Stress and Mental Health in the Workplace - Assignment Example

Stress and mental health in the Workplace By Name: Institution: Instructor: Module: Date: Abstract In recent years, productivity in organizations continues to rise generating high work demands to workers. The pressures to produce more generates psychological and physical toll to employees (McShane &Travaglione, 2005). This paper highlighted workers experiences to workplace stress and their impact on productivity and mental health. Among key aspects covered in the workplace environment that result to mental health problems in organizations are; organizational culture and structure, depression, stress, burnout, threat of downsizing, office politics and executive dysfunction (Jeffrey & Langlieb, 2003). Experiences of one employee in Victorian State were successful used to explore the topic of stress and mental health in the workplaces. The interview covered a wider scope of stress in the workplace by focusing on organizational issues, occupational concerns and workers issues (World Health Organization, 2003). On daily basis, much is highlighted in media over the increased levels of stress and issues related to mental health like panic attacks, depression amongst others. However it is mystifying that little interest is taken by many managers and organizations about it. This can be likened to the proverbial burring of Ostrich head in the sand when the entire body is exposed for danger. The kind of ignorance witnessed in companies only piles up side effects which eventually erupt and negatively impacts on workers’ and business productivity. In Australia for instance, approximately 7.7 million citizens’ are engaged in work related activities for one-quarter to one third of their time during waking hours (Victorian Health Promotion Foundation Summary Document, 2006). Thus, the current state characterized by increasing stress in the workplace as major cause of mental and physical health problems is not surprising. According to available data estimates, over $7 billion is spend yearly to cater for workplace disease and injury in Australia (Victorian Health Promotion Foundation Summary Document, 2006). Kenny et al. (2000), claims occupational stress is a thorny issue that unnecessarily increases occupational health costs. ILO (1986; 1992) recognized work stress as a major world-wide challenge to worker’s health and productive in their organizations. (World Health Organization, 2003). Workplace stress can be defined in terms of harmful emotional and physical responses to working requirements which do not match resources, capabilities and the needs of employees (World Health Organization, 2003). The stress then leads to injury or ill health when employees feel they have no support from colleagues and supervisors or have limited control over work pressures and demands. Alternatively, stress is an unreasonable culture in workplace that manifests in worker’s chronic psychological or physical wellbeing (McShane & Travaglione, 2005). It is understandable under all employable criteria that an individual must deliver under pressure especially under current dynamic work conditions. This form of pressure is acceptable because it models a worker to be alert, learn, work, and become motivated depending on personal attributes and availability of resources. However, the pressure within the context of this interview is one that is considered excessive and unmanageable resulting to stress. The generated stress then impacts negatively on worker’s health, performance and organization productivity. In contrast, most managers are unwilling to invest in employees’ health terming it luxury. This situation is a real chicken and egg analogy! Where employers want workers’ to deliver more yet they are not ready to invest towards their comfort (McShane & Travaglione, 2005). Theories and concepts Early occupational research centered on aetiological studies and measurements (Hart & Wearing, 1995; Toohey, 1993; Spielberger, 1998), since then several models, concepts and theories have been defined. The following theories are well elaborated, Psychological, sociological, person-environment fit, Demand-control, Communication, Dynamic equilibrium, Cybernetics and systems, and systemic theories (Kenny et al., 2000). However, their discussion is beyond the scope of this interview although much of literature is based on most of them. Available information shows that workplace organization typically negates priority of organizational structure beyond and above the prevailing social dynamics. Poor interpersonal associations are a subject most organizations have forgotten about as they scramble to keep up with current business environment (Kenny et al., 2000). Managers abuse supervisory roles at will opening up avenues of conflict manifestation. It is also worthy recognizing that social relations vary among workers (Lofland & Lofland, 1995), therefore, conflict with managers hold a big stake on workers feeling of in-just treatment. Consequently, communication breakdown between employers and workers means employees have no avenue to report experiences they encounter when faced by job stressors. Stigmatization is another issue that poses a major challenge on workers, as a result of poor communication since managers cannot recognize and intervene to workplace stress early enough. Likewise, most employees are afraid to seek mental health care because of the stigma, and they feel it will negatively impact on their career (World Health Organization, 2003). Based on sociological research (Vallas, 2003), external and internal factors of workplaces contribute towards workers increased cases of stress and mental health. These factors can be classified as psychosocial determinants of physical and mental health among workers. The determinants include relationship between working conditions and employees, employee and working colleagues, and organization and employee. Therefore, deficiencies of these determinants harms individuals well being and health (Ware et al., 1993). The objective of this interview is to establish organizational best practices in regard to management of workplace stress, prevention of stress occurrence, or recognizing workers who already are experiencing stress in order to avoid escalation into serious damages on their psychological and mental health or to performance of the organization (Kvale, 1996). The research questions in the interview basically identifies and tests the following variables, Independent variables; Job security, organizational culture, nature of work, and work volume, while the Dependent variable; stress coping (see Table 1) (Kvale, 1996). Method Procedure A half hour interview was administered to a fulltime employee in the manufacturing sector. The participant was recruited on voluntary basis, and his consent to undertake the interview adhered to ethical values and practices applied in conducting survey or research. The interview questioned the employee from a prominent Victorian state manufacturing firm. The interview revealed a grave picture of the state of workers health (see Table 1). (Patton, 1990). Results Table 1 shows summary of interview results (Adapted from The College Adjustment Rating Scale). (Source: Zitzow, 1984). Key findings after the interview were: 1. Mood and anger: the interviewee scored an alarming 85% on this scale, he admitted that becoming or feeling angry and loss of humour amongst staff members generated pressure at workplace. 2. Extension of working hours and pressure to deliver was rated at 60% with the interviewee claiming he regularly experienced muscular pain and headaches. 3. Cases of insomnia and tiredness amongst staff was rated at 75% as a result of constant routine working without room for physical exercises 4. The interview also points out that poor health affected individual productivity and morale. Subsequently, the interviewee admits receiving irritable insults, harassment and bullying from colleagues. In accordance some managers are reclusive to workers while most of them have difficulty in decision making due to ill health. 5. It was apparently clear from the interview that most managers lack recognition of the consequences of ignoring minor signs of mental health before escalation, which in the long run spreads to customer relationships too. 6. Interesting concerns raised by the interviewee while responding to increased productivity demands due to competition points to laxity in healthy and safety in the workplace. Most resources and energy have been directed towards high productivity while disregarding workers safety. For example factory workers are not well equipped with risk gadgets and protective attire which poses a great danger to their physical health. This condition exacerbates worries, fear and stress amongst workers leading to ill mental health. 7. Employee compensation and appraisal schemes may have taken a back seat in most of today’s businesses. Most firms disregard stress claims, and the appraisal programs is not based on performance increasing the risks to workplace stress ( Posavac & Carey, 2003). Discussion Increased anger, resentment and lack of homour amongst employees in the workplace were recognized as major knock-on effects in organizations. The adverse effects resulting from such personalities cause poor workplace health. It was uncovered during the interview that high numbers of psychological and physical symptoms are responsible for negative impacts on business productivity. Secondly, most executives are reluctant to accept work-related stress by underestimating its impacts to organization productivity. There is lack of listening and intervention strategies, this is evident when the issues become widespread with noticeable fall in performance or increased turnover rates. In the view of this paper, organizations should be more proactive by adopting measures to deal with job stressors specifically through examination of organizational culture. Previously, workers had options of walking away from working conditions that they deem detrimental to their psychological health. However, in the current state of labour outlook characterized by immense personal financial demands, it is a rare option to follow. This then raises a nagging question as to whether employers are taking advantage of the volatile labour outlook to overlook best human resource practices. In contrast, it may not be 100% proper to shift blame to management practices alone, it is possible that workers personal traits may have impact on the way they view certain jobs to be affecting their health, for example employees with unstable emotional traits, neuroticism, and low levels of extraversion are likely to claim that is the nature of their work that causes the health problems. Job insecurity is currently viewed as a major threat to business productivity. It is evident from the interview that employees who feared getting fired or facing lay-off get demotivated, reckless and exhibit non-compliance, which in turn contributes to high risks of accidents and injuries. For this reasons, managers need to factor job security just like job satisfaction in order to contain retention and health issues and eventually avoid dangerous safety behaviours and attitudes. In conclusion, employers may not be able to shield employees from stress arising outside workplace, but they have the responsibility to protect them from job-related stress. This can be achieved if organizations adopt good management such as ergonomics, organizational management and development, and designing work structure in the best forms that prevent occurrence of stress. Secondly, training of workers to report mental effects, stress coping strategies and early intervention through more sensitive occupational health provisions (Zeidner & Endler, 1996). In addition organizational culture and work organization must match work pressures and demands to workers capabilities and knowledge, and offer the workers amble room to make choice or control the situation together with supportive colleagues. References Auerbach, C.F. & Silverstein, L.B. (2003). Qualitative Data: An Introduction to Coding and Analysis. New York: New York University Press. Hart, P.M. & Wearing, A.J. (1995). Occupational stress and well being: A systemic approach to research, policy and practice. In P. Cotton (Ed) (1995). Psychological health in the workplace. Victoria: Australian Psychological Society. Jeffrey, P. K., & Langlieb, A.M. (2003). ‘Mental Health and Productivity in the Workplace. Books in Brief - book review’. Jossey-Bass, HR Magazine. FindArticles.com. 21 Nov, 2009. Kvale, S. (1996). Inter Views: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Kenny, D. T., Carlson, J. G., McGuigan, F. J., & Sheppard, J. L. (Eds.) (2000). Chapter 20: Stress and health: Research and clinical applications. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Gordon Breach/Harwood, 375-396. Lofland, J. & Lofland, L. H. (1995). Analyzing Social Settings: A Guide to Qualitative Observation and Analysis. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. McShane, S., and Travaglione, T., (2005). Organisational Behaviour on the Rim.Boston: Irwin McGraw Hill. NT WorkSafe.(July 2003).Managing stress in the workplace: a practical guide for managers. Retrieved November 22, 2009 form < http://www.worksafe.nt.gov.au/corporate/publications/pub0003.pdf > Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods, 2nd Ed. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Posavac, E. M., & Carey, R. G. (2003). Program Evaluation: Methods and Case Studies, 6th Ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Spielberger, C.D. & Reheiser, E.C. (1994). The Job Stress Survey: measuring gender differences in occupational stress. Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality, 9(2), 199-218. Toohey, J. (1995). Managing the stress phenomenon at work. In P. Cotton (Ed) (1995) Psychological health in the workplace (pp 51-71). Victoria: Australian Psychological Society. Vallas, S. (2003) ‘The adventures of managerial hegemony: Teamwork, ideology, and worker resistance.’ Social Problems, 50(1),204-25. Victorian Health Promotion Foundation Summary Document. 2006. Workplace stress in Victoria: Developing a systems approach. Retrieved November 19, 2009 from Ware, J.E., Snow, K.K., Kosinski, M., Gandek, B. (1993). SF-36® Health Survey Manual and Interpretation Guide. Boston, MA: New England Medical Center, The Health Institute. Retrieved November 19, 2009 from < http://www.sf-36.org/tools/sf36.shtml> World Health Oraginsiation. (2003).Work organization and stress: systematic problem approaches for employers, managers and trade union representatives. Retrieved November 22, 2009 from . Zeidner, M., & Endler, N.S. Eds. (1996). Handbook of coping: Theory, research, application. New York: Wiley. Zitzow, D. (1984). The College Adjustment Rating Scale. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25,160-164. Appendix Permission Form for Interview I understand that the interview that I am willing to participate in is to be used solely for the purposes of a written report for the course of PSY130 (Organisational Behaviour) at Macquarie University.  I understand that all information will be confidential and anonymous, my name being changed for the writing of the report.  I hereby give my permission for ____________________________ to use the information for their report. Signature: ______________________ Date: ___________________ Interview questions 1. Please tell me if you have ever been harassed or bullied by anyone at workplace, not necessarily your manager? 2. During the past 10 years you have worked in two different manufacturing firms in Victorian State, how have you dealt with the feeling of powerlessness and lack of participating in crucial decision making processes as it pertains you daily chores it the two organization? 3. In today’s globalized economy, you must have witnessed the upsurge in productivity in most firms due to increased competition for products and services. I over heard employees elsewhere discussing pressure generated by the competition as ‘unreasonable performance demands’, in your opinion how do you rate this statement by giving a brief explanation of your experience? 4. How has effective communication helped to resolve conflict resolution in your work place? 5. How to you view downsizing by organizations as a measure of cost cutting? Can you explain briefly how secure your job is? 6. Do you feel extension of working hours a remedial to cost cutting? 7. Explain briefly how employee appraisal systems have affected your productivity and caused stress? 8. Among the following factors, staff conflict, office politics and excessive time away from family and home, which ones do you feel have had more stress to your life,? Suggest three best aspects you like about you job? 9. Would you offer a brief explanation, how you balance between home and workplace demands. 10. Do you think it is legitimate to launch job-related psychological claims? (Kvale,1996). Interview Summary In conversation with one fulltime employee in Victorian State- Australia, The interviewee (anonymous name), is educated to college level in materials science and technology. Currently he is the shift manager in a prominent manufacturing firm. Date: November 24, 2009 Name: (of interviewer) For over fifteen years, the interviewee (Anonymous name) has worked in various capacities as a production technician. He has interacted with numerous working colleagues and witnessed several cases of organization neglect or oversight to the plight of workers. The interviewee captures rich details and complexities surrounding work scheduling and the struggle for manufacturing firms to cope with competition in the current volatile global environment as well as the impact of stress in the workplace. Interviewer: Welcome to this interview (Mr. anonymous) and thank you very much for consenting to participate in this interview. Just to remind on what you have already signed in the interview form, this interview is solely for educational purposes and all ethical and privacy policies of confidentiality will be followed to the later. Interviewee: Thank you, (while nodding) Interviewer: Please allow me to ask you about your family and if they are aware that you are participating in this kind of interview. Interviewee: No problem, am a happily married Father of three children aged 9 years, 11 years and 14 years. Interviewer: mmmh Interviewee: yes, their mother works as a secretary in the same organization like me and is very much aware of this interview; I actually had a brief chat with her before joining you here. Interviewer: Ooh, so you both encounter same workplace stressors. Interviewee: Not really, perhaps for her she feels it differently; I understand that women are better in coping with stress. (Brief laughter) Interviewer: really, am not aware about that. Interviewee: saying it jokingly, “well your mum carried you for 9 months, what you think” Interviewer: Laughing… Interviewer: Okay, well I agree with you, perhaps that should be a topic for another interview. Interviewer: for now let as focus on the subject of this interview… Interviewee: (nodding), yes Interviewer: You have changed Jobs twice for the entire time you have so far worked, that is not so much frequent considering the duration you have worked. Why have you stayed in one position for so long? Interviewee: Is not my wish not to have switched jobs often, actually I would have wished to but family and financial demands have limited my avenues. Interviewer: okay. Tell me more what you mean by limited avenues? Interviewee: One is not always sure about the pressure he/she will encounter in the next company, furthermore, the culture in most organizations in the State are almost same. To add on that, technical jobs require massive time and resources to be trained and get used to one job position, so by switching jobs it means one will take longer to become accustomed to the new working conditions again unlike other fields like marketing or accounting. Interviewer: That is a wonderful narration, perhaps tell me if you have ever been harassed or bullied during your working years? Interviewer: (taking it lightly)… or if you are a bully yourself? Interviewee: (amid laughs) I am not a bully, and I have never thought of bullying anybody, I have always been passionate when handling my daily duties as a shift manager. Although the position is demanding, I strive to be good to those working under me. However, my seniors sometimes complain that am so lenient, especially if faced by immense orders. Actually my seniors have no time to listen to individual workers issues or complaints, achieving targets is their main aim and it doesn’t matter to them whatever conditions workers are going through. Interviewer: it is sad to here that. When you talk about your seniors, how do you capture or define chain of command, job specifications, self control or any aspect of workers participation in decision making about your department. Interviewee: yes. I understand, however, definition of job roles, and participation in decision making for employees bellow management level is a thing I have never heard off here, and in most of the organizations within Victorian State. Interviewer: Is there any particular instance or case you witnessed where stress degenerated to mental illness, and one that stands out for you? Interviewee: I have witnessed several serious cases of illness, both physical and mental, especially at my present organization. I personally get headaches and pains after long or extended working hours. Pressure sometimes is too high that I feel sick, although I have never attended mental healthcare, sometimes I find myself unwell mentally with persistent headaches which affects my work performance. Interviewer: Sure, do you have any reasons for not attending mental healthcare? Interviewee: yah. Going to a mental clinic is like getting a passport out of your career. The stigma associated with attending mental healthcare session traverses across the company, especially at this time when companies are downsizing to cut costs. Interviewer: What in your opinion can be done about this stigma? Interviewee: there is a lot that can be done, first let me highlight about an aspect I touched earlier on about management practice in Victorian State, There is no proper communication channels in the organization which makes it easier for workers to table their grievances or problems, in the end workers find it difficult to cooperate, or alternatively direct the anger to their working colleagues. Interviewer: mmmh, continue.. Interviewee: Bad relationships among employees are so rampant nowadays, generating unnecessary conflicts, some of these conflicts result to detrimental damage on the health of workers. Interviewer: when you talk about bad employee relationships, do you have any specific examples? Interviewee: yaa Interviewee: The most common among junior workers is loss of humour and participation in open talking as a result of anger or bad mood. This aspect spoils team working spirit leaving some employees over-burdened with piles of work. Likewise, at a higher or senior level, there is always staff politics, most of them surrounding aspects like appraisals, compensation, promotion, and succession. Such aspects lead to stress and unnecessary injury especially for workers that did not merit or were left out of the schemes/programs. Interviewer: Just to wind up, do you think it is legitimate to ask for compensation over job-related mental illness? Interviewee: yes, why not. Interviewer: don’t you think having such programs will lead to workers cheat/pretence which increases costs in the company? Interviewee: I am not at management level, however, sometimes when am attending general meeting such issues of pretence/false compensation claims do occur, however, in the current situation characterized by increased demands for work out put, I believe such claims should be implemented as a preventative measure while the organization management seeks for means of curing the causative elements of stress in organizations Interviewer: Thank you for taking your time to participate in this interview, it really has been detailed and well informative. Interviewee: welcome. Read More