The Psychology of Working Life

Whether we like it or not, the way we work, and our feelings about it, play a fundamental role in overall well-being. But what ideas have informed the organization of our working lives, and how are jobs designed to ensure we perform effectively? What motivates us to do a good job, and when does the pressure of work impact upon our health and well-being?

From the influence of Taylorism and ergonomics in making working life more efficient, to the role of psychometrics in recruiting the right candidate, The Psychology of Working Life illustrates how work in industrialized societies continues to be founded upon core psychological ideas. Author Toon Taris shows how motivation and job satisfaction have become recognized as key to job design, as well as the effects of stress from working too hard.

This fascinating book will make you look again at working life, and how it has been framed by psychologists old and new.

Toon Taris is a Full Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. He is Editor-in-Chief of Work & Stress, one of the leading journals in occupational health psychology, and has written several introductory textbooks around work psychology.