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Human Resource Management International Digestmerald Article: Getting to grips with stress in the workplace: Strategies

or promoting a healthier, more productive environment

olynn Carr, Becky Kelley, Rhett Keaton, Chad Albrecht

rticle information:

o cite this document: Jolynn Carr, Becky Kelley, Rhett Keaton, Chad Albrecht, (2011),"Getting to grips with stress in the

orkplace: Strategies for promoting a healthier, more productive environment", Human Resource Management International Digest,ol. 19 Iss: 4 pp. 32 - 38

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Getting to grips with stress in the workplace

Strategies for promoting a healthier, more productive environment

Jolynn Carr, Becky Kelley, Rhett Keaton and Chad Albrecht

The workplace is one of the greatest causes of stress in our lives. At times we feel

overwhelmed as we consider everything we need to accomplish. It becomes an evengreater challenge as obstacles arise and keep us from progressing in our day-to-day

assignments. As business executives and managers, it is our job to recognize and manage

occupational stress. A completely stress-free workplace is almost impossible to achieve, but

in order to keep your organization moving forward, your employees need be healthy and

satisfied with their work.

A stress-filled workplace can be harmful to the organization as a whole. Occupational stress

is defined as the perceived difference between professional demands and a persons ability

to carry out those demands. There is a proven correlation between stress and poor health. A

study was conducted by a university in Spain that yielded surprising results on the topic of

occupational stress. A survey was given to a group of major businesses; small, large, private

and public. According to half of the companies surveyed, employees in their organization

had higher or much higher than normal stress levels. When the workers were questioned

specifically about how their fellow employees were being affected by stress, they replied

that they were showing symptoms such as headaches or migraines, losing their temper or

reacting more aggressively towards customers and colleagues. It was found that about 29

percent of survey participants thought they observed these symptoms of stress at a higher

or much higher level than normal compared to previous years. Ten percent also replied that

in the last six months there were greater levels of absenteeism caused by stress than in

previous years.

These statistics indicate that stress is a growing problem in many organizations and is

having an increasingly negative impact on employees. Not only does it affect a persons

health and how much he or she is able to work, but it also affects performance. It is important

to promote the health and well-being of those who work in our companies in order to reduce

negative effects on productivity. Occupational stress may seem like a huge problem to

tackle, but reading this article will explain what stress is, how you can recognize it and how toincorporate programs in order to reduce its negative impact in your organization.

Causes of stress

The stress response is a double-edge sword. When stress is working properly, it helps you to

stay focused, energetic and alert. Stressis what sharpens your concentration while playing a

game or keeps you on your toes during a work presentation. However, beyond a certain

point, stress stops being helpful and can cause damage to your health, relationships and

PAGE 32 j HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL DIGEST j VOL. 19 NO. 4 2011, pp. 32-38, Q Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 0967-0734 DOI 10.1108/09670731111140748

Jolynn Carr, Becky Kelley,

Rhett Keaton and ChadAlbrecht areall based at the

Huntsman School of

Business, Utah State

University, Logan, UT, USA.


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productivity. Stress typically occurs when a person is confronted with a threat that he or she

does not feel to have the resources or coping skills necessary to deal with. Stress becomes

negative when a threat is perceived as excessive or unmanageable.

Any event or situation that puts a demand on a person is called a stressor. It is virtually

impossible to make a complete list of stressors as there are so many and they can vary from

person to person. Although any given situation may not be stressful for everyone, we can

identify and establish some general causes that have been seen as being stressful for the

majority of people.

There are two main types of stress. The first is acute stress, which is short-lived and often theresult of unexpected stressors. The second is chronic stress, which is a state of ongoing

physiological agitation from an unresolved issue or situation. An example of acute stress

would be the inability to find your glasses, only to discover them on your head. Usually the

body begins to react before the individual fully understands the situation, but a return to

normal is immediate once the issue is resolved. Chronic stressors often deserve more

attention because their prolonged influence on the body has a significant negative effect.

There are three main areas that influence the level of chronic stress felt in the workplace.

They are perception of job demands, individual differences and social demands:

1. Job demands. The terms and conditions of a job can be a major source of stress. Job

demands can be thought as consisting of intrinsic task requirements, the levels of

uncertainty, time pressure, and the rate, amount and difficulty of work.

2. Individual differences. Individuals differ in various ways and this has a profound effect onhuman behavior and their reaction to stress. There are countless ways to classify these

differences, but they are all the result of two broad classes of variables: heredity and

environment. Heredity accounts for the inborn differences. All inherited characteristics do

not play an equally important role in stress. Some, like hair color, are not significant to stress

levels, while others, like the physical health of a person, are. Environmentally shaped

differences are acquired. These develop and change over time, primarily as a result of our

experiences. Individual differences are important because they affect how we make

decisions, handle conflicts, respond to stressors and attempt to cope with stress. Many

people with the same job and physical setting may not perceive their environment as

having the same level of stress. One person may see a challenge as motivating and a

chance for self-improvement while another may see it as a serious threat.

3. Social demands. An individuals perceptions of his or her social-network support needs

are defined as social demands. Too much or too little social stimulation can be stressful:

too little and you could feel lonely or isolated; too much and you could become

overwhelmed. What defines the adequate level of social demand also differs with each

individual. Social demands can originate outside as well as within the organization. While

social demands can be psychologically distressing, social support from friends,

colleagues and family tends to benefit psychological well-being. This is termed the

buffering effect because it suggests that social support buffers the negative impacts of

stressors by providing a degree of predictability, purpose and hope in upsetting and

threatening situations.

The Holmes-Rahe life-events scale, which rates the levels of stress caused by external

events, states that many of the most stressful events are related to the workplace. They

include firings, business readjustments, changes in financial status, altered responsibilities,

a switch to a different line of work, trouble with the boss, variations in work hours orconditions, retirement and vacations. This fact reiterates the importance of managing

occupational stress.

How stress is manifested in the workplace

When an individual is confronted with a stressor, he or she can adopt a number of behaviors

that may have a positive, negative or neutral effect on physical and emotional well-being. He

or she may develop neutral behaviors to evade stressors such as early detection or

VOL. 19 NO. 4 2011 jHUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL DIGEST j PAGE 33


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avoidance, or positive behaviors such as utilizing social networks, exercising or religious

activities in order to lower the negative response to stressors. Negative behavioral

responses to stress include aggressive behaviors and smoking or drinking.

When a person feels there is a threat in life (whether that threat is physical, emotional, mental

or social) the bodys defense system kicks into action. This action was named the flight or

fight response by physiologist Walter B. Cannon.

It is important to realize that our bodies do not distinguish between physical and

psychological threats. If you are stressed about a project, a busy schedule, balancing home

and work life, a pile of bills or a fight with a friend, your body could react just as strongly as ifyou were facing a life-or-death situation.

Small episodes of stress have little risk to the health of a person. However, when stress is

prolonged, the body is in a state of constant activity, or stress overload. Gradually the bodys

defense system is worn down and the person is left increasingly susceptible to illness. An

analogy of chronic stress can be represented by trying to hold a book straight out in front of

you. The book may not be very heavy but the longer you hold the book, the heavier the book

will seem. If a person were to hold the book out in front for several days, that person would

need to be taken to the hospital. It is the same with stress management. If we carry our stress

with us all the time, sooner or later, we will succumb to it. The key to stress management is

taking breaks. If we put the book or the stress down and rest from it for a while, we will be

able to pick it up again and carry on with motivation and a new attitude. When we are dealing

with chronic stressors, it is important to find things that will help us to take a break from

whatever it is that is causing us stress.

There are numerous signs and symptoms of stress overload. Stress affects the mind, body

and behavior in many ways. Psychologist Connie Lillas uses a driving analogy to describe

the three most common ways people respond when they are overwhelmed by stress:

1. Foot on the gas. This is an irritated or angry response to stress. The person is easily

irritable, very emotional and needs to be doing something.

2. Foot on the break. This is a depressed or closure response. The person loses focus, has

little energy and little emotion.

3. Foot on both. Thisis a tense and frozenresponse where heor she can nolonger do his or her

normal tasks. The person looks frozen, but under the surface he or she is extremely agitated.

Below is a list of some of the common warning signs and symptoms of stress. The more signsand symptoms you notice in yourself or your colleagues, the closer you may be to stress

overload:

1. Thought or reasoning symptoms:

B Memory problems.

B Inability to concentrate.

B Poor judgment.

B Negative attitude.

B Anxious or racing thoughts.

B Constant worrying.

Stress typically occurs when a person is confronted with athreat that he or she does not feel to have the resources orcoping skills necessary to deal with. Stress becomes negativewhen a threat is perceived as excessive or unmanageable.

PAGE 34 jHUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL DIGEST j VOL. 19 NO. 4 2011


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2. Physical symptoms:

B Aches and pains.

B Diarrhea or constipation.

B Nausea, dizziness.

B Chest pain, rapid heartbeat.

B Loss of sex drive.

B Frequent colds.

3. Emotional symptoms:

B Moodiness.

B Irritability or short temper.

B Agitation, inability to relax.

B Feeling overwhelmed.

B Sense of loneliness and isolation.

B Depression or general unhappiness.

4. Behavioral symptoms:

B Eating more or less.

B Isolating yourself from others.

B Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities.

B Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax.

B Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing).

As was stated before, stress can be manifest in many different ways depending on the

person. That is why it is important to learn how to recognize how you, and the people around

you, react to stress.

The role of management

A stress-free environment is almost impossible to have in todays complex and fast-paced

business world, but that does not make stress a necessary evil that one must merely tolerate.Although stress management is often considered important by businesses, action is rarely

taken until the damage has been done. Stress levels in the workplace should be carefully

and regularly monitored by management. If left to itself, stress often results in high

absenteeism, increased turnover rates, low productivity and poor levels of quality. A

companys efficiency and productivity largely depend on its ability to cope with and adjust to

stress at work. Managements role is to first identify what is causing the unnecessary stress

and then to implement policies and procedures that will help to both manage and reduce

stress.

Our bodies do not distinguish between physical andpsychological threats. If you are stressed about a project, abusy schedule, balancing home and work life, a pile of bills ora fight with a friend, your body could react just as strongly asif you were facing a life-or-death situation.



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The costs of stress to both individuals and businesses are so great that the topic has been

researched extensively. One such project is a report by the Department of Public Health,

Western Health Board, which was done in 2003. The Department of Public Health was

commissioned to research the causes and influence of stress among employees of

Community Services, Co. Roscommon. The findings are speculated to be similar in many

industries. Some of the issues that they attributed to stress were poor communication

(including lack of management feedback, lack of team meetings and inaccurate knowledge

of new employee responsibilities) job dissatisfaction and prospects, understaffing and no

tools or resources to deal with workplace stress.

Individual stress-management strategies

Unfortunately, there is no standardized process that will solve everyones stress-related

problems. Every situation and individual is different and therefore various coping strategies

are needed. Each employee and colleague needs to find his or her own means to address

stress. Some strategies that have proved successful are:

1. Peer support. Most of the employees in the Community Services, Co. that were in the

sample groups reported that talking to colleagues helped them to deal with stress.

2. Exercise. Research has shown that exercise not only provides a reduction in stress levels

but also an increased ability to resist its effects in the future. Some 86 percent of

Community Services, Co. employees also reported that exercise is an effective

stress-management strategy.

3. Laughter. It makes sense that a good laugh would make one happier. There have been a

number of studies to prove it scientifically as well as intuitively. One article from Nursing

Faculty Publications of Western Kentucky University stated: It appears that a brief period

of mirthful laughter may be a quick and effective method to reduce stress levels.

Other strategies also include counseling, psychotherapy, meditation, yoga, Tai Chi,

massage and acupuncture. No one strategy will work in every situation, but research shows

that applying two or more methods results in a higher success rate. As management

becomes aware of these various strategies, efforts should be made to make them available

to employees or at least make employees aware of the strategies. A large portion of the

group sampled at Community Services, Co. reported that they had no way of coping with

stress other than just dealing with it. It is speculated that once employees know of the

possible solutions they can address their own individual needs and many of the problems

related to stress will solve themselves. Management can increase employee awareness byholding regular stress-management training meetings.

Getting to the source of the problem

All these possible strategies have proven successful in reducing stress in one way or

another, but there tends to be a problem with the employees managing work-related stress

themselves. Rarely does it get to the root of the problem (Figure 1). For example, an

employee may experience stress burnout (or overload) from various situations at work and

require time off to recover. While on sick leave he or she may receive counseling to assist in

recovery and soon be well enough to begin work again. Now, should the person return to the

exact same work environment he or she left, chances are that the individual will return just as

dissatisfied and no more committed than before. If success is to be had in the organization,

management needs to be involved in identifying stressors, recognizing changes that need

to be made and implementing preventive measures.

Bad communication is one of the most frequently cited majorcauses of stress.



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Improving communication and assigning appropriate workload are two of the most

important preventive measures management can instill in an organization to reduce chronic

stress.

Improve communication. Bad communication is one of the most frequently cited major

causes of stress. Programs with the intent of improving communication also received the

most positive responses from those surveyed at Roscommon as a way of reducing

occupational stress. Bad communication can be reflected in many ways in the workplace.

Lack of feedback, unclear job responsibilities, or even just the difficulty of trying to physically

contact someone within the organization are just a few examples of poor communication.

Many communication problems in an organization can be solved early on if addressed

during the initial stages of recruitment and employment. When recruiting, be sure that the

responsibilities and demands of the job are clear. Allocate appropriate time for induction and

training. Monitor performance and continuously provide feedback. When your employees

have proved competent, recognize them for the work they have done and assign other

responsibilities. Although these suggestions are particularly important when an employee is

new, it is also important to find ways to maintain these principles throughout his or her career.

Appropriate workload. Understaffing is another concern often expressed by employees.

Studies have shown that heavy workloads can result in diminishing worker satisfaction,

burnout and physical illness. This, in turn, has a snowball effect on the rest of the business.

As efficiency decreases and staff turnover increases, other employees workloads grow as

they now carry the extra burden of picking up the slack and take part in training new

employees (which could take a number of weeks). This may also force them to bring workhome to keep up with a schedule and take away from time needed to unwind after a stressful

day. It is therefore crucial that management reviews the level of staffing in the business and

identifies ways to deal with understaffing. Questions management may want to consider

when dealing with inappropriate workloads include:

B Is the workload evenly distributed among employees?

B Can temporary staff be hired during higher workload periods?

B What were former employees reasons for leaving and how can you solve the problems?

B Are there jobs that require employees to work late and is it really necessary for them to do

so?

Conclusion

In conclusion, stress is becoming a more prevalent issue in our fast-pace society as

extended periods of economic recession occur, international competition increases and

technological changes continue to take place. The demands of meeting deadlines and

larger workloads are put on individuals to increase productivity. The cost of stress in the

workplace is enormous and can increase absenteeism if employees feel that their efforts are

not rewarded adequately. We must be concerned with the emotions of our employees and

remember they have some very simple needs. Management has a responsibility to the

Figure 1 Identify, change, prevent

Id entify Change

Prevent



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company to ensure the employees are in a state of well-being and incorporate fair treatment

and positive feedback. When employees are healthy and satisfied with their work,

productivity will be at the maximum. It makes good business sense to pursue

stress-prevention strategies. Reducing stress in the workplace will contribute to the

quality of work life and help you to move your company forward.

Keywords:

Stress,

Health and safety,

Performance management

Note

Jolynn Carr, Becky Kelley, Rhett Keaton and Chad Albrecht are members of The Research

Group, a nationally recognized consortium of university scholars, corporate leaders andqualified undergraduate students at the Huntsman School of Business, Utah State

University.

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Publishing, Oxford.

Cooper, C. and Payne, R. (1988), Causes, Coping and Consequences of Stress at Work, John Wiley &

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Dolan, S.L. (2007), Stress, Self-Esteem, Health and Work, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, NY.

Durden, E., Hill, T. and Angel, R. (2007), Social demands, social supports, and psychological distress

among low-income women, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Vol. 24 No. 3, pp. 343-61.Harrington, J. and Evans, D.S. (2003), Stress in the workplace, The Irish Health Repository, Western

Health Board-/Board Slainte an Iarthaie, May, available at: http://hse.openrepository.com/hse/bitstream/

10147/44586/1/6045.pdf

Matteson, M. and Ivancevich, J. (1987), Controlling Work Stress, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA.

Smith, M., Jaffe-Gill, E. and Segal, J. (2009), Understanding stress: signs, symptoms, causes, and

effects, Helpguide, July, available at: www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm


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