Chatting in a bar with some psychologist colleagues I catch up with every couple of months, the topic comes up of whether it is worth remaining registered as a psychologist in our line of work and where our profession is going. We all work in HR or OD of some description, either consulting or internally. Ice clinks as drinks are stirred thoughtfully. We are all glad we studied psychology, and we know that our training is fundamental to the way we work, and that it adds value. Yet the value our profession brings to our jobs doesn’t always seem to be recognised.
So what do you get when you hire an I/O Psychologist? There are, of course, many very talented HR and OD practitioners out there who are excellent practitioners and not psychologists. This article is certainly not intended to diminish their work or their profession, which is a shared one. But there is a difference, and it is a difference worth considering if you’re hiring, engaging a consultant, or designing a team.
Accountability
Psychologists in NZ are ultimately accountable to the NZ Psychologists Board(NZPB). The NZPB is responsible for implementing the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act (HPCA) (2003) which regulates the practice of psychology and all other health professions. This accountability gives their employer or client the assurance that a) psychologists demonstrate a set of core competencies, b) their work has standards for safe practice and oversight to ensure they are met, and that c) if something goes wrong there is a process for investigation and redress.
What do you get? Assurance of minimum standards of safe and effective practice.
Oversight
One of the Board’s requirements of psychologists to ensure their safe and effective practice is that they undertake supervision. Supervision is not what it sounds like. Supervisors don’t watch everything their supervisee does and they are not responsible for their behaviour or performance. They are more like a coach, a safety net, and a reflective sounding board. Their role is to facilitate the supervisee to enhance and extend their practice – to help them become better at what they do.
What do you get? Someone who is supported to be at their best.
Continuing competence
Every psychologist must keep records of their participation in the NZPB Continuing Competence Programme (CCP). The CCP is a process of reflecting with a supervisor on any gaps in knowledge or skill relevant to current areas of practice, then identifying learning goals and make a plan for closing any gaps.
What do you get? Someone who you know is always learning.
Ethical training and confidentiality
Being ethical seems like an aspiration of a good practitioner of any sort, or even just a good person. But learning to apply a code of ethics to complex problems is a skill and a habit that needs to be developed and nurtured. Psychologists develop this skill in depth during their one-year registration process and will only be registered as a psychologist once their ethical judgement is deemed sound. As their career progresses, supervision provides the sounding board they need to hone these skills, and they remain accountable for their decisions. It is worth noting that confidentiality is a big deal within ethics, it is not always as simple as it sounds, and psychologists take it seriously. Incidentally, a psychologist can never take their psychologist hat off – standards for ethical behaviour extend to their personal lives too (refer back to accountability).
What do you get? Someone who is held accountable for being skilled at navigating real life ethical dilemmas with integrity.
Evidence-based training
One of the self-professed hallmarks of the I/O Psychology profession is the commitment to evidence-based interventions. With a minimum of an Honours degree, and many holding a Masters degree, I/O Psychologists are trained to be consumers of research, that is they know how to find, read, conduct and evaluate research including quantitative and qualitative research. With this training comes values around evidence-based interventions and a responsibility to be a scientist-practitioner.
What do you get? Someone with deeply ingrained values about doing work that is, to the best of the available knowledge, effective.
Cultural competence
Psychologists must develop and maintain a specific type of competence – cultural competence. Cultural competence is essentially the ability to work safely and effectively within a culture that is not their own. This requires awareness of personal culture, knowledge of the other culture, and the ability to practice in a way that benefits the clients. The concept of cultural competence predominantly refers to bi-cultural practice within the Maori culture, but also other cultures. It also places psychologists in good stead to work within, and influence, corporate culture.
What do you get? Someone who is self and other aware, has the empathy to understand other perspectives, and the flexibility to adapt their approach to best effect.
Reflective practice
Reflection is a big part of being a good psychologist. Or indeed, according to research, being good at anything. Reflective practice is one of the Psychologists Core Competencies outlined by the NZPB. Reflection is important because it allows us to prepare, adapt, improve, and learn from our mistakes. If a psychologist is actively practicing reflectively either using their own methods or through supervision, they are likely to be doing their best work.
What do you get? The best out of them.
Psychologists like myself and my colleagues put time, effort and money into maintaining the standards of our profession because we think they are important for doing our best work. We’d love you to know about what you get when you hire a psychologist. If these are things you value in the people you work with, do consider working with a psychologist, or supporting them in their quest to be at their best.
If you liked what you read here and are interested in professional supervision, contact me on nina@ninafield.co.nz to chat about how I can help.
Comments