Weekly Blog - Chapter 15 & Class Discussion

After reading chapter fifteen of Brown’s (2012) text, I was able to make connections between the content of the reading and class on November 13^th. Brown (2012) emphasized the importance of career development programs in the business setting. Industrial psychologists often explore the interworkings of systems within the business setting, attempting to understand the employees’ motivations and the company’s aspirations to seek success. Some of the areas these psychologists examine include the employee task performance, dedication to the company, job change and advancement, family interaction in the work setting, as well as other variables that affect the organization (Brown, 2012). In exploring each of these areas within the business setting, industrial psychologists attempt to understand the well-being of the employee and the value/ quality of work that the employee brings to the company. The goal of developing career programs is to “marry” these two sectors by implementing, “an organized, formalized, planned effort to achieve a balance between the individuals’ career needs and the organizations’ workforce requirements” within a corporation (Brown, 2012, p. 333). This idea sounds very similar to the concepts of satisfaction and satisfactoriness, explained by The Minnesota Theory of Work Adjustment, discussed earlier in the semester. When worker satisfaction is paired with work environment satisfactoriness, a productive and balanced work environment is cultivated.

It comes as no surprise to me that many industries are finding career development programs to be a positive, “win-win” investment for all of those involved (Brown, 2012). Once the specific needs of the employees are assessed, the company can design a program that will promote career growth within the work setting. These programs can include career resource centers, individual career counseling, and/or career assessment workshops (Brown, 2012). Brown (2012) also mentioned the benefits of mentoring programs, where senior employees are paired with junior employees to provide psychological and career support throughout their occupational endeavors. This partnership may be effective due to the reciprocal support system that the employee pair constructs, providing both experiential knowledge and fresh perspectives. Brown (2012) shared that 73% of the employee population made positive and significant changes in their career growth in response to career development programs.

This figure provides a natural segway into a reflection of our discussions about success in class. In discussing the meaning of success, we determined as a class that success is defined through the attainment of personal goals and also through the cultural evaluative judgment of society. The idea of a “successful employee” in the work place may be defined one way by the worker and in a completely different way by the industry for which he or she works. It is important for the worker and the company to collaborate in order to make collective goals for the worker and the company. This alliance will promote the achievement of worker satisfaction and work place satisfactoriness to ensure all needs are met.

Brown, D. (2012).  Career information, career counseling, and career development (10^th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.