Organization Behavior - Stress and Well-being At Work

Organisational Behavior - Stress and Well-being at Work

1. Topics covered: Stress Approaches Response Sources of work stress Stress & well-being @work Vijayalakshmi S

2. Defining stress "unconscious preparation to fight or flee that a person experiences when faced with any demand" comprehensive definition: “ physical and physiological effects on a person, and can be a mental, physical, or emotional strain” stress manage crises, push yourself harder to achieve something. this is called Eustress . It is the discomfort experienced by people when they are put in situations unfavourable to them.

3. Reasoning Individuals feel stress when the need of desire is not accomplished in the normal expected ways This is because of natural constraints operated on the individuals. The more the intensity of the desire and the greater is the uncertainty associated with the achievement of the goal, the greater is the degree of stress Example : Employees are working for longer hours, taking on the work once done by laid-off colleagues, meeting tighter deadlines and cutting back on family demands of monthly mortgages, childcare issues and aging parents, and the deterioration. Perhaps these are potential reasons for stress in the employees. 2. Balancing home and work for new parents who are still getting used to their careers and the new born

4. Features of stress Stress is both psychological and physical aspect. It is common to both the genders. It results from deviation of expectations from actual situation. It is symptomatic, Potential stress appears with the symptoms. If the potential stress is ignored it leads to actual stress. Stress is generally treated to be negative. Stress is an interactive concept . It does not spring from the internal organs of the individual. It comes from the interaction of the human being with the environment. Thus, environment has a profound influence on the stress.

5. Approaches to stress Distress: adverse behaviour that arises due to stress. AKA strain Stressor: the person/event that triggers stress 1. Homeostasis/Medical Approach: The fight/flight response to stress. Acc. to W.B. Canon, stress resulted when external or environmental demand upsets a person's natural steady-state balance called "homeostasis". he believed that body has a natural defense against to keeps it's balance. 2. Cognitive Appraisal approach: by Richard Lazarus Stress levels depend on psychological factors like perception and cognitive appraisal (evaluation) of people and events. Different cultures have different aspects that stresses people out. Mr. Lazarus also introduced problem-focused (managing the stressor) and emotion-focused (managing individual response) coping of stress.

6. Approaches to stress 3. Person-Environment Fit Approach: when a person and his environment do not coincide. Roles/expectations do not coincide with a person's skills and abilities. 4. Psychoanalytic approach: Stress occurs from the clash of "Ego-ideal“ – one’s idea perfect self and “Self-image” – how a person sees himself + ve & - ve *

7. Work Stress Work stress is a response people have for various work-related reasons: Demands/pressures of work that is not in their means – mismatch in their abilities to what’s expected Lack of support from supervisors/colleagues Insufficient use of one’s abilities Criticism or harsh feedback Work Stressors Physical environment Role-related Interpersonal Organizational

8. Work demand a) Task demand: Change, Globalization, Technology, innovation Timing, inability to make decisions, career progress, time pressures, work load Bad bosses b) Role Demands > Role conflict : Interrole (employee-parent), Intrarole (fast + high quality work), Person-role(ethics violation - values, beliefs) > Role ambiguity : Lack of awareness of how to do what is expected. Like, being asked to work on MSExcel and not knowing how to do it. > Role overload: too much work

9. Work demand http://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/en/oehstress.pdf ORGB book STRESS IN ORGANIZATIONS by Sabine Sonnentag & Michael Frese c) Interpersonal Demands: Poor leadership, sexual harassment, safeguarding reputations, lack of trust d) Physical demand: Handling hazardous substances, frequent travel, tough jobs eg : mining, stock-brokerage .. References :