Stress

Managemen
t

Chapter
11
STRESS
Stress – a feeling of tension that occurs when a
person assesses that a given situation is about to
exceed his or her ability to cope and consequently
will endanger his or her well-being.
Stress is not an illness – it is a state. However, if
stress becomes too excessive and prolonged, mental
and physical illness may develop.
Like motivation, stress is a very individual
experience. One person can feel extreme pressure
and anxiety over a task that is looming, and another
might look at the same task and see it as an exciting
challenge.
STRESS & STRESSOR
Stress : A person’s response to events that are
threatening or challenging.
Stressor : A stimulus that causes stress

STRESS FEELINGS
• Feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed
• Apathy, loss of interest in work
• Problems sleeping
• Fatigue
• Trouble concentrating
• Muscle tension or headaches
• Stomach problems
• Social withdrawal
• Using alcohol or drugs to cope
Stress In The Workplace/
Job Stress

Job stress arises due to work demand

and pressures that are not matched to
employee knowledge and abilities. The
more the demands and pressures of
work are matched to the knowledge
and abilities of workers, the less likely
they are to experience work stress.
 1. Perception Of Stress
It depends on perception of the situation.
2. Past Experience
Depending upon the familiarity and prior
experiences with the stressors , an individual
perceive a situation.
3. Social Support
The presence or absence of other people
influences how individual in a workplace
experiences stress and respond to stressors.
4. Individual Difference
Individual differences in people or employee
experiences stress and if they do, how they respond
to it.
Major factors defines how an
individual experiences the
stress
Environment Factors

1. Economic uncertainty:
downsizing, rightsizing, retrenchment, restructuring,
and so on are all done in the name at efficiency and
cost reduction improve profitability.
2. Technological changes:
advancements in technology in the form of
automation, computerization and robotics.
3. Political uncertainty:
political disturbance in the external environment
has tremendous impact on the working of business
organizations.
Organizational Factors

1. Task or role demands: these are factors related to a person’s

role at work, including the design of a person’s job or working
conditions. A stressful task demand might be a detailed, weekly
presentation to the company’s senior team. A stressful role
demand might be where a person is expected to achieve more in a
set amount of time than is possible.
2. Interpersonal demands: these are stressors created by co-
workers. Perhaps an employee is experiencing ongoing conflict
with a co-worker he or she is expected to collaborate closely with.
Or maybe employees are experiencing a lack of social support in
their roles.
3. Organizational structure: this refers to the level of
differentiation within an organization, the degree of rules and
regulations, and where decisions are made. If employees are
unable to participate in decisions that affect them, they may
experience stress.
4. Organizational leadership: this refers to the
organization’s style of leadership, particularly the
managerial style of its senior executives. Leaders can
create an environment of tension, fear and anxiety and
can exert unrealistic pressure and control. If employees
are afraid they’ll be fired for not living up to leadership’s
standards, this can definitely be a source of stress.
5. Organizational life stage: an organization goes through
a cycle of stages (birth, growth, maturity, decline). For
employees, the birth and decline of an organization can
be particularly stressful, as those stages tend to be filled
with heavy workloads and a level of uncertainty about
the future.
Organizational Strategies for
Managing Stress
• Stress is an aspect of life that cannot be
avoided and since it cannot be eliminated
completely, one needs to understand the
techniques and strategies to control its
effects.
• Management of stress contains three
levels
• Awareness: be aware of the symptoms of
stress
• Identify the source of stress
• Coping with stress: Develop strategy to cope
with stress, either by directly removing or by
helping individuals manage their emotional
feelings in constructive ways.
Individual strategies for
managing stress
1.The employees should make a “to-do” list daily, prioritize
the acts in the list and plan the acts accordingly. Take
regular breaks during work to relax you. By effective
time management, the employees can achieve their
targets timely and can meet work pressures and, thus,
avoid stress.
2.Indulge in physical exercises. It helps in effective blood
circulation, keeps you fit, diverts mind from work
pressures.
3.Encourage a healthy lifestyle. Take a regular sleep, have
plenty of water, have healthy eating habits. Promote
relaxation techniques such as yoga, listening music and
meditation.
4.Find a fun way to release stress, such as, cracking jokes,
playing tennis, golf, etc.
5.Do not remain pre-occupied with yourself. Turn your
focus outwards. Help others. This will release some
stress.
ORGANIZATIONAL
INITIATIVES :
1. Team building
2. Time management workshops
3. Job burnout workshops
4. Training in relaxation techniques
5. Career counseling
Importance of
Managing Stress
People from all walks of life suffer from stress one
way or another.
1. Stress can make you weak so if you do not
take care of yourself, you can get sick which
can lead to more problems down the road.
2. When stress becomes excessive it can be
very damaging. It can harm: health,
happiness, work performance, team spirit
and cooperation, relationships and personal
development.
3. It is important to recognize and address the
underlying causes of stress, or else the
experience of stress will never go away.