The Major Sources of Stress at Work - Assignment Example

BUSINESS PSYCHOLOGY ASSIGNMENT #3 Describe the major sources of stress at work. How might managers create more "healthy organizations"? In your answers to both parts of the question, make specific reference to theories and examples from at least three of the core topics, showing how your in-depth insights into each of these areas help us understand both sources of stress and how they might be managed. Introduction Stress at work has become a critical issue for modern organizations. Stress is a condition or state of emotional or mental strain resulting demanding or adverse circumstances. Psychologists define stress as a reaction or response to stimuli that often disturbs a person’s mental or physical equilibrium (Boguslawska, 2014). For instance, a stressful activity or event can elicit the “fight-or-flight” reaction, causing hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline to surge through the person’s body. Work can potentially cause anxiety, worry, and mental tension. Stress negatively impacts the physical and mental processes taking place in the body or body parts of an individual. Company managers and supervisors have the difficult, challenging task to deal with employees who experience stress caused by a wide variety of sources (Donaldson-Feilder, 2008). In particular, employees have to contend with all kinds of work-related pressures or stress because they are obliged to meet certain goals and targets set out by the organization. Personality, individual differences, organizational causes, and demand on the job are the fundamental causes of stress. This essay will highlight the major sources of stress and how do managers help keeping an organization healthy. An individual will experience stress when the demand of their job or work schedule is much greater than their individual ability to cope (Donaldson-Feilder, 2008). The ability of a person to balance the demands and pressures placed on them is what coping is all about. Although most people in the workplace find it somewhat difficult identifying stress, they should realize that excessive pressure or workloads would ultimately cause stress, as well as compromise their productivity (Lait & Wallace, 2002, p. 463).. The most common physical signs/symptoms of stress at the workplace include muscular tension, fatigue, heart palpitations, sleeping difficulties, headaches, dermatological disorders, and gastrointestinal disorder. Managers should be well aware of potential work-related stress among their employees. These incidences may compromise or interfere with an employee’s productivity and job performance in addition to impacting their physical and emotional health (Lait & Wallace, 2002, p. 463). As a result, managers should acknowledge the existence of work-related stress and potential impact of productivity and health of their employees. Theories of stress at work According to cognitive-relational theory, stress is a particular relationship or connection between a person and the environment, often appraised by the individual as demanding or exceeding their resources and substantially endangering their well-being (Cooper, 2001, p. 24). The relationship between the person and environment usually change over time owing to coping effectiveness, enhancements in personal abilities, and altered requirements (Cooper, 2001, p. 25). The cognitive-relational theory emphasizes the mutual, continuous nature of a person’s interaction with the environment. Krohne Stress and Coping theory underlines the importance of the effort in action and thought by an individual to address and manage specific demands that lead to stressful situations. In particular, the theory examines fundamental challenges that a person encounters at work, especially considering the taxing nature of their job (Smith, 2001, p. 74). The theory explains the fundamental causes of stress in an organizational set up and suggests the need for an individual to learn relaxation and employ different stress management techniques to improve their physical and emotional wellbeing, as well as enhance their productivity in the workplace (Smith, 2001, p. 75). On the other hand, managers also plays a part in the attempts to minimize the negative impacts of stress and encourage the few positive, constructive outcomes of stress and pressure in the work environment. In relation to the question this part of the essay will discuss about the major sources/cause of stress at work. Individual differences, demand of the job, environmental factors, ineffective management, personality, work overload, work underload, lack of social support, change are the fundamental causes of stress in the workplace. Some demanding jobs or responsibilities assigned to an employee in the organization can be stressful. For instance, the job may entail making decisions, complex manual tasks, monitoring information or equipment, exchanging job information with others, performing hazardous jobs, doing unstructured work, bullying, and being alert to changing conditions. Sometimes the workload can be too enormous that the employee is not being able to handle it. High workloads coupled with unrealistic deadlines make people feel overwhelmed, rushed and under pressure (Chan, 2007, p. 101). Work overload can be dependent on the specific job or duties of an employee in the organization. Work underload or insufficient workloads often make people feel underutilized and unoccupied at work. In addition, they will develop a feeling that the organization is not using their skills and abilities appropriately. Ineffective or weak management normally leaves employees feeling a sense of lack of direction can make most of them feel undervalued (Chan, 2007, p. 101). This will affect their self-esteem and commitment to help the organization accomplish its key goals and objectives. Some managers may overlook the need to keep employees informed about important changes to the business, resulting in anxiety and uncertainty of employees about their future. Poor work relationship between the employer and employee may lead to harmful stress in the workplace. It becomes a critical employment which both parties must deal with (Chan, 2007, p. 101). Accordingly, an employee is legally permitted to present a claim to the Employment Relations Authority for unjustified dismissal, an unjustified disadvantaged, or for violation of contract (Chan, 2007, p. 101). The employer and employee may discuss fundamental causes of stress which could perhaps compromise their relationship at work, as well as make stress-related challenges part of day-to-day problems in the workplace. A positive psychological contract will encourage a more constructive and greater relationship between the employer and employee, enhancing positive mutual beliefs, informal obligations and perceptions between them (Rossi, 2006). On the other hand, harmful psychological contract will adversely affect the mutual beliefs, understandings, informal obligations, perceptions and dynamics of the employer and employee, causing stress in the workplace. Meanwhile, economic recession and being scared of redundancy can also result in stress. Apparently, economic slump and fear of redundancy triggers anxiety at work, resulting in lack of motivation and decreased performance (Rossi, 2006). The financial pain that many people endure during recession could result in mental, emotional and physical depression and stress. Job design is one of the primary and most effective approaches to causing stress in the workplace. Scientific evidence also suggests that most people experience working in certain conditions. Conflicting expectations and excessive workload demands are fundamental cause of stress at work (Hussin, 2012). For instance, a design of tasks characterized by a heavy workload, long work hours, hectic works, and infrequent rest breaks is often stressful. In addition, poor communication, lack of workers’ participation in decision making, and inadequate family-friendly policies are other sources of stress in the workplace (Hussin, 2012). All of the above were the organizational causes of stress now we will discuss the personal and individual differences acting as the cause of stress. Individuals differ in terms of their vulnerability to adverse effects of stress and the risk of experiencing stress. Individual differences such as the background of an individual experiencing stress because it runs in the family more likely results in stress. Also, individuals who lack material resources (financial security) and psychological resources (self-esteem and coping skills) are more likely are affected by stress because they tend to react emotionally to events/situations. At times the stress caused at home can also be one of the reasons to be hampering the productivity of individuals at work. This is because the home stress burden is carried to work. The individuals then release the stress at work by performing poorly (Chan, 2007, p. 101). Therefore it is very essential for workers to keep their personal life out their professional ones. Looking at the case study of Joe’s “Managing Stress” published on 15 July 2013 highlights how stress generally develops and the most appropriate strategy to prevent it if people worked together. The case study focuses on the health, work and wellbeing of individual in work environment (Bunce & West, 1996). It mainly gives the perspective of the individual and generally underlines the work, welfare, and health of people. Joe’s stress levels and workload continue to build up at home and in the workplace. His problems rapidly multiply without getting the right support, ultimately reaching a breaking point. A number of possible solutions could help unravel Joe’s case and prevent the occurrence of stressful situations in the future (Bunce & West, 1996). Overall, the case study shows how employers, health professionals, individuals, and government can work jointly and discover new ways or approaches to helping people to be productive and healthy at work. Personality is also part a part of individual differences. Researchers and human resources professionals have presented differing viewpoints concerning job stress, emphasizing the significance of personality or worker characteristics. These differing views are crucial because they underscore the different ways or strategies that are applicable to help prevent or eliminate work-related stress (Pouliakas & Theodossiou, 2010). For instance, what seems to be so stressful to a person may not appear to be a problem to another. The inherent differences in terms of traits of individuals (such as coping style and self-esteem) are important determinants and predictors of the possibility of certain work environment resulting in stress. Accordingly, stress prevention strategies should focus more on individual workers’ personality and the most effective method to help them cope with ostensibly demanding work conditions (Pouliakas & Theodossiou, 2010). Even though Type A personality often feels under time pressure, a strong sense of duty, respond quickly, competitive, and impatient, they normally cope poorly with stress. On the contrary, Type B personality cope better with stress even though they are less competitive, laid back, less hurried, and less CHD prone. This part of the essay will answer the second part of the question on how managers can ensure on keeping an organization ‘healthy’. Managers should embrace a strong work culture to enhance positive relationship with employees and to avoid conflict. A strong work culture dictates that managers adopt policies and practices that engage and empower the employees to participate in the making of decisions that directly or indirectly affect their work. Process Cognitive Theory explains the mental process or processes that influence the stressors (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). It shows why managers need to implement policies and strategies that encourage constructive interpretation and heighten employee morale. In particular, the theory emphasizes the managers’ role to keep their employees aware of the need to initiate changes, even if such changes will mentally or emotionally affect the employees and their job security. This theory dictates that different psychological processes influence the realization of basic needs and motivation. Psychological contract can also help managers to create a more healthy organization. Managers should particularly create a more constructive psychological contract that encourages greater, healthy relationship between the employer and employees in the organization (Cooper, 2001, p. 24). Managers should set a generally accepted strategic vision and solid communication in an effort to foster a healthy, high-performing organization. They should communicate honestly and clearly, as well as ascertain clear milestones. Apart from setting solid communication and a well-accepted vision, managers should share information with the employees about successes and failures of the organization (Cooper, 2001, p. 24). The culture of sharing information all kinds of information promotes healthy working condition and helps develop a crop of employees with a healthy craving for performance and success. Simon’s case study (Arnold and Randall, 2010) is a good example of showing that a job redesign was needed in his case and the managers lacked to understand this. Simon was more in to practical work then office work and enjoyed planning which his job lacked. Therefore the managers in his case should have thought to fit the job for him this is called job enrichment (Arnold & Randall, 2010). This method helps managers in retaining their workforce and further motivating their employees. Managers should see what each individual wants and then go about enlarging and enriching the job. Hence then only will they succeed in keeping an organization “healthy”. Additionally, managers need to establish and begin focusing more on intrinsic aspects (things within their control) that vastly contribute to job satisfaction and a more healthy organization (Bunce & West, 1996, p. 209). According to Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory, intrinsic (internal) factors often result in job satisfaction, whereas extrinsic (external) factors generally result in dissatisfaction at work. Employees have specific ambitions, goals, and copious other intrinsic factors that encourage or motivate them to deliver (Bunce & West, 1996, p. 209). In contrast, extrinsic factors (mainly initiated by the management) such as downsizing, pay-cut and contract termination often demoralize employees, leading to loss of enthusiasm and motivation. Maslow’s hierarchy model (1943) helps to understand the primary sources of motivation and desire to accomplish certain needs (Rakowski, 2008). According to Maslow’s hierarchy, people have five motivational needs namely physiological needs, safety needs, love needs, esteem, and self-actualization. They feel motivated when their basic needs are unmet or unsatisfied. Every employee endeavor to satisfy the basic needs before advancing or progressing on to meet the higher level needs. Managers should acknowledge that employees possess a set of motivation systems that are not related to unconscious desires or rewards (Rakowski, 2008). Finally, managers can create a healthy organization by providing employees with motivational goals, constructive reinforcement policies, establishing authority through reward, and understanding their needs (Javier, 2004). On the other hand, budget cuts and layoffs are not effective measures to end the economic crisis as they often lead to higher levels of stress, uncertainty, anxiety, and increased fear. Some individuals suffer psychological breakdown due to pressure imposed on them in the workplace to attain certain targets or deadlines. Overall, motivation theories and strategies emphasize the significance of different motivation techniques that inspire employees to deliver better results in their areas of specialization (Javier, 2004). Conclusion Stress manifests itself in different ways and often caused by internal events or situations. It is basically the physical and psychological state/condition that results when resources of an individual are inadequate to cope with the pressures and demands of the situation. Although the relationship between an individual and the environment is vital to analyzing the causes and managing stress, many stressful situations at work are self-induced (Stephens & Long, 2000, p. 407). The short-term and long-term sources of stress include personality, individual differences, organizational causes, and demand on the job. Stress management in an organizational set up is crucial to improving overall health and wellbeing of employees, as well as fostering performance and productivity. It encompasses different approaches and techniques mainly intended to equip an individual with effective coping mechanisms to deal with psychological stress (Stephens & Long, 2000, p. 407). Individual differences can also affect stress. Many people carry stress load to work after something bad happens at home. Similarly, stress can change the attitudes of individuals thereby hampering their job performance in the organization. Managers can implement a number of changes, including job enrichment, decentralization, improved training, reallocating functions, improved communication, and job enlargement in an effort to create a more healthy organization. Also, employees should learn the most appropriate communication skills to improve and ease their relationships with coworkers and management (Jones, 1999). Many employees lose confidence and become withdrawn when they feel overwhelmed with work. As a result, they become less efficient and less productive at their job, making work appear less rewarding. If ignored, the warning signs of pressure at work can lead to even bigger problems. The various techniques or methods of stress management include self-management, altering diet, exercises, self-understanding, conflict resolution, meditation, and adopting a more positive attitude (Stephens & Long, 2000). References Boguslawska, K. (2014), "What employers need to know about stress at work", Management Services, 58(1), pp. 10-11. Brock, M.E., PhD. & Buckley, M.R. (2012), "The Role of Stress in Workers Compensation: Past, Present and Future", Public Personnel Management, 41(1), pp. 1-14. Bunce, D. & West, M.A. (1996), "Stress management and innovation interventions at work", Human Relations, 49(2), pp. 209. Business Editors/High, T.W. 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