STRESS

Stress is a psychological and physiological

response to events that upset our personal
balance in some way.
These events or demands are known as
stressors.
 Research findings from WHO
(World Health Organization)
• 40% of workers reported their job was very or
extremely stressful.
• 25% view their jobs as the number one
stressor in their lives.
• Job stress is more strongly associated with
health complaints than financial or family
problems.
• 25% have felt like screaming or shouting
because of job stress, 10% are concerned
about an individual at work they fear could
become violent.
• 9% are aware of an assault or violent act in
their workplace and 18% had experienced
some sort of threat or verbal intimidation
 Research Findings

• 19% had quit a previous position because of

job stress
• 26% have been driven to tears because of
workplace stress.
• 62% routinely find that they end the day with
work-related neck pain.
• 44% reported stressed-out eyes.
• 38% complained of hurting hands
• 34% reported difficulty in sleeping
because they were too stressed-out.
• 12% had called in sick because of job stress.
 Work Place Stress
Workplace stress has a negative impact on the
business as well as on the individual employee.
The increase in job stress creates emotional,
financial, and safety concerns for employers
and managers

The World Health Organization labeled stress

a “worldwide epidemic.” Today, workplace
stress is estimated to cost companies
more than $300 billion a year in poor
performance, absenteeism and health costs.
 Factors that Lead to Job Stress
Specific work factors
• Excessive workload.
• Tedious or meaningless tasks.
• Long hours and low pay.
• Infrequent rest breaks.
• Unreasonable performance demands
Physical environment
• Noise and overcrowding.
• Poor air quality.
• Ergonomic problems.
• Health and safety risks (heavy equipment, toxic chemicals).
Organizational practices
• Unclear responsibilities or expectations.
• Conflicting job demands.
• Multiple supervisors.
• Lack of autonomy or participation in decision-
making.
• Inefficient communication patterns.
• Lack of family-friendly policies
Career Development
• Over Promotion.
• Under Promotion
• Lack of Job Security
• Thwarted ambition.
Workplace change
• Fear of layoff.
• Frequent personnel turnover.
• Lack of preparation for technological changes.
• Poor chances for advancement or promotion.
• Tensions brought about by greater workplace
diversity.
Interpersonal Relationships
• Distant, uncommunicative supervisors.
• Poor performance from subordinates.
• Office politics, competition, and other conflicts
among staff.
• Bullying or harassment.
• Problems caused by excessive time away from
family.
Sources of Occupational or Job stress
Job related stressors
Environment specific
• Economic conditions
• Increased level of competitions
• Market changes
• Technological changes
• Changes in the production and products
• New forms of organization and product development
• Drive for greater cost –effectiveness networks.
• Multinational
• General public concerns for the environment
Organizational Specific
• Changes with in the organization
• Reorganizations
• Layoffs
• Organizational structure
• Organizational culture, climate
• Mergers, acquisitions and similar changes of the
company ownership
• Work force diversity
• Reward systems
• Promotional policies
• Job security
• Leadership style
Job Specific
• Pressure to work for long hours
• Job characteristics
• Conflicting job demands
• Unclear job expectations
• Pressure of responsibility
• Time pressures
• Lack of resources to perform job
• Lack of information
• Lack of collaboration
• Relationships with subordinates
• Working conditions
• Insufficient training
• Work overload
• Poor fit between abilities and skills
 Individual – Related Stressors.
Individual Characteristics
• Personality traits
• Demographic characteristics
• Coping skills.
Individual life circumstances
• Work/life conflict
• Family problems
• Personal problems
• Social problems
• Financial difficulties.
Worker Characteristics that can Cause Job Stress
May Include:
1. A Need to be in Control
• The worker feels a need to be in control at all times.
• The worker views lack of control as a sign of
weakness.
• The worker has difficulty delegating assignments to
others.
• The worker avoids showing signs of weakness or
nervousness.
2. A lack or Perceived lack of Competence
• The worker feels his or her work is inferior compared
to others.
• The worker feels he or she makes poor judgments.
• The worker feels a lack of common sense.
• The worker feels doubts about his or her competence
and ability to do the job.
3. A Desire to Please People
• The worker relies on favorable opinions and input
from others as a basis for building self-esteem.
• The worker fears he or she may disappoint others
• The worker cares more about others' needs than his
or her own.
• The worker avoids communications and actions that
would displease others.
4. A Need to be Perfect (Perfection)
• The worker feels under pressure to achieve.
• The worker is highly self-critical.
• The worker feels a job well done could have
been done even better.
 Signs and Symptoms of stress
Intellectual Symptoms (How stress can affect the Mind)
• Memory problems.
• Difficulty making decisions.
• Inability to concentrate.
• Confusion.
• Seeing only the negative.
• Repetitive or racing thoughts.
• Poor judgment.
• Loss of objectivity.
• Desire to escape or run away
Emotional Symptoms :( How stress can make us feel)
• Moody and hypersensitive.
• Restlessness and anxiety.
• Depression.
• Anger and resentment.
• Easily irritated and “on edge”.
• Sense of being overwhelmed.
• Lack of confidence.
Physical Symptoms: (How stress can affect the Body)
• Headaches.
• Digestive problems.
• Muscle tension and pain.
• Sleep disturbances.
• Fatigue.
• Chest pain, irregular heartbeat.
• High blood pressure.
• Weight gain or loss.
• Asthma or shortness of breath.
• Skin problems.
• Decreased sex drive.
Behavioral Symptoms: (How stress can affect the
Behavior)
• Eating disorder.
• Sleeping too much or too little.
• Isolating self from others.
• Neglecting the responsibilities.
• Increasing alcohol and drug use.
• Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing).
• Teeth grinding or jaw clenching.
• Overdoing activities such as exercising or shopping.
• Losing the temper.
• Overreacting to unexpected problems.
Long term effects of stress
Recent research suggests that anywhere from
two-thirds of illness is stress-related.
some of the health problems that can be caused or
exacerbated by long-term stress.
Health Problems Linked to long term Stress
Heart attack, Cancer, Stroke,
Ulcers,Depressions,Eating disorders,
Obesity,Memeory loss,Thyroid problems
Consequences of occupational stress can be
grouped into those on
1.Individual level .
2.Organizational level.
On the individual level,
There are three main subgroups of strains:
1.Unwanted Feelings and Behaviours
2.Physiological Diseases (Poor Physical Health)
3. Psychological Diseases (Poor Emotional (Mental)
Health)
1.Unwanted Feelings and Behaviors –

1. Job dissatisfaction.
2. Lower motivation.
3. Low employee morale.
4. Less organizational commitment,.
5. Lowered overall quality of work life.
6. Absenteeism, turnover.
7. Intention to leave the job,
8. Lower productivity, decreased
quantity and quality of work.
9. Inability to make sound decisions.
2.Physiological Diseases (Poor Physical
Health)
such as increased blood pressure and pulse
rate, cardiovascular diseases, high
cholesterol, high blood sugar, insomnia,
headaches, infections, skin problems, injuries
and fatigue.
3. Psychological Diseases (Poor Emotional
(Mental) Health) –
1.Psychological distress, depression,
anxiousness.
2.Passiveness, Aggressiveness.
3.Boredom, lose of self-confidence and
self-esteem.
4.Lose of dissatisfaction with job and live,
losing of contact with reality and
emotional fatigue.
On the Organization level,
Consequences of Occupational or Job Stress
can be Grouped into two Major subgroups.
1 . Organizational factors
2 . Organizational Costs.
 1.Organizational factors -
1.Such as discontent and poor morale among the
workforce.
2.Performance/productivity losses, low quality
products and services.
3.Poorer relationships with clients, images and
reputation, missed opportunities.
4.Disruption to production, high accident and mistakes
rates, high labor turnover.
5.Loss of valuable staff, increase sick-leave,
permanent vacancies, premature retirement.
6.Diminished cooperation, poor internal
communications, more internal conflicts, and
dysfunctional workplace climate.
2.Organizational Costs :-
1.Such as cost of reduced performance,
productivity (lack of added value to product
and /or service),
2.High replacement costs in connection with
labor turnover (increase in recruitment,
training and retraining costs),
3.Increases sick pay, increased health-care
costs and disability payments,
4.Higher grievance and litigation/compensation
costs, and costs of equipment damage.
 Physical Factors affecting the Job Stress.
25%

,20% 20%
20%
17%

15% , 14%
, 12%
11%
10%
6%
5%

0%
Inadequ ateven tilation Problemswithofficeaccomadation
Lacko fp rivacy Poorlighting
Indequ atetem p eratu recontrol Noiselevels
Po orsiteco ndition s

Inadequate Ventilation 14%

Problems with office accommodation 6%

Lack of Privacy *20%

Poor lighting 11%
Inadequate Temperature control *20%
Noise levels *17%
Poor site conditions 12%
 Organizational factors affecting Job stress
30%
Inadequate staffing
26%
25%
24%

20%
Poor communications
20%
16%
14% Insufficent Training
15%

10% Interpersonal Conflicts

5%
Poor relations with
0%
superiors

Inadequate staffing 26%

Poor Communications 20%

Insufficient Training 24%

Interpersonal Relations 16%

Poor relations with superiors 14%

Job Demand factors affecting Occupational or Job stress
30% 28%
25%
25% Too Much work

19%
20% Pressure
16%
15%
12% Ambitious Deadlines
10%
Working in Isolation
5%
Insufficiency Skilled for
0% Job

Too much of work 28%

Pressure 19%

Ambitious Deadlines 25%

Working in Isolation 16%

Insufficiency skilled for job 12%

Job role factors affecting Occupational or Job stress
30%
Lack of Clarity about
24% responsibility
25%
23% 22%
Conflicting Demands
20%
17%
14% Indequate Managerial
15%
Support

10% Lack of carrer

Progression
5%
Job insecurity

0%

Lack of clarity about responsibility 23%

Conflicting demands 24%

Inadequate Managerial support 17%

Lack of career progression 22%

Job insecurity 14%

 Approach to reduce stress
Stress on the job creates high costs for
businesses and institutions, reducing
morale, productivity, and earnings.
Clearly, it is in every employer’s best
interests—fiscal and otherwise—to
reduce workplace stress as much as
possible.
 Organizational approach
Organization can foster low levels of job stress
and high levels of productivity:
Organization level to Reduce Job Stress
1. Improve communication
2. Consult your employees
3. Offer rewards and incentives
4. Cultivate a friendly social climate
Employees can reduce job stress

While organizational change comes from

management,
there are still many things employees—
individually or
collectively—can do to reduce workplace stress.
Stand Up for Yourself
1. Get a job description
2. Change your job
3. Get support
4. Get a new job
 Approaches to Reduce Stress
Change of life style habits to Manage Stress
better
1. Get enough sleep
2. Connect with others:
3. Exercise regularly
4. Eat a balanced, nutritious diet
5. Reduce caffeine and sugar
6. Do something for yourself everyday
 Change of thinking and emotional
responses to handle stress better

1. Have realistic expectations

2. Reframe problems
3. Maintain your sense of humor
4. Express your feelings instead of bottling
them up
5. Don’t try to control events or other people
 Meet the challenges of stressful situations

1. Manage time
2. Give priority to the most important tasks
and do those first
3. Schedule time for both work and recreation
4. Delegate tasks and break up big projects
 Stress Relief:
Yoga, Meditation, and Other Relaxation
Techniques
• Breathing exercises relieve stress
• Meditation to Relieve Stress
• Yoga help with stress relief
 How to Change the Organization to
Prevent Job Stress
1. Ensure that the workload is in line with workers'
capabilities and resources.
2. Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and
opportunities for workers to use their skills.
3. Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.
4. Give workers opportunities to participate in
decisions and actions affecting their jobs.
5. Improve communications-reduce uncertainty about
career development and future employment
prospects
6. Establish work schedules that are compatible with
demands and responsibilities outside the job.
 Preventing Job Stress - Getting Started

STEPS TOWARDS PREVENTION

• Step 1 - Identify the Problem.
• Step 2 - Design and Implement Interventions.
• Step 3 - Evaluate the Interventions.