Stress and Wellbeing

Michael Kisoka

7-1
Who Wants to Get Rid of All the Stress in
Your Life?

Only One Group of

People Have No
Stress

7-2
Strategic Importance of Workplace Stress

26-40% of Americans find their work

to be very or extremely stressful.

THE GALLUP
POLL

25% of people believe their 35% of respondents –

jobs are the most stressful somewhat or
part of their lives completely dissatisfied
with job-related stress

7-3
Knowledge Objectives
1. Define stress and distinguish among different types of stress.
2. Understand how the human body reacts to stress and be able to
identify the signs of suffering from too much stress.
3. Describe two important models of workplace stress and discuss
the most common work-related stressors.
4. Recognize how people experience stress.
5. Explain the individual and organizational consequences of stress.
6. Discuss methods that associates, managers, and organizations
can use to manage stress and promote well-being.

7-4
Workplace Stress Defined

Stress Job Stress

Acute

Chronic
7-5
 Uneasiness Feelings of Loss of
and Worry Sadness Appetite

Increase in Immune System

Energy Suppression

Alertness and Acute Increased

Excitement Metabolism

Loss of Anxiety and

Sex Drive
Chronic Panic Attacks

High Blood
Irritability Depression
Pressure

Lowered Eating
Diabetes
Resistance Disturbances
Adapted from Exhibit 7-1: Some Stress-Related Conditions 7-6
Stress Response

An unconscious mobilization
of energy resources that
occurs when the body
encounters a stressor.

7-7
Key Definitions

Stressor – environmental conditions that

cause individuals to experience stress Hans Selye
Eustress – positive stress that results from
meeting challenges and difficulties with the
expectation of achievement
Dystress – negative stress; often referred to
simply as stress. Often results in overload.
Job strain – function of workplace demands and
the control an individual has in meeting those
demands.

7-8
 Signs of Stress
1. You feel irritable.
2. You have sleeping difficulties.
3. You do not get any joy out of life.
Edward Creagan, MD 4. Your appetite is disturbed.
5. You have relationship problems and
have a difficult time getting along
with people.

7-9
Two Models of Workplace Stress

Effort-Reward
Demand-Control
Imbalance
Model
Model

7-10
Six Categories of Stress by HSE.
a) Demands
This includes factors intrinsic to the job such as
working conditions (for example noise, temperature,
lighting or ventilation), shift work, long or unsociable
hours, workload.
b) Control
How much say and autonomy a person has
over the way in which he carries out his job; low levels of
job control are typically linked to high levels of stress.
c) Relationships
Relationships with superiors, subordinates and
colleagues can all play a part in an individual’s stress
levels; low levels of trust and support are likely to
increase stress. Also, conflict, harassment and bullying
in the workplace are all linked to heightened stress.
.
7-11
d) Change
The way in which change is introduced,
managed and communicated to staff can impact on
levels of stress, as unnecessary or badly planned
change results in excess pressure on workers
e) Role
Stress may be triggered when an individual
does not have a clear understanding of his role within
the organization, when there is conflict between roles or
ambiguity with regards to position and degree of
responsibility over others.
f) Support
The amount of support and job training
available, as well as encouragement, sponsorship and
resources provided by colleagues and management.

7-12
Demand-Control Model

Active
High
Job Control

Low Strain (EUSTRESS)

High Strain
Low Passive
(DYSTRESS)

Low High
Job Demands
Adapted from Exhibit 7-2: The Demand-Control Model of Workplace
Stress 7-13
Effort-Reward Imbalance Model

Overcommitment
Overcommitment

High
High Effort
Effort Low
Low Reward
Reward

Demands
Demands Pay
Pay
Obligations
Obligations Esteem
Esteem

Adapted from Exhibit 7-3: The Effort-Reward Imbalance Model of Workplace Stress
7-14
Role Conflict

A situation in which different roles lead to

conflicting expectations

7-15
 Restoring and Maintaining Work-Life
Balance
Managerial
Advice • Focus on what is truly important.
• Take advantage of work-related
options.
• Protect non-work time. Thoughts?
• Manage your personal time.
• Set aside specific time each
week for recreation.

7-16
 Role Work
Occupation
Ambiguity Overload

Job Resource
Work-Related
Security
Stressors Inadequacy

Management Working
Monitoring
Style Conditions

7-17
 Type A vs.
Type B
Personality

Individual Influences
Gender Self-Esteem
on Experiencing Stress

Hardiness

7-18
 Extreme Jobs
• What are your thoughts on working 60 or
more hours a week?
• Do you think you could like a job that much
to put in the extra time?
• Do you think everyone who works these
kinds of hours is a “workaholic”?
• How does work-life balance fit here?
• Why do you think the gender difference still
persists?

Experiencing
Strategic OB 7-19
Consequences of Stress

Individual
Individual Organizational
Organizational

7-20
Individual Consequences of Stress
Psychological Physiological
• Anxiety Stress • High blood pressure
• Depression • Muscle tension
• Low self-esteem • Headaches
• Sleeplessness • Ulcers, skin
• Frustration diseases
• Family problems Behavioral • Impaired immune
• Burnout systems
• Excessive smoking
• Musculoskeletal
• Substance abuse disorders
• Accident proneness • Heart disease
• Appetite disorders • Cancer
• Violence

7-21
Organizational Consequences of Stress
Estimated cost to American industry of
job stress $200 billion per year
• Absenteeism • Health insurance
• Diminished productivity • Direct medical
• Compensation claims expenses
Some perspective:
• Total U.S. corporate profits in 2006 – $897.6 billion
• Entire U.S. gross domestic product (the market value of
the nation’s goods and services) was approximately
$13,246 billion in 2006

Adapted from Exhibit 7-4: Managerial Costs of Job Stress 7-22

Individual Stress Management
• Find jobs that provide a personally acceptable balance
between demands and control and between effort
required and rewards.
• Follow the tactics presented in the Managerial Advice
feature.
• Develop healthy ways of coping.

Exercise Proper Diet

Support Relaxation
Network Techniques

7-23
Individual Stress Management
• Exercise regularly
• Practice healthy habits
• Be realistic
• Use systematic relaxation
• Meditate
• Develop and use planning
skills
• Simplify your life – Delegate
• Take one thing at a time
• Avoid unnecessary
competition
• Recognize and accept
personal limits
• Develop social support
networks
• Focus on enjoying what you do
• Go easy with criticism
• Take time off
7-24
Organizational Stress Management
• Increase individuals’ autonomy and control
• Ensure that individuals are compensated properly
• Maintain job demands/requirements at healthy levels
• Ensure that associates have adequate skills to keep up-to-
date with technical changes in the workplace
• Increase associate involvement in important decision making
• Improve physical working conditions
• Provide for job security and career development
• Provide healthy work schedules
• Improve communication to help avoid uncertainty and
ambiguity

7-25
 Toxin Handlers
The following behaviors are
necessary for handling the pain,
strain, and stress of others:
Peter Frost
• Read your own and others’ emotional cues and
understand their impact
• Keep people connected
• Empathize with those who are in pain
• Act to alleviate the suffering of others
• Mobilize people to deal with their pain and get their lives
back on track
• Create an environment where compassionate behavior
toward others is encouraged and rewarded
7-26
Wellness Programs
Estimate suggests J&J’s program has saved the
company $22.4 million per year. The initiative has
several goals:
• 91% of employees will be tobacco free
• 90% of employees will have blood pressure of 140/90 or better
• 85% of employees will have a total cholesterol below 240
• 75% of employees will be physically active, define as 30
minutes of activity three or more times each week
• 60% of employees will be trained in resilience/stress
management

7-27
Incentives for Participating in Wellness Programs

What are your thoughts about

organizations that provide an incentive
to employees who participate in
wellness programs?
What about organizations that “penalize”
employees who don’t complete programs or
have medical evaluations?
Should higher risk individuals be expected (or
required) to pay higher rates for coverage?
What exists in your organizations that are
similar to these types of programs?
Experiencing
Strategic OB 7-28
 The Strategic Lens

1. How can good stress be distinguished from bad stress?

How much stress is too much stress?
2. How can managing stress in any organization
contribute to improved strategy implementation and
organizational performance?
3. How much stress do you currently experience? How
can reducing your stress increase your performance in
at work and enhance your life in general?

7-29
Questions

7-30