CDM 8275

The course aims to introduce students to the concept and subject matter of work psychology and its application in businesses and organizations. Among other things, the course examines the interaction of the individual with his/her work environment and the human relationships developed in the workplace. The concepts of organizational culture, leadership, work attitudes, personality, motivation, emotional intelligence and psychometric assessment are presented and critically discussed. The course also elaborates on job satisfaction and dissatisfaction, work stress, and burnout, as well as their effects on organisational performance, human health, and employee well-being. Finally, emphasis is placed on the theories of learning and training in the workplace.

Students will come to realise that organisational outcomes greatly depend on staff well-being. When employees feel satisfied and fulfilled in their work environment, they can collaborate creatively and become productive and efficient. The module is organised in 3-hour teaching sessions during which theory is initially presented and discussed, followed by application exercises. 

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to: 

• Apply the theories of work psychology in organisations to improve the attitudes, behaviour, and effectiveness of people working within them.
• Understand the motives of human behaviour in the workplace.
• Critically assess motivation theories.
• Identify different leadership styles and their effects on employee psychology and productivity.
• Create the conditions for creative group work.
• Understand the concept of organisational culture and analyse its different components.
• Apply change theories to introduce and establish innovations in organisations. 
• Understand the basic principles of psychometrics and appreciate the value of psychometric assessment in the workplace.
• Apply theories of learning to plan and organize educational programmes in the workplace. 
• Identify stress factors (and their interrelationships) in the workplace, as well as ways of managing them.