organization thrive and fulfil its mission.

The job of an I/O psychologist shall accompany the following responsibilities:

• Apply psychological research to the workplace to identify causes of work dissatisfaction, 
• Mediate and resolve workplace conflicts and other issues such as harassment, discrimination 
• Develop the parameters to assess employee performance and implement the same
• Devise methods to evaluate and select employees for recruitment, placement, and promotion purposes
• Identify skill gaps that need to be met with training and development
• Design and develop training programs to train new recruits or assist existing employees to upskill
• Evaluate the impact of training programs and take measures to optimize the same
• Discern the variables to focus upon in order to improve employee performance and achieve organizational goals 
• Ensure that smooth transitions during periods of change, such as corporate mergers, expansions, management change etc
• Using scientific, evidence-based methods to address issues with productivity and profitability of the company 
• Carry out research studies to assess organizational functioning
• Take measures to foster employee satisfaction, and improve the quality of work-life 
• Devise strategies to assess and boost employee engagement and ensure employee retention
• Advice the company leadership and management regarding the effects of policy and business decisions on employee morale and productivity

For an I/O psychologist, excellent communication skills and social perception is crucial. It is their analytical and organizational skills that are among the most important elements for success as an I/O psychologist. They should be well-versed with sophisticated research methods as they shall be frequently required to gather information about a range of workplace variables for different purposes. This necessitates data analysis skills as well as familiarity with the relevant software.

Complex problem solving and decision-making skills are other important components for an I/O psychologist to carry out their tasks well.  Knowledge of the ethical and legal considerations relating to workplace activities is necessary for an I/O psychologist to handle such issues tactfully. Documentation and presentation skills shall be required for them to maintain adequate records of employee feedback, training programs, and other activities. Since ease with interpersonal interactions is central to this job, one must be able to skillfully negotiate, enable coordination, and speak persuasively as needed.