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Stress is a state of mind that reflects certain biochemical reactions in the human body and is projected by a sense of anxiety,tension and depression and is caused by such demands by the environmental forces or internal ores that cannot be met by the resources available to the person. The intensity Of such demands that require a readjustment Of resources or operational styles would determine the extent of stress. Such environmental events or conditions that have the potential to induce stress are known as “stresses”.
Although stress is typically discussed in a negative context, it is not necessarily bad in itself; it also has a positive value. It is an opportunity when it offers potential gain. Consider, for example, the superior performance an athlete or stage performer gives in a “clutch” situation. Such individuals often use stress positively to rise to the occasion and perform at their maximum. Similarly, many professionals see the pressures of heavy workloads and deadline as positive challenges that enhance the quality of their work and satisfaction they get from their job.
Recently, researchers have argued that challenge stresses or stresses associated with workload, pressure to complete tasks, and time urgency operate quite differently from hindrance stresses or stresses that keep you from reaching your goals( for example: red tape,office politics,confusion over bob responsibilities). Although research is just starting to accumulate, early evidence suggests challenge stresses produce less stress than hindrance stresses. Researchers have sought to clarify the conditions under which each type stress exists. T appears that employees who have a stronger affective communication to their organization can transfer psychological stress into greater focus and higher sales performance, whereas employees with low level of commitment perform worse under stress. And when challenge stress increases, those with high levels of organizational support have higher role eased performance but those with low levels Of organizational support do not. More typically, stress is associated with demands and resources.
Demands are responsibilities, pressures, obligations, and uncertainties individual’s control that he or she can use to resolve demands. Let’s discuss what this demand-resources model means. When you take a test at school or undergo your annual performance review at work, you feel stress because you confront opportunities and performance pressures. A good performance review may lead to a promotion, greater responsibilities and a higher salary. A poor review may prevent you from getting a promotion. An extremely poor review may even result in you being fired.
To the extent you can apply resources to the demands on you-such as being prepared,placing the exam,or review in a perspective, or obtaining social support- you will fell less stress. Research suggests adequate resources help reduce the stressful nature of demands when demands and resources match . If emotional demands are stressing you, having emotional resources in the form of social support is especially important. If the demands are cognitive- Say information overload he job resources in the form of computer support or information are more important.
Thus, under the demands resource perspective , having resources to cope with stress is just as important in offsetting it as demands are Increasing. To define stress and identify its potential sources To identify the consequences of stress To contrast the individual and organizational approaches to managing stress HYPOTHESIS Before doing the research I was of the opinion that men experience more job stress than women. While it does not appear that men and women differ in org stress but there is more to the story.
During my study I found that working women tend to report more stress than men. The reason maybe that when a husband and wife work full time outside their home, the wife carries considerably greater household responsibility. So if both spouses work the same number of hours, it’s likely the wife’s total load of paid work and household/family work is greater and thus more stressful generally, even if her work stress alone is not greater.