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In one of my first graduate courses in industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology, a professor told us that if we wanted to help people, we were in the wrong place: We work for “the man.” The company. The machine.
Oops.
I did want to help people. More specifically, I wanted to figure out how to make organizations inclusive of not just one dimension of diversity, but every aspect of who we are—national cultures and gender, class background and ability—everything that shapes us. That’s why I wanted to study organizational psychology.
Well, dropping out was not an option. So I was just going to find a way to help people with my I-O degree.
This was over 20 years ago. And I can report that I, and many others, have found ways to use I-O psychology to help people. At scale.
Think of it this way: We may not be helping a person one-on-one to deal with the effects of work stress and burnout on mental health. But we can help prevent burnout and increase well-being in a company with tens of thousands, even millions of employees. One I-O psychologist can spare many, many people the mental health toll of subpar leadership and poor work organization.
And yet, the idea that I-O psychology means “working for the man” keeps popping up. This article suggests it is one of the reasons more prospective students (in a sample of 15 students in India) chose other areas like clinical psychology. Of course, considering that organizational psychology addresses organizational-level rather than individual-level issues, having many more clinical psychologists is only to be expected.
Certainly, many I-O professionals choose corporate careers in which they focus on company efficiency—although when done using best evidence-based practices, this does not mean forgoing employee well-being. Still, many others explicitly use their knowledge to advance human-centric organizations across public and private sectors. For example, Jane Dutton, Professor Emerita at the University of Michigan, is focused on care and compassion at work; Alexis Fink, current President of SIOP (Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology), uses people analytics to support investing in people; and Bernardo Ferdman, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Alliant International University and a consultant, summed up his career motivation this way:
“For me, I-O psychology fundamentally is and should be about doing good for people—it’s about creating workplaces that are inclusive, healthy, and designed to bring out the best in everyone.”
Creating environments where people feel valued and can be their full, authentic selves supports people, and organizations that focus on inclusive and supportive practices, Ferdman believes, “become more effective, productive, and ultimately more successful.”
Ultimately, companies that put people first tend to fare better than those that treat humans as an expense. Wayne Cascio, for example, demonstrated with extensive research that companies that avoid layoffs do better over time. Applying this research to organizations benefits individuals, organizations, and the entire society.
How I-O Psychology Benefits Individuals, Families, and Society
- Supporting Mental Health and Family Well-Being: The benefits of a positive work environment extend beyond the workplace, positively affecting employees’ families. Research shows that workplace support enhances life satisfaction and reduces work-family conflict, which in turn improves family relationships.
- Designing Inclusive Workplaces: I-O psychologists work to eliminate biases in hiring processes, develop equitable promotion criteria, and create training programs that support and develop employees’ strengths. Research indicates that fostering an inclusive work environment leads to higher satisfaction, innovation, trust, and retention among employees. (And yes, I did figure out how to practice intersectional inclusion in the workplace—my approach is reflected in The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work.)
- Driving Societal and Economic Growth: Healthy organizations benefit society at large. Inclusive leadership helps increase job satisfaction and innovative work behavior, further enhancing organizational success and economic strength. By promoting belonging and reducing burnout, I-O psychologists contribute to a more engaged and productive workforce—which often translates into stronger organizational performance and economic growth.
So, Is I-O Psychology a Field for Doing Good?
Knowledge is a tool. And it is up to us to bring our values to how we use our tools.
At its core, I-O psychology is about people as well as the systems in which they work. We can use science to create workplaces where humans can thrive and where well-being is foundational. For those who care about helping others, I-O psychology offers a unique opportunity to make an impact that scales—not just helping individuals, but shaping systems that can improve entire communities.
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