Never before have so many people been forced to work from home so rapidly. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, how, where, and when work is done has changed massively in the space of weeks, often with little planning. It is not hard to imagine some of the challenges workers have faced: new routines need to be established; some people have been home schooling their children during the working day; and partners need to negotiate home working space. Further, some workers are worried they will lose their job and become part of the large and growing numbers of unemployed.¹ It is therefore imperative to understand the mental health of people working from home and how to design such work to be healthy.

Even beyond the current situation, it is crucial to understand how to design remote work to protect and enhance worker well-being. Many companies are now jumping on the “flexible work bandwagon” because they have realized such practices can be effective. To ensure such flexible working is sustainable into the future, it is important to ensure they are designed to be psychologically healthy.

The world has changed. In a matter of weeks, we went from going about our daily lives to staying at home, observing the mounting death toll and economic impacts from COVID-19, and, just recently, watching people pour into the streets around the country and world to call for justice in the wake of more sad and senseless violence against the African-American community.  Through all the turmoil and uncertainty, it is important that the SIOP community continue to come together, convening around our shared concern as I-O psychology professionals for the well-being of humans and smarter workplaces.

The scientific foundation of I-O psychology is what sets us apart from other practitioners. For many I-O psychologists, access to an academic library is lost when we finish school. Still, we need to stay abreast of our field and keep our knowledge and skills sharp. We also need access to solid, useful resources. Practitioners may use literature sources when working on tasks such as:

American Psychological Foundation 
Apply online for all programs here:
https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=apa&
FAQ: https://www.apa.org/apf/funding/grants/faqs
Questions? Email APF’s program coordinator, Julia, at jwatson@apa.org .

Upcoming Deadlines

Sharon Stephens Brehm Undergraduate Psychology Scholarships: $5,000
Due July 1, 2020
APF’s only undergraduate program. The Brehm Undergraduate Scholarship Program will provide assistance to students majoring in psychology with demonstrated financial need. International students and students who are undocumented are welcome to apply.

SIOP and the SIOP Foundation have a rich history of awarding deserving individuals and groups for research that advances the field of industrial and organizational psychology. This tradition continues with the 2021 slate of awards, open now for nominations. New this year, the Awards Committee created an interactive poster with all of the awards, grants, and scholarships to help you decide which one(s) might apply to you. 

Find the open awards and criteria at https://www.siop.org/Foundation/Awards. Nominations for awards, research grants, and scholarships close on June 30, so nominate yourself or a worthy colleague now.