SYNOPSIS

Discipline of Psychology
School of Social Sciences (SOSS)
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
Maidan Garhi, New Delhi - 110068

(MPCE 036)

“CROSS-RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OCCUPATIONAL STRESSES,

JOB SATISFCTION AND COPING MECHANISM IN DIFFRENTLY
EDUCATED PERSONNEL AND THEIR POLICIES TO ENCOUNTER
NEGATIVE THOUGHTS”

Submitted by

Name: ………………………………….........
Enrolment No.: ……………………..............
Regional Centre: ……………………………
Guide: ………………………………….........

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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Table of Content: -
Sr No Chapter name Page Number
1 Introduction 3
2 Description About Occupational Stress
3 Description About Job Satisfaction
4 Description About Coping Mechanisms
5 Review of Literature
6 Significance of Study
7 Research Methodology
01.Problem Statement
02.Dependent Variable
03.Independent variable
04.Research Hypothesis
05.Type of Samples
06. Test Tools
07.Statistical Analysis

5 References

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1.0 Introduction: -

Occupational Stress, Job Satisfaction, Coping Mechanisms

2.0 Occupational Stress: -

A term commonly used in the professional business industry, occupational stress refers to the
ongoing or progressing stress an employee experiences due to the responsibilities, conditions,
environment, or other pressures of the workplace. There are several types of occupational stress,
depending on the individual employee, their job role, the company culture, and more.

Major causes of occupational stress-

While the sources of occupational stress can vary from person to person, it’s important to know that
employees of all organizations—regardless of how big or how small they may be—can be affected by
occupational stress. Some major examples of occupational stressors include:

Strict policies and protocols implemented by the organization

Restricted possibilities for professional and personal self-growth

Conflicts among individuals in a department or between organizational groups

Workforce micromanagement and mismanagement

Lack of support from human resource departments

Personal, situational, or professional issues

Bullying, belittling, and discriminating

Poor time management

Little to no occupational guidance or direction

Being overworked

Performance expectations that far surpass an employee’s training and abilities

Regular threats of termination

Loss of wages, pay cuts, and benefits

No matter what the cause may be, the effects of occupational stress can be monumentally damaging
to the overall well-being and productivity of the employee. Not only can occupational stress cause
accelerated aging and other personal issues, but it can also greatly hamper an employee’s
motivation, inspiration, and dedication to their work.

Understand Stress Better a general description of stress is given below.

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2.0.1 General Definition for Stress: -

Psychological stress is a popular term denoting processes believed to contribute to the onset and
maintenance of a variety of mental and physical conditions. Despite widespread interest in
psychological stress and its consequences for health and well-being, debate remains about how to
best define the term.

Stress factors broadly fall into four types or categories:

Physical stress, Psychological stress, Psychosocial stress, and Psycho Spiritual stress.

1 Physical stress: trauma (injury, infection, surgery), intense physical labour/over-exertion,

environmental pollution (pesticides, herbicides, toxins, heavy metals, inadequate light, radiation,
noise, electromagnetic fields), illness (viral, bacterial, or fungal agents), fatigue, inadequate oxygen
supply, hypoglycaemia I(low blood sugar), hormonal and/or biochemical imbalances, dietary stress
(nutritional deficiencies, food allergies and sensitivities, unhealthy eating habits), dehydration,
substance abuse, dental challenges, and musculoskeletal misalignments/imbalances.

2 Psychological stress: emotional stress (resentments, fears, frustration, sadness, anger, grief/
bereavement), cognitive stress (information overload, accelerated sense of time, worry, guilt,
shame, jealousy, resistance, attachments, self-criticism, self-loathing, unworkable perfectionism,
anxiety, panic attacks, not feeling like yourself, not feeling like things are real, and a sense of being
out of control/not being in control), and perceptual stress (beliefs, roles, stories, attitudes, world
view).

3 Psychosocial stress: Relationship/marriage difficulties (partner, siblings, children, family, employer,

co-workers, employer), lack of social support, lack of resources for adequate survival, loss of
employment/investments/savings, loss of loved ones, bankruptcy, home foreclosure, and isolation.

4 Psycho-spiritual stress: A crisis of values, meaning, and purpose; joyless striving (instead of
productive, satisfying, meaningful and fulfilling work; and a misalignment with in one’s core spiritual
beliefs.

Overall, improperly or ineffectively managed stress usually takes a toll on the body. When stress-
related feelings, moods, emotions are pushed into the body, the soma, this is usually termed
psychosomatic or psychogenic illness, including headaches, heart palpitations, physical/ cognitive/
emotional pain and suffering, constricted throat and shallow, constricted breathing, clammy palms,
fatigue, nausea, anxiety, allergies, asthma, autoimmune syndromes related to an ineffective
functioning of the immune system, hypertension (high blood pressure), and gastrointestinal
disturbances such as diarrhoea, upset stomach, duodenal ulcers and oesophageal reflux syndrome.

Prolonged stress can result in suppressed immune function, increased susceptibility to infectious and
immune-related diseases and cancer. Emotional stress can also result in hormonal imbalances
(adrenal, pituitary, thyroid, etcetera) that further interfere with healthy immune functioning.

Stress has been defined in different ways over the years. Originally, it was conceived of as pressure
from the environment, then as strain within the person. The generally accepted definition today is
one of interaction between the situation and the individual. It is the psychological and physical state
that results when the resources of the individual are not sufficient to cope with the demands and
pressures of the situation.

Thus, stress is more likely in some situations than others and in some individuals than others.

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Stress can undermine the achievement of goals, both for individuals and for organisations.

The individual and organisation have different problems and effects of stress.

Sr For the individual, It Is Threats To For the workplace/organisation It Is Threats

No To

1 Health Increased absenteeism and turnover

2 Well-being/quality of life Reduced quantity and quality of work

3 Functioning/goal achievement Reduced job satisfaction and morale

4 Self-esteem/confidence Problems of recruitment

5 Personal development Poor communication and increased Conflict

The stress can be categorized into types.

Types Cognitive Emotional Behavioural Physiological Social

Factors Anxious Feelings of Avoidance of Stiff or tense Some people
Identifying thoughts, tension, tasks; sleep muscles, grinding in stressful
the Types fearful irritability, problems; teeth, sweating, times tend to
anticipation, restlessness, difficulty in tension seek out
poor worries, completing headaches, faint others to be
concentration, inability to work feelings, choking with. Other
difficulty with relax, assignments; feeling, difficulty people
memory depression fidgeting; in swallowing, withdraw
tremors; stomach ache, under stress.
strained face; nausea, vomiting, Also, the
clenching loosening of quality of
fists; crying; bowels, relationships
changes in constipation, can change
drinking, frequency and when a
eating, or urgency of person is
smoking urination, loss of under stress.
behaviours interest in sex,
tiredness,
shakiness or
tremors, weight
loss or gain,
awareness of
heart beat.

The stress can be diagnosed with these signs of stress.

Signs of stress can be seen in people's behaviour, especially in the observable and measurable
changes in behaviour.

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Acute responses to stress may be in the areas of feelings (for example, anxiety, depression,
irritability, fatigue), behaviour (for example, being withdrawn, aggressive, tearful, unmotivated),
thinking (for example, difficulties of concentration and problem solving) or physical symptoms (for
example, palpitations, nausea, headaches).

If stress persists, there are changes in neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, autonomic and

immunological functioning, leading to mental and physical ill health (for example anxiety,
depression, heart disease).

Individual
Health

Symptoms of
Sources Extra-
Occupational
Sickness
Of Organisational
health

Stress

Types Of
Diseases

Fig 1:- A model of Inter-Personnel Relation at work for Individual & Organisation

2.0.2 Work Place Stress- Its Causes and Simple Therapies:

The Stress at Work is a multidimensional phenomenon.

Situations that are likely to cause stress are those that are unpredictable or uncontrollable,
uncertain, ambiguous or unfamiliar, or involving conflict, loss or performance expectations. Stress
may be caused by time limited events, such as the pressures of examinations or work deadlines, or
by ongoing situations, such as family demands, job insecurity, or long commuting journeys.

Resources that help meet the pressures and demands faced at work include personal characteristics
such as coping skills (for example, problem solving, assertiveness, time management) and the work
situation such as a good working environment and social support. These resources can be increased
by investment in work infrastructure, training, good management and employment practices, and
the way that work is organised.

Historically, the typical response from employers to stress at work has been to blame the victim of
stress, rather than its cause. Increasingly, it is being recognised that employers have a duty, in many

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cases in law, to ensure that employees do not become ill. It is also in their long term economic
interests to prevent stress, as stress is likely to lead to high staff turnover, an increase in sickness
absence and early retirement, increased stress in those staff still at work, reduced work performance
and increased rate of accidents, and reduced client satisfaction.

Good employment practice includes assessing the risk of stress amongst employees.

This involves: -

Looking for pressures at work which could cause high and long lasting levels of stress

Deciding who might be harmed by these

Deciding whether you are doing enough to prevent that harm.

Education

Causes and Management of Stress at Work

Stress has been defined in different ways over the years. Originally, it was conceived of as pressure
from the environment, then as strain within the person. The generally accepted definition today is
one of interaction between the situation and the individual. It is the psychological and physical state
that results when the resources of the individual are not sufficient to cope with the demands and
pressures of the situation. Thus, stress is more likely in some situations than others and in some
individuals than others. Stress can undermine the achievement of goals, both for individuals and for
organisations.

The problem of stress

Signs of stress can be seen in people's behaviour, especially in changes in behaviour.

Acute responses to stress may be in the areas of feelings (for example, anxiety, depression,
irritability, fatigue), behaviour (for example, being withdrawn, aggressive, tearful, unmotivated),
thinking (for example, difficulties of concentration and problem solving) or physical symptoms (for
example, palpitations, nausea, headaches). If stress persists, there are changes in neuroendocrine,
cardiovascular, autonomic and immunological functioning, leading to mental and physical ill health
(for example anxiety, depression, heart disease).

Signs of stress

Situations that are likely to cause stress are those that are unpredictable or uncontrollable,
uncertain, ambiguous or unfamiliar, or involving conflict, loss or performance expectations. Stress
may be caused by time limited events, such as the pressures of examinations or work deadlines, or
by ongoing situations, such as family demands, job insecurity, or long commuting journeys.

Resources that help meet the pressures and demands faced at work include personal characteristics
such as coping skills (for example, problem solving, assertiveness, time management) and the work
situation such as a good working environment and social support. These resources can be increased
by investment in work infrastructure, training, good management and employment practices, and
the way that work is organised.

Historically, the typical response from employers to stress at work has been to blame the victim of
stress, rather than its cause. Increasingly, it is being recognised that employers have a duty, in many
cases in law, to ensure that employees do not become ill. It is also in their long term economic

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interests to prevent stress, as stress is likely to lead to high staff turnover, an increase in sickness
absence and early retirement, increased stress in those staff still at work, reduced work performance
and increased rate of accidents, and reduced client satisfaction.

Good employment practice includes assessing the risk of stress amongst employees.

This involves:

looking for pressures at work which could cause high and long lasting levels of stress

deciding who might be harmed by these

deciding whether you are doing enough to prevent that harm.

How Stress Is Caused or Triggered and Beared:

The degree of stress experienced depends on the functioning of two protective physiological
mechanisms and relates to individual’s personality: -

Alarm reactions: -

When confronted with a threat to our safety, our first response is physiological arousal: our muscles
tense and breathing and heart rate become more rapid. This serves us well when the threat is the
proverbial bull in the field rushing towards us. We either fight or flee.

Present day threats tend to be more psychological—for example, unjustified verbal attack by a
superior at work. It is usually not socially acceptable to act by “fight or flight”, and an alternative
means of expressing the resultant emotional and physical energy is required.

This falls in the arena of assertive communication.

Adaptation: - Adaption to causes which are staying but cannot be isolated. The Maslow’s defined
this as lowest level hierarchy of needs of individual as the physiological needs. Maslow
believed that these needs are the most basic and instinctive needs in the hierarchy because all
needs become secondary until these physiological needs are met.

The adaptive mechanism allows us to cease responding. For example, when we first spend time in a
house near a railway line, our response to trains hurtling past is to be startled, as described above.
But one do not have option. Over time, our response dwindles.

If this process did not function, we would eventually collapse from physical wear and tear, and
mental exhaustion.

Stress Surfacing Due to Imbalance of Mechanisms of Self Defence: -

Stress is experienced when either of these mechanisms are not functioning properly or when we find
it difficult to switch appropriately from one to another.

This forms the basis of individual approaches to stress management. The fig 2 shows that it is the
perception, or appraisal, of the situation that is key to whether or not it causes stress.

This is the basis of the transactional model of whereby the ability of a person to prevent or reduce
stress is determined by that person's appraisal of

(a) the threat within a situation (primary appraisal), and

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(b) the appraisal of his/her coping skills to deal with that threat (secondary appraisal).

These appraisals have been shaped by past experiences of confronting stress and, in turn, influence
future behaviour and appraisals.

Thus, the process of appraisal, behaviour, and stress is continuous, and managing stress can result
from changing the way the situation is appraised (cognitive techniques) or responded to
(behavioural or cognitive techniques).

Simulation of Stress: - The stress can be simulated for studying the Causes and Effect Relationship.

Negative Simulation: -

Sources: -

Poor Physical Working Conditions, Work Overload, Time Pressures, Physical Danger etc.

Role in Organisation: -

Role Ambiguity, Role Conflict, Responsibility for people, Conflicts across Organisational
Boundaries

Career Development: -

Over Promotion, under promotion, Thwarted Ambition

Relationship at Work: -

Poor Relations with Boss Subordinates or Colleagues, Difficulties in Delegating

Responsibilities etc.

Organisational Culture and Climate: -

Little or no participation in Decision, Restrictions on Behaviour, Office Politics, Lack of

Effective Consultation, Financial Difficulties

Effect on Individual: -

Increased Anxiety, Meyer Friedman Personality (Type A/Type B)

Family Problems, Life Crisis

Physical Health Issues and Addictions: -

Diastolic Blood pressure, Cholesterol Concentration, Heart Rate, Smoking, Depressive Moods,
Escapist, Drinking, Job Dissatisfaction, Reduced Aspiration

Coronary Heart Disease, Mental Ill Health.

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Positive Simulation: -

There are two other sources of stress, or buffers against stress: relationships at work, and the
organisational culture. Managers who are critical, demanding, unsupportive or bullying create stress,
whereas a positive social dimension of work and good team working reduces it.

An organisational culture of unpaid overtime or “presenteeism” causes stress. On the other hand, a
culture of involving people in decisions, keeping them informed about what is happening in the
organisation, and providing good amenities and recreation facilities reduce stress. Organisational
change, especially when consultation has been inadequate, is a huge source of stress. Such changes
include mergers, relocation, restructuring or “downsizing”, individual contracts, and redundancies
within the organisation.

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Fig 2: - A model of stress and its management.

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The workplace is an important source of both demands and pressures causing stress, and structural
and social resources to counteract stress.

The workplace factors that have been found to be associated with stress and health risks can be
categorised as those to do with the content of work and those to do with the social and
organisational context of work.

Those that are intrinsic to the job include long hours, work overload, time pressure, difficult or
complex tasks, lack of breaks, lack of variety, and poor physical work conditions (for example, space,
temperature, light).

Unclear work or conflicting roles and boundaries can cause stress, as can having responsibility for
people. The possibilities for job development are important buffers against current stress, with
under promotion, lack of training, and job insecurity being stressful.

A systematic review of the evidence for work factors associated with psychological sick health and
associated absenteeism (Michie and Williams 2001, unpublished data) found the key factors to be:

a. long hours worked, work overload and pressure

b. the effects of these on personal lives
c. lack of control over work and lack of participation in decision making
d. poor social support
e. unclear management and work role and poor management style.

Explanatory model

Three of these factors form part of the influential control-demand model of work related
strain. According to this model, work related strain and risks to health are most likely to arise
when high job demands are coupled with low decision latitude (that is, low personal control
over work and limited opportunities to develop skills). On the other hand, high job demands
with high decision latitude gives the possibility of motivation to learn, active learning, and a
sense of accomplishment. Of the two, decision latitude has been found to be more
important than demand. Since its introduction in 1979, the model has been extended to
include social support at work as a predictor of job strain. Karasek's model has received
sufficient empirical support for it to provide a useful framework for interventions at work.

Individual Differences

Individuals differ in their risk of experiencing stress and in their vulnerability to the adverse effects of
stress. Individuals are more likely to experience stress if they lack material resources (for example,
financial security) and psychological resources (for example, coping skills, self-esteem), and are more
likely to be harmed by this stress if they tend to react emotionally to situations and are highly
competitive and pressured (type A behaviour).

The association between pressures and well-being and functioning can be thought of as an inverted
U, with well-being and functioning being low when pressures are either high or very low. Different
people demonstrate different shapes of this inverted U, showing their different thresholds for
responses to stress.

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 A Predictor Of
Job Strain

Control & Control &

Demand Demand

High Job Demand

High Job Demand
active learning social support at
limited opportunities work
to develop skills
a sense of
accomplishment
low personal control
over work
high decision
latitude
low decision latitude

Fig 3: - Control-Demand Model of Work Related Strain

Individual Stress Management

Most interventions to reduce the risk to health associated with stress in the workplace involve both
individual and organisational approaches (Track and Platform Situation). Individual approaches
include training and one-to-one psychology services—clinical, occupational, health or counselling.

They should aim to improve individual skills and resources and help the individual face their
situation. The techniques listed in fig billow mirror the active coping (fight/flight) and rest phases
(habituation) of the stress model presented earlier.

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 Stress Management Skills

Three Situations Of Stress

Situation

Physical Situation Response

Social Situation
Active Coping- Expressing, Habituation- Relaxation
Social Skills, Good Habits, Time through Yoga, Meditation,
Self Management, Self Breaks, Leisure, Holidays,
Monitoring, FeedBack, Exercise, Distraction, Denial,
Work Situation Cognmitive Skills Acceptance

Fig 4: - Stress Factors and Management

Training helps prevent stress through:

becoming aware of the signs of stress using this to interrupt behaviour patterns when the stress
reaction is just beginning. Stress usually builds up gradually. The more stress builds up, the more
difficult it is to deal with analysing the situation and developing an active plan to minimise the
stressors learning skills of active coping and relaxation, developing a lifestyle that creates a buffer
against stress practising the above in low stress situations first to maximise chances of early success
and boost self-confidence and motivation to continue.

A wide variety of training courses may help in developing active coping techniques—for example,
assertiveness, communications skills, time management, problem solving, and effective
management.

However, there are many sources of stress that the individual is likely to perceive as outside his or
her power to change, such as the structure, management style or culture of the organisation. It is
important to note that stress management approaches that concentrate on changing the individual
without changing the sources of stress are of limited effectiveness, and may be counterproductive
by masking these sources.

For example, breathing deeply and thinking positively about a situation causing stress may make for
a temporary feeling of well-being, but will allow a damaging situation to continue, causing persistent
stress and, probably, stress to others. The primary aim of the individual approach should be to

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develop people's skills and confidence to change their situation, not to help them adapt to and
accept a stressful situation.

2.2 The occupational stress scale

Bristol Stress and Health at Work conducted a thorough study that helped determine the scale and
severity of occupational stress across a broad and random population of employees. This study also
highlighted what occupational stress is and how it affects individuals more than general life stress,
and how occupational stress affected performance and efficiency. In addition to finding that 20% of
participants suffer from high or extremely high levels of occupational stress due to stressful working
conditions, the study also emphasized that this excessive stress had a negative effect on physical and
mental health, as well as physiology and mental performance.

As exemplified by this occupational stress scale, workplace conditions can have a great impact on
the overall well-being and productivity of employees. HR departments can develop their own
occupational stress scale to survey the effects of these pressures in their own organizations. By
determining if, when, and how employees are being affected by workplace stressors, HR
departments can take the necessary steps and changes to improve occupational stress management
tactics, workplace conditions, and employee wellbeing.

2.3 Occupational health stress at work

When it comes to understanding, what work-related stress is, it’s critical to first be able to identify
the signs of stress in the workplace. The most common symptoms of occupational stress include:

Lacking the motivation to complete basic job requirements

Missing deadlines

Frequent feelings of general stress, chaos, and confusion

Feelings of inferiority to co-workers

Anxiety and abnormally high blood pressure

Noticeable changes in diet

Increased sleeplessness and irritability

Abnormal feelings of depression, hopelessness, helplessness, dejection, and failure

Excessive perspiration and heart palpitations

Inability to perform or communicate in a productive manner

Feelings of excessive burnout

2.4 Signs of Stress

Employees suffering from occupational stress generally exhibit signs of a stress response.

There are three stages of the stress response which can be used to identify if an individual is, in fact,
struggling with occupational stress.

Stage 1: Alarm.

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Physical, emotional, or mental stress, triggers the “alarm” response which is the body’s physical
“fight or flight” response. This acts as an alarm to the physical and mental system, sending a surge of
adrenaline to all parts of the body. In the sense of general life stress, this stage is often short-lived.
However, with occupational stress, this stage can be long-term, which triggers.

Stage 2: Resistance.

After a prolonged surge of adrenaline, the body tries to regain balance by boosting chemicals in the
brain like melatonin which counteract and calm the alarm system. However, with prolonged stress,
the first stage of alarm overpowers the resistance stage which begins a toxic cycle and can cause
sleep deprivation, fatigue, irritability, and concentration issues.

Stage 3: Exhaustion.

After battling a cycle between Stage 1 and Stage 2, the body simply succumbs to the unending stress
and completely shuts down. Once the body’s mental and physical defense systems are inhibited, it
can quickly fall victim to illness and infection.

Many people who suffer from untreated prolonged occupational stress present a variety of health
concerns like viral and bacterial infections, increased hormone levels, excessive internal damage,
and severe skin conditions.

For these reasons alone, treating occupational stress is critical.

Coping with occupational stress

There are several ways employees can treat, cope with, and ward off occupational success. By
maintaining a diligent, reasonable work pace, employees can prevent procrastination and
consistently finish the tasks they begin. Additionally, employees should place importance on things
like punctuality, regularity, time management, honesty, diligence, and discipline, as these
characteristics help promote a positive, professional attitude that’s often recognized and rewarded
by upper management personnel.

HR departments, on the other hand, can do their part in preventing occupational stress among staff
members by encouraging a positive, proactive workplace environment. Quickly extinguishing
bullying, discrimination, and harassing behaviour is vital, as is promoting an open-door policy in
which individuals feel safe and comfortable reporting such behaviour.

More than anything, however, by implementing activities, initiatives, and tactics that keep
employees feeling supported, motivated, and comfortable, HR departments can play a major role in
keeping occupational stress levels to a minimum.

2.5 Occupational health: Stress at the workplace

What is work-related stress?

Work-related stress is the response people may have when presented with work demands and
pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to
cope. Stress occurs in a wide range of work circumstances but is often made worse when employees
feel they have little support from supervisors and colleagues, as well as little control over work
processes.

There is often confusion between pressure or challenge and stress, and sometimes this is used to
excuse bad management practice.

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Pressure at the workplace is unavoidable due to the demands of the contemporary work
environment. Pressure perceived as acceptable by an individual may even keep workers alert,
motivated, able to work and learn, depending on the available resources and personal
characteristics. However, when that pressure becomes excessive or otherwise unmanageable it
leads to stress. Stress can damage an employees' health and the business performance.

Work-related stress can be caused by poor work organization (the way we design jobs and work
systems, and the way we manage them), by poor work design (for example, lack of control over
work processes), poor management, unsatisfactory working conditions and lack of support from
colleagues and supervisors.

Research findings show that the most stressful type of work is that-

1. Which values excessive demands and pressures that are not matched to workers’
knowledge and abilities,
2. Where there is little opportunity to exercise any choice or control, and where there is little
support from others.
3. Workers are less likely to experience work-related stress when demands and pressures of
work are matched to their knowledge and abilities, control can be exercised over their work
and the way they do it, support is received from supervisors and colleagues, and
participation in decisions that concern their jobs is provided.

2.6 What are stress-related hazards at work?

Stress related hazards at work can be divided into work content and work context.

Work contents includes job content (monotony, under-stimulation, meaningless of tasks, lack of
variety, etc.); work load and work pace (too much or too little to do, work under time pressure, etc.);
working hours (strict or inflexible, long and unsocial, unpredictable, badly designed shift systems);
and participation and control (lack of participation in decision-making, lack of control over work
processes, pace, hours, methods, and the work environment).

Work context includes career development, status and pay (job insecurity, lack of promotion
opportunities, under- or over-promotion, work of low social value, piece rate payment schemes,
unclear or unfair performance evaluation systems, being over- or under-skilled for a job); the
worker’s role in the organization (unclear role, conflicting roles); interpersonal relationships
(inadequate, inconsiderate or unsupportive supervision, poor relationships with colleagues,
bullying/harassment and violence, isolated or solitary work, etc.); organizational culture (poor
communication, poor leadership, lack of behavioural rule, lack of clarity about organizational
objectives, structures and strategies); and work-life balance (conflicting demands of work and home,
lack of support for domestic problems at work, lack of support for work problems at home, lack of
organizational rules and policies to support work-life balance).

Stress as Multidimensional entity and individual response to stress as problem or solution.

Inter Relation Between: -

Job Satisfaction and Job Stress

Control Ability and Job Stress

Coping Mechanisms and Job Stress

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2.7 Organisational Stress Management:

The prevention and management of workplace stress requires organisational level interventions,
because it is the organisation that controls the work place stress.

Organisational interventions can be of many types, ranging from structural (for example, staffing
levels, work schedules, physical environment) to psychological (for example, social support, control
over work, participation).

The emphasis on the organisation, rather than the individual, being the problem is well illustrated by
the principles used in Scandinavia, where there is an excellent record of creating healthy and safe
working environments.

Example: - Principles of preventing work stress in Scandinavia

Working conditions are adapted to people's differing physical and mental aptitudes

Employee is given the opportunity to participate in the design of his/her own work situation, and in
the processes of change and development affecting his/her work

Technology, work organisation, and job content are designed so that the employee is not exposed to
physical or mental strains that may lead to illness or accidents. Forms of remuneration and the
distribution of working hours are taken into account Closely controlled or restricted work is avoided
or limited Work should provide opportunities for variety, social contact, and cooperation as well as
coherence between different working operations

Working conditions should provide opportunities for personal and vocational development, as well
as for self-determination and professional responsibility.

Assessing the risk of stress within the workplace must take into account the following factors:

1. The likelihood and the extent of ill health which could occur as a result of exposure to a
particular hazard the extent to which an individual is exposed to the hazard the number of
employees exposed to the hazard.
2. The analysis of stressful hazards at work should consider all aspects of its design and
management, and its social and organisational context. Although the priority is prevention,
protective measures can be introduced to control the risk and reduce the effects of a given
hazard.

2.8 A risk assessment strategy—six stages

Hazard identification:

Reliably identify the stressors which exist in relation to work and working conditions, for specified
groups of employees, and make an assessment of the degree of exposure

Assessment of harm:

Collect evidence that exposure to such stressors is associated with impaired health in the group
being assessed or of the wider organisation. This should include a wide range of health-related
outcomes, including symptoms of general malaise and specific disorders, and of organisational and
health related behaviours such as smoking and drinking, and sickness absence

Identification of likely risk factors:

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Explore the associations between exposure to stressors and measures of harm to identify likely risk
factors at the group level, and to make some estimate of their size and/or significance

Description of underlying mechanisms:

Understand and describe the possible mechanisms by which exposure to the stressors is associated
with damage to the health of the assessment group or to the organisation

Audit existing management control and employee support systems:

Identify and assess all existing management systems both in relation to the control of stressors and
the experience of work stress, and in relation to the provision of support for employees
experiencing problems.

Recommendations on residual risk:

Take existing management control and employee support systems into proper account, make
recommendations on the residual risk associated with the likely risk factors related to work stress.

Increasingly, legislation requires employers to assess and address all risks to employee health and
safety, including their mental health (for example, the European Commission's framework directive
on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at
work).

Creating a safe system of work requires targeting equipment, materials, the environment and
people (for example, ensuring sufficient skills for the tasks). It also requires having monitoring and
review systems to assess the extent to which prevention and control strategies are effective.

Although associations between workplace factors and psychological health and associated sickness
absence have been well documented, evidence based interventions to reduce these problems are
scarce.

Successful interventions used training and organisational approaches to increase participation in

decision making and problem solving, increase support and feedback and improve communication.

Discussion on Studies about organisational Interventions: -

These studies found that: -

Those taught skills to mobilise support at work and to participate in problem solving and decision
making reported more supportive feedback, feeling more able to cope, and better work team
functioning and climate.

Among those most at risk of leaving, those undergoing the training reported reduced depression.

The staff facing organisational change who were taught skills of stress management, how to
participate in, and control, their work showed a decrease of stress hormone levels.

The Staff taught verbal and non-verbal communication and empathy skills demonstrated reduced
staff resignations and sick leave.

Physically inactive employees undergoing stress management training improved their perceived
coping ability and those undergoing aerobic exercise improved their feelings of well-being and
decreased their complaints of muscle pain, but also reported reduced job satisfaction.

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Employees undergoing one of seven training programmes emphasising one or more aspects of stress
management—physiological processes, coping with people or interpersonal awareness processes—
showed reductions in depression, anxiety, psychological strain, and emotional exhaustion
immediately after the programme. There was a further reduction in psychological strain and
emotional exhaustion at 9–16 months' follow up.

Those on long term sickness absence who were referred early to the occupational health
department (within two or three months absence) reduced their sickness absence from 40 to 25
weeks before resumption of work and from 72 to 53 weeks before leaving employment for medical
reasons, leading to large financial savings.

Success in managing and preventing stress will depend on the culture in the organisation. Stress
should be seen as helpful information to guide action, not as weakness in individuals. A culture of
openness and understanding, rather than of blame and criticism, is essential. Building this type of
culture requires active leadership and role models from the top of the organisation, the
development and implementation of a stress policy throughout the organisation, and systems to
identify problems early and to review and improve the strategies developed to address them. The
policy and its implementation should be negotiated with the relevant trade unions and health and
safety committees (for a trade union example of a model agreement for preventing stress at work
see the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union guide.

Last, but by no means least, interventions should be evaluated, so that their effectiveness can be
assessed. Ideally, the method of achieving this should include a high response rate, valid and reliable
measures, and a control group. Two measures that provide a comprehensive analysis of work stress
and have been widely used are the Job Content Questionnaire, which includes measures of the
predictors of job strain described earlier, and the Occupational Stress Indicator.

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3.0 Job Satisfaction: -

To write theory

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4.0 Coping Mechanisms: -

To Write Theory Lazarus and Folk-man 1984

23
5.0 Review of Literature: -

Sattar and Ali 2016

Salem et Al 2014

Khan, Ramzan and Butt 2015

Sowmya and Panchanatham 2011

Noor 2011

Kamal and Debashish 2009

Jick and Payne 2010

Quick and Quick 2007

Jick and Mitz 2005

Frankensteiner 2001

Davidson and Cooper 2004

Ahmad, Bhardwaz and Narula 200

Jha and Bhardwaz 2009

Chaudhury 2007

Srivastav 2005

Dwivedi 2005

Kenneth R 2003

Adity and Sen 1993

Denzo Robbins 1999

Aziz 2003

Srivastav 1985

Lazarus and Folkman 1984

Lazarus and Cohen 1977

Somhlaba and Wait 2009

Troullit, Gana and Fort 2009

Cockburn 1996

Rydell and Henricsson 2004

Howatt 2002

RATIONALE OF THE STUDY: -

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To Write Why this study is required?

Objective of the Study

To find O Stress

J Satisfaction

Coping Mechanisms

Cross Relations

Propose some viable Recommendation

Hypothesis of Study: -

Define a hypothesis for the Study and find out The Result of Final Study and Statistical Evaluation.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: -

VARIABLES

DEPENDENT, INDEPENDENT

POPULATION

SAMPLING PROCEDURE CHOSEN

TOOLS USED SUCH AS OSI SRIVASTAV AND SINGH 1981

OSI TOOL

MAIN FEATURES OF TOOL: -

RELIABILITY

VALIDITY

JOB DESCRIPTIVE INDEX SMITH AND KENDAL 1966

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DELIMITATION OF STUDY:-

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REFERENCES:-

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29
30
31
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Interventions used by employees to manage stress at work: perceived effectiveness

Participants in the present study tended to report mainly the presence of primary and secondary
organisational interventions (as opposed to individual interventions) at their workplace. With regard
to individual approaches, these were mainly psychological interventions. Although there is much
research that has documented the effectiveness of psychological interventions, these are usually
provided at the secondary or tertiary level rather than for primary prevention.

Organisational interventions were discussed by the participants more frequently and were also more
often perceived as effective in managing stress at work than individual interventions. One of the
main reasons that organisational interventions were identified as an effective way of managing
stress was because they were primary interventions with the aim to modify or eliminate
environmental stressors. Participants in the present study identified the organisational interventions
to manage stress at work as: job redesign, change of organisational culture, encouragement of
participative management, introduction of work–life balance policies, flexible working and
reconstruction of the organisation as well as improvement of organisational communications.

The literature on organisational interventions does not identify management practices as an

intervention. The main reason may stem from the fact that management is seen as part of
organisational structures rather than as potentially subject to modification to manage stress. Our
findings highlighted management practices as an important workplace intervention, especially
management characteristics such as open communication, supportiveness, approachability and
being appreciative; these ranked the highest in terms of perceived effectiveness. Improving
management practices as an intervention and introducing flexibility in working structures were much
more apparent in the public sector as opposed to the private sector and the NGOs. Content analysis
suggested that there may be a relationship between reported causes of stress and individual and
organisational interventions. For example, stress was less often reported in the public sector
because there were more management interventions than in other sectors, and these were
perceived to be effective by the participants.

Most personal interventions identified by participants were related to health behaviours such as
exercise, meditation and healthy eating, as well as leisure activities and social support from family
and colleagues. Although personal interventions outside the workplace were not considered by the
organisations, it is important to emphasise the power of such interventions and that they should be
included in future intervention packages. For example, physical activity programmes have been
among the few organisational interventions that show convincing effects on absenteeism in accord
with our previous reviews, but physical activity could be encouraged more generally. By adapting
organisational interventions to capitalise on and encourage personal individual interventions outside
the workplace, stress management in the workplace may be less necessary or more effective where
it is needed.

Strengths and limitations

The results suggest that employees in private organisations and NGOs report more perceived causes
of stress and have fewer interventions in place to help employees manage stress compared with
public sector organisations, notably National Health Service (NHS) employers. We have listed
potential organisational, individual and personal interventions that were used and found to be

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helpful. These might be tested as correlates of better workforce health and well-being and less work
stress.

A limitation of the study was related to the sample characteristics. Although there were variations,
especially with regard to type, size and location of the organisations involved, the sample consisted
of only 12 organisations in total. A larger number of organisations would have provided us with more
variety of occupations and organisation size and location, which would have given a more complete
picture concerning the causes of stress and interventions between sectors. Our study is exploratory,
and although these are perceived causes, the findings should not be understood in terms of
epidemiological causal relationships, but rather as important ways in which workers think about and
manage work stress, providing clues as to how interventions might be developed, tested and located
in these work settings.

Qualitative studies offer new insights and provide the in-depth and experience-near perspectives of
participants, rather than an over theorised and superficial analysis. The findings will contribute to
future in-depth work including more varied samples, as well as survey research to test for
interventions that correlate with organisational measures of health and well-being. Future work
should also consider how to improve management practices, as these seemed to have the most
important influence on reducing work stress. More research is needed to further explore the
differences between private, public and NGO sectors and different job types such as education and
healthcare to examine whether they respond to the same or different intervention techniques.
Finally, research needs to take into account compositional effects including the demographic
characteristics of samples, and the cost effectiveness of interventions.

Work-related stress is a growing problem around the world that affects not only the health and well-
being of employees, but also the productivity of organisations. Work-related stress arises where
work demands of various types and combinations exceed the person’s capacity and capability to
cope. Work-related stress is the second most common compensated illness/injury in Australia, after
musculoskeletal disorders.

Work-related stress can be caused by various events. For example, a person might feel under
pressure if the demands of their job (such as hours or responsibilities) are greater than they can
comfortably manage. Other sources of work-related stress include conflict with co-workers or
bosses, constant change, and threats to job security, such as potential redundancy.

In Australian, more than $133.9 million was paid in benefits to workers who had made claims related
to workplace stress during the 2004/2005 tax year. According to the National Health and Safety
Commission, work-related stress accounts for the longest stretches of absenteeism.

What one person may perceive as stressful, however, another may view as challenging. Whether a
person experiences work-related stress depends on the job, the person’s psychological make-up,
and other factors (such as personal life and general health).

Symptoms of work-related stress

The signs or symptoms of work-related stress can be physical, psychological and behavioural.

Physical symptoms include:

Fatigue

Muscular tension

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 Headaches

Heart palpitations

Sleeping difficulties, such as insomnia

Gastrointestinal upsets, such as diarrhoea or constipation

Dermatological disorders.

Psychological symptoms include:

Depression

Anxiety

Discouragement

Irritability

Pessimism

Feelings of being overwhelmed and unable to cope

Cognitive difficulties, such as a reduced ability to concentrate or make decisions.

Behavioural symptoms include:

An increase in sick days or absenteeism

Aggression

Diminished creativity and initiative

A drop in work performance

Problems with interpersonal relationships

Mood swings and irritability

Lower tolerance of frustration and impatience

Disinterest

Isolation.

What are the main work-related stressors?

All the following issues have been identified as potential stressors at workplaces. A risk management
approach will identify which ones exist in your own workplace and what causes them. They include:

Organisation culture

Bad management practices

Job content and demands

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 Physical work environment

Relationships at work

Change management

Lack of support

Role conflict

Trauma.

Causes of work-related stress

Some of the factors that commonly cause work-related stress include:

Long hours

Heavy workload

Changes within the organisation

Tight deadlines

Changes to duties

Job insecurity

Lack of autonomy

Boring work

Insufficient skills for the job

Over-supervision

Inadequate working environment

Lack of proper resources

Lack of equipment

Few promotional opportunities

Harassment

Discrimination

Poor relationships with colleagues or bosses

Crisis incidents, such as an armed hold-up or workplace death.

Self-help for the individual

A person suffering from work-related stress can help themselves in a number of ways, including:

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 Think about the changes you need to make at work in order to reduce your stress levels and then
take action. Some changes you can manage yourself, while others will need the cooperation of
others.

Talk over your concerns with your employer or human resources manager.

Make sure you are well organised. List your tasks in order of priority. Schedule the most difficult
tasks of each day for times when you are fresh, such as first thing in the morning.

Take care of yourself. Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.

Consider the benefits of regular relaxation. You could try meditation or yoga.

Make sure you have enough free time to yourself every week.

Don’t take out your stress on loved ones. Instead, tell them about your work problems and ask for
their support and suggestions.

Drugs, such as alcohol and tobacco, won’t alleviate stress and can cause additional health
problems. Avoid excessive drinking and smoking.

Seek professional counselling from a psychologist.

If work-related stress continues to be a problem, despite your efforts, you may need to consider
another job or a career change. Seek advice from a career counsellor or psychologist.

Benefits of preventing stress in the workplace

Reduced symptoms of poor mental and physical health

Fewer injuries, less illness and lost time

Reduced sick leave usage, absences and staff turnover

Increased productivity

Greater job satisfaction

Increased work engagement

Reduced costs to the employer

Improved employee health and community wellbeing.

Work-related stress is a management issue

It is important for employers to recognise work-related stress as a significant health and safety issue.
A company can and should take steps to ensure that employees are not subjected to unnecessary
stress, including:

Ensure a safe working environment.

Make sure that everyone is properly trained for their job.

De-stigmatise work-related stress by openly recognising it as a genuine problem.

Discuss issues and grievances with employees, and take appropriate action when possible.

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Devise a stress management policy in consultation with the employees.

Encourage an environment where employees have more say over their duties, promotional
prospects and safety.

Organise to have a human resources manager.

Cut down on the need for overtime by reorganising duties or employing extra staff.

Take into account the personal lives of employees and recognise that the demands of home will
sometimes clash with the demands of work.

Seek advice from health professionals, if necessary.

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