Industrial-organizational psychology as a part of the HRM scope of practice in North Lebanon

Abstract

There is a compelling need for enforcing different strategies, approaches and methods to the solution of many pressing problems in todays business world, such as absenteeism and turnover. Skills and contributions of the industrial-organizational psychologists are actively being targeted by all types of businesses to deal with such incidents. Serving as ambassadors, I/O psychologists suggest and implement methods and strategies that promote efficiency, effectiveness and profits by optimizing health and well-being of both individuals and organizations. Of these, the purpose of this study is to examine whether HR managers are adequately eligible for replacing the role of I/O psychologists in organizations in north Lebanon. In this study, a group of HR managers were investigated through in depth semi-structured interviews, couched in an authentic context. A template analysis of the data was implemented to interpret the similarities between the two fields, and continue iteratively to analyze the emerged divergences with other research of the same field of study aiming to answer the research question and meet the objectives. As it was indicated that I/O psychology forms a part of the HRM scope of practice. It was found that HR managers possess the workplace psychological skills and competencies. And it was confirmed that emotional intelligence is the key competency when dealing with and analyzing the human behaviors at the workplace, as it directly relates the two fields. Nevertheless, these skills and competencies are implemented but within the HRs scheme of specialization due to their lack of psychology based knowledge. In fact, participants made recommendations and emphasized on the inclusion of psychology within their scope of knowledge and specialization. Not only to be eligible for such a role, but because psychology can be sometimes the crossing point for any obstacles or complications in their daily tasks.