Module 6

Work Stress

• Stress: Meaning and Definition,

• Potential Sources of Stress
• Consequences of Stress
• Managing Stress:

➢ Individual Approaches
➢ Organisational Approaches
 What is Stress?
• According to Stephen P. Robbins et al (2007)
…..

• “Stress is a dynamic condition in which an

individual is confronted with an opportunity,
demand, or resource related to what the
individual desires and for which the outcome
is perceived to be both uncertain and
important.”
• In simple words, stress may be defined as
anything that disrupts or disturbs a
normal person’s sense of equilibrium
and well being.

• A student preparing for an important

exam faces stress. A manager trying to
make profits in a competitive market
faces stress.
• Although stress is generally discussed in a negative context, it is not
always bad.

• It can be positive or negative depending on the circumstances and

more importantly how the person deals with it.

• Stress originates from what is called a ‘stressor’.

• A stressor is the factor that creates or is the cause of stress in an

individual.

• It is not in itself either positive or negative.

• How the individual chooses to deal with the stressor determines

whether the stress is positive (called eustress) or negative (called
distress).
• For example, for a manager trying to make profits in a
competitive market, the primary stressor would be the
competition.

• If the manager gets intimidated or anxious and gives

up, he is dealing with stress negatively.

• On the other hand, if he decides to work harder and

develop strategies to overcome competition, the
stress is actually having a positive impact on him.

• From this we can understand that stress can also be a

‘motivator’.
• There are instances when people actually perform
better during times of stress.

• This is because they are able to harness stress

positively to improve outcomes.

• A Stressor can cause actual stress under two

conditions, viz.,

i) There must be uncertainty over the outcome

ii) The outcome must be important to the individual

•Potential Sources of
Stress
Potential Sources of Stress:

1. Environmental Factors

• Economic Factors
• Political Factors
• Technological Factors

2. Organizational Factors

• Task Demands
• Role Demands
• Inter-personal Demands

3. Personal Factors

• Family issues,
• Personal economic problems
• Inherent personality characteristics.
1. Environmental Factors

• The external environment of business is constantly

changing. These changes often have a significant
impact on organisations and their employees.

• As the external environment changes, organisations

need to adapt to the change or risk losing
competitive advantage. Change creates uncertainty
and uncertainty (economic, political and
technological) is one of the major factors in work
stress.
• Reengineering, restructuring and downsizing due to
economic factors are concepts that have become
commonplace in organisations and they are the
methods that organisations use to cope with change.

• These affect employees directly and create

uncertainty in their minds regarding their jobs and
the fear of being laid off.

• Even if there are no layoffs, employees may have to

take up new jobs within the organisation or
additional responsibilities, all of these create further
stress.
• Political uncertainties tend to create
stress for Entrepreneurs and CEOs.

• When political parties change,

business priorities may have change.

• Which can create stress.

• Technological innovation is also an important cause of
stress.
,

• With rapid developments in technology, employees are

under constant pressure to update their skills or risk
becoming redundant.

• Increased workforce diversity is also thought to be a cause

of stress.

• As different people work together, there is greater scope

for differences in values, beliefs and behaviour.

• This can also lead to stress in the work sphere.

2. Organizational Factors

For example

Pressures to avoid errors

Pressure to Complete tasks in a limited time
Work overload
A demanding and Insensitive Boss
Unpleasant co-workers
• Above factors are categorised around Task, Role and
Interpersonal demands.

A) Task Demands: Relate to a person’s job. They

Include….

Design of the job (degrees of autonomy, task variety,

degree of automation),

working conditions (safety, working hrs., work

scheduling, compensation etc.)

physical work layout like noise and interruptions.

B) Role Demands: Relate to pressures placed on a
person as a function of the particular role he or she
plays in the organisation.

Role conflicts create expectations that may be hard to

satisfy.

Role overload occurs when the employee is expected

to do more than time permits.

Role ambiguity means role expectations are not clearly

understood and the employee is not sure what to do
C) Interpersonal Demands: are pressures created by
other employees.

Lack of social support from colleagues and poor

interpersonal relationship can cause stress,
especially among employees with a high social
need.

Negative co-worker and supervisor behaviors,

including fights, bullying, incivility, racial
harassment and sexual harassment are especially
strongly related to stress at work.
3. Personal Factors: The typical individual works about 40 to 50
hours a week. But experiences and problems people encounter
in the other 120-plus can spill over to the job.

Factors in the personal life include Family issues, personal

economic problems and inherent personality characteristics.

National Surveys consistently show people hold family and value

personal relationships and consider relationships very
important.

Marital difficulties, the breaking of a close relationship, and

discipline troubles with children create stresses which emplyees
often can’t leave at the front door when they arrive at work.
INDIVIDUAL DIFEERENCES

IN

EXPERIENCING STRESS
Individual Differences

• Individual Difference Variables

moderate the relationship
between potential stressors
and experienced stress
Individual Differences as Moderator between
Potential Stressor and Experienced Stress

• perception,
• job experience,
• social support,
• belief in the locus of control,
• self-efficacy,
• and hostility.
MODEL OF STRESS
BY
Stephen P. Robbins
Approaches to Manage Stress

1. Individual Approaches:

• Time Management Techniques

• Increased Physical Exercise
• Relaxation Training
• Expanded Social Support Network

2. Organisational Approaches

• Improved Personnel Selection and Job Placement

• Training
• Realistic Goal Setting
• Redesign of Jobs
• Increased Employee Involvement
• Improved Organisational Communication
• Employee Sabbaticals
• Corporate Wellness Programs