Organizational Psychology
Kevin Reynolds
PSY/428
May 29, 2012
Dr. Jeff Dunlap

Organizational Psychology
Government agencies, corporations, for-profit, and not-for-profit organizations are all composed of individuals making a larger, whole organization. Several factors can influence an individual, and the organization. Stress, working conditions, and external factors such as work-life balance influence an organization. Organizational Psychologists offer organizations ideas in the area of work environment conditions, work-life balance, and production improvements by using available methods of analysis and research. Organizational Psychology is "a field that utilizes scientific methodology to better understands the behavior of individuals working in organizational settings” (Jex & Britt, 2008 p.1).
Organizational psychology concentrates on the human aspect of the working environment. Using research, surveys and interviewing, organization psychology will allow the psychologist to suggest process improvements and other ways to improve workplace conditions. Similar concentration of study will affect and can also improve production efficiencies. Organizational psychologists study and report on employee behaviors. Organizational psychologist will offer suggestions for improvements with the goal of influencing positive production, employee morale, and increase in profits.
Research and Statistics
Psychologist will use research and statistical exploration to develop theories, suggestions, and then offer recommendations to organizations regarding improvements in the workplace environment, employee morale, and production efficiencies. Psychological researchers explore employee behaviors. These behaviors are observed through various means: observational methods, archival data, survey research, experimentation and quasi-experimentation (Jex & Britt, 2008).
Observational methods involve observing and systematically recording the behaviors of the subjects involved. Archival data research represents data or records in any form. These records are compiled for purposes that are separate and independent of the research being conducted. Survey research is the most widely used form of data collection (Jex & Britt, 2008). Survey research will collect data by asking research participants to report on their behaviors, attitudes and feelings. Most survey research is conducted verbally, in written form, or electronically. Experimentation is another form of observing and collecting information on subjects. Experimentation involves a highly controlled situation providing the researcher the opportunity to assess cause-and-effect relationships.
This is important because the hallmark of any science is to detect and explain causal relationships (Jex & Britt, 2008). The last form of research is the quasi-experimentation. A quasi-experiment is similar to an experiment except is does not incorporate all of an experiments essential components.
Organizational psychologist will research employee behaviors to offer suggestions for process improvement with the goal of making the organization more effective.
Organizational psychologist will study the organization from the foundation to procedures to assist in determining levels of competence and performance. Standard levels of performance are often attained from industry generated documents as well as competitors. This is required to establish as base line in which to gauge current performance. Statistical results can assist the organizational psychologist as it does provide data established criteria.
Organizational Psychologists
The workforce has become a more dynamic and diverse workplace in regard to race, gender, and ethnic culture. This creates the need to provide unbiased and accurate results to ensure employees are able to work efficiently as well as effectively. "Organizational psychologists use a systematic, data-based approach to studying organizational processes and solving organizational problems" (Jex & Britt, 2008). Maintaining and increasing the efficiencies of an organizations workforce, more than compensates the cost and use of an organizational psychologist. Organizational psychologist will research, inspect and provide suggestions for improvements in safety, employee performance reviews, inter-company relations, and managerial measures (Jex & Britt)
In order to allow an organizational psychologist the opportunity to develop recommendations for a company, the psychologist must refrain from personal bias and view the project objectively (Lefkowitz, 2008). Company resources, increased production rates and the ability to have a dynamic, fluid workforce, capable of change are results of effective guidance from organizational psychologist.
Conclusion
The role of an organizational psychologist can positively influence an organization by effectively researching, studying and reporting on an organization’s greatest attribute: the employee. Organizational psychologists provide information and suggestions on process improvements, workplace environmental changes, and factors to improve employee morale. The workforce has become a diverse, multi-cultural workforce. With so many facets, stress and tension can arise and negatively impact an organization. Organizations that utilize the expertise of organizational psychologist will benefit from their suggestions that will positively impact employees, production and customers.

References
Jex, S. M., & Britt, T. W. (2008) Organizational psychology: A scientist-practitioner approaches (2nd Ed.). Hoboken, New York: John.
Lefkowitz, J. (2008). To prosper, organizational psychology should. Expand the values of organizational psychology to match the quality of its ethics. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29, 439-453. Retrieved from http://www.interscience.wiley.com