What is stress
-Hans Selye: stress is primarily a psychological reaction to certain threatening environmental events * worker stress would simply refer to the stress caused by events in the work environment
-john French: the worker stress results from a lack of “fit” b/w a person skills and ability & demands of the job / workplace * unqualified for a job= increase levels of stress
3 different approaches to stress
* stressor: an environmental event that is perceived by an individual to be threatening * evaluation: individual characteristic, fit or skills, situation * reaction: physical, psychological
* worker stress: the physiology & / or psychological reaction to events that are perceived to be threatening or taxing
* stress can be both - (distress) & + (eustress) > - stress: overtime, deadlines, exams , papers, financiers > + stress wedding, child baring, graduation, promotion, anything that feels accomplishment, pride, & challenge
What is a strain?
Reaction or response to stressors
Physiological reaction to stress
- increase heart respiratory rates - increase blood pressure
-sweating - anxiety, fear, frustration
Illness related to stress
- ulcers - hypertension -coronary heart disease
-migraines - asthma attacks - colitis - increase absenteeism
-mental strains - fatigue - anxiety - depression
Sources of stress
-environmental: situational
-personal characteristic: disposition
-situational stress: stress arising from certain conditions that exist in the work environment or in the workers personal life
-stress at home, school, interpersonal relationship, or work
-stress at home can spill over to work & visa versa
Stressful occupation
-slang term “ going postal”
-curtain occupations are more prone to stress
-stress can be divided into 2 categories:
* organizational: stress comes from the work environment & can be broken into 2 subcategories: > stress derived from work tasks & stress resulting from work roles
* individual: stress includes a person’s history of expose to stress as well as certain stress related personalities characteristic & behavior patterns >evidence that certain personalities traits make people more prone to stress (and stress related illness) & some characteristics seem to make people more resistant to stress & it - outcome
Organizational sources of work stress: situational stressors
- common stressor at work: >physical/ task stressor like noise may not be aware of impact >demands in terms of hrs & rate of work >cumulative
-2 types of situational stressors: work tasks & work role stressor
Work task stressors
-Work overload,( aka role overload) which results when a job requires excessive speed, output, or concentration > believed to be one of the greatest source of work stress * psychological: serum cholesterol & increase heart rate * have technology related work overload such as email overload underutilization -Underutilization, resulting from workers feeling that their knowledge, skills, or energy are not being fully used * college graduates in low level clerical or customer service positions * Some individual may be more susceptible to stress relating to underutilizing than others.
Work role stressors
-Job ambiguity, which results from a lack of clearly defined jobs and/or work tasks * unsure of their responsibilities & duties stress can result * sometimes referred as “job uncertainty” * supervision need to clarify roles & duties to alleviate stress / confusion * ex: worker job may require overtime that conflict w/ the
