Working in HR with a psychology degree

For psychology majors looking for a career in which they can apply their skills but prefer to skip the clinical environment, human resources can offer an ideal path to do just that. HR and psychology can complement each other to better help employees thrive in the workplace. 

Understanding human behavior is central to working in HR with a psychology degree, as it connects both fields. HR relies on insights into thought processes, feelings and human behavior. Those who work in HR may use these aspects of psychology for recruiting candidates, training and motivating staff, resolving conflicts, engaging teams, retaining employees and maintaining a respectful and fair workplace.

A background in psychology offers a distinct skill set for people entering an HR role. It can help professionals better understand people management and appreciate motivations in the workplace. It may also mean such individuals have the potential to blend organizational psychology with a company’s goals to create a healthy and effective workplace.

Those who have established themselves in the psychology field may already have the knowledge and skills that apply to leadership and employee development, organizational behavior, performance management and other aspects of HR.

This field is where HR and psychology meet. It focuses on human behavior within organizational and workplace settings, including career development, human performance and decision-making. Plus, it can address:

• Recruitment, interviewing and job placement
• Employee training and development
• Performance evaluation
• Motivation in the workplace
• Workplace rewards and incentives
• Work-life quality for staff
• Organizational development

The integration of psychology into human resources began in the early 20th century as psychology experts started exploring how psychological principles could enhance workplace practices. Early efforts focused on applying scientific methods to employee selection, training and advertising.

Publications from this era formed the basis for industrial psychology, which addressed effective ways to identify and develop talent and how psychological factors influence business outcomes. The use of mental ability and occupational tests (e.g., the Army Beta test) became widespread during wartime, and this helped set a precedent for modern hiring and employee development practices.

As research progressed into the late 1920s and early 1930s, psychological studies expanded from individual hiring to understanding the broader organizational management, relations and motivation. Researchers also explored how these factors could affect productivity and employee retention. This marked the beginning of organizational psychology.

Additionally, researchers developed the human factors psychology field, which explored how redesigning the workplace (e.g., increased breaks) could boost company output and employee wages. 

A college degree in industrial-organizational psychology can help students develop a variety of skills that apply to HR careers. Such skills can both enhance HR capabilities and help people in this field further their professional development.

Studying psychology can help candidates get a better understanding of human behavior. People who work in HR can use this knowledge to tailor employee training and manage dynamics in the workplace.

When HR professionals understand employee motivation and team interaction, they’re able to implement strategies for establishing a healthy work environment.

A role in HR involves frequent interaction and collaboration with individuals and teams. HR professionals need the ability to speak, write and listen effectively, direct staff, give presentations, address concerns and respond to questions.

An understanding of psychology can help enhance these skills so HR professionals can better interact with staff and solve problems. 

Working in HR with a psychology degree requires the ability to determine the pros and cons of workplace options and take the most appropriate action to solve problems and resolve disputes. Knowledge of psychology can help develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills for addressing workplace problems and devising decision-making strategies.

Some HR roles require the ability to manage work activities and make sure employees complete their departmental responsibilities. That’s where leadership skills come in. It can be helpful to learn the effectiveness of different leadership styles to best accommodate the needs of your employees or peers.

Additionally, empathy is an important part of workplace leadership. Its absence can lead to a lack of transparency, poor employee retention and low morale. 

Pursuing a psychology degree can potentially help candidates develop research and data analysis skills. These skills help HR professionals evaluate employee satisfaction, analyze workforce trends and determine how effective HR policies are. This might involve the use of analytical, database, document management and query software.

With a psychology degree, candidates may find a variety of opportunities in HR. Here are some industrial-organizational psychology careers to consider.

This role ensures an organization’s HR department operates efficiently. It involves guiding and inspiring the HR team, maintaining adherence to company policies and partnering with departments to support organizational success.

HR operations managers also manage employee relations, handle recruitment and retention processes, oversee benefits programs and ensure a company complies with laws and regulations.

To pursue this career path, candidates need at least an undergraduate degree with about three to five years of relevant experience. However, some employers may look for candidates who hold a graduate degree such as a Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. 

Working in general HR with a psychology degree may involve recruiting, screening and interviewing job applicants, as well as placing newly hired staff into jobs as an HR specialist. It also involves handling employee relations, compensation, training and benefits.

Responsibilities vary, depending on specific HR specialist roles. For example, HR generalists manage all core HR functions, from hiring to employee relations and policy oversight. Recruitment specialists focus on finding, screening and interviewing candidates.

To become an HR specialist, candidates need an undergraduate degree, such as a Bachelor of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. 

Those employed in HR with a psychology degree can find work as training and development specialists, which involves coordinating employee training programs. They assess employees’ skills and needs, create training materials, deliver instruction, evaluate training programs and keep track of costs and scheduling.

This role typically requires a bachelor’s degree with some work experience in instruction, teaching, staff development and HR. Some employers may hire candidates without a bachelor’s degree if they have enough relevant work experience. 

As an integral part of HR management, this role involves conducting analytical processes to ensure that hiring, employee training and management align with an organization’s goals.

Responsibilities include collecting data, updating job descriptions, evaluating performances, guiding management and making HR policy recommendations. Candidates for this role typically need a bachelor’s degree and HR experience.

Interested in learning more about HR with a psychology degree? University of Phoenix offers online psychology degrees including options at the bachelor's and master's levels in organizational psychology.

To request information about these online degree programs, reach out to UOPX.