What Does An Occupational Health Psychologist Do?

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You can bring your psychology expertise to the workplace. An occupational health psychologist is responsible for applying his or her skills in order for his or her clients to live a healthy and harmonious lifestyle. This service is mostly provided for office employees. If a worker is too stressed, too bored, or his or her working conditions are too harsh, a health psychologist should be able to help him or her out.

Educational Requirements

When it comes down to your educational requirements, you will need to go through a four-year bachelor degree program with an institution that has special accreditation for psychology. The subjects studied include psychology, human development and sociology. You must also have laboratory experience. Lastly, the garnering of a master’s degree will greatly increase your chances of getting employed. After you finish your education, it is highly advisable that you spend some time in voluntary service as well as with a professional in order to practice in a professional environment.

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include creating and following a schedule with meetings and activities regarding the client and the facility he or she is working for. Your goal is to prevent stress, illness and injury, if you are responsible for the entire firm. Every worker is your responsibility. You will also be checking the conditions in the facility. The health psychologist needs to be aware of how to handle stress, anger and bullying in a typical office environment.

Human resources will be asking you to keep an eye on recruitment and performance as well. You will be reporting to the people in charge and the changes that need to be done for the working environment in order for it to be efficient. Although it might sound like the occupational health psychologist just have to put everyone in a good mood, his or her influence stretches far beyond that though. Studies show that the work of psychologists in a working environment is vital for the successful functioning of corporate companies.

Career Outlook

The occupational health psychologist can be working either privately or with government industries. They are being employed by business services, educational areas, and government departments, followed by media and financial services. Some others are working in more ordinary places like supermarkets. Each facility has its own specific issues and its own level of intensity and difficulty of work.

It is a good idea to research this as well, if you find the chance. This is a relatively new field of work and this is exactly why it is also proving to be a profession that is slowly, but surely growing in popularity. As an occupational healthy psychologist, you will benefit from the connection to the Society for Occupational Health Psychology. The average annual salary for psychologists is just above $69,000. However, private sector field can make as much as $120,000 annually. On average, industrial or workplace psychologists can make $83,580.

If you want to use your skills in a practical way and work with large companies for larger paychecks then this is the field to pursue. Seek education now and reap the benefits when you graduate!