What is I-O?

Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology is the scientific study of the workplace. Rigor and methods of psychology are applied to issues of critical relevance to business, including talent management, coaching, assessment, selection, training, organizational development, performance, and work-life balance.

Professional societies operate primarily out of the volunteer efforts of the members. This is fortuitous, because if we had to pay the typical consulting rates of our member's, dues would be $10,000 per year! I believe that the proportion of our members who work on committees is larger than most other similar professional societies. Typically, over 300 members do some SIOP service each year. This is not only good for the science and the profession, but it provides networking opportunities which might help your research or business. Consider getting involved, or keeping involved, this year.

Below is a listing of the SIOP committees, their chairs for next year, and a brief comment on their nature and needs.

Awards (Angelo DeNisi): Consider nominating someone for one of SIOP's awards. It costs so little, yet means so much to people. Besides, sometimes they win money, and how can they say no if you ask for a loan?

Committee on Committees (Susan Palmer): If you want to volunteer for SIOP service, then this is the committee to contact. You know you have a bureaucracy when you need a committee by this name.

Continuing Education & Workshop (Sally Hartmann): Did you know that these programs are not just for those who need CE credits? Did you know that they give you $3 shrimp at the cocktail party?

Education & Training (Janet Barnes-Farrell): This committee sponsors such programs as the doctoral consortium and the survey of I-O programs. They are considering the development of I-O videos. Interested in helping? (No singing required.)

Fellowship (Kevin Murphy): Speaking of singing, here's the perfect opportunity to belt out, 'Oh, he/she's a jolly good fellow!' Please nominate a deserving SIOP member this year.

Frontiers Series (Shelly Zedeck): Help push back the frontiers of science by writing a book for this series, or push back your own frontiers by reading one.

Long Range Planning (Elaine Pulakos): This committee is elected to be resident troublemakers. Please send them your suggestions and complaints. (Whiners are welcome.)

Membership (Bill Macey): Convince a colleague or student to join today. Remember what past president Ben Schneider said, 'the people make the place.'

Professional Practice Series (Manny London): Help advance professional practice by writing a book for this series, or advance your own practice by reading one.

Professional Practice (Vicki V. Vandaveer): This new committee combines the old External Affairs and Professional Affairs Committees. Vicki needs ideas and volunteers. Vicki was given this start-up job because her middle initial stands for 'Victory.'

Program -- SIOP (Lois Tetrick): Volunteers are needed to review the huge number of papers submitted to SIOP. However, Lois may wonder why she volunteered when over 500 submissions show up in her office.

Program -- APA (John Hollenbeck): If you don't submit something to APA for John to review, he will be as lonely as the Maytag repair man. After serving on nearly every editorial board, John volunteered for this job to get a break.

Scientific Affairs (Jim Breaugh): This year the committee will be conducting an extensive review of the changing state of affirmative action. Send Jim any information and ideas you have. Jim said he wanted to be where the action was.

Society Conference (Katherine Klein): Conference locations are scheduled 6 or 7 years in advance. So if you spent too much money bringing your family to Orlando, and missed most of the presentations, blame Ron Johnson.

State Affairs (Jay Thomas): We now have a draft of a new SIOP position on licensure (see elsewhere in this issue of TIP). Please send comments to Jay. But don't criticize him if you disagree with something -- it was a committee effort.

TIP Newsletter (Mike Coovert): Many plans are in the works to improve TIP even further, partly through technology. I can't joke about Mike's work, however, because he gets to edit this column.

E-Mail (John Boudreau): This is a new ad hoc committee we just formed to develop an e-mail system for SIOP. We drafted the man who developed the successful system for the HR Division of the Academy of Management. If you have any ideas or would like to be involved, (you guessed it) send John an e-mail. Also, Phil Craiger is setting up a World Wide Web Homepage. See his column 'Traveling in CyberSpace' in this and future issues of TIP.

Placement (Steve Ashworth): This initiative is so important that we have formed another ad hoc committee to further develop it. It is going to take a lot of effort, so Steve's job is secure. (No pun intended.)