Developing Talent – Paul Jones

“I am the Manager of Organizational Engagement for Butterball, LLC. Organizational engagement checked a lot of boxes for me. I was looking for opportunities that could use my previous experience in strategic communications along with the tools and skills I learned at Meredith. The I-O psychology program equipped me with a firm grasp of applied organizational psychology, talent development, and change management. I learned not only how to apply evidence-based concepts to the workplace, but how those changes can impact the bottom line for organizations.

I-O psychologists have a critical role in helping employees and organizations navigate a post-pandemic world. Remote working, flex scheduling, organizational culture, diversity, equity and inclusion – these were all conversations happening before 2020. However, COVID-19 forced many companies to reexamine how they address these topics. That’s where I-O psychologists come in. We offer a scientific approach. That is invaluable for executive leadership because it allows them to make informed decisions that will benefit both their company and its employees.

I think we will continue to address many of the big topics that have come to the forefront because of the pandemic. Certainly, I-O psychology will be looking at remote work and flexible work arrangements – and how those relate to team dynamics, organizational culture, and leadership. We’ll also be looking at diversity, equity, inclusion, and belongingness from recruitment to retirement – how we make sure that employees are able to bring their whole self to work and that everyone is given a fair and equitable opportunity to succeed. I also think the field will continue to evolve its research into employee health and well-being, as well as work-life balance. One of the things I love about I-O psychology is the wide variety of topics it encompasses. If it relates to the workplace, an I-O psychologist is probably doing research on it.

I think all workplaces can benefit from hiring I-O psychologists. We bring a unique perspective grounded in evidence-based research that can be applied to real-world business situations. That’s why you see a lot of I-O psychologists working for Fortune 500 companies. It’s not enough to say a new program will work and then hope for the best. I-O psychologists can examine a new program for its validity, determine its probability of success within a margin of error, and report on how its success will impact the company.”