Job Stress Management

Stolen from: Christian A. Gallardo, MD

Objectives • To define what is job stress.

• To identify the causes of

stress at work

• To explain the effect of job

stress on human physiologic

function

• To explain the effect and

manifestation of job stress on

overall worker health

Objectives • To Identify indications for work

stress evaluation and

management

• To discuss programming

measures that can be utilized

to prevent and/ or minimize job

stress

Why do we work? • Work provides:

– Income

– Fulfills a variety of

other needs

• Mental and

physical exercise

• Social contact

• Feeling of self

worth and

competence

Factors Influencing Work

Stress • The drive for success

• Changing work

patterns

• Working conditions

• Relationships at work

• Job Demands:

workload and work

paces

• THE ZEN OF HOUSEWORK

• I look over my own shoulder

• down my arms

• to where they disappear under

water

• into hands inside pink rubber

gloves

• moiling among dinner dishes.

What is Job Stress?

Job Stress:

• ―…the harmful physical and

emotional responses that occur

when the requirements of a job

do not match the capabilities,

resources, or needs of the

worker.‖

– Outcome: poor health and

injury - NIOSH Publication No. 99 -101

Job Stress: • ―Stress is a reaction

people have to

pressure placed upon

them and occurs when

pressures exceed the

individual’s ability to

cope.‖

- Health and Safety Executive

Job Stress vs. Challenge • Job Stress vs.

Challenge – Energizes

psychologically

– Energizes physically

– Motivates to learn a new skill

– Motivates mastery of a skill or job

Causes of Job Stress • Individual and

Situational Characteristics/ Worker Characteristics – Personality

– Coping Style

– What is stressful for one may not be for another

Causes of Job Stress

• Work Characteristics/Working

Conditions/Organizational factor

– Exposure to stressful work conditions (job

stressor) can adversely and directly affect

health and safety

– Examples of job stress

• Example workload

• Environmental hazards

• Pressure for increased productivity

Causes of Job Stress

• Environmental Factors

– Economic Uncertainty

– Political Uncertainty

– Technological Uncertainty

Job Stressors

• 1. Task Design

– Heavy workload,

infrequent breaks,

little or job control,

long hours of work

or shift work

Job Stressors

• 2. Management Style

– Lack of worker participation in decision

making, poor communication, lack of family

friendly policies

Job Stressors

• 3. Interpersonal Relationship

– Poor Social Environment, lack of support

from co-workers or supervisors

Job Stressors • Short Live or infrequent stressful situations

pose little risk, if any at all

• Continuous stress episodes may be damaging – Body is constantly on guard and activated

– Wear and tear to biological systems is faster

– Fatigue or damage results

– Repair and defense systems are compromised

Early Warning Signs of Job Stress

• Headache

• Sleep Disturbances

• Difficulty in concentrating

• Short Temper

• Upset Stomach

• Job Dissatisfaction

• Low Morals

Manifestation of Job Stress

Job Stress Prevention

Why Prevent Job Stress?

• In the USA more than half of the 550 million

work days lost each year are stress-related. -The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work

• In the UK, stress accounts for 6 million

workdays lost annually - Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

• Statistics Canada has calculated the cost of

work time lost to stress at $12 billion a year

Why Prevent Job Stress?

• This loss is in terms of

– Absenteeism

– Lost productivity

– Poor customer service

– Escalating short and

long-term disability

claims.

Why Prevent Job Stress? • Healthcare expenditures

are close to 50% greater

for stressed workers

compared to non-stressed

workers.

• Overall, stress in a

business contributes to

19% absenteeism costs

and 40% turnover costs.

Stress Management Strategies

• Individual Approach

• Organizational

Approach

Individual Approach

Organizational Approach

Organizational Approach

• Selection and Placement

• Goal Setting

• Job Redesign

• Participative Decision Making

• Organizational Communication

• Wellness Program

Selection & Placement

• Individuals with little

experience or an

external locus of

control tend to be

more stress-prone.

Selection and

placement decisions

should take these facts

into consideration.

Goal Setting • The use of goals can reduce stress

as well as provide motivation.

Specific goals that are perceived as

attainable clarify performance

expectations. Additionally, goal

feedback reduces uncertainties as to

actual job performance. The result is

less employee frustration, role

ambiguity, and stress.

Job Redesign

• Redesigning jobs to give employees more

responsibility, more meaningful work, more

autonomy, and increased feedback can reduce

stress, because these factors give the employee

greater control over work activities and lessen

dependence on others.

Participative Decision Making

• By giving these

employees a voice in

decisions that directly

affect their job

performances,

management can

increase employee

control and reduce this

role stress.

Organizational Commitment

• Given the importance that

perceptions play in

moderating the stress-

response relationship,

management can also use

effective communications

as a means to shape

employee perceptions.

Wellness Program

• These programs focus on the

employee's total physical and

mental condition. For example,

they typically provide workshops

to help people quit smoking,

control alcohol use, lose weight,

eat better, and develop a

regular exercise program.

In Summary: • Stress can be a major factor

in our ability to cope with our

working life. It is often thought

of in a negative way as

something to be avoided,

something harmful, but stress

cannot always be avoided

and its effects are harmful

only when it is handled badly.

What Should You Do?

• Active living.

– Regular exercise generates endorphins

(hormones which reduce stress), release

tension and enhances sense of control.

• Taking time out.

– Make time for your hobbies and interests and

give yourself room to unwind.

What Should You Do?

• Time Management.

– Set goals and priorities for your work. Stick to

your plan as much as possible to prevent

over loading at the last minute. Don't forget to

incorporate time for min-breaks of 10-15

minutes.

• Watching your alcohol and caffeine intake.

– These substances can impede your nervous

system and leave you feeling edgy.

What Should You Do? • Eating regularly.

– Missing meals means that your blood sugar will hit a

low. This can leave you feeling tired and irritable and

could trigger a stress reaction.

– Eat small meals, rich in complex carbohydrates, for a

steady stream of energy.

• Get in good night's sleep!

– Take time to relax and unwind before sleeping and

avoid eating or drinking late at night.

– Try to stick to a regular sleep routine, if possible.

What Should You Do? • Learning relaxation and breathing techniques.

– Simple exercises can help you to control feelings of

panic.

• Controlling negative thoughts.

– Strategies include distraction, like reciting a poem or

times tables in your head, or challenging your negative

thinking.

– Are you ignoring the positives and focusing on the

worst case scenario? Try to rebalance your

interpretation of what might happen.

For the Organization (NIOSH): • Ensure that the workload is in line with

workers’ capabilities and resources.

• Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers to use their skills.

• Clearly define workers roles and responsibilities.

• Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their jobs.

For the Organization: • Improve communications—reduce

uncertainty about career development and future employment prospects.

• Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers.

• Establish work schedules that are compa-tible with demands and responsibilities outside the job.

Thank You.