TOPIC 5 STRESS MANAGEMENT (WORK RELATED STRESS)

5.1 Introduction and Overview

This topic presents Stress as a physical or emotional reaction to potentially threatening aspects of
the environment.

5.2 Learning Outcomes

At the end of this topic the learner is expected to:

1. Explain the Meaning and definition

2. Comprehend The Organizational Stressors
3. Understand the effect of work related stress
4. Examine strategies to reduce work related stress
5.3 Meaning and definition

Stress is a physical or emotional reaction to potentially threatening aspects of the environment. It

is brought by excessive demands being made on individuals or reasonable demands made on
individuals ill equipped to cope with.
In majority of companies, employees experience stress at one time or another. However, all
people do not react the same way in a stressful situation. Some may be overly worried while
others are positively motivated to achieve more. Stress applies to pressures people feel in life and
these pressures harm job performance. Stressed people are easily provoked to anger and find it
difficult to relax. High degree of stress may lead to excessive alcoholism and drug taking,
physical disorders, stomach upsets, ulcers, heart and kidney problems.

5.4 CAUSES OF STRESS AT WORK PLACE (ORGANIZATIONAL STRESSORS)

a) Occupational differences
All jobs and occupations have some amount of stress associated with them. High stress jobs
include surgeon, secretary, examiner, astronaut, city mayor, principal, headmaster, cashier. Low
stress jobs include pharmacist, forklift operator, janitor, housekeeper, librarian etc.
b) Role ambiguity
Employees will experience role ambiguity when they have inadequate information about their
role. It occurs when employees do not know their job description, objectives, standard etc. It
leads to stress related outcomes like psychological strain and dissatisfaction.
c) Role conflict
This is where two or more sets of pressure occur where compliance with one will make it
difficult to do the other
d) Role over/under loading
Overload is a condition where employees feel they are overworked based on inequitable
allocation of responsibilities. Under load is a condition where employees feel stressed either due
to too few responsibilities or are given responsibility that does not require full use of their skills
and abilities. There should be a concerted effort to achieve an optimum balance between abilities
possessed and skills demanded.
5.5 EFFECT OF WORK RELATED STRESS

1. Health
Increased stress causes anxiety, frustration, hypertension, heart diseases, ulcers, arthritis and
other mental illnesses.
2. Labor turnover and absenteeism
These are convenient and easy withdrawal of employees from stressful jobs. Employees may
resign from a job due to high levels of stress. Others may resort to absenting themselves from
work or chronic late arrival to the work place. Eventual result is reduced productivity
3. Alcoholism and drug abuse
This is used by a significant % of employees to escape albeit temporarily from routine and
stressful jobs. Employees take to this habits in the hope that they will reduce work related stress.
The eventual result is more and more abuse
4. Aggressiveness
Stress may cause affected employees to display hostility to colleagues and other people. Workers
may go berserk within and outside. They may also sabotage work to break even with company or
colleagues.
5. Reduced work performance
High level of stress causes a marked drop in work performance. This is because employees in an
attempt to reduce stress, engage in activities to divert their energies from work and become
unproductive thus creating more stress.
5.6 STRATEGIES TO REDUCE WORK RELATED STRESS
1. Encourage employees to be aware of themselves, their limits, work abilities and abilities to
buffer stress.
2. Encourage employees to engage in activities which are unrelated to work eg. Sports,
recreation, leisure to divert minds for some time.
3. Some severe work related stress may be solved by job rotation, transfers, job redesign etc.
4. Interviewers can apply stress related interview questions to find the extent to which a
candidate can buffer stress
5. Counselling programs can be initiated for therapy