Intro To I/O Psych Flashcards
job analysis
a process in which an I/O psychologist investigates what activities are performed of a given job and what qualities - commonly referred to as KSAOs (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics) - an employee needs to be able to do the job well; the process of studying a job to determine which activities and responsibilities it includes, its relative importance to other jobs, the qualifications necessary for performance of the job and the conditions under which the work is performed
recruitment
a set of organizational activities and practices that are intended to attract new hires to an organization; the goal is to generate applicants who are qualified for employment, who will accept employment offers, and who will ultimately succeed on the job (and who will fit in with the company’s needs and values); this is the first step in the hiring process
employee selection
the process of interviewing and evaluating the candidates for a specific job and selecting an individual for employment based on certain criteria (qualifications, skills, and experience); exact steps vary by company, but the basics include - job announcement, reviewing applications, screening candidates, interviewing, final selection, testing, and making an offer; a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities are the foundational elements of selection criteria; selection criteria represent the key qualifications, training, abilities, knowledge, personal attributes, skills, and experience a person must have in order to do a job effectively
harassment
defined as aggressive pressure or intimidation; covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature; it is commonly understood as behavior that demeans, humiliates or embarrasses a person, and it is characteristically identified by its unlikelihood in terms of social and moral reasonableness; the two most common forms are quid pro quo and hostile work environment harassment; other types include religion based, discriminatory, personal, physical, power, psychological, sexual, or third-party harassment; more examples include race, sexual or gender orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, political beliefs (although Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits harassment on the basis of race, religion, sex, and national origin)
pay equity studies (internal and external)
compare employees who previously worked in areas with different costs of living or in different countries; to implement pay equity, you must evaluate the 4 key factors of a job class - required qualifications, required effort, responsibilities, and working conditions under which the job is performed (by using a job evaluation system); external equity refers to the comparison of pay between an employee and those outside of the company; internal equity refers to the comparison of pay between people in the same company
leadership
an informal process that involves many people; in the process, one person attempts to influence the others and to produce a change in the behavior of their followers; leadership occurs anytime one person influences another, and it can occur with or without a formal organization; some of the most in-demand leadership skills required in the workplace include - active listening, empathy, ability to share clear messages and make complex ideas easy to understand for everyone, strategic thinking skills, creativity, ability to inspire and convince others, and flexibility; styles include authoritarian (or autocratic), participative (or democratic), delegative (or laissez-faire), transformational, transactional, situational, and coaching
employee evaluation
the assessment and review of a worker’s job performance (most companies have a system in which employees are evaluated on a regular basis - often once a year - and these assessments are done at the end of the year or on the employee’s work anniversary); many evaluations provide quantitative measurements essential for a production-oriented work environment, others provide employers with metrics regarding the quality of employees’ work; how to effectively evaluate employees - set performance standards, set specific goals, take notes throughout the year, be prepared, be honest and specific with criticism, don’t compare employees, evaluate the performance (not the personality), and have a conversation
feedback
constructive feedback in the workplace is extremely important b/c workplaces need effective communication to succeed and thrive; as well as increasing staff morale, feedback helps us learn more about ourselves, our strengths and weaknesses, our behaviors, and how our actions affect others; how to give effective employee feedback - avoid giving unsolicited advice, be specific, come with a deep level of empathy, do not wait for a quarterly review, keep it private, make the conversation a two-way street, and focus on performance rather than personality (keeps it more objective, and emotions out of it)
motivation
drives and excites employees, which results in their maximum contribution; setting and achieving goals, clear expectations, recognition, feedback, as well as encouraging management all contribute to an increase in workplace motivation; increase communication, offering challenging work, recognizing achievement, boosting team spirit, and increasing independence are all top motivators at work; motivation is important in the workplace b/c it allows management to meet the company’s goals, having motivated employees can lead to increased productivity and allow an organization to achieve higher levels of output; in addition to being more highly engaged, motivated employees handle uncertainty more easily, are better problem solvers, have higher levels of innovation, creativity and customer-centricity, are more profitable, create higher levels of customer satisfaction, and increase employee retention rates; employee motivation is key to an organization’s success, it’s the level of commitment, drive, and energy that a company’s workers bring to the role every day, without it, companies experience reduced productivity, lower levels of output and it’s likely that the company will fall short of reaching important goals too
organizational commitment
can be thought of as an extension of job satisfaction, as it deals with the positive attitude that an employee has, not toward their own job, but toward the organization as a whole; it is likely to be higher among employees who perceive they have input into decision making b/c it allows them to help shape the organization and shows that they are valued by the organization (people tend to have satisfaction and commitment for things they help shape); role ambiguity, job control and insecurity, career advancement, performance appraisal, and positive team experience have been claimed to significantly affect organizational commitment; 3 types - affective, continuance, and normative
employee training
the process for providing required skills to the employee for doing the job effectively, skillfully, and qualitatively; training of employees is not continuous, but it is periodical and given in specified times; it helps in bringing about positive change in the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of employees; some tips for creating a training program include - create a plan (what do you want employees to learn?), host regular training sessions, use employees as trainers, cross train workers, and set training goals; some benefits of employee training include - better productivity, positive work attitude, risk acceptance, better communication, interpersonal growth, and skills grooming for professional growth; some examples of types include - technical or technology training, quality training, skills training, soft skills training, professional and legal training, team training, managerial training, and safety training
wellbeing
(in general) the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy; workplace wellbeing relates to all aspects of working life from the quality and safety of the physical work environment, to how workers feel about their work, their working environment, the climate at work and work organization; workers wellbeing is a key factor in determining an organization’s long-term effectiveness; steps to take that can improve health and wellbeing in the workplace include - practice good all-around self-care (prevention is better than cure when it comes to maintaining wellbeing), take a break, maintain a positive work/life balance, communicate, utilize employee support, and practice mindfulness
satisfaction
job satisfaction is any combination of psychological, physiological, and environmental circumstances that cause a person to truthfully say that they are satisfied with a job; five components of job satisfaction - 1. pay 2. opportunities for advancement 3. recognition 4. autonomy 5. meaning; employees who report high job satisfaction tend to achieve higher productivity, keeping employees safe and satisfied can also lead to higher sales, lower costs and a stronger bottom line; factors affecting job satisfaction level include - working environment, fair policies and practice, a caring organization, appreciation, pay, age, promotion, and a feeling of belonging; 3 dimensions of overall job satisfaction - general satisfaction, internal work motivation, and growth satisfaction (which are combined into a single measure); benefits of higher job satisfaction - lowers voluntary turnover, reduces employee absenteeism, reduces long-term HR costs, contributes positive results towards Employee Referral Programs, boosts employee productivity, and increases employee retention
realistic job preview
a recruiting tool used to communicate both the good and bad aspects of a job; essentially, it is used to provide a prospective employee with a realistic view of what the job entails
organizational communication
a broad field that encompasses all forms of communication that allow organizations such as companies, government agencies, and nonprofits to function, grow, connect with stakeholders, and contribute to society; refers to the forms and channels of communication among members of organizations such as corporations, nonprofits or small businesses, studies have found a strong relationship between the levels of communication in an organization and job performance and satisfaction; 4 types - formal and informal communication, directional communication, internal and external communication, oral and written communication; broadly speaking, consistent and open communication across an organization ensures all employees, from senior management to entry-level staff, understand the company’s goals and culture, as well as how it presents itself to its customers and clients
business communication
the process of sharing info between employees within and outside a company; effective business communication is how employees and management interact among each other to reach organizational goals and be more aligned with the core company values; 2 main types - internal (upward, downward, and lateral) and external; effective communication within a business is important b/c it can help to foster a good working relationship between you and your staff, which can in turn improve morale and efficiency
