The 7 functions and roles of business psychologists

Mental health professionals also help to optimize organizations.

Psychology is a discipline that arouses a lot of interest nowadays; however, many people associate the figure of the psychologist to the clinical field.

Psychology professionals can work in different fields: sports, school or work. In this last case, they receive the name of company psychologists..

How does the psychologist help companies?

Organizations are as complex as they are varied in terms of the type of activities and ways of working that can take place within them. Precisely for this reason, psychologists trained to work with leaders, companies and departments can intervene in a wide variety of roles.

It is clear that each corporation is different, but at the end of the day, it is possible to recognize typical tasks of this professional profile when intervening in companies. So, what are the areas in which the company psychologist is involved? In what areas is the company psychologist involved, and what functions does he or she perform? This psychology professional performs different tasks within a company.

1. Improving the work environment

The positive work climate (relations between workers, company culture, etc.) and the work environment have a great influence on the results of the organization, since companies are made up of people. The business psychologist is an expert in understanding the behavior of employees and their needs and is able to influence their behavior for the good of the organization.

A positive work environment brings benefits for the mental health of workers and keeps them motivated.. Conversely, when the work environment is toxic, it can generate stress and cause a decline in performance, and even facilitate the onset of psychological disorders. The company psychologist can work to maintain an adequate work environment in which the behavioral patterns of the people who make up the organization are not dysfunctional. Only in this way is it possible to allow people to be satisfied by this work context, and for the company to retain talent.

2. Job analysis and personnel selection

One of the most visible jobs in the company is personnel selection and job analysis.. The human capital is, without a doubt, the great engine of the organization, and the good selection of the workers that are part of the company is determinant for the results of the company.

Classical personnel selection only took into account how the employee fit into the job, taking into account his experience and training, but in recent times other variables of the organization (for example, the climate) and the competencies that the candidate has (his motivation, his personality, his concerns, his experience, etc.) are also taken into account.

The contribution of psychology is key in all phases of a personnel selection process, and psychologists are actively involved in the implementation of an integrated human resources system, which analyzes the different positions and the competencies required for them. With an integrated human resources system, personnel selection is connected with other important areas within the human resources department, such as compensation and benefits, talent detection or training.

An incorrect personnel selection process can cause employee dissatisfaction and, as a consequence, poor employee performance, difficulties in adaptation and integration, higher turnover, higher training costs, etc.

3. Training and development

Selecting the right personnel is key when looking for a new hire, but it is often possible to train workers in the right way. it is often possible to train workers so that they can be promoted or perform other functions within the company. within the company.

In this case and in many others, employee training is key not only to making the company perform better, but also to keeping employees motivated. Psychologists can train workers and, in addition, they can apply tools to detect talent or know in which areas it is necessary to train workers to make them more competent.

4. Prevention of occupational hazards

Occupational health also influences workers' performance, and psychological aspects are key in this regard.. The occupational risk prevention department is multidisciplinary, and therefore usually includes sociologists, psychologists and other professionals.

Company psychologists are important, for example, in reducing the impact of certain psychological phenomena such as stress or burnout. They are also involved in establishing workflow models that do not expose workers to unnecessary risks, and they also make assessments of ways in which workspaces could be more ergonomic.

5. Marketing

The profile of a business psychologist is very versatile, as he/she can also be active in the marketing department. can also actively participate in the marketing department, both in the design of campaignsThe profile of a company psychologist is very versatile, as he or she can also actively participate in the marketing department, both in campaign and product design. Your profile is useful, for example, in passing questionnaires and detecting user needs. Emotions are a very important part of marketing, and they often have a great influence on decision making.

• If you want to know more about the role of psychologists in this field, you can read our article: "7 keys of Psychology applied to Marketing and Advertising".

6. Scorecard support

Psychologists are experts in interpersonal relationships, communication and leadership, so their knowledge is very important.They are experts in interpersonal relations, communication and leadership, so their knowledge is very valuable for top management. They can participate at the strategy level, training top managers in more efficient leadership styles or evaluating their relationship with subordinates. They also help to make decisions in the field of Human Resources policies, and in the field of Public Relations, which is reflected in the company's philosophy when relating to workers, both to improve work models (taking into account emotional and human variables in general) and the image of the organization as an entity.

7. Diagnosis and counseling in workflow

Psychologists also diagnose and advise on workflow, i.e., what roles are assigned to the organization as an entity.that is to say, what roles are assigned in the company, how tasks are structured within the company, how the information that supports these tasks flows, etc.

Companies are made up of people and the workflow influences them. Workflow, which aims to reduce work time and speed up the completion of work, facilitates staff mobility, automates methods, streamlines the information exchange process, improves decision making...

How does it do this and how does it influence the organization?

The business psychologist can work directly in a company or in a consultancy that performs human resources and organizational psychology services for companies that wish to outsource some functions or tasks. For example, performing massive selection processes.

The business psychologist can plan, organize or direct the development of people, their retention, admission, evaluation of their performance or the economic compensation or retribution they receive. He or she also analyzes, observes and, if necessary, intervenes in conflicts between workers, thus ensuring a good organizational climate.

Observes and measures physical, social and psychological aspects that affect the proper performance of employees and impact the company's results. Uses questionnaires, interviews and other methods to evaluate phenomena such as organizational climate, productivity and employee health, and applies psychological techniques to correct possible misalignments. He intervenes and advises the management when necessary, participates in collective negotiations and influences strategies to maximize the corporate image.

In addition, is in charge of designing and implementing training programs for personnel development, as well as career plansand career and promotion plans. In general, he analyzes the needs of personnel, the job and the organization and intervenes to improve the performance of employees and the company.