organisation behavior - stress management

Chapter 6Chapter 6

Management of StressManagement of Stress

IntroductionIntroductionStress is an integral part of living. It is considered toStress is an integral part of living. It is considered to be be the major killer.the major killer.In this module we shall:In this module we shall:

a)a) Study various aspects of stress, their types, and means Study various aspects of stress, their types, and means of coping with stress.of coping with stress.

b)b) Learn about personality types that are prone to stress.Learn about personality types that are prone to stress.c)c) Learn how individual behavior causes stress to self and Learn how individual behavior causes stress to self and

others.others.d)d) Study organizational stressors and how Study organizational stressors and how struturesstrutures, ,

processes, people and cultures increase stress.processes, people and cultures increase stress.e)e) Understand individual and Understand individual and organziationalorganziational strategies to strategies to

control stress.control stress.

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Stress ManagementStress Management•• Stress is unavoidable and most of us Stress is unavoidable and most of us

adapt to stress in such a way that we adapt to stress in such a way that we are no longer aware of it.are no longer aware of it.

•• Absence of stress does not make Absence of stress does not make things happen as much as too much things happen as much as too much of stress slows down things into of stress slows down things into ineffectiveness.ineffectiveness.

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Definition of stressDefinition of stressAccording to Dr. Hans According to Dr. Hans SelyeSelye, who , who introduced the word “stress” in 1942, introduced the word “stress” in 1942, “stress is a non“stress is a non--specific response of the specific response of the body to any demand made on a person”body to any demand made on a person”He believed that when one is under stress He believed that when one is under stress a set of symptoms of the body get a set of symptoms of the body get manifested in the form of head ache, manifested in the form of head ache, backache etc.backache etc.(refer to other definitions in course (refer to other definitions in course material)material)

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Human Function CurveHuman Function Curve(refer to graph in course material)(refer to graph in course material)Dr. Hans Dr. Hans SelyeSelye coined the concepts of “coined the concepts of “eustresseustress” and ” and “distress” and the phenomenon of General Adaptive “distress” and the phenomenon of General Adaptive Syndrome (GAS)Syndrome (GAS)

EustressEustress is positive stress which is like a starter for any is positive stress which is like a starter for any activity. The stress we experience before & at the start of activity. The stress we experience before & at the start of any activity is any activity is EustressEustress. This stress is needed to move us . This stress is needed to move us ahead towards goals.ahead towards goals.

Distress is negative stress. When the Distress is negative stress. When the eustresseustress continues continues even beyond the start of the activity and creates loss of even beyond the start of the activity and creates loss of concentration and other symptoms, it is a sign of Distress. concentration and other symptoms, it is a sign of Distress. It is Distress which we need to recognize and manage.It is Distress which we need to recognize and manage.

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Human Function CurveHuman Function Curve….….General Adaptive Syndrome General Adaptive Syndrome ––GAS refers to our reactions to GAS refers to our reactions to

stressors stressors –– demands that are threatening. The causes of demands that are threatening. The causes of stress may be different for different people and for stress may be different for different people and for different situations.different situations.

GAS occurs in three stages:GAS occurs in three stages:a)a) Alarm Alarm –– the physical reaction in the form of increase of the physical reaction in the form of increase of

heat beat, etc due to increase in chemical flow of the heat beat, etc due to increase in chemical flow of the body.body.

b)b) Resistance Resistance –– after prolonged exposure to the stressor, after prolonged exposure to the stressor, the stress moves from the body to the mind. The person the stress moves from the body to the mind. The person decides to flee from the situation. He displays resistance.decides to flee from the situation. He displays resistance.

c)c) Exhaustion Exhaustion –– if the stressor continues even beyond, then if the stressor continues even beyond, then the individual experiences physical and mental draining the individual experiences physical and mental draining of energies. Slowing down of activity and efficiency is the of energies. Slowing down of activity and efficiency is the outcome.outcome.

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Causes of StressCauses of StressThere are outside factors that cause There are outside factors that cause stress. According to Fred stress. According to Fred LuthansLuthans, the , the causes of Job Stress are:causes of Job Stress are:

a)a) Administrative Policies & StrategiesAdministrative Policies & Strategiesb)b) Organizational Structure and DesignOrganizational Structure and Designc)c) Organizational ProcessesOrganizational Processesd)d) Working ConditionsWorking Conditions

(refer to table in course material)(refer to table in course material)

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Personality and StressPersonality and StressSome personality types are more Some personality types are more prone to stress than others.prone to stress than others.For example,For example,Type A personality, which is the Type A personality, which is the aggressive, goaggressive, go--getter, impatient type getter, impatient type is prone to “distress”is prone to “distress”External Locus of Control is a External Locus of Control is a stressor.stressor.

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Effects of StressEffects of StressMild stress (Mild stress (EustressEustress) is conducive to ) is conducive to performance. It encourages movement performance. It encourages movement ahead and goal attainment.ahead and goal attainment.However, when the “stretch” become “too However, when the “stretch” become “too much”, the stress becomes Distressmuch”, the stress becomes DistressThe capacity to take stress varies from The capacity to take stress varies from person to person.person to person.The effects of distress is manifested in The effects of distress is manifested in physical and mental forms.physical and mental forms.

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Stress & PerformanceStress & Performance(refer to figure in course material)(refer to figure in course material)Performance is affected in the manner in which Performance is affected in the manner in which

one responds to stress levels.one responds to stress levels.There are three stages:There are three stages:

a)a) Too little stress leads to low performanceToo little stress leads to low performanceb)b) Optimum stress leads to high (optimum) Optimum stress leads to high (optimum)

performanceperformancec)c) Too much stress leads to low performanceToo much stress leads to low performance

Each of these stages create body and behavioral Each of these stages create body and behavioral responses ranging from boredom to alertness to responses ranging from boredom to alertness to panicpanic

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Strategies to cope with stressStrategies to cope with stress

We cannot eliminate stress. We need to manage them We cannot eliminate stress. We need to manage them wisely. wisely.

Job stress could be of two dimensions:Job stress could be of two dimensions:a)a) Problem centricProblem centricb)b) Emotion centricEmotion centric

Again, within the these two dimensions, the stress may be:Again, within the these two dimensions, the stress may be:a)a) due to individual reasonsdue to individual reasonsb)b) due to organizational reasons.due to organizational reasons.

(refer to table in course material)(refer to table in course material)

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Strategies to cope with stressStrategies to cope with stress….….Stress Management follows three basic Stress Management follows three basic steps:steps:

a)a) Understanding that stress can have a Understanding that stress can have a negative effect on the person both negative effect on the person both physically and emotionally, leading to physically and emotionally, leading to dysfunctional life.dysfunctional life.

b)b) Identifying those stressors that affect Identifying those stressors that affect the individual's behavior and the individual's behavior and performance adversely.performance adversely.

c)c) Taking constructive steps towards coping Taking constructive steps towards coping with stress and minimizing the effects.with stress and minimizing the effects.

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Strategies to cope with stressStrategies to cope with stress……Stress management needs to be Stress management needs to be approached in the following approached in the following manner:manner:

a)a) Individual Individual –– emotionemotion--centriccentricb)b) Individual Individual –– problemproblem--centriccentricc)c) Organizational Organizational –– emotionemotion--centriccentricd)d) OrganizationalOrganizational-- problemproblem--centriccentric

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Strategies to cope with stressStrategies to cope with stress….….(I) Individual Strategies to cope with job stress:(I) Individual Strategies to cope with job stress:

a) a) Problem centricProblem centric1.1. Time managementTime management2.2. Seeking helpSeeking help3.3. Shifting of jobShifting of jobb) b) Emotion centricEmotion centric1.1. RelaxationRelaxation2.2. Physical exercisePhysical exercise3.3. Recreation Recreation 4.4. CompanionshipCompanionship

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Strategies to cope with stressStrategies to cope with stress….….(II) Organizational Strategies to cope with stress(II) Organizational Strategies to cope with stress

a)a) Problem centricProblem centric1.1. Redesigning jobsRedesigning jobs2.2. Proper selection & placementProper selection & placement3.3. TrainingTraining4.4. Team buildingTeam buildingb) b) Emotion centricEmotion centric1.1. Employee welfare facilitiesEmployee welfare facilities2.2. MentoringMentoring3.3. Open communicationOpen communication

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SummarySummary•• We learnt what stress is all about and its effects We learnt what stress is all about and its effects

on people.on people.•• All stress is not bad, some stress is useful for our All stress is not bad, some stress is useful for our

growth.growth.•• Certain Personality types are stress proneCertain Personality types are stress prone•• We learnt causes of individual and organizational We learnt causes of individual and organizational

stress.stress.•• Coping with stress needs to be addressed at two Coping with stress needs to be addressed at two

levels: individual & Organizational.levels: individual & Organizational.•• We learnt the strategies to cope with individual We learnt the strategies to cope with individual

and organizational based stress.and organizational based stress.

organisation behavior - stress management

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