organizational psychology

What is industrial and organizational psychology designed to do?

You may be one of those who think that industrial and organizational psychology is the branch of psychology in charge of studying how we organize ourselves, how we organize others, how we make lists and plans… This is not the case. Industrial and organizational psychology is related to the field of occupational psychology and has an increasingly rigorous implementation across a broad spectrum that we could call psychology in companies or for companies. 

In this post, we will delve a little deeper into the essential field of industrial and organizational psychology if we aim to improve occupational health.   

What is industrial and organizational psychology?

Industrial and organizational psychology is the area of psychology that aims to study and analyze the behavior of human beings who are part of an organization (for example, a company, an association or a political party, etc.). 

Industrial and organizational psychology, that is, psychology in companies, has a close relationship with what is traditionally known as HR, but it goes far beyond personnel selection. 

boost talent strategy

It involves analyzing the needs, motivations, and characteristics that govern people’s behavior, their thought patterns, and, of course, their functioning and also in the context of their relationships, including group dynamics. As you are probably thinking, putting psychology at the service of organizations makes companies more efficient in crucial areas such as attraction, development and talent retention, social benefits for employees, internal communication or the axes of leadership, hierarchies, and team cohesion.

industrial and organizational psychology

Workplace psychology in blurred environments

Today, the business environment is often described by the acronym VUCA, which refers to the ideas of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. 

These characteristics of the so-called business ecosystem pose a great challenge for organizations, not only to improve their productivity but also to foster the psychological well-being of the people who make them up. That is why industrial and organizational psychology is becoming increasingly important for those companies that want to survive in this VUCA environment and, in addition, adapt and grow within it. 

In this sense, companies must train their ability to adjust not so much to change, but to the characteristics of change that determine the current organizational context. If change were to occur slowly, consistently, predictably, and smoothly, companies would not need to apply the knowledge of industrial and organizational psychology to accommodate this movement well. However, as the idea of the VUCA environment indicates, what industrial and organizational psychology observes and tries to understand is a tendency to rapid, contradictory, unpredictable, intense change. 

Join the global leading solution in mental well-being


How can the company adapt to the current change?

The ability of organizations to adapt to the changes brought about over time can be summed up in three factors or aspects that every smart company must learn to manage.

1. Flexibility-plasticity 

It refers to the present. It has to do with the organization’s ability to adapt as it goes along to changing circumstances, which force it to rethink processes and take detours in some decisions that were taken for granted, through openness and permeability to external influences that may be interesting to implement.

2. Anticipation-intuition

It refers to the future. Everything that has to do with strategic planning, imagining solutions for needs or challenges that have not even arrived yet, also foresight and prevention, especially when it comes to caring for the psychological well-being of employees. In short, any company that properly applies the principles of industrial and organizational psychology must have a good capacity to intuit and see beyond, preferably beyond where its direct competitors can see. 

2. Learning-educability

It refers to the past. Learning is the capacity of an organism to modify its behavior according to an experience. That is why we speak of “learning from experiences” and, therefore, of accumulating knowledge, being instructed or educated in some subject. The learning-educability element has to do with the past, that is, with the company’s ability to take advantage of what is happening and integrate it into its history to enrich the panel that it will examine each time it faces a challenge and makes decisions about the future. 

industrial and organizational psychology

Psychology in companies for people

Ifeel has developed an emotional well-being program for companies, designed by its team of leading psychologists with one main objective: to help companies place employee health at the top of their strategic pyramid when it comes to boosting sustainable productivity.  

Thanks to this partnership, those running HR departments can receive personalized, data-driven advice on how to properly manage the different types of needs that their team members may or may not have and be more effective in enhancing their psychological well-being. 

Moreover, this program offers employees a holistic mental health care service structured at different levels according to their needs. This service includes, if required, online psychological therapy with a psychologist specialized in different cases. Try our program now so you can see how it could help you.

We hope you found this post about industrial and organizational psychology interesting. If you would like more information about our emotional well-being program for companies simply request it and we will contact your team as soon as possible.

Why is it important to have a business psychologist?

If you still ask yourself why it is important to have a business psychologist in a company or how to improve your emotional well-being as an employee keep reading because that’s what we are going to talk about in this article. 

Firstly, we want to explain why it is good to consider the possibility of starting psychological therapy with a professional, especially if you have never done it before or if you feel like you need it. Secondly, we are going to explain why the psychological care you can receive through the emotional well-being program for companies designed by ifeel is the best solution for you to take the first step and start benefiting from a complete mental health care service provided by your company. 

Why is a business psychologist important in a company?

1. It is good for your health

It helps us understand our emotions, understand why we act in a certain way, why our relationships are the way they are, know our needs, train our skills… A person rarely leaves therapy feeling empty. It is a space designed for you, an opportunity for personal and professional development

business psychologist

2. Improve your experience as an employee

Going to therapy, through your company, for example, is not only beneficial for your performance but your experience as an employee too. An employee who feels better with themselves is going to feel comfortable at work, more sure of themselves, have a higher level of concentration when doing their tasks rather than focusing on their conflicts or insatisfactions as an employee. In addition, they will relate better with their teammates and that will have an impact on the overall performance of the team. 

3. It’s confidential

The online therapy service is offered (at all three levels) by your company through the emotional well-being program for companies by ifeel free of charge, but your company will not have access to any of your conversations with your psychologist. Therapy is a space designed for you and anything you share with your therapist will remain between the both of you. 

4. It will be well considered by your company 

If a person doesn’t need this service, great. But if they do, the company will interpret it as them taking responsibility for their well-being and taking advantage of the resources available, not as the employee being unwell and having problems. Going to therapy does not make an employee suspicious but, potentially, more valuable. Taking care of oneself, for example by doing online therapy with one of ifeel‘s psychologists, is something that has to be respected in a company. It is not a corporate imposition, but a resource that the company makes available to staff.

5. It’s convenient, it’s free, it’s beneficial

That is to say, therapy is not an easy thing to do, but it can do a lot on an emotional, cognitive, behavioral level… The advantages of doing it are much greater than the disadvantages. 

6. It’s adaptable

The emotional well-being program for companies designed by ifeel’s team of psychologists is made up of three levels depending on the needs and the level of implication an employee wants. This makes it relatively easy to test without being overwhelmed. Some, from the start, want maximum implication during the process of their personal development. Others need a more sequential process, doing it step by step. The service offered by ifeel allows it to cater to both profiles. 

7. It’s not forever, don’t take it as a load

Therapy implies consistency and commitment, but it is something you do because you want to and it is part of self-care. A lot of people are reluctant to start therapy because they see it as very solemn, long, expensive, definite when in reality it doesn’t have to be so overwhelming. It’s a process that begins due to a person’s initiative and it ends when the person decides, step by step, at their own pace and needs, with the therapist by their side. 

8. You can use it for different reasons

Therapy through ifeel’s emotional well-being program for companies isn’t just about work-related issues. Employees think it’s a resource used just to talk about issues experienced at work when in reality it is something completely independent: it’s a resource provided by their company so people use it depending on their needs, even though it is not related to something happening at work. 

What you should know about ifeel’s emotional well-being program for companies

You likely ask yourself why it is important to have a psychologist in a company. Or, that you are thinking about starting psychological therapy but are still not sure that doing it through ifeel‘s emotional wellbeing program for companies is the right option for you. Read below to find out why, based on our experience, we recommend you do your therapy online with one of ifeel’s psychologists. 

1. The majority of people who have done this therapy are very happy they took this step and recommend it. 

2. The majority of people who use ifeel’s online therapy service appreciate this opportunity as it saves them time and the comfort of being able to communicate with their therapist online.

3. A lot of people wish to do therapy but are not able to due to economic reasons, this prevents them from benefiting from a valuable resource for their health. Thanks to ifeel‘s emotional wellness program for companies, money won’t be an issue. 

4. Having good psychological health improves the atmosphere at work, the relationships between coworkers, and your commitment to the company. 

5. Some people can be reluctant to use a service provided by their own company, as confidentiality can be a worry for them. With ifeel, this won’t happen. The company will never know the specific topics you speak about at therapy. Professional psychologists don’t let this happen as it is unethical as well as illegal. 

Is it your first time attending therapy?

If you don’t have previous experience attending therapy and have decided to start with ifeel’s emotional well-being program pay attention to these three tips that will help you with your experience.

1. Be (more or less) clear about the reason for your consultation

Think properly about the reason for your consultation with ifeel’s psychologist and your goals. This doesn’t mean it is the only thing you can talk about at therapy, but it will be easier for the psychologist to start therapy if you can guide them along with your needs. 

2. Be patient with the process

Both the exercises and resources in ifeel’s app can be used by a person on their own and the occasional emotional support they may receive from a psychologist require a certain amount of time and realistic expectations to work. In the case of therapy itself, this is much more evident. A therapeutic process takes place within the framework of a relationship with our psychologist which needs to keep growing and varies as the patient’s history and goals are further explored. Getting to know a therapist and trusting them takes time, opening up, and accepting what is happening to us too. As well as putting into action the conclusions that are being reached. Patience, as well as perseverance, are two fundamental tools in any therapy. 

3. Don’t worry, nothing is definite 

Sometimes we have the intuition that we need professional help but it is not the right time because we are busy, we aren’t prepared, unexpected things can happen which stop us from accessing therapy or because we haven’t found the right professional. It’s okay, we can stop and continue further down the line, we can find the right therapist, we can tell the therapist that we have difficulties with the process so that they can make the possible modifications… If it didn’t work out the first time, it’s okay: it doesn’t mean our situation is impossible, it just means we need to vary our strategy. 

business psychologist

The emotional well-being program for companies

Ifeel’s emotional well-being program for companies helps companies take care of their employees’ psychological well-being as an essential part of their human resources strategy and improve workplace productivity

This allows employees access to a mental health care service structured at different levels depending on their needs and the level of implication they wish to have at all times. Employees have different mental health care tools at their service which they can use with ifeel’s app. If an employee wishes to, they can also receive emotional support through a chat with a licensed psychologist from our platform. If additional help is needed, they can access the final level of the program: online therapy with a psychologist who specializes in the problem the employee is experiencing. 

Moreover, human resources managers can receive personalized advice based on the main risk factors affecting mental health and how to enhance protective factors that serve to counteract these risks. This way, their mental health is supported while preserving good conditions for optimal productivity. 

We hope you found this post about industrial and organizational psychology interesting. If you want more information about our emotional well-being program for companies, simply request it and we will contact your team as soon as possible. You may also be interested in this post about employee mental health.

New call-to-action

  • Nueva llamada a la acción
  • Nueva llamada a la acción

  • We think this articles may interest you