MODULE V

Stress Management and Counseling

Scope of the Module

This Module consists of three lessons namely:
Lesson 1. The Nature of Stress
Lesson 2. Managing Stress in the Workplace
Lesson 3. The Nature of Counseling

Overview of the Module

This module is designed to provide you with an overview of the nature of stress. This
module also covers how to manage stress in the workplace. The nature of counseling
and guidance, types and methods of employee counseling in an organization are also
discussed in this module.

Objectives of the Module

After completion of this module, you should be able to:
1. define stress, stressor, and stress management;
2. identify the types of stressors;
3. recognize the causes and consequences of stress;
4. identify the strategies to help manage stress in the workplace;
5. recognize the ten practical ways to handle stress;
6. define counselor, counseling, and guidance;
7. differentiate counseling from guidance; and
8. recognize the types and methods of employee counseling.

Management 23 – HBO
1
Management 23
Module V
Lesson 1. THE NATURE OF STRESS

Lesson Objectives:
After studying this lesson on the nature of stress, you shall be able to:
1. define stress, stressor, and stress management;
2. identify the types of stressors; and
3. recognize the causes and consequences of stress.

This whole course is about the nature of stress and stress management, types of
stressors, causes and consequences of stress. Different terms are used in this course:
stress, stressor, stress management, role, and burnout.
According to Moorhead, G. & Griffin, R. (2010), many people think of stress as a
simple problem. In reality, however, stress is complex and often misunderstood. To
learn how job stress truly works, we must define it and then describe the process
through which it develops. In daily life, we often use the term "stress" to describe
negative situations. This leads many people to believe that all stress is bad for you,
which is not true. Stress is not always a bad thing. Stress is simply the body's response
to changes that create taxing demands.
Furthermore, stress management can help you lead a more balanced, healthier life.
When channeled positively, stress can lead to growth, action and change.
Stress is a person’s adaptive response to a stimulus that places excessive
psychological or physical demands on him or her.
Moorhead, G. & Griffin, R. (2010)
Stress is a physical, mental and emotional response to a challenging event – not the
event itself. Often referred to as the fight-or-flight response, the stress response occurs
automatically when you feel threatened.
(http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/stress-
management/basics/definition/prc-20021046, 2015)
Stressor is anything that induces stress.
Moorhead, G. & Griffin, R. (2010)
Stress management comprises a wide range of approaches to help you better deal
with stress and adversity. Stress management includes problem-solving, prioritization
and time management.
(http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/stress-
management/basics/definition/prc-20021046, 2015)

Management 23 – HBO
2
 TYPES OF STRESSORS

According to Mills, H., et al (2015), the types of stressors are as follows:

Eustress
It refers to “positive stress”. It is the pleasurable stress that accompanies positive
events.
Eustress, or positive stress, has the following characteristics:
1. Motivates, focuses energy
2. Is short-term
3. Is perceived as within our coping abilities
4. Feels exciting
5. Improves performance
Examples of positive personal stressors include:
1. Receiving a promotion or raise at work
2. Starting a new job
3. Marriage
4. Buying a home
5. Having a child
6. Moving
7. Taking a vacation
8. Holiday seasons
9. Retiring
10. Taking educational classes or learning a new hobby

Distress
It refers to “negative stress”. It is the unpleasant stress that accompanies negative
events.
In contrast, Distress, or negative stress, has the following characteristics:
1. Causes anxiety or concern
2. Can be short- or long-term
3. Is perceived as outside of our coping abilities
4. Feels unpleasant
5. Decreases performance
6. Can lead to mental and physical problems
Examples of negative personal stressors include:

Management 23 – HBO
3
 1. The death of a spouse
2. Filing for divorce
3. Losing contact with loved ones
4. The death of a family member
5. Hospitalization, injury or illness (oneself or a family member)
6. Being abused or neglected
7. Separation from a spouse or committed relationship partner
8. Conflict in interpersonal relationships
9. Bankruptcy/Money Problems
10. Unemployment
11. Sleep problems
12. Children's problems at school
13. Legal problems
Work and employment concerns such as those listed below are also frequent
causes of distress:
1. Excessive job demands
2. Job insecurity
3. Conflicts with teammates and supervisors
4. Inadequate authority necessary to carry out tasks
5. Lack of training necessary to do the job
6. Making presentations in front of colleagues or clients
7. Unproductive and time-consuming meetings
8. Commuting and travel schedules
Stressors are not always limited to situations where some external situation is
creating a problem. Internal events such as feelings and thoughts and habitual
behaviors can also cause negative stress.
Common internally caused sources of distress include:
1. Fears: (e.g., fears of flying, heights, public speaking, chatting with strangers
at a party)
2. Repetitive Thought Patterns:
3. Worrying about future events (e.g., waiting for medical test results or job
restructuring)
4. Unrealistic, perfectionist expectations
Habitual behavior patterns that can lead to stress include:
1. Over scheduling
2. Failing to be assertive
3. Procrastination and/or failing to plan ahead

Management 23 – HBO
4
 STRESS: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES

According to Moorhead, G. & Griffin, R. (2010), many things can cause stress.
Figure 5.1 shows two broad categories: Organizational Stressors and Life Stressors.
It also shows three categories of stress consequences: Individual Consequences,
Organizational Consequences, and Burnout.

Figure 5.1
Causes and Consequences of Stress
(Source: Moorhead, G. & Griffin, R., Human Behavior in Organizations, 2010)
The causes and consequences of stress are related in complex ways. As shown
above, the most common causes of stress can be classified as either organizational
stressors or life stressors. Similarly, common consequences include individual and
organizational consequences, as well as burnout.

Management 23 – HBO
5
 CAUSES OF STRESS

Organizational Stressors
Organizational stressors are various factors in the workplace that can cause stress.
Four general sets of organizational stressors are task demands, physical demands, role
demands, and interpersonal demands.
1. Tasks Demands
Task demands are stressors associated with the specific job a person performs.
Some occupations are by nature more stressful than others. The jobs of surgeons, air-
traffic controllers, and professional football coaches are generally more stressful than
those of general practitioners, airplane baggage loaders, and football team equipment
managers.
Beyond specific task- related pressures, other aspects of a job may pose physical
threats to a person’s health. Unhealthy conditions exist in occupations such as coal
mining and toxic waste handling. Security is another task demand that can cause
stress. Someone in a relatively secure job is not likely to worry unduly about losing that
position. Threats to job security can increase stress dramatically. For example, stress
generally increases throughout an organization during a period of layoffs or immediately
after a merger with another firm.
A final task demand stressor is overload. Overload occurs when a person simply has
more work than he or she can handle. The overload can be either quantitative (the
person has too many tasks to perform or too little time to perform them) or qualitative
(the person may believe he or she lacks the ability to do the job).
Security is another task demand that can cause stress. Someone in a relatively
secure job is not likely to worry unduly about losing that position. Threats to job security
can increase stress dramatically. For example, stress generally increase throughout an
organization during a period of layoffs or immediately after a merger with another firm.
This has been observed at a number of organizations, including AT& T, Safeway, and
Digital equipment.
The opposite of overload may also be undesirable. Low tasks demands can result in
boredom and apathy just as overload can cause tension and anxiety. Thus, a moderate
degree of workload- related stress is optimal, because it leads to high levels of energy
and motivation.
2. Physical Demands
The physical demands of a job are its physical requirements on the worker; these
demands are a function of the physical characteristics of the setting and the physical
tasks the job involves. One important element is temperature. Working outdoors in
extreme temperatures can result in stress, as can working in an improperly heated or
cooled office. Strenuous labor such as loading heavy cargo or lifting packages can lead
Management 23 – HBO
6
to similar results. Office design also can be a problem. A poorly designed office can
make it difficult for people to have privacy or promote too much or too little social
interaction. Too much interaction may distract a person from his or her task, whereas
too little may lead to boredom or loneliness. Likewise, poor lighting, inadequate work
surfaces, and similar deficiencies can create stress. And shift work can cause
disruptions for people because of the way it affects their sleep and leisure-time
activities.
3. Role Demands
Role demands also can be stressful to people in organizations. A role is a set of
expected behaviors associated with a particular position in a group or organization. As
such, it has both formal (i.e., job-related and explicit) and informal (i.e., social and
implicit) requirements. People in an organization or work group expect a person in a
particular role to act in certain ways. They transmit these expectations both formally and
informally. Individuals perceive role expectations with varying degrees of accuracy, and
then attempt to enact that role. How, “errors” can creep into this process, resulting in
stress-inducing problems called role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload.
3.1 Role ambiguity
Role ambiguity arises when a role is unclear. If your instructor tells you to write a
term paper but refuses to provide more information, you will probably experience
ambiguity. You do not know what the topic is, how long the paper should be,
what format to use, or when the paper is due, In work settings, role ambiguity can
stem from poor job descriptions, vague instructions from a supervisor, or unclear
cues from coworkers. The result is likely to be a subordinate who does not know
what to do. Role ambiguity can thus be a significant source of stress.
3.2 Role conflict
Role conflict occurs when the messages and cues from others about the role are
clear but contradictory or mutuality exclusive. One common form is interrole
conflict- conflict between roles. For example, if a person’s boss says that to get
ahead one must work overtime and on weekends, and the same person’s spouse
says that more time is needed at home with the family, conflict may result.
Intrarole conflict may occur when the person gets conflicting demands from
different sources within the context of the same role. A manager’s boss may tell
her that she needs to put more pressure on the subordinates to follow new work
rules. At the same time, her subordinates may indicate that they expect her to get
the rules changed. Thus, the cues are in conflict, and the manager may be
unsure about which course to follow.
Intrasender conflict occurs when a single source sends clear but contradictory
messages. This might occur if the boss says one morning that there can be no
more overtime for the next month but after lunch tells someone to work late that
same evening. Person-role conflict results from a discrepancy between the role

Management 23 – HBO
7
 requirements and the individual’s personal values, attitudes, and needs. If a
person is told to do something unethical or illegal, or if the work is distasteful (for
example, reprimanding or firing a close friend), person-role conflict is likely. Role
conflict of all varieties is of particular concern to managers. Research has shown
that conflict may occur in a variety of situations and lead to a variety of adverse
consequences, including stress, poor performance, and rapid turnover.
3.3 Role overload
A final consequence of a weak role structure is role overload, which occurs when
expectations for the role exceed the individual’s capabilities. When a manager
gives an employee several major assignments at once while increasing the
person’s regular workload, the employee will probably experience role overload.
Role overload may also result when an individual takes on too many roles at one
time. For example, a person trying to work extra hard at his job, run for election
to the school board, serve on a committee in church, maintain an active exercise
program, and be a contributing member to his family will probably encounter role
overload.
4. Interpersonal Demands
A final set of organizational stressors consists of three interpersonal demands: group
pressures, leadership, and interpersonal conflict. Group pressures may include
pressure to restrict output, pressure to conform to the group’s norms, and the like. For
instance, it is quite common for a work group to arrive at an informal agreement about
how much each member will produce, Individuals who produce much more or much
less than this level may be pressured by the group to get back in line. An individual who
feels a strong need to vary from the group’s expectations (perhaps to get a pay raise or
promotion) will experience a great deal of stress, especially if acceptance by the group
is also important to him or her.
Leadership style also may cause stress. Suppose an employee needs a great deal
of social support from his leader. The leader, however, is quite arrogant and shows no
concern or compassion for him; this employee will probably feel stressed. Similarly,
assume an employee feels a strong need to participate in decision making and to be
active in all aspects of management. Her boss is very autocratic and refuses to consult
subordinates about anything; stress is likely to result.
Finally, conflicting personalities and behaviors may cause stress. Conflict can occur
when two or more people must work together even though their personalities, attitudes,
and behaviors differ. For example, a person with an internal locus of control—that is,
who always wants to control how things turn out—might get frustrated working with an
external person who likes to wait and just let things happen. Likewise, an employee who
likes to have a quiet and peaceful work environment may experience stress if the
adjacent office is assigned to someone whose job requires them to talk on the
telephone much of the day.

Management 23 – HBO
8
Life Stressors
Stress in organizational setting also can be influenced by events that take place
outside the organization. Life stressors can be organized in terms of life change and life
trauma.
1. Life Change
A life change is any meaningful change in a person’s personal of work situation. The
major changes in a person’s life can lead to stress and eventually to disease. Several of
these events relate directly (fired from work, retirement) or indirectly (change in
residence) to work.
2. Life Trauma
Life trauma is similar to life change, but it has a narrower, more direct, and shorter-
term focus. A life trauma is any upheaval in an individual’s life that alters his or her
attitudes, emotions, or behaviors. To illustrate, according to the life change view, a
divorce adds to a person’s potential for health problems in the following year. At the
same time, the person will obviously also experience emotional disorder during the
actual divorce process itself. This disorder is a form of life trauma and will clearly cause
stress, much of which may spill over into the workplace.
Major life traumas that may cause stress include martial problems, family difficulties,
and health problems initially unrelated to stress. For example, suppose a person learns
she has developed arthritis that will limit her favorite activity, skiing. Her dismay over the
news may translate into stress at work. Similarly, a worker coping with the traumatic
aftermath of the death of her or his child will almost certainly go through difficult periods,
some of which will affect his or her job performance. And millions of individuals
experienced traumatic stress in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS

Stress can have a number of consequences. As already noted, if the stress is

positive, the result may be more energy, enthusiasm, and motivation. Of more concern,
of course, are the negative consequences of stress. Referring back to Figure 5.1, stress
can produce individual consequences, organizational consequences, and burnout.
Many of the factors listed are obviously interrelated. For example, alcohol abuse is
shown as an individual consequence, but it also affects the organization the person
works for. An employee who drinks on the job may perform poorly and create a hazard
for others. If the category for a consequence seems somewhat arbitrary, be aware that
each consequence is categorized according to the area of its primary influence.

Individual Consequences
The individual consequences of stress, then, are the outcomes that mainly affect the

Management 23 – HBO
9
individual. The organization also may suffer, either directly or indirectly, but it is the
individual who pays the real price. Stress may produce behavioral, psychological, and
medical consequences.
1. Behavioral Consequences
The behavioral consequences of stress may harm the person under stress or others.
One such behavior is smoking. Research has clearly documented that people who
smoke tend to smoke more when they experience stress. There is also evidence that
alcohol and drug abuse are linked to stress, although this relationship is less well
documented. Other possible behavioral consequences are accident proneness,
aggression and violence, and appetite disorders.
2. Psychological Consequences
The psychological consequences of stress relate to a person’s mental health and
well- being. When people experience too much stress at work, they may become
depressed or find themselves sleeping too much or not enough. Stress may also lead to
family problems and sexual difficulties.
3. Medical Consequences
The medical consequences of stress affect a person’s physical well-being. Heart
disease and stroke, among other illnesses, have been linked to stress. Other common
medical problems resulting from too much stress include headaches, backaches,
various stomach and intestinal disorders, and skin conditions such as acne and hives.

Organizational Consequences
Clearly, any of the individual consequences just discussed can also affect the
organization. Other results of stress have even more direct consequences for
organizations. These include decline in performance, withdrawal, and negative changes
in attitudes.
1. Performance
One clear organizational consequence of too much stress is a decline in
performance. For operating workers, such a decline can translate into poor-quality work
or a drop in productivity. For managers, it can mean faulty decision making or
disruptions in working relationships as people become irritable and hard to get along
with.
2. Withdrawal
Withdrawal behaviors also can result from stress. For the organization, the two most
significant forms of withdrawal behavior are absenteeism and quitting. People who are
having a hard time coping with stress in their jobs are more likely to call in sick or
consider leaving the organization for good. Stress can also produce other, more subtle
forms of withdrawal. A manager may start missing deadlines or taking longer lunch

Management 23 – HBO
10
breaks. An employee may withdraw psychologically by ceasing to care about the
organization and the job. As noted earlier, employee violence is a potential individual
consequence of stress. This also has obvious organizational implications as well,
especially if the violence is directed at an employee or at the organization in general.
3. Attitudes
Another direct organizational consequence of employee stress relates to attitudes.
As noted, job satisfaction, morale, and organizational commitment can all suffer, along
with motivation to perform at high levels. As a result, people may be more prone to
complain about unimportant things, do only enough work to get by, and so forth.

Burnout
Burnout, another consequence of stress, has clear implications for both people and
organizations. Burnout is a general feeling of exhaustion that develops when a person
simultaneously experiences too much pressure and has too few sources of satisfaction.
Burnout generally develops in the following way. First, people with high aspirations
and strong motivation to get things done are prime candidates for burnout under certain
conditions. They are especially vulnerable when the organization suppresses or limits
their initiative while constantly demanding that they serve the organization’s own ends.
In such a situation, the individual is likely to put too much of himself or herself into
the job. In other words, the person may well keep trying to meet his or her own agenda
while simultaneously trying to fulfill the organization’s expectations. The most likely
effects of this situation are prolonged stress, fatigue, frustration, and helplessness under
the burden of overwhelming demands. The person literally exhausts his or her
aspirations and motivation, much as a candle burns itself out. Loss of self-confidence
and psychological withdrawal follow. Ultimately, burnout may be the result. At this point,
the individual may start dreading going to work in the morning, may put in longer hours
but accomplish less than before, and may generally display mental and physical
exhaustion.

Management 23 – HBO
11
Management 23
Module V, Lesson 1
SELF-PROGRESS CHECK TEST

Matching Type.
_____ 1. It is a person’s adaptive response to a stimulus a. Behavioral
that places excessive psychological or physical Consequences
demands on him or her. b. Burnout
_____ 2. It is anything that induces stress. c. Distress
_____ 3. It comprises a wide range of approaches to help d. Eustress
you better deal with stress and adversity. It e. Life Change
includes problem-solving, prioritization and time
f. Life Trauma
management.
g. Psychological
_____ 4. It refers to “positive stress”. It is the pleasurable
Consequences
stress that accompanies positive events.
h. Role Demands
_____ 5. It refers to “negative stress”. It is the unpleasant
i. Stress
stress that accompanies negative events.
j. Stressor
_____ 6. These are stressors associated with the specific
job a person performs. k. Stress Management
_____ 7. These relate to a person’s mental health and l. Task Demands
well- being.
_____ 8. It is any upheaval in an individual’s life that alters
his or her attitudes, emotions, or behaviors.
_____ 9. It is any meaningful change in a person’s
personal of work situation.
_____ 10. It is a general feeling of exhaustion that develops
when a person simultaneously experiences too
much pressure and has too few sources of
satisfaction.

Management 23 – HBO
12
Management 23
Module V
Lesson 2. MANAGING STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE

Lesson Objectives:
After studying this lesson on managing the stress in the workplace, you shall be able
to:
1. define support group and collateral stress program;
2. identify the strategies to help manage stress in the workplace; and
3. recognize the ten practical ways to handle stress.

This whole course is about the strategies to help manage stress in the workplace
and the ten practical ways to handle stress. Different terms are used in this course:
support group and collateral stress program.
According to Moorhead, G. & Griffin, R. (2010), given the stress is widespread and
so potentially disruptive in organizations, it follows that people and organizations should
be concerned about how to manage it more effectively. And in fact they are. Many
strategies have been developed to help manage stress in the workplace. Some are for
individuals and others are geared toward organizations.

MANAGING STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE

Just as individual and organizational factors can cause stress, there are individual
and organizational strategies for coping with stress.
According to Moorhead, G. & Griffin, R. (2015), the following are strategies to help
manage stress in the workplace:
1. Individual Coping Strategies
2. Organizational Coping Strategies

Individual Coping Strategies

Many strategies for helping individuals manage stress have been proposed. Figure
5.2 lists five of the more popular.
Exercise
Exercise is one method of managing stress. People who exercise regularly are less
likely to have heart attacks than inactive people. More directly, research has suggested
that people who exercise regularly feel less tension and stress, are more self- confident,
and show greater optimism. People who do not exercise regularly feel more stress, are

Management 23 – HBO
13
more likely to be depressed, and experience other negative consequences.
Relaxation
A related method of managing stress is relaxation. Proper relaxation is an effective
way to adapt. Relaxation can take many forms. One way to relax is to take regular
vacations. One study found that people’s attitudes toward a variety of workplace
characteristics improved significantly following a vacation. People can also relax while
on the job. For example, it has been recommended that people take regular rest breaks
during their normal workday. A popular way of resting is to sit quietly with closed eyes
for ten minutes every afternoon. (Of course, it might be necessary to have an alarm
clock handy!)
Time Management
Time management is often recommended for managing stress. The idea is that
many daily pressures can be eased or eliminated if a person does a better job of
managing time. One popular approach to time management is to make a list every
morning of the things to be done that day. Then you group the items on the list into
three categories; critical activities that must be performed, important activities that
should be performed, and optional or trivial things that can be delegated, or postponed.
Then, of course, you do the things on the list in their order of importance. This strategy
helps people get more of the important things done everyday. It also encourages
delegation of less important activities to others.
Role Management
Somewhat related to time management is the idea of role management, in which the
individual actively works to avoid overload, ambiguity, and conflict. For example, if you
do not know what is expected of you, you should not sit and worry about it. Instead, ask
for clarification from your boss. Another role management strategy is to learn to say
“no.” As simple as saying “no” might sound, a lot of people create problems for
themselves by always saying “yes.” Besides working in their regular jobs, they agree to
serve on committees, volunteer for extra duties, and accept extra assignments.
Sometimes, of course, we have no choice but to accept an extra obligation (if our boss
tells us to complete a new project, we will probably have to do it). In many cases,
however, saying “no” is an option.
Support Groups
A final method for managing stress is to develop and maintain support groups. A
support group is simply a group of family members or friends with whom a person can
spend time. Going out after work with a couple of coworkers to a basketball game, for
example, can help relieve the stress builds up during the day. Supportive family and
friends can help people deal with normal stress on ongoing basis. Support groups can
be particularly useful during times of crisis. For example, suppose an employee has just
learned that she did not get the promotion she has been working toward for months. It

Management 23 – HBO
14
may help her tremendously if she has good friends to learn on, be it to talk to or to yell
at.

Organizational Coping Strategies

Organizations are also increasingly realizing that they should be involved in
managing their employees’ stress. There are two different rationales for this view. One
is that because the organization is at least partly responsible for creating the stress, it
should help relieve it. The other is that workers experiencing lower levels of harmful
stress will function more effectively. Two basic organizational strategies for helping
employees manage stress are institutional programs and collateral programs.
Institutional Programs
Institutional programs for managing stress are undertaken through established
organizational mechanism. For example, properly designed jobs and work schedules
can help ease stress. Shift work, in particular, can cause major problems for employees,
because they constantly have to adjust their sleep and relaxation patterns. Thus, the
design of work and work schedules should be a focus of organizational efforts to reduce
stress.
The organization’s culture also can be used to help manage stress. In some
organizations, for example, there is a strong norm against taking time off or going on
vacation. In the long run, such norms can cause major stress. Thus, the organization
should strive to foster a culture that reinforces a healthy mix of work and non work
activities.
Finally, supervision can play an important institutional role in managing stress. A
supervisor can be a major source of overload. If made aware of their potential for
assigning stressful amounts of work, supervisors can do a better job of keeping
workloads reasonable.
Collateral Programs
In addition to institutional efforts aimed at reducing stress, many organizations are
turning to collateral programs. A collateral stress program is an organizational program
specifically created to help employees deal with stress. Organizations have adopted
stress management programs, health promotion programs, sabbaticals, and other kinds
of programs for this purpose.
Many firms today also have employee fitness programs. These programs attack
stress indirectly by encouraging employees to exercise, which is presumed to reduce
stress. On the negative side, this kind of effort costs considerably more than stress
management programs, because the firm must invest in physical facilities. Still, more
and more companies are exploring this option.
Finally, organizations try to help employees cope with stress through Sabbatical
leave and other kinds of programs. For example, existing career development
Management 23 – HBO
15
programs, like the one at General Electric, are used for this purpose. Other companies
use programs promoting everything from humor to massage to yoga as antidotes for
stress. Of course, little or no research supports some of the claims made by advocates
of these programs. Thus, managers must take steps to ensure that any organizational
effort must to help employees cope with stress is at least reasonably effective.

Figure 5.2
Individual and Organizations Coping Strategies
(Source: Moorhead, G. & Griffin, R., Human Behavior in Organizations, 2010)

TEN PRACTICAL WAYS TO HANDLE STRESS

According to Tartakovsky, M. (2015), Stress is inevitable. It walks in and out of our

lives on a regular basis. And it can easily walk all over us unless we take action.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to minimize and cope with stress. Here
are ten ideas for handling stress without causing more strain and hassle.

1. Figure out where the stress is coming from.

Oftentimes, when we are stressed, it seems like a big confusion with stressors
appearing from every angle. We start to feel like we are playing a game of dodge ball,
ducking and darting so we do not get punched by a barrage of balls. We take a
defensive position, and not a good one at that. Instead of feeling like you are shaking
day to day, identify what you are actually stressed about. Is it a specific project at work,
an upcoming exam, a dispute with your boss, a heap of laundry, a fight with your
family? By getting specific and pinpointing the stressors in your life, you are one step
closer to getting organized and taking action.

Management 23 – HBO
16
2. Consider what you can control – and work on that.
While you cannot control what your boss does, what your in-laws say or the sour
state of the economy, you can control how you react, how you accomplish work, how
you spend your time and what you spend your money on. The worst thing for stress is
trying to take control over uncontrollable things. Because when you inevitably fail –
since it is beyond your control – you only get more stressed out and feel helpless. So
after you have thought through what is stressing you out, identify the stressors that you
can control, and determine the best ways to take action. Take the example of a work
project. If the scope is stressing you out, talk it over with your supervisor or break the
project down into step-wise tasks and deadlines. Stress can be paralyzing. Doing what
is within your power moves you forward and is empowering and invigorating.

3. Do what you love.

It is so much easier to manage pockets of stress when the rest of your life is filled
with activities you love. Even if your job is stress central, you can find one hobby or two
that enrich your world. What are you passionate about? If you are not sure, experiment
with a variety of activities to find something that is especially meaningful and fulfilling.

4. Manage your time well.

One of the biggest stressors for many people is lack of time. Their to-do list
expands, while time flies. How often have you wished for more hours in the day or
heard others lament their lack of time? But you have got more time than you think. We
all have the same 168 hours a week, and yet there are plenty of people who are
dedicated parents and full-time employees and who get at least seven hours of sleep a
night and lead fulfilling lives.

5. Create a toolbox of techniques.

One stress-shrinking strategy will not work for all your problems. For instance, while
deep breathing is helpful when you are stuck in traffic or hanging at home, it might not
rescue you during a business meeting. Because stress is complex, “What we need is a
toolbox that is full of techniques that we can fit and choose for the stressor in the
present moment.

6. Pick off the negotiables from your plate.

Review your daily and weekly activities to see what you can pick off your plate. “Do
your kids really love their extracurricular activities, or are they doing them to please
you? Are you volunteering for too many causes, and so stealing time from the ones
where you could make the most impact? Does your whole department really need to
meet once per week or have that daily conference call?” “Do your activities fit together
with your goals and values? Are you doing things that give your life meaningful? Are

Management 23 – HBO
17
you doing the right amount of things?” Reducing your stack of negotiable tasks can
greatly reduce your stress.

7. Are you leaving yourself extra vulnerable to stress?

Whether you perceive something as a stressor depends in part on your current state
of mind and body. “Each transaction we are involved in takes place in a very specific
context that is affected by our health, sleep, psychoactive substances, whether we have
had breakfast that day and whether we are physically fit.” So if you are not getting
sufficient sleep or physical activity during the week, you may be leaving yourself extra
susceptible to stress. When you are sleep-deprived, inactive and filled to the brim with
coffee, even the smallest stressors can have a huge impact.

8. Preserve good boundaries.

If you are a people-pleaser, saying no feels like you are abandoning someone, have
become a terrible person or are throwing all civility out the window. But of course that
could not be further from the truth. Plus, those few seconds of discomfort are well worth
avoiding the stress of taking on an extra activity or doing something that does not
contribute value to your life. Productive and happy people are very protective of their
time and having their boundaries crossed.

9. Realize there is a difference between worrying and caring.

Sometimes, our mindset can boost stress, so a small issue mushrooms into a pile of
problems. We continue worrying, somehow thinking that this is a productive – or at least
inevitable – response to stress. But we mistake worry for action. “Worrying is an attempt
to exert control over the future by thinking about it,” whereas caring is taking action.
“When we are caring for someone or something, we do the things that support or
advance the best interests of the person or thing that we care about.”
For instance, “If you are away from home for a week, you can worry about your
houseplants every single day and still return home to find them brown and wilted.
Worrying is not watering.” Similarly, worrying about your finances does nothing; instead,
you have to work it up. Caring about your finances, however, means creating a budget,
paying bills on time, using coupons and reducing how often you dine out.

10. Embrace mistakes – or at least do not drown in perfectionism.

Another mindset that can intensify stress is perfectionism. Trying to be mistake-free
and essentially spending your days walking on eggshells is exhausting and anxiety-
provoking. Talk about putting pressure on yourself. And as we all know but tend to
forget: Perfectionism is impossible and not human, anyway.

Management 23 – HBO
18
Management 23
Module V, Lesson 2
SELF-PROGRESS CHECK TEST

Multiple Choice.
_____ 1. This is one method of managing stress. People who do this regularly are less
likely to have heart attacks than inactive people.
a. Exercise
b. Relaxation
c. Role Management
d. Time Management
_____ 2. It is a related method of managing stress and effective way to adapt. One way
to do this is to take regular vacations.
a. Exercise
b. Relaxation
c. Role Management
d. Support Group
_____ 3. It is often recommended for managing stress. This strategy helps people get
more of the important things done everyday. It also encourages delegation of
less important activities to others.
a. Collateral Stress Program
b. Relaxation
c. Role Management
d. Time Management
_____ 4. It is simply a group of family members or friends with whom a person can
spend time.
a. Exercise
b. Relaxation
c. Support Group
d. Time Management
_____ 5. The individual actively works to avoid overload, ambiguity, and conflict.
a. Exercise
b. Relaxation
c. Role Management
d. Time Management
_____ 6. These are undertaken through established organizational mechanisms such
as properly designed jobs, work schedules, culture and supervision.
a. Collateral Stress Programs

Management 23 – HBO
19
 b. Individual Programs
c. Institutional Programs
d. Support Groups
_____ 7. These include exercise, relaxation, role management, time management, and
support group.
a. Collateral Stress Programs
b. Individual Coping Mechanisms
c. Institutional Programs
d. Specialists Programs
_____ 8. It is an organizational program specifically created to help employees deal
with stress. Organizations have adopted stress management programs,
health promotion programs, sabbaticals, and other kinds of programs for this
purpose.
a. Collateral Stress Programs
b. Institutional Programs
c. Role Management
d. Support Groups
_____ 9. It is an attempt to exert control over the future by thinking about it.
a. Caring
b. Exercising
c. Relaxing
d. Worrying
_____ 10. It is taking action.
a. Caring
b. Exercising
c. Relaxing
d. Worrying

Management 23 – HBO
20
Management 23
Module V
Lesson 3. THE NATURE OF COUNSELING

Lesson Objectives:
After studying this lesson on the nature of counseling, you shall be able to:
1. define counselor, counseling and guidance;
2. differentiate counseling from guidance; and
3. recognize the types and methods of employee counseling.

This whole course is about the nature of counseling and guidance, types and
methods of employee counseling. Different terms are used in this course: counselor,
counseling and guidance.
There have always been counselors – people who listen to others and help resolve
difficulties – but the word does not always mean the same thing. One hears of carpet
counselors, color-coordination counselors, pest-control counselors, financial counselors,
and so on. These counselors are most often glorified salespersons. Counseling as a
profession is relatively new. Practitioners should complete a prescribed course of study
usually leading to a master’s degree or a doctorate degree. Counselors should possess
personal qualities of maturity, empathy, and warmth. Overall, counseling is active and
differs considerably from passively listening to problems.
Counselors are members of organizations that set professional and ethical
standards and promote state licensing and certification by national associations.
(http://www.swanexpressivetherapies.com/counseling.htm, 2015)
Counseling is a discussion of life and health-related stresses with a medical
professional to develop coping skills that address feelings, illnesses and challenging
situations.

Management 23 – HBO
21
 (http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/stress-
management/basics/definition/prc-20021046, 2015)
Counseling can be more precisely defined as a relatively short-term, interpersonal,
theory-based process of helping persons who are basically psychologically healthy
resolve developmental and situational problems.
Counseling activities are guided by ethical and legal standards and go through
distinct stages from initiation to termination. Personal, social, vocational, and
educational matters are all areas of concern; and the profession encompasses a
number of subspecialties.
(http://www.swanexpressivetherapies.com/counseling.htm, 2015)
Guidance is the process of helping people, make important choices that affect their
lives, such as choosing a preferred life-style.
(http://www.swanexpressivetherapies.com/counseling.htm, 2015)

NATURE OF COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE

One distinction between guidance and counseling is that while guidance focuses on
helping individuals choose what they value most; counseling focuses on helping them
make changes. Much of the early work in guidance occurred in schools: an adult would
help a student make decisions, such as deciding on a vocation or course of study. That
relationship was between unequal – teacher and student – and was beneficial in helping
the less-experienced person find direction in life. Similarly, children have long received
“guidance” from parents, ministers, scout leaders, and coaches. In the process, they
have gained an understanding of themselves and their world. This type of guidance will
never become obsolete; no matter what the age or stage of life, a person often needs
help in making choices. Yet such guidance is only one part of the overall service
provided by professional counseling.

TYPES AND METHODS OF EMPLOYEE COUNSELING

In attempting to help an employee who has a problem, a variety of counseling

approaches are used. All of these counseling approaches, however, depend on
active listening. Sometimes the mere furnishing of information or advice may be the
solution to what at first appeared to be a difficult problem. More frequently, however, the
problem cannot be solved easily because of frustrations or conflicts that are
accompanied by strong feelings such as fear, confusion, or hostility. A manager,
therefore, needs to learn to use whatever approach appears to be suitable at the time.
Flexibility is a key component of the employee counseling process.

Directive Counseling

Management 23 – HBO
22
 It is full counseling. It is the process of listening to an employee’s problem, deciding
with the employee what should be done and telling and motivating the employee to do
it. This type of counseling mostly does the function of advice, reassurance and
communication. It may also perform other functions of counseling.

Non-directive Counseling
In non-directive counseling, the employee is permitted to have maximum freedom in
determining the course of the interview. It is the process of skillfully listening and
encouraging a counselee to explain troublesome problems, understand them and
determine appropriate solutions. Fundamentally, the approach is to listen, with
understanding and without criticism or appraisal, to the problem as it is described by the
employee. The employee is encouraged, through the manager’s attitude and reaction to
what is said or not said, to express feelings without fear of shame, embarrassment, or
reprisal. The free expression that is encouraged in the non-directive approach tends to
reduce tensions and frustrations. The employee who has had an opportunity to release
built-up feelings is usually in a better position to view the problem more objectively and
with a problem-solving attitude.

Participative Counseling
Both directive and non-directive methods suffer from limitations. While the former is
often not accepted by independent employees, the latter needs professionals to operate
and hence is costly. Hence, the counseling used in most situations is in between these
two. This middle path is known as participative counseling. Participative is a counselor-
counselee relationship that establishes a cooperative exchange of ideas to help solve
an employee’s problems. It is neither wholly counselor-centered nor wholly counselee-
centered. Counselor and counselee mutually apply their different knowledge,
perceptions, skills, perspectives and values into the problems and find solutions.

METHODS OF EMPLOYEE COUNSELING

Effectiveness of counseling largely depends on the methods and techniques as well

as the skills used by the counselor. Methods and techniques of counseling change from
person to person and from situation to situation. Normally, employee counseling
involves the following methods:

Desensitization
According to Desensitization, once an animal has been shocked in a particular
situation, it will continue to avoid it indefinitely. This is quite true in respect of human
beings also. Once an individual is shocked in a particular situation, he gives himself no
chance for the situation to recur. This method can be used to overcome avoidance

Management 23 – HBO
23
reactions, so as to improve the emotional weak spots. If an employee is once shocked
by the behavior, approach or action of his superior, he would continue to avoid that
superior. It is difficult for such superiors to be effective counselors, unless such
superiors prove otherwise through their behavior or action on the contrary. Similarly,
once an employee is shocked by a particular situation, he can be brought back to that
situation only if he will be convinced through desensitization that the shock will not to
take place further. Counselor can make use of desensitization in such situations.

Catharsis
Discharge of emotional tensions can be called catharsis. Emotional tensions can be
discharged by talking them out or by relieving of the painful experience which provoked
them. It is an important technique as a means of reducing the tensions associated with
anxiety, fear, hostility, or guilt. Catharsis helps to gain insight into the ways an emotional
trauma has been affecting the behavior.

Insight
With the help of insight one may find that he has devalued himself unnecessarily, or
his aspirations were unrealistic, or that his childish interpretation of an event was
inaccurate. Then he can overcome his weakness.

Developing the new patterns

Developing new patterns becomes very often necessary when other methods to deal
with weak spots remain ineffective. In order to develop new, more satisfying emotional
reactions, the individual needs to expose himself to situations where he can experience
positive feelings. The manager who deals with such individuals may motivate or
instigate them to put themselves into such situations, so that their self-confidence may
increase.

Management 23 – HBO
24
Management 23
Module V, Lesson 3
SELF- PROGRESS CHECK TEST

Matching Type.
_____ 1. They are members of organizations that set a. Catharsis
professional and ethical standards and promote state b. Consultants
licensing and certification by national associations. c. Counseling
_____ 2. This refers to a discussion of life and health-related d. Counselors
stresses with a medical professional to develop coping
e. Desensitization
skills that address feelings, illnesses and challenges.
f. Developing new
_____ 3. It is the process of helping people, make important
patterns
choices that affect their lives, such as choosing a
g. Directive
preferred life-style.
Counseling
_____ 4. This type of counseling mostly does the function of
h. Insight
advice, reassurance and communication. It may also
perform other functions of counseling. i. Insight
_____ 5. It is the process of skillfully listening and encouraging j. Non-Directive
a counselee to explain troublesome problems, Counseling
understand them and determine appropriate solutions. k. Participative
_____ 6. It is a counselor-counselee relationship that Counseling
establishes a cooperative exchange of ideas to help l. Teachers
solve problems. However, it is neither wholly
counselor-centered nor wholly counselee-centered.
_____ 7. This method can be used to overcome avoidance
reactions, so as to improve the emotional weak spots.
_____ 8. It refers to the discharge of emotional tensions. It helps
to gain insight into the ways an emotional trauma has
been affecting the behavior.
_____ 9. With the help of this method of employee counseling,
one may find that he has devalued himself
unnecessarily, or his aspirations were unrealistic, or
that his childish interpretation of an event was
inaccurate. Then he can overcome his weakness.
_____ 10. This becomes very often necessary when other
methods to deal with weak spots remain ineffective. In
order to develop new, more satisfying emotional
reactions, the individual needs to expose himself to
situations where he can experience positive feelings.

Management 23 – HBO
25
Management 23
Module V
ANSWER KEYS TO THE SELF-PROGRESS CHECK TESTS

LESSON 1

1. i 2. j 3. k 4. d 5. c 6. l 7. g 8. f 9. e 10. b

LESSON 2

1. a 2. b 3. d 4. c 5. c 6. c 7. b 8. a 9. d 10. a

LESSON 3

1. d 2. c 3. h 4. g 5. j 6. k 7. e 8. a 9. i 10. f

Management 23 – HBO
26
 MANAGEMENT 23:
Human Behavior in Organizations
Module Test V
Name: DLC: Score:

I. Matching Type.
a. Behavioral Consequences l. Participative Counseling
b. Burnout m. Psychological Consequences
c. Catharsis n. Role Ambiguity
d. Counseling o. Role Conflict
e. Desensitization p. Role Management
f. Directive Counseling q. Role Overload
g. Distress r. Stress
h. Eustress s. Stressor
i. Life Change t. Support Group
j. Life Trauma u. Task Demands
k. Non- Directive Counseling v. Time Management

_____ 1. It is a person’s adaptive response to a stimulus that places excessive

psychological or physical demands on him or her.
_____ 2. It is anything that induces stress.
_____ 3. It refers to “positive stress”. It is the pleasurable stress that accompanies
positive events.
_____ 4. It refers to “negative stress”. It is the unpleasant stress that accompanies
negative events.
_____ 5. It occurs when the messages and cues from others about the role are clear
but contradictory or mutuality exclusive.
_____ 6. This is the final consequence of a weak role structure which occurs when
expectations for the role exceed the individual’s capabilities.
_____ 7. These are stressors associated with the specific job a person performs.
_____ 8. These relate to a person’s mental health and well- being.
_____ 9. It is any upheaval in an individual’s life that alters his or her attitudes,
emotions, or behaviors.
_____ 10. It is any meaningful change in a person’s personal of work situation.
_____ 11. It is a general feeling of exhaustion that develops when a person
simultaneously experiences too much pressure and has too few sources of
satisfaction.

Management 23 – HBO
27
_____ 12. The individual actively works to avoid overload, ambiguity, and conflict.
_____ 13. It is often recommended for managing stress. This strategy helps people get
more of the important things done everyday. It also encourages delegation of
less important activities to others.
_____ 14. It is simply a group of family members or friends with whom a person can
spend time.
_____ 15. This is defined as a relatively short-term, interpersonal, and theory-based
process of helping persons who are basically psychologically healthy resolve
developmental and situational problems.
_____ 16. This type of counseling mostly does the function of advice, reassurance and
communication. It may also perform other functions of counseling.
_____ 17. In this type of counseling, the employee is permitted to have maximum
freedom in determining the course of the interview. It is the process of
skillfully listening and encouraging a counselee to explain troublesome
problems, understand them and determine appropriate solutions.
_____ 18. It is a counselor-counselee relationship that establishes a cooperative
exchange of ideas to help solve an employee’s problems. It is neither wholly
counselor-centered nor wholly counselee-centered. Counselor and counselee
mutually apply their different knowledge, perceptions, skills, perspectives and
values into the problems and find solutions.
_____ 19. This method can be used to overcome avoidance reactions, so as to improve
the emotional weak spots.
_____ 20. It refers to the discharge of emotional tensions. It helps to gain insight into
the ways an emotional trauma has been affecting the behavior.

II. Multiple Choice.

_____ 1. They are members of organizations that set professional and ethical
standards and promote state licensing and certification by national
associations.
a. Consultants
b. Counselors
c. Experts
d. Teachers
_____ 2. It is the process of helping people, make important choices that affect their
lives, such as choosing a preferred life-style.
a. Counseling
b. Guidance
c. Relaxation
d. Teaching

Management 23 – HBO
28
_____ 3. This is one method of managing stress. People who do this regularly are less
likely to have heart attacks than inactive people.
a. Exercise
b. Relaxation
c. Role Management
d. Time Management
_____ 4. It is a related method of managing stress and effective way to adapt. One way
to do this is to take regular vacations.
a. Exercise
b. Relaxation
c. Role Management
d. Support Group
_____ 5. It comprises a wide range of approaches to help you better deal with stress
and adversity. It includes problem-solving, prioritization and time
management.
a. Exercise
b. Relaxation
c. Role Management
d. Stress Management
_____ 6. These are undertaken through established organizational mechanisms such
as properly designed jobs, work schedules, culture and supervision.
a. Collateral Stress Programs
b. Individual Programs
c. Institutional Programs
d. Support Groups
_____ 7. These include exercise, relaxation, role management, time management, and
support group.
a. Collateral Stress Programs
b. Individual Coping Mechanisms
c. Institutional Programs
d. Specialists Programs
_____ 8. It is an organizational program specifically created to help employees deal
with stress. Organizations have adopted stress management programs,
health promotion programs, sabbaticals, and other kinds of programs for this
purpose.
a. Collateral Stress Programs
b. Institutional Programs
c. Role Management

Management 23 – HBO
29
 d. Support Groups
_____ 9. It is an attempt to exert control over the future by thinking about it.
a. Caring
b. Exercising
c. Relaxing
d. Worrying
_____ 10. These consist of group pressures, leadership, and interpersonal conflict.
a. Interpersonal Demands
b. Physical Demands
c. Role Demands
d. Task Demands

Management 23 – HBO
30