The Uses of Psychology to People at Work Essay -- Papers Workplace Cow

The Uses of Psychology to People at Work Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes (Hilgard, 1996). An understanding of this can be a useful tool for many different groups of people in the work environment, who all have their own interests in what psychology has to offer. Such groups to benefit include managers, employees, Human Resources specialists and Trade Unions. An in depth understanding of human behavioral patterns can be applied positively in order to get the most out of people and increase productivity at work. This is achieved by reducing factors that interfere with the efficiency of peoples' work. This assignment will aim to focus on factors that are ongoing and socially aroused by the interaction between people and their environment, namely: dealing and coping with work stress; lowering the rate of bullying and harassment in the workplace; and maintaining a high level of motivation and effort both in demanding and tedious tasks. Every type of person in an organization is susceptible to suffering from worry and stress. Stress is a challenge to a person's capacity to adapt to inner and outer demands, which may be physiologically arousing and emotionally taxing and call for cognitive and behavioral responses (Westen, 1999). Stress provokes physical and emotional disturbances, which have the ability to affect both one's health and performance. It can lead to tension in the workplace and frequent absenteeism due to illegitimate claims of sickness, thus its prevention is beneficial to both employee and organization. Managing stress can be achieved by the direct approaches of behavioral tec... ...vol 28, no 3, p 311-30. Â · Niedl, 1996, Mobbing and Well-being: Economic and Personnel development implications, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, vol 5, no 2, p 251-271. Â · Otway, HJ & Misenta, R (1980), "The determinants of operator preparedness for emergency situations in nuclear power plants", Paper presented at Workshop on Procedural and Organisational Measures for Accident Management: Laxenburg, Austria, 28-31 Jan. Â · Westen, D (1999), Psychology: Mind, Brain & Culture, Second Edition, Wiley. Â · Wilke, Rutte, van Knippenberg & Ad, 2000, The Resentful sucker: Do rewards ease the pain?, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, vol 9, no 3, Sept 2000, p 307-320. Â · Yukl & Wexley (1971), Readingsin Organizational and Industrial Psychology, Oxford University Press.