THE DOLLARS AND SENSE OF PSYCHOLOGY IN BUSINESS

Profit is the lifeblood of business. Productivity is the key to profit. To achieve productivity, business has focused the majority of its attention on technology, capital investment, and business management systems: Each of these areas have yielded good results, but a point of diminishing returns is being reached.

Dealing effectively with the psychological aspects of employees has received somewhat less attention, and therefore this area offers opportunities for employers looking for additional profit

Psychologists know how to help employers reap the benefits of well functioning employees. Doing so enhances the well-being of the company through higher profits, and enhances the well-being of the employees. It is a win/win situation. It maximizes gains from new technology and good management systems. It is like found money.

The use of psychology in business can be roughly divided into two parts. First, one can examine of the business environment: the atmosphere- of the work environment, the quality of the supervision, the structures through which employees are managed. This is an examination of the business environment in terms of the psychological issues that affect all employees. The second area has to do with the psychological health of your employees: the stresses they are dealing with, the personal problems in their life, their personal upsets. This presentation will look at how you can use psychology to work in both areas.

The Psychologically Productive Business Environment

The work environment that your employees operate in has much to do with their productivity. Psychologically productive environments include ones which have open communication, dynamic leadership and supervision, problem-solving mechanisms, teamwork and supportiveness.

Psychologically productive environments tend to have fewer of the negative elements that often occur at work, such as fears (of retribution or of job loss), antagonism, back-biting, conflict, and 'stress". Determining how these negatives occur and operate is critical to eliminating them and improving the work environment. But, knowing what is happening psychologically can sometimes be difficult. For many reasons employees tend to avoid discussing the problems that are upsetting them in your work environment. In addition, when you do know what is occurring, making the right changes can be difficult.

Nontraditional Uses of Psychology In Business

Psychologists are trained problem solvers. They are interested in what causes people to behave the way they do. They are interested in what gets in the way, what's missing, and what’s needed for people to work well. They are trained to FIRST DO AN ASSESSMENT with you about how your organization functions in terms of human behavior and emotions. They are not trained in accounting, marketing or methods of production - their skills are in identifying how humans behave in the manner they do. After the careful assessment, THEY PLAN INTERVENTIONS to help people function differently. These interventions need to fit you and your business. The interventions are geared to be practical and cost-effective.

At your business site, psychologists can provide services in the form of consultation and/or training. The consultation services include assessing the psychological climate of your workplace, working with supervisors in managing employees, problem-solving, or, team building. Consultation is not advice giving, it is about working with you to solve people problems.

Successful people use consultants to be even more successful.

Sometimes psychologists provide training services in areas of their specialty. For example psychologists may provide: workshops on stress management, conflict resolution, or dealing with troubled employees. Some psychologists are trained in testing and selection of employees.

Psychologists focus on finding the barriers to change and overcoming them. They have been doing that successfully with people who have far fewer personal skills than most of your employees and it can be done with your employees as well.

There are a host of specific areas where psychologists can be of help to your business and the climate your employees operate in:

1. Communication:

Effective communication is at the hub of implementing your work objectives. Learning how to communicate is a skill that is not systematically taught in our schools or in our families. Some employees bring this skill to the job and others do not.

Communication skills are especially important for your supervisors and managers. Did you know, for example, that most employees see their supervisors in a parent-like fashion? They are especially vulnerable to criticism and react if they feel judged. There are specific things that. Supervisors can do to communicate clearly without criticizing or judging.

2. Conflict:

Destructive forms of conflict chew up profits. They consume time and create barriers to cooperation. Communication, conflict management skills are not systematically taught in our society. Yet because conflict is of such concern to humans, it has a tremendous impact on productivity. Since it cannot be avoided, it must be managed and there are specific skills necessary.

Did you know that most conflict goes underground? People are afraid of conflict especially with more powerful people, like supervisors. Many employees tend to swallow their upset, act it out, or muddle through rather than deal with conflict.

3. Stress Management:

Our culture wins the award for Most Stressed Out Society. We are all struggling to manage our financial lives, our personal lives, and our business lives, and we get overwhelmed. Our bodies were designed better to cope with physical stress, but hot well designed to handle the multiple and ill-defined stressors of modem American life. The result is emotional immobilization. Left unattended, stress reactions cause physical disaster.

Apart from the productivity problems caused by a stressed out employee, you will also pay the physical healthcare bill. Psychologists are aware of what causes stress in humans. Stress is generally a matter of perception, and can often be resolved with little cost by changes in perception. Understanding the perception of stress in your business could help increase productivity and save healthcare costs.

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