The psychologisation of workplace relations: why social context matters

The papers in this special issue were presented at a conference in Lisbon in 2013 in a track titled ‘Managing HR in a Globalised Workforce’. The criteria we adopted in selecting papers was to look for the best work that focused on Asia, had practical implications for managing HR, and showed awareness of the social, political and economic context in which HRM and workplace relations are managed. Consideration of these criteria drew us towards considering the impact which the growing dominance of industrial and organisational psychology is having upon research into people management at the workplace level. In this introductory paper we examine some explanations for the ‘psychologisation’ of workplace relations, why it should cause concern, and the importance of maintaining a better balance with contributions from other social sciences. We conclude that research into Asia Pacific HRM requires a deep understanding of the social context in each country. Key points Research into workplace relations is becoming increasingly dominated by industrial and organisational psychology. This development may have adverse consequences for the field in terms of policy advice, management training, and the growing prevalence of ‘a‐social’ perspectives on what constitutes a ‘good working life’. It is important to restore a better balance with economic, sociological and institutional perspectives upon workplace relations.