9. CHAPTER 9 Stress and Work-Life Linkages Copyright © 1999 Addison Wesley Longman 2 Definition...

2 CHAPTER 9 Stress and Work-Life Linkages

Definition

Stress: The experience of opportunities or threats that people perceive as important and also perceive they might not be able to handle or deal with effectively.

Key Aspects of Stress

First, stress can be experienced because of both opportunities and threats.

Second, the threat or opportunity experienced is important to a person.

Third involves uncertainty -- the person experiencing the opportunity or threat is not sure that he or she can deal with it.

Consequences of Stress

• Physiological Consequences

• Psychological Consequences

burnout: psychological, emotional, or physical exhaustion.

• Behavioral Consequences

FIGURE 9.1 An Inverted U Relationship Between Stress and Performance

Advice to Managers

• Realize that what is stressful for one worker may not be stressful for another.

• When workers have negative attitudes toward their jobs and the organization and frequently seem on edge or in a bad mood, try to find out whether they are experiencing excessively high levels of stress by asking about their concerns.

Advice to Managers

• When managing workers who help others as part of their jobs, be on the lookout for the signs of burnout.

• When using motivational techniques and tools such as goal setting and contingent rewards, be sure you are not causing your subordinates to experience negative stress.

Advice to Managers

• When workers seem to be having a lot of interpersonal problems with other organizational members or with customers, clients, or patients, determine whether they are experiencing too high a level of stress.

Potential Stressors

• Personal Stressors

• Job-related Stressors

• Group- and Organization-related Stressors

• Stressors Arising out of Work-Life Linkages

Examples of Personal Stressors

• Getting married

• Getting divorced

• Death of a close friend/relative

• Buying a home

• Moving

• Serious illness

Examples of Job-related Stressors

• Role Conflict

• Role Ambiguity

• Work Overload

• Work Underload

• Promotions

• Challenging Job Assignments

Examples of Group and Organization-related Stressors

• Misunderstandings

• Conflict

• Interpersonal Disagreements

• Uncomfortable Working Conditions

Examples of Stressors Arising out of Work-Life Linkages

• Work Life - Personal Life Role Conflict

• Family Responsibilities

• Work Requests in Violation of Personal Values

FIGURE 9.2 Sources and Consequences of Stress

Advice to Managers

• Realize that workers’ personal problems impact their attitudes and behaviors at work. Realize that workers also have demands placed on them from their personal lives, and be understanding when they must attend to such demands.

Advice to Managers

• Make sure you are not making conflicting demands on your subordinates, and try to reduce the extent to which what you expect them to do conflicts with the expectations of others (for example, customers and coworkers).

Advice to Managers

• Clearly explain to newcomers what they are expected to do and how they should do it. When changes are being made in your organization, provide workers with clear information about the change and how it affects their job responsibilities.

Advice to Managers

• Try to design jobs to reduce overload and underload by matching levels of skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback to the needs of the organization and workers.

Advice to Managers

• Take active steps -- give advance notice, provide fair severance pay, and provide counseling services -- to reduce the negative effects of layoffs and other threats to workers’ economic well-being as much as possible.

Advice to Managers

• Try to eliminate uncomfortable working conditions whenever possible, and make sure that workers are not exposed to unnecessary danger on the job. Make sure safety precautions are followed.

Coping with Stress

• Problem-focused coping: the steps people take to deal directly with and act on the source of stress.

• Emotion-focused coping: the steps people take to deal with and control their stressful feelings and emotions.

Problem-Focused Coping Strategies for Individuals

• Time Management

• Getting Help From a Mentor

• Role Negotiation

(The process through which workers actively try to change their roles in order

to reduce role conflict, role ambiguity, overload, or underload.)

Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies for Individuals

• Exercise

• Meditation

• Social Support

• Clinical Counseling

• Nonfunctional Strategies

Problem-Focused Coping Strategies for Organizations

• Job Redesign and Rotation

• Reduction of Uncertainty

• Job Security

• Company Day Care

• Flexible Work Schedules and Job Sharing

Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies for Organizations

• On-Site Exercise Facilities

• Organizational Support

• Employee Assistance Programs

• Personal Days and Sabbaticals

FIGURE 9.5 Coping Strategies

Advice to Managers

• When workers are experiencing too much stress and it is having negative consequences for them or for the organization, discuss with them the many possible problem-focused and emotion-focused ways of coping with stress.

Advice to Managers

• Inform workers about and encourage them to take advantage of company day care facilities, flexible work schedules, on-site exercise facilities, personal days and sabbaticals, and employee assistance programs that exist for your organization.

Advice to Managers

• Let your subordinates know that you care about their well-being and are willing to help them with problems.

• Explore the viability of expanding your organization’s problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies.

9. CHAPTER 9 Stress and Work-Life Linkages Copyright © 1999 Addison Wesley Longman 2 Definition...

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