Modern Working Life Is Said to Be Very Stressful - Coursework Example

Name: xxxxxxxxxx Course: xxxxxxxxxx Institution: xxxxxxxxxx Title: Modern working life is said to be very stressful. Discuss the effects and outcomes on individuals and the organization and how can it be best Managed. Date: xxxxxxxxxxxxx The effects and outcomes of stress on individuals and organizations in the modern working life and the best ways to manage it. Introduction The modern life has brought with it a lot of changes and challenges, whereby some of these are the rising cases of stress related issues and problems that end up affecting the life and livelihood of most people. While in some aspect stress could offer some positive effects, the impact of stress in most cases is usually negative and it is increasingly becoming harder to establish just the right amount of stress on any individual (Hellriegel and Slocum 2010). Larger cases of stress effects are reportedly experienced at the workplace since this is where most time is spent during the day by majority of the working population all over the world. However, stress issues vary with different working environments, bosses or superiors, demands, colleagues, targets as well as expectations. On the other hand, different individuals will react to stress in different ways depending on personality or levels of resilience (Cooper et al 2001). The objective of this article is to highlight the effects and outcomes of stress on an individual and the organization and the best ways to manage it. What is stress? Stressors can be categorized into two, those that arise from within (internal), and those that are as a result of the surroundings (external). This response or reaction could either be positive or negative.On one’s ability to cope or deal with stress, Michael Neenan (2009) writes that “a person's susceptibility to stress can be affected by varying factors, meaning that everyone has a different tolerance to stressors”. Stress is usually subjective on many levels, as are the ways to combat it. A person’s ability to deal with stress depends on perception, competence, social, family, organization’s support as well as attitude. According to Hellriegel and Slocum (2010), stress occurs when a certain environment is sensed or identified as presenting demand that exceed a person’s resources or capabilities. Therefore, the level of stress on any individual depends on the levels of resilience or ability to cope or deal with it (Cooper et al 2001). According to Arnold and Feldman (1986) stress is “the reactions of individuals to new or threatening factors in their work environment”. Change in the workplace, especially one that would jeopardize or threaten one’s job’s security or contentment could also be a potential cause for stress and since change is inevitable in today’s competitive world, stress related issues in the work places are becoming more and more rampant and common. Williams and Huber (1986) give another meaning of stress as "a psychological and physical reaction to prolonged internal and/or environmental conditions in which and individual's adaptive capabilities are overextended." (p. 243). According to their definition, stress can also result from exhaustive situations over a prolonged period of time. This definition also suggests that an individuals’ overall perception of a circumstance or a situation will determine the amount of stress acquired or produced (Williams & Huber 1986). In another definition, Henriette Anne Klauser (2005) suggests that inability to create a lifestyle that is in line with your goals and strengths can also produce stress. She emphasizes the effectiveness of examining and writing down personal goals and drawing into your life the things you really want. According to Henriette, one can avoid stress by living within the parameters of practical goals, which are both doable and attainable. An organization that overstretches its goals and expectations on an employee without providing sufficient support can also have a negative impact on an individual. Lacking a dream to follow or failing to craft a lifestyle that is more in line with your personal goals can also result to stress. Having your goals in mind when you are doing any certain task and determining beforehand if the event will cause a stressful roadblock for you is helpful in averting a stressful outcome (Henriette 2005). However, other Hellriegel and Slocum (2010) also argue that stress by itself is not entirely a bad thing. Stress can also be categorized as good stress or distress to designate negative and positive effects of stress. This acknowledges that is a part of life, having the capacity to produce positive or negative effects (Cooper et al 2001). The symptoms or signs of stress on an individual The symptoms of stress on an individual vary depending on the stressor as well as the individual. Some of the most common or major signs of stress are "constant fatigue, low energy level, recurring headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, chronically bad breath, sweaty hands or feet, dizziness, high blood pressure, pounding heart, constant inner tension, inability to sleep, temper outbursts, hyperventilation, moodiness, irritability and restlessness, inability to concentrate, increased aggression, compulsive eating, chronic worrying, anxiety or apprehensiveness, inability to relax, growing feelings of inadequacy, increase in defensiveness, dependence on tranquilizers, excessive use of alcohol, and excessive smoking (Palmer and Cooper 2004, Palmer et al 2003, Sparks et al 1997). The causes of work stress There are four categories of potential sources of stress, each with varying consequences-the environmental, economical, political, and technological uncertainties. Cox et al (2004) observes that unmanageable demands, pressures, excessive work and poor organization and poor working conditions can result to work related stress. This in turn can affect the performance of employees at work and in their overall life (Rees and Cooper 1992). Research studies have established that work related stress are frequently caused by work duties characterized by excessive pressures and demands that are matched up by the abilities and knowledge of employees . Moreover, work related stresses are frequently caused by work duties whereby there is little or no support and opportunity to exercise control and choice (Cox et al 2004). The effects of work stress on an individual and organization Hellriegel and Slocum (2010) argue that stress can have both positive and negative effects on individuals and organizations. They discuss the effects of stress on individual and organizational performance and effectiveness in health, performance and job burnout. They argue that mild levels of stress, or positive and arousing stress, may actually improve an individual’s performance and overall organizational effectiveness. There exists an optimum level of stress which creates a healthy tension that challenges, stimulates or even motivates an employee. This level of good stress eliminates laxity or boredom. However, past this optimum, stress leads to exhaustion and fatigue. High levels of work stress affect employees at physiological, emotional and behavioral levels. These are explained in Palmer and Cooper’s (2004) model of work stress in the UK. The effects of stress on individuals and organizations are demonstrated by Palmer and Cooper’s (2004) model of work stress in the UK. The model outlines the cause and effect relationship between potential hazards at work and negative outcomes for both individuals and organizations. Palmer and Cooper (2004) identify six potential stress related hazards in the organizational culture that affect employees- demand, control, support, relationships, control and change- and outline the effects these hazards may have on employees in form of symptoms. For instance, some of the symptoms on individual employees due to stress-related hazards include hypertension or elevated blood pressure, increased intake or use of alcohol and other substances such as narcotics and caffeine in an effort to cope with stress, disrupted or disturbed sleep patterns, backaches and other symptoms such as headaches. The outcomes associated with these symptoms include coronary heart disease, burnout and clinical anxiety/depression which according to Palmer et al (2003) implied nationwide financial costs or losses in form of working days lost of up to £3.75 billion. Regarding organizations, the symptoms of stress related hazards on employees include increased incidences of absenteeism or sickness absence, increased labour turnover, a reduction in levels of morale and loyalty compounded by increased hostility in the workplace and general reduction in the levels of employee performance. The negative outcomes for organizations thus include increased overhead costs in the form of recruiting and training new employees or retraining existing staff to fill vacancies which contribute to lower profits, increased cases of workplace accidents which may also translate to increased litigation al of which negatively affect the organization’s profits. The financial costs and losses (due to an estimated 13.4 million working days lost) are estimated at £ 370 million. Therefore, in total, Palmer and Cooper estimate stress related national level financial costs and losses for both individuals and organizations at over a staggering £ 4 billion (Woods et al 2010). Managing work related stress Research, psychological and medical consultations have revealed diverse ways of managing and dealing with the stress issue, especially the one that produces the negative results. Stephen and Cooper (2000) argue that one should not try to strive for perfection in the workplace. This is based on the argument that the person who is an absolute perfectionist is never going to be happy with their work. They will always feel there is more that they can do and should do. Therefore, it is important to avoid the perfectionism weakness to avoid attracting stress in the work world. It is also important to avoid taking up more than one can handle or deal with. There are essentially three main strategies for dealing with stress in organizations or the workplace. The first one is to identify and treat the symptoms, second is to change the people by helping them to develop the ability and resilience to deal or cope with the stress, and the third is to remove, improve or alter the cause of the stress (Woods et al 2010). From a report given by Lawless (1991), it was established that there were four different employer programs that were effective in reducing work related stress amongst the employees. They include supportive work and family policies, effective management communication, health insurance coverage for mental illness and chemical dependency and flexible scheduling of work hours (Lawless 1991). Arnold and Feldman (1986) points out that one of the effective ways that managers can minimize employee stress is to clarify ambiguities, such as job assignments and responsibilities. This was in observation that employee’s stress is directly related to the amount of uncertainty in their tasks, expectations, and roles. Having a credible and functional organizational culture is one of the key factors in determining how successful an organization will be in managing work stress. This culture will invariably be reflected in the attitudes of staff, their shared beliefs about the organization, their shared value systems and common and approved ways of behaving at work (Woods et al 2010). According to Albrecht (1979), there is a great need for employees to cultivate a healthy attitude or thinking about their work place. Albrecht asserts that "the social climate of an organization is whatever most of the people think it is." (p. 167.)An organization also needs to put in place effective and functional diagnostic procedures that can be used to evaluate and determine stress levels. Among these diagnostic procedures are interviews, questionnaires and observational techniques (both medical and behavioral), which can either be quantitative or qualitative (Cooper et al 2001). Another way that employers can help in stress management is by establishing a wellness education program for their employees. This can be achieved through informative booklets, awareness campaigns, workshops, group lectures, medical examinations, peer support systems, medical counseling, and recreational activities like sports, exercises and entertainment (Rees and Cooper 1992). In addition to this, work stress can also be effectively managed by applying a risk management approach as is successfully done with other major health and safety problems. A risk management approach assesses the possible risks in the work environment that may cause particular existing hazards to cause harm to employees (Cox et al 2004). Conclusion Work related stress can be regarded as the “reactions of individuals to new or threatening factors in their work environment (Arnold & Feldman 1986). The symptoms of stress on an individual vary depending on the stressor as well as the individual. While there is an optimum level of stress or good stress which can have positive effects on an individual and organization, work stress mainly has a negative effect on the performance of individual employees as well as the organization (Hellriegel and Slocum 2010, Cooper et al 2001). Some of the common symptoms associated with stress include; inability to concentrate, increased aggression, compulsive eating, growing feelings of inadequacy and increase in defensiveness (Williams and Huber 1986). Stress can have various effects on the individual as well as on the organization. For individuals, stress has negative outcomes such as coronary heart disease, burnout and clinical anxiety/depression (Palmer and Cooper 2004). For organizations, work stress implies increased overhead costs in the form of recruiting and training new employees or retraining existing staff to fill vacancies which contribute to lower profits, increased cases of workplace accidents which may also translate to increased litigation all of which negatively affect the organization’s profits (Palmer and Cooper 2004). In order to avert and manage stress in the workplace, there is need to develop credible and functional organizational culture with effective policies and management practices that focus on the overall well-being of employees. Work stress can be reduced by managing or eliminating stressors in the workplace such as demands for perfection. In addition, programs and policies such as supportive work and family policies, effective management communication, health insurance coverage for mental illness and chemical dependency and flexible scheduling of work hours can be effective in reducing work related stress (Lawless 1991). Wellness education programs for employees also help in management of work stress. Bibliography Albrecht, K., 1979, Stress and the Manager, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Arnold, J. & Feldman, A., 1986, Organizational Behavior, McGraw Hill, New York. Cooper, C.., Dewe, P., O’Driscoll, M., 2001, Organisational stress, London: Sage Publications. Cox, T., Stavroula, L. &Amanda, G. 2004, Protecting Workers Health Series, World Health Organization, Geneva Switerland. Hellriegel, D. & Slocum, J., 2010, Organizational Behavior, South Western College Publishers, Dallas, Texas. Henriette, K., 2005, Write It Down, Make It Happen, Simon & Schuster, New York. Lawless, P., 1991, Employee Burnout: America's Newest Epidemic. Northwestern National Life Employee Benefits Division, Minneapolis. Neenan, M., 2009, Developing Resilience: A Cognitive-Behavioural, Approach Lafayette, Real People Press, California. Palmer, S., Cooper, C., Thomas, K.., 2003, Creating a balance: managing stress, London, British Library. Palmer, S., Cooper, C., Thomas, K., 2004, Revised model of organisational stress for use within stress prevention/management and wellbeing programmes – brief update, International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 41(2), 57-58. Rees, D. & Cooper, L., 1992, Occupational stress in health service workers in the UK, Stress Medicine, 89(2), 79-90. Sparks, K., Cooper, C., Fried, Y. & Shirom, A., 1997, The effects of hours of work on health, Journal of Occupation and Organizational Psychology, 70 (3), 391-408. Williams, C. & Huber, P., 1986, Human Behavior in Organizations, South-Western Publishing, Cincinnati, OH. Woods, S., West, M. & Michael, A., 2010, The Psychology of Work and Organizations, Cengage Learning, London. . . Read More