Call for Policy Briefs

Policy Shifts and Their Impact for I-O Psychology

Guest Editors
Ian M. Katz, PhD & Rachel S. Rauvola, PhD
DePaul University, Chicago IL (USA)

Background: In the United States, recent executive orders (EO) and proposed policy changes at the federal and state levels are poised to affect the science and practice of industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology in significant ways. From reshaping workplace diversity initiatives and employment protections to enacting artificial intelligence (AI) regulations and new labor policies, these shifts have the potential to redefine how organizations function and how I-O psychologists conduct research, teach (under)graduate students, advise organizations, and implement interventions.

Industrial and Organizational Psychology (IOP) invites policy briefs, in the form of perspectives and interpretations that critically examine how recent or pending policy changes would influence I-O psychology were they to take effect. Notably, many of these policies are subject to judicial and/or legislative review, making their ultimate impact and applications uncertain. Therefore, we encourage contributors to explore the potential implications for I-O psychology if such policies were to be enacted and take effect. We seek contributions that consider the implications of the evolving legal, legislative, and/or judicial landscapes for workplace science and practice, including but not limited to:

· The impact of policy shifts on hiring, promotion, and performance management practices

· The intersection of policy changes and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives

· AI and automation regulations and their implications for employee assessment and selection

· The influence of shifting immigration policy on workforces and labor markets

· The effects of labor law changes on employee wellbeing, engagement, and productivity

· Organizational responses to new federal or state mandates on workplace practices

· Ethical and practical considerations for I-O psychologists working in evolving legal contexts

· Changes to federal funding structures/priorities and their impact on I-O science, practice, and training

Successful submissions will a) analyze the focal policy prior to the change, b) outline the key proposed modifications to this policy (i.e., via EO or other policy change proposals), and c) discuss the potential implications of such modification for both research and practice in I-O psychology if the policy stands.

Successful submissions should consider various levels of impact on the field of I-O psychology, considering the scope of the focal policy (e.g., state vs. federal) and potentially affected areas or contexts. Although the focus here is on U.S. policy, we welcome and encourage submissions that interpret these policy shifts from a global perspective.

Submission Details: Authors should submit their policy briefs (max. 3,000 words, excluding references) directly to the IOP submission system. When submitting, please choose Focal Article, and then in the Special Issue dropdown, choose Policy Shifts and Their Impact for I-O Psychology. Although submissions will be reviewed as they are received, the final deadline for all submissions is April 4, 2025. Accepted submissions will be published in the September 2025 issue of IOP. However, in service of open science/open practice and the timely dissemination of information, authors are strongly encouraged to post preprints of their submissions to the Open Science Framework/PsyArXiv. For further inquiries, contact: Ian M. Katz, PhD [ikatz@depaul.edu] & Shelly Rauvola, PhD [rrauvola@depaul.edu]