STRESS MANAGEMENT

Definition

Stress may be defined as "a state of psychological and / or physiological imbalance

resulting from the disparity between situational demand and the individual's ability

and / or motivation to meet those demands."

Stress is the body's reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or

emotional adjustment or response. It can be caused by both good and bad

experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their

bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give people

more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if their stress is caused by

physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to

something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.

Stress can be positive or negative. Stress can be positive when the situation offers

an opportunity for a person to gain something. It acts as a motivator for peak

performance. Stress can be negative when a person faces social, physical,

organisational and emotional problems. Stress can cause headaches, eating

disorder, allergies, insomnia, backaches, frequent cold and fatigue to diseases such

as hypertension, asthma, diabetes, heart ailments and even cancer.

What stress is not?

The word stress has been used so loosely, and so many confusing definitions of it

have been formulated, it is useful to state what does not constitute stress. Each of

the following does not amount to stress:

Stress is not nervous tension:

People exhibiting these behaviours may not under stress.

Stress is not the nonspecific result of damage on:

Normal and even pleasant activities can produce considerable stress

without causing conspicuous damage.

Stress is not that which causes an alarm reaction:

The stressor does that, not stress itself.

Stress itself is not a nonspecific reaction:

The pattern of the stress reaction is very specific. it affects certain

organs in a highly selective manner.

Stress is not a reaction to a specific thing:

The stress response can be produced by virtually any agent.

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Stress is not necessarily undesirable:

It all depends on how you take it. The stress of failure, humiliation,

is detrimental; but that of exhilarating, creative, successful work is

beneficial. The stress reaction, like energy consumption, may have good

or bad effects.

Stress cannot and should not be avoided:

Everybody is always under some degree of stress. The statement

"He is under stress" is just as meaningless as "He is running a

temperature.” What we actually refer to by means of such phrases is an

excess of stress or of body temperature.

If we consider these points, we may easily be led to conclude that stress cannot be

defined, and that perhaps the concept itself is just not sufficiently clear to serve as

the object of scientific study. Nevertheless, stress has a very clear, tangible form.

Countless people have actually suffered or benefited from it. Stress is very real and

concrete indeed, and is manifested in precisely measurable changes within the body.

Hans Selye's Model of Stress

Stressors like heat, pain, toxins, viruses, cause the body to respond with a

fight-or-flight response.

Stress consists of physiological reactions that occur in three stages:

Alarm Phase

Upon encountering a stressor, body reacts with “fight-or-flight”

response and sympathetic nervous system is activated.

Hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin released into the

bloodstream to meet the threat or danger.

The body’s resources now mobilized.

Resistance Phase

Parasympathetic nervous system returns many physiological functions

to normal levels while body focuses resources against the stressor.

Blood glucose levels remain high, cortisol and adrenalin continue to

circulate at elevated levels, but outward appearance of organism

seems normal.

Increase Heart Rate, BP, breathing

Body remains on red alert.

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Exhaustion Phase

If stressor continues beyond body’s capacity, organism exhausts

resources and becomes susceptible to disease and death.

LEVELS OF STRESS

Stress can be both positive and negative. It is our response to stress—how we manage stress—that makes a difference in terms of how it affects us.

Two types of Levels:

EUSTRESS

Stress resulting from pleasant events or conditions is called eustress.Eustress can be defined as a pleasant or curative stress. We can't always avoid stress, in fact, sometimes we don't want to. Often, it is controlled stress that gives us our competitive edge in performance related activities like athletics, giving a speech, or acting.

DISTRESS Stress resulting from unpleasant events or conditions is called distress.

Acute stress

Acute stress is usually for short time and may be due to work pressure, meeting deadlines pressure or minor accident, over exertion, increased physical activity, searching something but you misplaced it, or similar things.

Chronic stress

Chronic stress is a prolonged stress that exists for weeks, months, or even years. This stress is due to poverty, broken or stressed families and marriages, chronic illness and successive failures in life. People suffering from this type of stress get used to it and may even not realize that they are under chronic stress. It is very harmful to their health. Both distress and eustress elicit the same physiological responses in the body. While stress may not always be negative, our responses to it can be problematic or unhealthy. Both positive and negative stressful situations place extra demands on the body—your body reacts to an unexpected change or a highly emotional

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experience, regardless of whether this change is good or bad. If the duration of stress is relatively short, the overall effect is minimal and your body will rest, renew itself, and return to normal.

FIGURE: PERFORMANCE WITH STRESS LEVEL

WORK STRESS MODEL

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Figure contains a typical model of occupational stress.

POTENTIAL STRESSORS

Factors that cause stress are called "Stressors." The following are the sources or

causes of an organisational and non-organisational stress.

INDIVIDUAL LEVEL STRESSORS:

1) Career Changes: When a person suddenly switches over a new job, he is under

stress to shoulder new responsibilities properly. Under promotion, over

promotion, demotion and transfers can also cause stress.

2) Career Concern : If an employee feels that he is very much behind in corporate

ladder, then he may experience stress and if he feels that there are no

opportunities for self-growth he may experience stress. Hence unfulfilled career

expectations are a major source of stress.

3) Role Ambiguity: It occurs when the person does not known what he is supposed

to do on the job. His tasks and responsibilities are not clear. The employee is not

sure what he is expected to do. This creates confusion in the minds of the worker

and results in stress.

4) Role Conflict: It takes place when different people have different expectations

from a person performing a particular role. It can also occur if the job is not as per

the expectation or when a job demands a certain type of behaviour that is against

the person's moral values.

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5) Role Overload: Stress may occur to those individuals who work in different

shifts. Employees may be expected to work in day shift for some days and then in

the night shift. This may create problems in adjusting to the shift timings, and it

can affect not only personal life but also family life of the employee.

6) Frustration: Frustration is another cause of stress. Frustration arises when goal

directed behaviour is blocked. Management should attempt to remove barriers

and help the employees to reach their goals.

7) Life Changes: Life changes can bring stress to a person. Life changes can be

slow or sudden. Slow life changes include getting older and sudden life changes

include death or accident of a loved one. Sudden life changes are highly stressful

and very difficult to cope.

8) Personality: People are broadly classified as 'Type A' and 'Type B'.

Feels guilty while relaxing.

Gets irritated by minor mistakes of self and others.

Feels impatient and dislikes waiting.

Does several things at one time.

While the 'Type B' people are exactly opposite and hence are less affected by

stress due to above mentioned factors.

GROUP LEVEL STRESSORS:

1) Managerial Behaviour : Some managers creates stress for employees by

Exhibiting inconsistent behaviour

Failing to provide necessary support

Providing inadequate direction

Showing lack of concern and

Creating high productivity environment.

2) Lack of Group Cohesiveness: Every group is characterised by its cohesiveness

although they differ widely in degree of cohesiveness. Individuals experience

stress when there is no unity among the members of work group. There is

mistrust, jealously, frequent quarrels, etc., in groups and this lead to stress to

employees.

3) Lack of Participation in Decision Making: Many experienced employees feel

that management should consult them on matters affecting their jobs. In reality,

the superiors hardly consult the concerned employees before taking a decision.

This develops a feeling of being neglected, which may lead to stress.

4) Interpersonal and Intergroup Conflict : Interpersonal and intergroup conflict

takes place due to differences in perceptions, attitudes, values and beliefs

between two or more individuals and groups. Such conflicts can be a source of

stress to group members.

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5) Lack of Social Support: When individuals believe that they have the friendship

and support of others at work, their ability to cope with the effects of stress

increases. If this kind of social support is not available then an employee

experiences more stress.

6) Workplace violence: Workplace violence is a very serious interpersonal

stressor. Individuals who experience violence have symptoms of severe distress

after the violent event. Workplace violence is also stressor for those who

observe the violence.

7) Sexual Harassment: This refers to un-welcome conduct of a sexual nature that

affects the job related performance of an employee adversely.

ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL STRESSORS:

1) Organisational Climate: A high pressure environment that places chronic work

demands on employees fuels the stress response.

2) Organisational Structure: It defines the level of differentiation, the degree of

rules and regulations and where decisions are made. Excessive rules and lack of

participation in decisions that affect an employee are examples of structural

variables that might be potential stressors.

3) Organisational Leadership: Represents the managerial style of the

organisation’s senior executives. Some chief executive officers create a culture

characterised by tension, fear and anxiety.

4) Organisational Changes: When changes occur, people have to adapt to those

changes and this may cause stress. Stress is higher when changes are major or

unusual like transfer or adaption of new technology.

5) Occupational Demands: Some jobs are more stressful than others. Jobs that

involve risk and danger are more stressful. Research findings indicate that jobs

that are more stressful usually requires constant monitoring of equipments and

devices, unpleasant physical conditions, making decisions, etc.

6) Work Overload: Excessive work load leads to stress as it puts a person under

tremendous pressure. Work overload may take two different forms :-

Qualitative work overload implies performing a job that is complicated or

beyond the employee's capacity.

Quantitative work overload arises when number of activities to be

performed in the prescribed time is many.

7) Work Under load: In this case, very little work or too simple work is expected on

the part of the employee. Doing less work or jobs of routine and simple nature

would lead to monotony and boredom, which can lead to stress.

8) Working Conditions: Employees may be subject to poor working conditions. It

would include poor lighting and ventilations, unhygienic sanitation facilities,

excessive noise and dust, presence of toxic gases and fumes, inadequate safety

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measures, etc. All these unpleasant conditions create physiological and

psychological imbalance in humans thereby causing stress.

EXTRA- ORGANISATIONAL STRESSORS:

1) Technological Changes: When there are any changes in technological field,

employees are under the constant stress of fear of losing jobs, or need to adjust

to new technologies. This can be a source of stress.

2) Civic Amenities: Poor civic amenities in the area in which one lives can be a

cause of stress. Inadequate or lack of civic facilities like improper water supply,

excessive noise or air pollution, lack of proper transport facility can be quite

stressful.

3) Caste and Religion Conflicts: Employees living in areas which are subject to

caste and religious conflicts do suffer from stress. In case of religion, the

minorities and lower-caste people (seen especially in India) are subject to more

stress.

4) Economic Factors: Changes in business cycle create economic uncertainties.

When the economy contracts, people get worried about their own security. Minor

stress also cause stress in work force.

MODERATORS

Variables that cause the relationship between stressors, perceived stress and

outcomes to be weaker for some and stronger for others are called moderators.

An awareness of moderators helps managers identify those who are more likely

to experience stress and negative outcomes.

Cognitive Appraisal of Stressors

Cognitive appraisal of stressors reflects an individual’s overall perception or

evaluation of a stressor.

Primary Appraisal determining whether a stressor is irrelevant, positive, or

stressful.

Secondary Appraisal assessing what might and can be done to reduce

stress.

OUTCOMES

• Physiological consequences

o 50%-75% of all illnesses

o Lower for women

o cardiovascular diseases

o ulcers, sexual dysfunction, headaches

o Burnout

• Behavioral consequences

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o work performance, accidents, decisions

o absenteeism -- due to sickness and flight

o workplace aggression

• Cognitive Consequences

o Poor concentration

o inability to make sound decisions or any decisions at all

o mental blocks

• Psychological Consequences

o Anxiety

o Frustration

o Apathy

o Lowered self-esteem

o Aggression

o Depression

o Moodiness

o emotional fatigue

Burnout A psychological process resulting from work stress that results in:

o Emotional exhaustion

o Depersonalization

o Feelings of decreased accomplishment

• Burnout is a type of psychological stress. Occupational burnout or job

burnout is characterized by exhaustion, lack of enthusiasm and motivation,

feelings of ineffectiveness.

• The term burnout in psychology was coined by Herbert Freudenberger.

• More recently the term brownout has been used in the business world to

describe a less serious version of burnout. It refers to staff that are

disengaged and de-motivated in their job role.

• Occupational burnout is typically and particularly found within human service

professions. One reason why burnout is so prevalent within the human

services field is due to the high-stress work environment and emotional

demands of the job.

• Professions with high levels of burnout include social workers, nurses,

teachers, lawyers, engineers, physicians, customer service representatives,

and police officers

INDICATORS OF BURNOUT:

Emotional Exhaustion

Depersonalization Low Personal Accomplishment

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Feel drained by work Have become calloused by job Cannot deal with problems effectively

Feel fatigued in the morning

Treat others like objects Do not have a positive influence on others

Frustrated Do not care what happens to other people

Cannot understand others’ problems or identify with them

Do not want to work with other people

Feel other people blame you No longer feel exhilarated by your job

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Strategies may be categorised as:

INDIVIDUAL STRATERGIES:

1) Biofeedback: Biofeedback is the process of gaining greater awareness of many

physiological functions primarily using instruments that provide information on the

activity of those same systems, with a goal of being able to manipulate them at

will. Some of the processes that can be controlled include brainwaves, muscle

tone, skin conductance, heart rate and pain perception. Biofeedback may be

used to improve health, performance, and the physiological changes which often

occur in conjunction with changes to thoughts, emotions, and behaviour.

Eventually, these changes may be maintained without the use of extra

equipment, even though no equipment is necessarily required to practice

biofeedback actually. Biofeedback has been found to be effective for the

treatment of headaches and migraines.

2) Time management: Time management is the act or process of planning and

exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities,

especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency or productivity. Time management

may be aided by a range of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time

when accomplishing specific tasks, projects and goals complying with a due date.

This set encompasses a wide scope of activities, and these include planning,

allocating, setting goals, delegation, analysis of time spent, monitoring,

organizing, scheduling, and prioritizing. Initially, time management referred to just

business or work activities, but eventually the term broadened to include personal

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activities as well. A time management system is a designed combination of

processes, tools, techniques, and methods. Usually time management is a

necessity in any project development as it determines the project completion time

and scope.

3) Meditation: Meditation is a practice in which an individual trains the mind and/or

induces a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit, although it can be

argued meditation is a goal in and of itself. The term meditation refers to a broad

variety of practices (much like the term sports), which range from techniques

designed to promote relaxation, contacting spiritual guides, building internal

energy, receiving psychic visions, getting closer to a god, seeing past lives,

taking astral journeys, and so forth, to more technical exercises targeted at

developing compassion, love, patience, generosity, forgiveness and more far-

reaching goals such as effortless sustained single-pointed concentration, single-

pointed analysis, and an indestructible sense of well-being while engaging in any

and all of life's activities. Thus, it is essential to be specific about the type of

meditation practice under investigation.

4) Cognitive therapy: Based on the theory that depression is due to distortions in

the patient's perspectives, such as all-or-none thinking, over-generalization, and

selective perception. The therapist initially tries to highlight these distortions, and

then encourages the patient to change his or her attitudes.

5) Relaxation technique: A relaxation technique (also known as relaxation

training) is any method, process, procedure, or activity that helps a person to

relax; to attain a state of increased calmness; or otherwise reduce levels of

anxiety, stress or anger. Relaxation techniques are often employed as one

element of a wider stress management program and can decrease muscle

tension, lower the blood pressure and slow heart and breathe rates, among other

health benefits.

ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGIES:

Stress is a factor that everybody has to contend with on a daily basis both in the

work and non-work spheres of life. Since the body has only a limited capacity to

respond to stress, it is important for individuals to optimally manage their stress level

to operate as fully functioning human beings.

There are several ways in which stress can be handled so that the

dysfunctional consequences of stress can be reduced. Some of them are:

1) Role Analysis Technique (RAT): The Role Analysis Technique helps both the

manager and the employee to analyze the requirements and expectations from

the job. Breaking-down the job into various components clarifies the role of the

job for the entire system. This also helps to eliminate reduction of work and thus

lowering down the stress level.

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2) Employee Assistance Program: Another widely used strategy is the employee

assistance Programs, which offer a variety of assistance to employees. These

include counselling employees who seek assistance on how to deal with alcohol

and drug abuse, handling conflicts at the work place, dealing with marital and

other family problems. It includes:

• Diagnosis. An employee with a problem asks for help; EAP staff attempts

to diagnose the problem

• Treatment. Counseling or support therapy is provided either by internal

staff or outside referral

• Screening. Periodic examination of employees in highly stressful jobs for

early detection of problems

• Prevention. Education and persuasion used to convince high risk

employees to seek help to change

3) Organizational Stress Management Program :

It includes:

• Training programs for managing and coping with stress

• Redesigning work to minimize stressors

• Changes in management style to one of more support and coaching to help workers achieve their goals

• Creating more flexible work hours

• Paying more attention to work/life balance with regard to child and elder care

• Better communication and team-building practices

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• Better feedback on worker performance and management expectation.

4) Career Counselling: Career Counselling helps the employee to obtain

professional advice regarding career that would help the individual to achieve

personal goals. It also makes the employees aware of what additional

educational qualifications or specialized technical training, if any, (hat they should

acquire. By becoming knowledgeable about the possible avenues for

advancement, the employees who consider their careers to be important can

reduce their stress levels by becoming more realistic about their options and can

start preparing themselves for it.

5) Delegation: Another way of coping with job stress is to delegate some

responsibilities to others. Delegation can directly decrease workload upon the

manager and helps to reduce the stress.

6) More Information and Help: Some new employees have to spend more time on

a job than necessary because they are not sure what they are doing. So it is

necessary that some help should be provided before doing the work that would

lead to much efficient, effective work. It would also reduce anxiety and stress

among the employees.

7) Job Relocation assistance: Job relocation assistance is offered to employees

who are transferred, by finding alternative employment for the spouses of the

transferred employees and getting admissions in schools for their children in the

new place. These arrangements help to reduce the anxiety and stress for the

moving family.

8) Supervisor Training: Another type of stress management Program that

organizations are experimenting with is supervisor training. The emphasis on

supervisory training Program is how to prevent job stress. Managers are trained

to give better performance appraisals, to listen to employees’ problems more

effectively, and to communicate job assignments and instructions more clearly.

9) Individual Stress Reduction Workshops: Some organizations have also

sponsored individual stress reduction workshops for their employees. These

programs include biofeedback, meditation to career counselling, time

management and interpersonal skills workshops. In lectures and seminars,

participants are given a basic understanding of the causes of stress and its

consequences. Then, participants are given materials to help them identify the

major sources of stress in their own lives, and some strategies for dealing with

that stress more effectively.