SIOP Government Relations

SIOP’s government relations and public policy initiatives raise awareness of the importance of industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology science and research in creating sound public policy and representing SIOP in Washington, DC.

The SIOP Government Relations Advocacy Team (GREAT) has been pursuing these goals with the support of Lewis-Burke Associates LLC, a leading federal government relations firm in Washington, DC, since 2013. A discussion of the guiding principles for this work follows this overview.

To efficiently engage federal audiences, SIOP leadership, GREAT, and Lewis-Burke have created working groups of members with expertise in core Advocacy Areas or subjects of interest to federal policymakers and the Society.

The program’s goals are to bridge SIOP’s capabilities and government relations expertise with the interests of policy makers and advance the consideration of evidence-based I-O psychology in addressing the challenges and opportunities related to areas of persistent federal attention.

Each Advocacy Area listed alphabetically below is linked to an informal white paper for policymakers that outlines how I-O could be effectively leveraged to address key topics in that domain.

Additional advocacy materials can be found on the Policy Resources Page.

The SIOP Advocacy Academy

The SIOP Advocacy Academy is a series of webinars aimed at providing I-O professionals and students with the knowledge and skills needed to advocate for research funding, evidence-based policy, and other critical issues relevant to I-O psychology. The 2025 program will feature three webinars:

• January 22: Introduction to Science Policy and Advocacy

• February 20: Understanding the Federal Legislative Process

• March 18: Engaging with Policymakers and Influencing Legislation

Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions of experts from Lewis-Burke Associates, SIOP’s government relations partner, on how they can best engage in advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels. Interested individuals can sign up at this link by January 10. Please contact Jack Goodman-Cheng at jack@lewis-burke.com with any questions.

Sign-Up Now

Guide to Federal Outreach and Advocacy

Dome of the US Capitol with the flag flying SIOP offers this comprehensive guide, and the companion video “Advocacy 101," developed with assistance from Lewis-Burke Associates, summarizing SIOP’s approach to advocacy at the federal level and providing practical advice and resources for members who wish to pursue advocacy work.

These are members-only resources. You must be logged in to access them.

Watch Advocacy 101 Video

Additional resource materials have been developed to address a variety of workplace and workforce issues to inform members of SIOP, policy makers, and the public.

Alerts:
Timely information about federal research and program funding opportunities and action items for SIOP members related to governmental advocacy are posted in this section.

Policy Resources:

Guidance documents for public policy makers and those working with them on such topics as understanding the changing technology-enabled workforce, evidence-based solutions to policing reform, and evidence-based policy around workforce training programs are gathered here.

News :

The SIOP Government Relations Advocacy Team and Lewis-Burke Associates keep the SIOP membership community apprised of advocacy efforts through a quarterly article in TIP, SIOP’s news publication, and the monthly Washington Info email outreach.

I-O Psychology for Modernizing Congress

A Conversation with Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and SIOP President Steven Rogelberg

As a workplace, the United States House of Representatives is inordinately complex. It is essentially comprised of 435 independent contractors, all of whom are perennially concerned with their job security and have few incentives to work collaboratively. But with whole of the American public relying on their capacity to work together, the House of Representatives recognized the importance of improving their effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency, and established the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress in 2019.

Chaired by Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA 6^th District), the committee has committed to a truly bipartisan approach to their mission. The group is determined to approach their work with intention and civility in a way that models effective governance for other congressional entities and provides recommendations to the House of Representatives on a rolling basis.

SIOP President Steven Rogelberg recently sat down with Chairman Kilmer to discuss how industrial-organizational psychology has been, and will continue to be, influential in the Select Committee’s work.

Rogelberg Testifies Before the U.S. Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress

SIOP Past President and Fellow Steven Rogelberg testified before the U.S. Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress on the topic of being successful and engaging others in very difficult working environments. More specifically, he discussed how industrial-organizational psychology could be used to assist members of Congress, their staffs, and the institution. Rogelberg used his time to explain that although Congress might not be structured like the average workplace, I-O psychology practices can still be applied. He went on to discuss how to create workplace improvement strategies and set up attainable goals. He also suggested training courses that would be relevant to the working environment.

Click here to watch the full hearing.

Guiding Principles

SIOP’s government relations and public policy initiatives focus on raising awareness of the importance of industrial and organizational psychology science and research in policy discussions, educating federal and congressional policy makers, and providing SIOP members with a voice in our nation’s capital.

Lewis-Burke Associates LLC, a leading federal government relations firm in Washington, DC, has been assisting SIOP with the implementation of its public policy goals since 2013. Lewis-Burke staff work in collaboration with SIOP’s President, Past President, President-Elect, Research and Science Portfolio Officer, and Executive Director, as well as the Government Relations Advocacy Team (GREAT). To prioritize government relations activities, SIOP leadership has identified the following guiding principles, which represent the Society’s core values and serve as the first measure for engaging in advocacy activities:

SIOP seeks to increase external credibility for I-O with federal policy makers to promote the application and implementation of I-O in federal policies, programs, and decision-making.
SIOP supports the qualified use of evidence-based practices involving workforce issues and advocates for the education of policy-making bodies on the science of the workplace.
SIOP supports the responsible adoption of innovation in the workplace, provided it is rooted in scientific evidence and advocates for the sharing of the evidence base behind innovations.
SIOP supports the use of science to support diversity and inclusion practices in the workplace and advocates for the adoption of evidence-based practices to foster effective workplace cultures.
SIOP supports the use of reliable and valid assessments for the selection, management and evaluation of workers and advocates for the adoption of evidence-based assessment.
SIOP supports the expansion of funding for workplace sciences research and advocates for further study of workforce and workplace topics for the betterment of employee lives and organizational efficiency worldwide.
SIOP supports the expansion of access to education and training for the global workforce and advocates for additional funding for work-based learning and development initiatives.

Together, these guiding principles represent a core set of values espoused by SIOP. SIOP’s partnership with Lewis-Burke is fundamental for furthering these principles in Washington by giving the Society a strong, consistent voice at the federal level; allowing the Society to respond quickly when action is needed; and ensuring that SIOP has a constant presence within the science community through participation in coalitions.

SIOP encourages its members to stay informed and involved with SIOP government relations through regular updates in SIOP publications, including the "SIOP in Washington" column in The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist. We also encourage members to read "Improving Federal Legislation and Policy with the Science of the Workplace and Workforce,” which further explains SIOP’s government relations goals and intentions.

For more information about SIOP's government relations efforts, please contact the SIOP Administrative Office at 419-353-0032.