In the business world it is important to know in detail the work environment and the factors involved, so it is essential to know both the possibilities of the work teams and the potential problems that may arise, these and other problems are addressed by business psychology, a branch of psychology focused on the study of human behavior in the workplace.
In addition, this discipline specializes in all factors that can interfere with the development of work tasks, either individually or as a group, and aims to correctly define all possible behaviors to improve worker performance.
- The first definition of business psychology came under the name of industrial psychology.
- Its applications were limited to scientific work in Europe in the late 16th century; in fact.
- The beginnings of this current of study are reflected in the book Exame de Engenhos published by Juan Huarte San Juan in 1575.
- Considered the first book that adequately addresses psychology.
Several centuries later, the conflicts of World War II and the great crisis that spread around the world aroused a new interest in business psychology. The main reason was the need for many companies to recover from what happened, because of the economic and organizational consequences suffered.
For example, in the military field the need for recruits capable of performing advanced technological tasks in the areas of training has increased: all these people had specific positions where they could be useful.
However, at the end of the war, all these former soldiers had to return to another type of work; their rehabilitation problems have led to increased psychological distress and high unemployment.
To solve this situation of labor crisis, the studies carried out during these years have evolved the concept of industrial psychology to that of corporate psychology as we know it today, because its studies and applications have been extended to all areas of work. environment and not just the industrial environment.
In particular, industrial psychology applications have gone from analyzing worker behavior at the individual level to studying their behavior in groups. It is within a company where such group studies can be carried out.
The field of business psychology should not be confused with human resources management in an organization, the first is a branch of psychology and, to devote to it, adequate training in this field is necessary, although business psychology may include aspects related to HR. work, the reality is that it necessarily enters areas such as motivation, stress or culture.
However, it is not strictly necessary to have training in psychology to work in a human resources department, the functions of these positions are mostly related to the elaboration and analysis of budgets, staff expenses, contracts or legislative matters, so the knowledge required because these functions are closer to administration and law than to psychology itself.
Business psychology can perform many functions within the organization of the company, so to illustrate in more detail its tasks, here are some of the areas studied: