Why Should I Study Workplace Psychology?

Psychology is the study of human behavior. Industrial/organizational and workplace psychology focus on human behavior in the workplace. Psychology plays a critical role in the workplace. After all, most adults work in some sort of workplace at some point in their careers. And just about anyone who has ever worked for a dysfunctional workplace would say that applying to psychological principles to solve problems could make a positive difference! By studying workplace psychology, you’ll understand what makes organizations thrive—and that’s a valuable skill in any workplace.

Three Examples of How Workplace Psychology Improves Organizations

1. Hiring and retaining the right people.

   By implementing psychological principles, organizations can hire the right people for the job. When the right people are in the right roles, employees tend to be happier and more productive.

2. Building better work spaces.

   Psychologists study the types of work spaces that improve employee morale and output. A distracting, uncomfortable work space can cause work to grind to a halt. A comfortable, inspiring work space can enhance employees’ job satisfaction and their performance.

3. Fostering workplace harmony.

   Coworkers who are competitive, unhelpful, or even openly hostile can create human resource issues and make the workplace a stressful place. By implementing workplace psychology principles, employees can learn to solve problems and work together effectively.

The Benefits of Studying Workplace Psychology

• You can find potential jobs just about anywhere. Workplaces come in a variety of settings, from traditional offices to hospitals, museums, law firms, nonprofits, government organizations, small businesses, restaurants, major corporations, universities, and the list goes on.
• You can make a difference. With a job in workplace psychology, you can help increase employee morale. You can work to reduce sexual harassment in the workplace. You can help employees with disabilities be successful in their work roles. You can work to increase the number of people of color in leadership positions in organizations.
• You can help companies create better products and services. Psychologists study how people use equipment and technology and recommend changes to make these items easier to use and more accurate. These changes can help make everyday products better, and they can even improve critical technology like medical devices.
• You’ll gain useful skills that can apply to any job. Any role in any workplace can benefit from psychology principles. When you study workplace psychology, you’ll learn perspectives that you can use in a variety of careers.

Studying Workplace Psychology

If you’re interested in applying psychology principles to the workplace, a good first step is to earn a BS in Psychology with a concentration in Workplace Psychology. A bachelor’s in psychology with a workplace psychology emphasis can prepare you to meet 21st-century workplace challenges, from employee performance analysis to legal and ethical issues to leadership principles. Walden University, an accredited university, offers an online BS in Psychology. If you select the Workplace Psychology concentration, your courses will include Introduction to Management, which shares management roles, functions, and styles, and Motivation and Emotion, which explores theories of motivation and emotion to uncover what drives people’s behaviors. You’ll take courses in the psychology of leadership and management and organizational behavior. You’ll also take a course in workplace psychology to learn how the principles apply to individuals, groups, and entire organizations.

With a bachelor’s in psychology, your career options can include roles in human resources, marketing, research, or organizational development. If you want to continue your education and prepare to become an industrial psychologist, you can pursue a graduate-level psychology degree, such as an MS in Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology. You can even earn a doctoral degree, a PhD in Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology. No matter what degree you pursue, studying workplace psychology can prove useful in any career you choose.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering a BS in Psychology program online with several concentrations to help you meet your professional goals. Expand your career options and earn your degree using a convenient, flexible learning platform that fits your busy life.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

Note on Licensure: The BS in Psychology is not a licensure program and does not prepare an individual to become a licensed psychology or counseling professional.