stress management

1. STRESS
By: Ashutosh Shukla

2. Introduction
❖Stress is a situation that triggers a particular biological response. In a medical or biological context stress
is a physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. Stresses can be external
(from the environment, psychological, or social situations) or internal (illness, or from a medical
procedure).
❖Stress can initiate the "fight or flight" response.
❖Stress is defined as “a state of psychological and physiological imbalance resulting from the disparity
between situational demand and the individual's ability and motivation to meet those needs.”

3. Dr. Hans Selye, one of the leading authorities on the concept of stress, described stress as “the rate of all wear and
tear caused by life.”
Stress can be positive or negative:
• Stress is positive or good when the situation offers an opportunity to a person to gain something. It acts as a
motivator for peak performance. Positive stress is known as Eustress.
• Stress is negative when a person faces social, physical, organizational and emotional problems. Negative stress
is known as Distress.
Factors that are responsible for causing stress are called stressors.

4. Definitions
• According to Levi, “Stress is caused by a multitude of demands (stressors), such as an inadequate fit
between what we need and what we are capable of, and what our environment offers and what it
demands of us”.
• Roger described stress as a “pre-occupation with the negative emotion following the event”.
• Stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to
these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.

5. Causes of Organizational Stress
• Career Concern: If an employee feels that he is very much behind in the corporate ladder, then he may
experience stress. If he seems that there are no opportunities for self-growth, he may experience stress.
Hence, unfulfilled career expectations are the significant source of stress.
• Role Ambiguity: It occurs when the person doesn't know 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. It creates
confusion in the minds of the worker and results in stress.
• Rotating Work Shifts: Stress may occur in those individuals who work on different work shifts.
Employees may be expected to work on day shift for some days and then on the night shift. That 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. • Role Conflict: It takes place when people have different expectations from the person performing a particular role.
It can also occur if the job is not as per expectation, or when a job demands a certain type of behavior that is against
the person's moral values.
• Occupational Demands: Some jobs are more demanding than others. Jobs that involve risk, and danger are more
stressful. Research findings indicate, job that cause stress needs constant monitoring of equipments and devices,
unpleasant physical conditions, making decisions, etc.
• 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 ask the concerned employees before taking a
decision. That develops a feeling of being neglected, which may lead to stress.
• Poor Working Conditions: Employees may be subject to poor working conditions. It would include bad lighting
and ventilation, unhygienic sanitation facilities, excessive noise, and dust, presence of toxic gasses and fumes,
inadequate safety measures, etc. All these unpleasant conditions create physiological and psychological imbalance
in humans thereby causing stress.

7. • Work Overload: Excessive workload leads to stress as it puts a person under tremendous pressure. Work overload
may take two different forms:
a. Qualitative work overload implies performing a job that is complicated or beyond the employee's capacity.
b. Quantitative work overload is a result of many activities performed in a prescribed time.
• Work Underload: In this, case, too little work or very easy 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.
• Lack of Group Cohesiveness: Every group is characterized by its cohesiveness, although they differ widely in its
degree. Individuals experience stress when there is no unity among work group members. There are mistrust,
jealousy, frequent quarrels, etc., in groups and this lead to stress to employees.
• Interpersonal and Intergroup Conflict: These conflicts take 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 for group
members.

8. • Organizational Changes: When changes occur, people have to adapt to those changes, and this may
cause stress. Stress is higher when changes are significant or unusual like transfer or adoption of new
technology.
• 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.

9. Causes of Personal Stress
Sometimes people may suffer from stress that isn't caused by work-related issues but instead has an external cause
from their personal life. Common external causes of stress include:
• Relationship difficulties or a divorce
• Serious illness in the family
• Caring for dependents such as children or elderly relatives
• Bereavement
• Moving house
• Debt problems

10. Strategies to cope with organizational stress
• Supportive Organizational Climate: Many of the organizational stressors emerge because of faulty
organizational processes and practices. To a very great extent, these can be controlled by creating supportive
organizational climate.
• Job Enrichment: A major source of stress is the monotonous and disinteresting jobs being performed by
executives in the organization. Jobs can be enriched through more rational designing of jobs.
• Organizational Role Clarity: People experience stress when they are not clear about what they are expected to do
in the organization. This may happen because either there is ambiguity in the role or there is role conflict. Role
analysis technique helps both managers and executives to analyze what the job entails and what the expectations
are. Breaking down the job to its various components clarifies the role of the job incumbent for the entire system.
This helps to eliminate imposing unrealistic expectations on the individual. Role ambiguity, role conflict, and role
overload can be minimized, consequently leading to reduced stress.

11. Career Planning and Counseling: Career planning and counseling helps the executives to obtain professional advice
regarding career paths that would help them to achieve personal goals. A variety of career counseling programmes can
be adopted:
i. devices designed to aid the individuals in self-assessment and increased self-understanding;
ii. devices designed to communicate opportunities available to individuals;
iii. career counseling through interview by managers, counseling professionals and personnel and educational
specialists;
iv. workshops and educational activities designed to assist the individuals in goal setting and establishing action plan
for change;
v. educational and experimental programmes to prepare individuals with skills and knowledge for new activities and
new careers;
vi. programmes for enhancing the individuals opportunities to make job and career changes.
Various career planning and counseling programmes for individuals go a long way in providing them satisfaction and
reducing the stress.

12. • Stress Control Workshops: Organizations can organize periodical workshops for control and
reduction of stress. Such workshops may help individuals to learn the dynamics of stress and methods
of overcoming its ill effects.
• Employee Assistance Programme: Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is a specifically, designed
programme to solve the personal problems of executives. These problems may be due to job stress or of
other types like legal, marital, financial or health-related. Since these problems ultimately affect
employee performance, to help executives deal with these personal problems, more and more
organizations are implementing employee assistance programmes.

13. Strategies to cope with personal stress
• Physical Exercise: Physical exercise is a good strategy to get body fit and to overcome stress. Physical
exercises of different types such as, walking, jogging, swimming; playing, etc. are good methods of
overcoming stress. The role of Yoga, a scientific technique of physical exercise to keep body fit and to
overcome stress.
• Work-home transition: Work-home transition is also like a relaxation technique. For instance, during
the last 5 hours of work, the person can review the day’s activities; list the priorities of the activities that
need to be attended to the next day. Thus, he can finish his day’s work and come back in relaxed
manner.

14. • Relaxation: Impact of stress can be overcome by relaxation. The relaxation can be simple one or some
specific techniques of relaxation such as biofeedback and meditation.
• Cognitive Therapy: Because of increasing stress, special cognitive therapy techniques have been
developed by psychologists. In these techniques, lectures and interactive discussion sessions are arranged
to help participants.
• Networking: Networking is the formation of close associations with trusted, empathetic coworkers and
colleagues who are good listeners and confident builders. Such persons provide mental support to get the
person through stressful situation.

15. Job Burnout
Introduction
Job burnout is a special type of work-related stress — a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also
involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.
"Burnout" isn't a medical diagnosis. Some experts think that other conditions, such as depression, are
behind burnout. Some research suggests that many people who experience symptoms of job burnout don't
believe their jobs are the main cause. Whatever the cause, job burnout can affect your physical and mental
health. Consider how to know if you've got job burnout and what you can do about it.

16. Causes of Job Burnout
• Lack of control. An inability to influence decisions that affect your job — such as your schedule, assignments or
workload — could lead to job burnout. So could a lack of the resources you need to do your work.
• Unclear job expectations. If you're unclear about the degree of authority you have or what your supervisor or others
expect from you, you're not likely to feel comfortable at work.
• Dysfunctional workplace dynamics. Perhaps you work with an office bully, or you feel undermined by colleagues or
your boss micromanages your work. This can contribute to job stress.
• Extremes of activity. When a job is monotonous or chaotic, you need constant energy to remain focused — which can
lead to fatigue and job burnout.
• Lack of social support. If you feel isolated at work and in your personal life, you might feel more stressed.
• Work-life imbalance. If your work takes up so much of your time and effort that you don't have the energy to spend
time with your family and friends, you might burn out quickly.

17. Consequences of Job Burnout
• Excessive stress
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Sadness, anger or irritability
• Alcohol or substance misuse
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Vulnerability to illnesses

18. Dealing with Job Burnout
• Evaluate your options. Discuss specific concerns with your supervisor. Maybe you can work together to change
expectations or reach compromises or solutions. Try to set goals for what must get done and what can wait.
• Seek support. Whether you reach out to co-workers, friends or loved ones, support and collaboration might help
you cope. If you have access to an employee assistance program, take advantage of relevant services.
• Try a relaxing activity. Explore programs that can help with stress such as yoga, meditation or tai chi.
• Get some exercise. Regular physical activity can help you to better deal with stress. It can also take your mind off
work.
• Get some sleep. Sleep restores well-being and helps protect your health.
• Mindfulness. Mindfulness is the act of focusing on your breath flow and being intensely aware of what you're
sensing and feeling at every moment, without interpretation or judgment. In a job setting, this practice involves
facing situations with openness and patience, and without judgment. Keep an open mind as you consider the
options. Try not to let a demanding or unrewarding job undermine your health.

19. Acute Stress
Many workers experience acute stress from time to time. This is fleeting stress that arises as a
result of different upsetting situations. Once the stressful situation has passed, the accompanying
stress usually dissipates. For example, you may experience acute stress during the days or hours
right before a big deadline at work, but once your assignment has been turned in, you feel more
relaxed.
According to the American Psychological Association, if you experience muscle tension,
stomach upset, and rapid heartbeat, you may be experiencing acute stress. Don’t despair, though.
One can manage symptoms of acute stress by practicing relaxation exercises, such as deep
breathing and meditation, going for a walk, listening to music, or taking an early lunch break. It
is also advisable to get out and get moving so that you can temporarily focus on something other
than the stressor.