Chapter 6

Stress Management
Chapter outline
• What is stress?
• Understanding sources of stress

• Effects of Stress [Implications for performance and

satisfaction]

• Stress management strategies

6.1. What is stress?

A pattern of behavioral,
emotional, and
physiological reactions
that occur in response to
demanding events
(stressors).
What is stress? (Cont’d)
 Challenge stressors: Stressors associated with workload,
pressure to complete tasks, and time urgency.
 Hindrance stressors: Stressors that keep you from
reaching your goals (for example, red tape, office politics,
confusion over job responsibilities).
 Demands: Responsibilities, pressures, obligations, and
even uncertainties that individuals face in the workplace.
 Resources: Things within an individual’s control that can
be used to resolve demands.
6.2. Understanding sources of stress
 Organizational Factors
 Task demands
 Role demands
 Interpersonal demands
 Personal Factors
 Stressful life events
 Personality
 Perception
 6.2. Understanding sources of
stress
Organizational
Factors
Task demands
[design of the job,
working conditions, and
physical work layout]
 6.2. Understanding sources of
stress
Organizational
Factors
Role demands
[Role conflicts, Role
overload, Role ambiguity ]
 6.2. Understanding sources of
stress
Organizational
Factors
Interpersonal demands
[Lack of social support
poor interpersonal relationships
fights, bullying, incivility, racial
harassment, and sexual
harassment]
 6.2. Understanding sources of
stress

Personal Factors
• Stressful life
events
• Personality
• Perception
6.3. Effects of Stress [Implications for
performance and satisfaction]

 Physiological symptoms
increase heart and breathing rates , blood pressure, bring on
headaches, heart attacks, poor immune system functioning
higher levels of coronary heart disease
 Psychological Symptoms

Job dissatisfaction, tension, anxiety, irritability, boredom, and

procrastination
 Behavioral Symptoms

reductions in productivity, absence, turnover, sleep disorders

Stress management strategies

INDIVIDUAL Organizational Approaches

APPROACHES  Improved employee
 Time
Management selection and job placement
 Social Support  Training
 Relaxation  Redesigning jobs
Techniques  Increasing Employee
Involvement
 Improved Organizational
Communication
 Employee Sabbaticals
 Corporate Wellness
Programs
Summing up
Physiological
Organizational symptoms
Factors
Experienced Psychological
Stress Symptoms

Behavioral
Individual Symptoms
Factors
The key word is … BALANCE!