Eliminating Job Stress - Essay Example

?ASSIGNMENT Running Head: STRESS Eliminating job stress: Issues at X organization ORR510 – Organizational Research, January Semester Dr.Margaret Elgin January 17, 2012 The Setting and Problem(s) Job stress Successful organizations running all around the world are not always perfect in their approach towards dealing with their stakeholders. Employees form a major part of the organizational setup and majorly it is due to their performance that organizations become successful or bankrupt (Dewe, Driscroll O, & Cooper L, 2010). There are many issues that employees come across when working for an organization and one of the major issues that have a direct effect on the efficiency level of the employee is “job stress” (Dewe, Driscroll O, & Cooper L, 2010). By 1950 job stress was an issue that was declared to be researchable academically. Since it did not emerge as a problem initially, there were doubts about its existence. But then as industrialization and technology began to spread wide, complexity in organizations increased and job stress became one of the major problems faced by employees (Dewe, Driscroll O, & Cooper L, 2010). Although much research has been done regarding this issue, there is still confusion about the category and context of the term stress. Many researchers conclude that it is a stimulus response because of various actions going on in the organization (Dewe, Driscroll O, & Cooper L, 2010). In order to study the in-depth of the problem it is important to look into the various factors present in the surroundings of the employee that are causing job stress and study the cause of their existence (Dewe, Driscroll O, & Cooper L, 2010). With the increase in volume of work, complexity in situations and heavy competitions job stress is on the rise. According to data from health and safety, company executives recorded that in Britain around 420,000 were going through stress, anxiety and other pressure issues. In 2006, the figures mounted to 195,000 fresh cases (Dewe, Driscroll O, & Cooper L, 2010). Over the years the rate has continued to increase and by 2007 it was stated that out of every 6 individuals at work, one among them was experiencing job stress. When carrying out research, it is important to understand the scope of the problem and how it will benefit the industry in that regard. As it can be seen from the statistics mentioned above, job stress is a significant issue. Since each employee is an asset of the organization and is contributing to the running of the organization it is essential to study his/her interests and issues and keep them at foremost position (Cottrell & Mckenzie, 2010). Factors leading to job stress Research studies indicate that the emergence of internationalism and globalization has led to organizations and the society becoming very complex. Added features to trade such as less barriers and strategically aligned resource strategies are adding to the problem (Stamatios, Antoniou, & Cooper, 2005). Technological advancements are also increasing hence requiring less skilled labor at work. There is also an increase in the rate of wages, which eventually puts pressure on the employees (Stamatios, Antoniou, & Cooper, 2005). Demographic shifts have also added to aggravate the problem as workforce diversity has increased bringing about a change in the cultural environment (Stamatios, Antoniou, & Cooper, 2005). Vertical disaggregation has become a new trend in organizations especially in outsourcing. Hierarchal structures are being flattened and firms are redefining their cost structures. Organizations are promoting efficiency and cost effectiveness hence decreasing job security (Stamatios, Antoniou, & Cooper, 2005). There has been an increase in the levels of dissatisfaction among employees over the year. The balance between work and life has also been disrupted as a result of an increase in workload. Employee expectation has been on the increase and employees have developed a desire to control their professional life rather than getting stressed by large volumes of workload (Stamatios, Antoniou, & Cooper, 2005). Negative impacts of job stress Major negative impacts of job stress include sickness, absenteeism, high labor turnover, low morale, burnout, presenteeism, and poor performance. Sickness and absenteeism are among the most highlighted issues in job stress (Dewe, Driscroll, & Cooper, 2010). Sickness is attributed to work overload and most of the employees end up being absent from work. This has led to an increase in the number of employee health benefits and medical offers. It is estimated that organizations spend approximately $ 537 as medical cover on each employee (Dewe, Driscroll, & Cooper, 2010). Another impact of dissatisfaction and enormous workload is employee turnover. Organizations spend a lot of resources especially capital on programs aimed at satisfying employees so as to avoid employee turnover. An increase in the rate of employee turnover has the effect of increasing the cost of hiring and recruitment (Dewe, Driscroll O, & Cooper, 2010). Presenteeism refers to a situation whereby an employee turns up on work despite being sick. This reduces the level of efficiency and performance hence increasing the cost of production. The organization records high costs of production with little or no additional value from the employee (Dewe, Driscroll, & Cooper, 2010). Positive and negative impacts of failing to conduct research on this problem Job stress is a major problem that needs to be addressed effectively in order to increase satisfaction and reduce costs. Researching on the problem has the advantage of ensuring job satisfaction which eventually improves organizational performance. As mentioned earlier, the main of any organization is to improve employee efficiency. This can be achieved by eliminating job stress and promoting job satisfaction (Caillier, 2008). Research studies indicate that sickness absence account for an average of 175 million lost working days every year. Workload has been associated with an increase in job stress related issues such as employee sickness and turnover (Smith & Sainfort, 1989). A balanced job design is necessary in this regard to overcome the issue of job stress. The work place should be designed in a way that is relaxing and motivating for the employee. Training and assistance programs can be introduced as a low cost method that can increase efficiency to a substantial level. Balancing and redesigning work levels is also important in reducing employee turnover (Smith & Sainfort, 1989). Changes in attitude patterns of the supervisors are also essential in fighting job stress. They ensure that there is elimination of negativity and creation of work balance. This eventually results in motivation and satisfaction among employees. The appraisal pattern should also include provisions for holidays so as to ease stress among employees after a busy work schedule (Baum, Singer, & Baum, 2010). References Baum, A., Singer, E. J., & Baum, S. C. (2010). Stress and the environment. Journal of social issues , 4-35. Caillier, J. G. (2008). Are State Government Workers Satisfied with their Jobs when the Organization is Effective? PAQ , 35. Cottrell, R. R., & Mckenzie, J. F. (2010). The literature review. In R. R. Cottrell, & J. F. Mckezie, Health promtoion and education research methods (p. 32). NewYork: Jones and Barlett. Dewe, P., Driscroll O, P. M., & Cooper L, C. (2010). Setting the Scene. In D. Philip, P. M. Driscroll O, & C. L.Cooper, Coping with work stress (p. 3). Sussex: Wiley Blackwell. Smith, J. M., & Sainfort, C. P. (1989). A balance theory of job design for stress reduction . International journal of Industrial ergonomics , 67-79. Stamatios, A., Antoniou, G., & Cooper, L. C. (2005). Burnout effecting physical health. In A. G. Stamatios Alexander, Factors leading to job stress (p. 549). UK: Edward ELgar Publishing limited. ASSIGNMENT #2 Running Head: STRESS ORR510 – Organizational Research, January Semester Professor Dr. Margaret Elgin By: Manuel DaSilva Jr. February 12, 2012 The Setting and Problem(s) Human resource management plays a vital role in an organization. According to different scholars, human resource management is the backbone of any organization. Human resource management is a process involving the effective management of employees. It is important to note that effective management of human capital has a positive effect on organizational performance poor management of human resources imparts negatively on organizational performance. Other than managing employees, it is imperative to know that there are certain factors that adversely affect the performance of an organization and its employees. Most highlighted factors include job stress, work load, de-motivation and low satisfaction. This report will analyze the effect of job stress on employee performance and attempt to answer the following questions 1. Is there a relationship between job stress and employee performance? 2. What are main causes of job stress? 3. What are impacts of job stress? Literature Review Job stress refers to stress related to work. It is the outcome of employee efforts to yield high performance and efficiency in organizational tasks and duties. This occupational stress may affect the performance of an organization (McGowan, 2006). It has been noted that job stress is becoming a growing concern for a majority of organizations and particularly, for the human resource department (Dewe, Driscroll, & Cooper, 2010). Over the years, numerous research studies have been conducted in order to understand the importance of stress management. The general conclusion is that the advancement in technology and industrialization has led to a rapid increase in job stress. Job stress has not only affected the mental health and well being of employees but has also become a growing concern for employers to deal with the impacts of job stress (McGowan, 2006). The Effects of Stress in a Job Numerous research studies indicate that stress can lead a number of health related issues. There are a number of different factors that contribute to job stress such as de-motivation and job dissatisfaction. According to Weiss (1983), job dissatisfaction is the main cause of job stress and adversely affects employee working capacity and performance. This can result in low performance and stunted growth. The Impact of Stress on Performance A clear relationship has been observed between job performance and the job stress (Dewe, Driscroll & Cooper, 2010). It should be remembered that job performance involves the efforts and struggle of an employee to accomplish tasks within a specific time. According to different research studies, the general conclusion is that there are four types of relationships between the job stress and the job performance (McGowan, 2006). These relationships include negative linear relationship in which stress is responsible for lowering productivity. In positive linear relationship, the performance can be increased by increasing stress. On the other hand, curvilinear relationship gives rise to mild stress which is responsible for elevating the productivity but as the employee faces the stress, productivity restores to its previous state. In the fourth relationship, one factor decreases with a decrease in another factor (McGowan, 2006). Factors that Result in Job Stress There could be number of factors resulting in job stress including: 1- External factors External factors include the organizational and family related conflicts. 2- Internal Factors: These include all the factors within an organization. Stress Management in a Work Place Workplace stress is becoming a concern for all the organizations around the world. It is directly affecting the mental health and the well being of human resources. It has been observed that ineffective dealing with stress could have an adverse effect on organizational performance. However, managers can implement different techniques to encounter job stress and its effects. It is highly imperative to identify the factors that trigger stress at work. Rewarding and motivating employees on a frequent basis is key to addressing this problem. If addressed appropriately, solutions to occupational stress may result in enhanced productivity and effectiveness (Weiss, 1983). This would provide the employee an opportunity to overcome its issues and other factors that result in stress. Challenges related to workplace stress enable an employee to effectively deal with the demands and needs of an organization. Workplace stress enables an employee to develop a relationship between resources and their demands. This relationship assists an individual to effectively deal with both components without neglecting the importance of any one of them. Individuals can lower job stress through effective training involving different coping strategies for achieving better results and higher job performances (McGowan, 2006). It is highly important for an organization to develop a strong system to reward employees for their work (McGowan et, al. 2006). Workplace stress can adversely affect the performance of an individual within an organization. Among many other factors responsible for stimulating stress in an organization, it is important to understand the role of external and internal factors in increasing job stress. It has also been observed that very few jobs involve a high degree of emotional involvement. This is because such jobs are associated with very high levels of job stress. References Dewe, P., Driscroll O, P. M., & Cooper L, C. (2010). Setting the Scene. In D. Philip, P. M. Driscroll O, & C. L.Cooper, Coping with work stress (p. 3). Sussex: Wiley Blackwell Weiss, M. (1983). Effects of Work Stress and Social Support on Information Systems Managers .MIS Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 29-43. McGowan, J. (2006). Positive and negative affective outcomes of occupational stress .New Zealand journal of Psychology Vol 35, No. 2. McGowan, J, Gardner, D & Fletcher, R. (2006 July). Positive and Negative Affective Outcomes of Occupational Stress. Massey University, Auckland .New Zealand Journal of Psychology Vol.35, No. 2. Smith, J. M., & Sainfort, C. P. (1989). A balance theory of job design for stress reduction . International journal of Industrial ergonomics , 67-79. ASSIGNMENT#3 Running Head: Corporate Social Responsibility Organizational Research Manuel Da Silva Jr. Thomas Edison State College Table of Contents References 6 Research Gap and Research Question 14 Hypotheses 15 Literature Review 16 A sense making approach 16 Research Design 17 Inductive Research Approach 17 Multiple Case Studies 17 FutureTechnics 18 BetterWorld 18 Appendix 20 Research Gap and Research Question The relationship between society and business is still a contentious issue in the global business market. Some of the contentious issues include corporate social responsibility, environmental conservation and creation of employment opportunities. Scholarly research studies examining and analyzing the theories and concepts of responsibilities of businesses in society date back to the mid-1950s (Banerjee, 2007). These responsibilities of businesses are generally referred to as corporate social responsibility (CSR). Despite the overwhelming abundance of literature on the topic, there are still strong critiques on the concept of CSR. Hypotheses Many scholars regard the concept of CSR as a failure. Interestingly, there is no clear consensus even after decades of literature materials on the topic. This is evident from a number of factors. H (1): First, there are a number of organizations adopting the concept of CSR resulting in overlap and chaos hence providing no significant improvement on the clarity of the concept. H (2): Second, the specificity of CSR strategies on the concept and the industry makes the practicality of the concept significantly difficult in terms of interpretation and application. H (3): Third, most scholars strongly criticize the rational approach of the CSR concept does not record success consistently. The fact that Ahold and Enron were sources of empirical evidence may have incorporated some form of bias, as the two organizations were high-ranking CSR organization prior to the induction of the concept. H (4): Four, the uniqueness of the CSR strategies determine its success. This follows Smith’s concept that if a firms’ strategies are conceived carefully and genuinely, then they must be unique despite the similarities of corporate reports even from the closest rivals. This research study focuses on a new perspective of CSR: A sense-making approach that will enhance our understanding of CSR strategies and the impacts of specific sense-making processes in an organization. The assumption is that a thorough investigation and understanding of how people communicate and tend to behave towards CSR strategies will provide a rich context for the exploration of the nature of CSR in organizations (Banerjee, 2007). Essentially, the research combines the theories of sense making by Weick and those of other scholars such as Palazzo and Bazu, and Wheaterbee and Mills. The research uses a qualitative case study approach in data collection. This will ensure that there is the consideration of specific elements of industry and context, as well as the accordance of respect to the unique nature of CSR (Leedy and Ormrod, 2010). Literature Review Previous Focus The concept of CSR has been widening and evolving constantly over time, presenting difficulties in analyzing theories on CSR. Moreover, different scholars combine different approaches and use similar terminologies but came up with different definitions. Examples include corporate social performance, corporate social responsibility, stakeholder management, corporate governance, sustainable development, and corporate citizenship, among others (Banerjee, 2007). Their literature reviews identify six foci of CSR in a chronological order. The first focus of CSR was a pro-CSR attitude, fostered by the legitimacy and social contract theory. The second focus was the contra-CSR position, essentially opposing the CSR concept by scholars such as Friedman. The third focus was on the conceptualization of CSR, mainly on what CSR meant. The fourth focus was the importance of CSR to a business from an economic point of view. The fifth focus was the entities that should hold the business socially responsible. The last focus was on whose expense and whose benefit to manage the business (Banerjee, 2007). A sense making approach This research proposal focuses on the contextual and institutional organizational elements that promote the understanding of organizational sense making of CSR. Research Design Inductive Research Approach For the purpose of this research, a qualitative inductive research is the most appropriate choice. This is because a sense making CSR approach assumes social constructivism, which perceives reality through societal and social embedment. The application of an explorative approach seeks to develop inductively the theory of CSR. The study will apply the approach by determining research objectives and the use of multiple readings on the concept of CSR (Leedy and Ormrod, 2010). The findings of the research will be derived from the research objectives and the findings from the analysis of raw data. The main source of raw data will be the use of multiple case studies. Multiple Case Studies The basic mode of study for this research is multiple case studies, which enables the development of the theory of CSR by recognition of patterns of relationship among constructs across and within cases and their logical arguments. In this context, case study research approach is more appropriate as it allows the researcher to investigate and analyze information while maintaining important and holistic uniqueness of events. Moreover, the results of multiple case studies are more persuasive and robust compared to other methods (West, 2012). The research bases its case selection on theoretical sampling, and particularly on nature and maturity of CSR policies in each organization. The first case has a long history of CSR behavior, the second case switched from irresponsible to responsible behavior, and the last case is a non-governmental organization. This research will collect case study information on three companies including: PharmaTechnics PharmaTechnics was founded in the 1880s and is currently among the Fortune 500 American organizations. It has over two hundred subsidiaries across the world. The company’s organizational structure is decentralized, incorporating a CSR department that focuses on educating and sustaining indirect and direct stakeholders on pharmaceutical and medical matters. They also publish a CSR report annually, GRO compliant (PharmaTechnics). FutureTechnics FutureTechnics was established in the 1980s in Belgium, concentrating on international materials technology. Recently, the company focuses on technology-based business rather than smelting and mining that mainly emphasize on the recycling of metals and special products. The company’s organizational structure is decentralized, with a group dedicated to environmental and social responsibilities. They publish a sustainability report annually, GRI compliant (Futech). BetterWorld BetterWorld is a Belgian NGO established in 1950s. Its core objective is the creation of a sustainable system of food security. However, the company does not have a CSR department but observe a central policy. They publish a sustainability report annually, GRI compliant (FundsForNGOs). Methodology Data Collection There will be around 10 to 15 in-depth interviews. The sample will include top management, CSR managers, relevant internal agents such as HR managers, communication managers, brand managers, and other employees. Data documents will include CSR reports, organization brochures, corporate websites, and external and internal reports. Secondary data will be necessary for the understanding of CSR organizational strategies. Sources of observational data will include practical observations from nearest subsidiaries, such as CSR training sessions. References Banerjee, S. (2007). Corporate Social Responsibility: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Company. FundsForNGOs. Grants and Resources for Sustainability. Retrieved on March 3, 2012, from http://www.fundsforngos.org/category/foundation-funds-for-ngos/ Futech. Future Technics: Aluminum Door, Window, and Curtainwall. Retrieved on March 3, 2012, from http://www.futuretechnics.ir/Home.aspx Leedy, P. D & Ormrod, J. E. (2010). Practical research: Planning and design, 9th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. PharmaTechnics. Specialist consultants in Clinical Pharmacy and Electronics Design. Retrieved on March 3, 2012, from http://pharma-technics.co.uk/1.html West, M. (2012). Effective Teamwork: Practical Lessons from Organizational Research. New Rubric for Methodology Section WA 3 Appendix Corporate Social Responsibility Questionnaire Man Read More