Industrial-organizational psychology involves several different key roles. These include:

*Identifying how attitudes and behaviors can be improved in the workplace.

*Ensuring that workplace moral remains high during periods of change.

*Observing the efficacy of training programs and assisting in developing them

*Using science-based research to help human resources teams develop initiatives and hiring programs that will be successful.

Industrial-organizational psychologists who choose to work in business positions can expect to operate closely with HR teams. This can either be in direct relation to the well-being of individuals in the work place, or it can be related to how people fit into particular roles. Those who focus on the latter tend to match employees to certain tasks depending on their personal characteristics. In contrast, those who focus on the well-being of individuals in the work place will have a more varied role.

Overseeing the well-being of individuals in the workplace as a industrial-organizational psychologist can involve several duties. A typical industrial psychologist will focus on how societal norms influence the well being of employees, as well as how managerial approaches affect morale. If an industrial-organizational psychologist then finds that workers are being negatively affected by the operational side of their workplace, they can make recommendations for change that reflects science-based evidence.

Alternatively, the role can also include finding ways to boost productivity based on employee behavior. This is an objective that will work in tandem with making sure all employees are health and happy, as the two factors are often interlinked. Enhancing productivity as an industrial-organizational psychologist involves organizational management, performance management, training development, and ergonomics -- which focuses on office design for optimal comfort.

For those who do not wish to work directly with businesses, the option of going into the academic field is available. Industrial-organizational psychologists who choose to work in academics will typically conduct research, which is then published and used by those who work in the field. In addition to this, many deliver lectures at universities, training the psychologists of the future as they do so.