Organizations often consider on-staff industrial/organizational psychologists as cost with no revenue return. What might industrial/organizational psychologists do to demonstrate their value to organizational leaders?

          If an organization does consider on-staff industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists as a cost without a beneficial return, then that organization is making a critical mistake by underestimating the value of  I/O psychologists. Such organizations are also underestimating the benefits these professionals bring to such an organization. I/O psychologists are a valued asset for an organization because they affect the effectiveness and functioning of an organization. I/O psychologists have various means of demonstrating their value to leaders of organizations. I/O psychologists can start demonstrating their value by providing a detailed list of activities they will perform to affect an organization's effectiveness and functioning. This detailed list of activities would be to analyze the nature of a job, conduct an analysis to determine the solution to an organizational problem, conduct a survey of employee feelings and opinions, design an employee performance appraisal system, and design an employee selection system (Spector, 2012). Also included in the list would to design a training program, develop psychological tests, evaluate the effectiveness of an activity or practice, and implement an organizational change (Spector, 2012).

          By providing such a list I/O psychologists can demonstrate how such activities affected the effectiveness and functioning of other organizations who employed I/O psychologists. Performing such a task is done by researching and studying those organizations, such as AT&T and General Electric (GE) who indeed employed I/O psychologists. Certain I/O psychologists can provide detailed firsthand accounts of how such activities affected the effectiveness and functioning of organizations who employed them. Providing such research, studies, and firsthand detailed accounts of effective previous employment to a potential or current organization of employment demonstrates the value of I/O psychologists. Organizational goals are best met by further improving the effectiveness and functioning of an organization. When I/O psychologists demonstrate their value they can indeed improve an organization's effectiveness and functioning.               

Reference

Spector, P. E. (2012). Industrial and organizational psychology (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.