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Stress and Stress Management in the Workplace The purposes of this paper it to examine Stress and Stress Management in the workplace and to propose possible methods in preventing, reducing and coping with such stresses. It will also cover the motivating performance through job design. It is experienced that well designed jobs can have a positive impact on both employee satisfaction and the quality of performance. There are several methods and techniques that can be offered by the employer and practiced by employees facing faculties at work.
Empowerment Is a potential buffer against the stress involved In service roles, but its advantages may depend on the service provider’s desire to be empowered. The most commonly definitions of stress may be categorized into three types. The first type is stimulus-based which considers stress as a situational or environmental based stimulus, Impinging on the person. The second type is response-based, defining stress as an individual’s psychological or physiological response to environmental/ situational forces.
The third definition, which Is adopted or the purposes of the present study, applies an interactive approach often called the stresses-strain approach. It brings together the concepts put forward in the first two definitions in the sense that it defines stress as both the stimulus (source of stress or stresses) and the response (outcome or manifestation of stress or strain). Theories based on this definition are usually considered to be superior since they offer a more “complete” view of the dynamics of stress and can account for documented differential experiences within a single situation (Vocal & Nikolas, 005).
The PAP survey found three quarters of people have experienced physical symptoms as a result of stress, such as headache, fatigue, and an upset stomach in combination with feelings of irritability, anger, nervousness, and lack of motivation. Stress at work is a well-known aspect for low motivation and morale, decline in performance, high turnover and sick-leave, accidents, low Job satisfaction, low quality products and services, poor Internal communication and conflicts. Stress can significantly affect physical health.
The stress people are experiencing comes, In part, room the pressures of today’s connected world. Due to the excessive use of e-mail, cell phones and the Internet, Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to switch off from the stresses of the workplace and concentrate on their personal priorities– over half of respondents said that Job demands interfered with family or home responsibilities (PAP – American Psychological Association, 2012). Job stress affects both men and women, although there are some gender differences In certain aspects.
A report in 2005 found the odds of association of cumulative job stress with or mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and chronic fatigue among women to be 1. 4 to 7. 1, compared to 1. 8 to 4. 6 for men. In general, women are more likely than men to experience physical symptoms of stress, such as fatigue, irritability, headaches and depression. Women are also more likely than men to cope with Job stress with unhealthy behaviors, such as poor eating habits. For working women, the caregivers in the United States are women and 59 percent are also employed (Health Advocate Inc, 2012).
In today’s society women are wearing multiple hats in order to provide for their families. Many women are wives, mothers, full-time employees, some are students and others might all double as caretaker for aging parents. People in stressful environments generally face unachievable Job demands, experience different bodily reactions, such as headache, back pain, or even thirst, and have various subjective feelings, such as dissatisfaction, unhappiness, sadness, and depression (Lung & Chant, 2011). Worksheets. Rug also adds stomach problems, over and under eating, sleep disturbances, chronic mild fatigue, muscle aches and anis, skin rashes, teeth grinding, muscle tics and chronic mild illnesses as other physical symptoms. Psychological Symptoms includes forgetfulness, anger, frustration, anxiety, increased irritability with family members, increased use of alcohol or cigarettes, increased use of drugs or sleeping pills, depression, feeling powerless, increased irritability with or isolation from co-workers and additional problems at work Gannet Cahill, Paul A.
Landlubbers, & Peter L. Scandal, 1995). The workplace is one of the greatest causes of stress in our lives. At times we feel overwhelmed as we consider everything we need to accomplish. It becomes an even greater challenge as obstacles arise and keep us from progressing in our day-to-day assignments. What causes stress depends, at least in part, on your perception of it. Something that’s stressful to you may not faze someone else; they may even enjoy it. There are several factors that cause stress in the workplace.
Stress can be caused by overwhelming workload, expectations, negative self-talk, harassment (including that sexual in nature) the demands of the Job, the control staff have over how they do heir work, the support they receive from colleagues and superiors, their relationships with colleagues and whether they understand their roles and responsibilities. These pressures, together with societal changes, which have increased awareness of harassment as a problem, have led some employers to institute counseling and training programs specifically to tackle harassment (Campbell, 1995).
A stress-free environment is almost impossible to have in today’s complex and fast-paced business world, but that does not make stress a necessary evil that one must merely tolerate. Although stress management is often considered important by businesses, action is rarely taken until the damage has been done. Stress levels in the workplace should be carefully and regularly monitored by management. If left to itself, stress often results in high absenteeism, increased turnover rates, low productivity and poor levels of quality.
A company’s efficiency and productivity largely depend on its ability to cope with and adjust to stress at work. Management’s role is to first identify what is causing the unnecessary stress and then to implement policies and procedures that will help to both manage and reduce stress (Carr, Kelley, Keating, & Albrecht, 2011). While there are several techniques that an individual can do to reduce their levels of stress that is caused by the workplace, there are ways that the employer can get to the root of the problem.
Improving communication and assigning appropriate workload are two of the most important preventive measures management can instill in an organization to reduce chronic stress. Improving communication can help to reduce the stress that is caused by an feedback to employees, clarifying Job responsibilities and ensure that there are multiple forms of communication are available to the staff. Currently at my place of employment, the two main stresses are the supervisors and the overwhelming workload.
Due to the economic crisis and budget deficits, most companies are downsizing and which is resulting in employees being laid-off. The employees that remain employed with the company now find that they have more work to do and at times with fewer resources due to the cost saving efforts that are taking place. An employer can alleviate some of this stress from their employees by also being more flexible with employee schedules, involving employees in decision making by giving hem the opportunity to share their thoughts on certain issues that might arise within the company.
Another major factor that is contributing to the stress of employee is immediate supervisors and managers. Supervisors with little supervising experience tend to micro-manage in an effort to overcompensate. Supervising training should be mandatory as it can educate management how to get the Job done while making their employees happy. One employee recently handed in a letter of resignation citing depression due to work related stress. This employee has been harassed by their immediate supervisor for a few months. With fearing to losing their job, the incidents went undocumented and unreported to human resources.
This employee was lucky to be accepted by their previous employer, but what about the other members of staff that are being harassed and are afraid to report it. Stress is becoming a more widespread issue in our fast-pace society as extended periods of economic recession occur; international competition increases and technological changes continue to take place. The demands of meeting deadlines and larger workloads are put on individuals to increase productivity. The cost of stress in the workplace is enormous and can increase absenteeism if employees feel that their efforts are not rewarded adequately.
We must be concerned with the emotions of our employees and remember they have some very simple needs. Management has a responsibility to the company to ensure the employees are in a state of well-being and incorporate fair treatment and positive feedback. When employees are healthy and satisfied with their work, productivity will be at the maximum. It makes good business sense to pursue stress-prevention strategies. Reducing stress in the oracle will contribute to the quality of work life and help you to move your company forward (Vocal & Nikolas, 2005).