Occupational psychology is concerned with the performance of people at work and in training, how organisations function and how individuals and small groups behave at work.

The aim is to increase the effectiveness of the organisation, and to improve the job satisfaction of the individual.

This speciality is broader in scope and less formalised than most other areas of psychology, and it touches on diverse fields including ergonomics, personnel management and time management.Work can be in advisory, teaching and research roles and, to a lesser extent, technical and administrative roles. Activities might include:

• helping a company to develop a new culture or image and then project it to the outside world;
• teaching the skills necessary for leadership, teamwork, negotiation, assertiveness, conflict resolution, and communication;
• assessing how individuals cope with unemployment, redundancy, retirement or job seeking, and helping them to deal with such changes;
• assisting with industrial relations between management and employees;
• monitoring and validating recruitment procedures;
• developing and conducting training programmes, and evaluating their effectiveness;
• evaluating job performance to give a person a deeper understanding of their strengths, weaknesses and special interests;
• exploring the interactions of people with their working environment to ensure it is a safe, healthy and effective one;
• increasing awareness of ethnic minorities, women and people with special needs.

Where?
Occupational psychologists often work for large companies (in both the private and public sectors), in government and public services, in management training centres and for private consultancies.They usually work alongside other professionals such as managers, trade union representatives, training officers and specialist staff from the firm or industry concerned.

The Civil Service is one of the largest single employers of occupational psychologists; the Prison Service, the Home Office, the Employment Department Group (including the Employment Service), the Ministry of Defence, and the Civil Service Commission all employ occupational psychologists.

How?

Qualifications and training

There are several ways to become an occupational psychologist. Some people go straight from a degree in psychology into work in organisations.Their work may not be called psychology, but it could include training, selection and job design.To ensure that the supervised practice undertaken will fulfil the requirements for registering as an occupational psychologist, trainees should apply for Affiliate Membership of the Society’s Division of Occupational Psychology (DOP).Application forms are available from the Society).The Affiliates Group of the DOP has developed a website (www.bps.org.uk/sub-syst/dop/index.cfm) to assist trainees through this process (list of assessors, workshops, etc.).

Mature entrants are encouraged because of their experience, and graduates can go straight into employment and join an accredited training course at a later date, possibly on a part-time basis. Employment opportunities are advertised in the Appointments Memorandum and magazines such as People Management (published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development) and in the press.

Funding is scarce for postgraduate training, but institutions may be able to provide information on possible means of financial support.

Pay, prospects and conditions

With the many changes in society, economy and technology, the services of occupational psychologists are increasingly in demand. Opportunities exist both in the public and private sectors although most occupational psychologists are employed in the private sector.

Salaries can vary enormously.The approximate range for those in government service are:

Psychologist (graduate trainee) £17,000 – £22,500
Higher Psychologist £19,000 – £26,000
Senior Psychologist £24,000 – £34,000+

Salaries in the private sector or industry can vary from £15,000 to £100,000+. Higher salaries can be found in consultancy work and depend on expertise and length of contract.

Further Information

www.bps.org.uk/occupational

The Chartered Institute of Personnel
and Development, CIPD House,
35 Camp Road Wimbledon,
London SW19 4UX
Tel: 020 8971 9000
Website: www.cipd.co.uk