Learning Outcomes
Upon succesful completion of this course, students:
- Will be able to understand the ways in which Psychology contributes to job-person fit;
- Will understand the main principles and theoretical models that explain work-related well-being, attitudes and behaviors in relation to work and will be able to apply these in practice;
- Will know how to use job abalysis for (re)designing healthier and more safe work environments;
- Will be able to evaluate empirical findings in order to make specific recommendations for job redesign.
Course Content (Syllabus)
Occupational Health Psychology (OHP) is an interdisciplinary field of Applied Psychology that is concerned with the health and safety of workers. OH Psychologists utilize scientific methodology to better understand the impact of (emotional, cognitive, physical)occupational stressors on employees' physical and mental health, the role of work-family (in)balance, accidents and safety, and to deisgn interventions that aim at improving/protecting employee health.
During this course the following topics are covered:
1) Occupational Stress and Employee Health
2) Theoretical models that explain employee well-being;
3) Emotional Labor;
4) Employee Attitudes and Behaviors: Sickness Absence and Sickness Presence
5) Recovery from job demands;
6) Work-family balance;
7) Safety at work;
8) Socioeconomic Conditions and Occupational Health;
9) Job Redesign;
10) Job Crafting.
Also, during the practicum, students will get acquainted with the main principles of job analysis and will learn how to use this tool in the context of job (re)design that aims in healthier and more safe work environments.
Keywords
Burnout, Emotional Labor, Job Analysis, Job Crafting, Job Redesign, Health and Safety at work, Recovery from Work, Stress, Work-Family Balance,
Additional bibliography for study
Peeters, M.C.W.,De Jonge, J., & Taris, T.W. (2013). An introduction to contemporary work psychology. UK: Wiley-Blackwell.