Stress and coping What is Stress Stressor

Stress and coping

What is Stress? Stressor (Stimulus) Acute/chronic/ hassle/ (Temporal dimension) Positive/ negative Strain or well being or both (Response) Appraisal Coping Reappraisal ADAPTATION Personality traits as moderators Type A Locus of control Optimism Self-efficacy

Lazarus and Folkman Process Model of coping Potential stressor Primary appraisal: What is the meaning of this event? How will it affect my well-being? Event irrelevant Event stressful Event benign-positive Threat Harm Challenge Socio-ecological coping resources Personal coping resources Secondary appraisal: What can I do? What will it cost? What do I expect the outcome to be? Coping strategies Emotion-focused strategies Problem-focused strategies Outcome Reappraisal: Has the stress changed? Am I feeling better?

• Stress arises when the demands of a situation/experience/event are appraised by the individual as about to tax or exceed the resources available, thereby threatening well-being • Disruption in normal functioning • Resolution of the disruption • Coping – efforts to master, reduce or tolerate the demands created by a stressful transaction

Components of strain • Physiological – Cardiovascular symptoms, biochemical reactions, gastrointestinal symptoms – Degeneration due to chronic exposures • Psychological – – – Dissatisfaction Anxiety and irritability Depression Emotional exhaustion and fatigue Anger Burnout

• Behavioural – Self-damaging behaviours (drug/alcohol abuse) – Organisational disruptions (absenteeism, errors, vandalism)

Components of well-being • • • Self-acceptance Mastery Autonomy Positive relationships Personal growth Purpose in life

Workplace stressors • Factors intrinsic to the job – – – – Work conditions (temperature, furniture/layout, risks/hazards) Shifts Hours of work Travel Technology Overload (qualitative/quantitative) Job design elements • Roles in the organisation – – Ambiguity Conflict Responsibility for people Overload/underload

• Relationships at work – Boss – Subordinates – Colleagues • Career development issues – Job security – Job performance and advancement • • • Inequity Victimisation Ethical dilemmas Organisational structure/processes, culture, etc Home-work interface

Case discussion • Now that you have understood yourself, be Amy. Do you feel that you can help Scott – Why/why not? How can you help him?

• As a manager, you need to manage your own stress and help those working with you to manage theirs. How would you do this? – Personal level interventions – Organisation level interventions

Managing stress – personal strategies • Lifestyle issues - exercise, diet, sleep, substance use and relaxation (meditation and biofeedback) • Leisure and hobbies (Work-life balance) • • Prioritising and time management Social support Spiritual resources In the workplace – delegation, mentoring, role negotiation

• Managing stress – organisational strategies – Create comfortable working conditions – physical environment, organisational processes and practices (as far as possible), including an atmosphere of support and avenues for redressal – Match individuals with tasks (and train them for growth) – Clarify employee roles – Assign mentors to employees – Offer job security/ensure employability – Offer flexitime – Provide on-site care facilities for dependents – Provide stress and time management training – On-site exercise and relaxation facilities/training – Employee assistance programs (counselling)

Optimal Stress Curve (Yerkes-Dodsen Curve) Maximum Performance Eustress Distress Poor performance Low (underaroused, bored) Poor performance Moderate (optimally aroused) High (overaroused, overwhelmed) Stress (Emotional Arousal)

General Adaptation Syndrome Key: 1 1 Shock 2 Counter-shock 3 Resistance 4 Collapse 2 3 4 Normal resistance level to a stressor Alarm Resistance Collapse

Enhancing well-being at work – organisational interventions • Primary level interventions – eliminate/reduce stressors, target organisation/job related factors – Job design, physical environment, structure, processes/practices, supportive/compassionate climate • Secondary interventions – stress management training to alleviate strain and enhance well-being through improving coping, target the individual, most commonly used – Relaxation, meditation, yoga, time management, cognitive restructuring

• Tertiary level interventions – rehabilitation of individuals who have suffered ill-health (physical/mental) due to strain – Counselling, medical help

Developed via: Basch, A. J. , & Fisher, C. D. (2004) Development and validation of measure of hassles & uplifts at work. Academy of Management meeting. New orleans Beresford, B. (1994) Resources & Strategies: How parents cope with the care of disabled child. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 35, 171209. Cooper, C. L. , Dewe, P. J, O’Driscoll, M. P. (2001). Organizational Stress. London : Sage Fredrikson, B (2000). Cultivating positive emotion to optimise health and well being. Prevention & Treatment, 3. Lazarus, R. S. (1991) Psychological stress in the workplace. Journal of Social Behaviour & Personality, 6, 1 -13

• References – George, J. M. & Jones, G. R. 1999. Understanding and Managing Organizational Behavior, (Second Edition). Reading: MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. – Kahn, R. L. , & Byosiere, P. 1998. Stress in organizatinoa. In Dunnette, M. D. , & Hough, L. M. (Eds. ), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology (Volume 3: 571 -650. Mumbai: Jaico Publishing House. – Robbins, S. P. 1996. Organizational behavior: Concepts, controversies, applications. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India.