Stress

A demand on mind and body

Only One Group of People Have No Stress

General Adaptation Syndrome

Demand-Control Model of stress

Active
(EUSTRESS)

Low

Passive

High Strain
(DYSTRESS)

Low

High

Job Control

High

Low Strain

Job Demands

Effort-Reward Imbalance Model

Overcommitment

High Effort

Low Reward

Demands
Obligations

Pay
Esteem

Effect of work stress

Psychological affect (depression)

Cognition (cognitive failures)
Physical immune suppression,
Behavioral substance use, lifestyle factors,
Organizational absenteeism, presenteeism,
turnover,
job
performance,
safety,
interpersonal relations

Causes of stress

Work load and Pace

Role Stressors
Career issues
Interpersonal
Workplace violence
Role conflict
Personality factors-Predisposition to stress,
Workaholism, Type A- Type B personality,
Hardiness

Approaches to Tackling Work-related Stress

Prevention
Identifying and acting on the causes of stress
Stress Risk Assessments
Management
Giving staff the skills to cope / manage
Treatment
Professional medical and psychological support

Maintaining Work-Life Balance

Focus on what is truly important.

Take advantage of work-related options.
Protect non-work time.
Manage your personal time.
Set aside specific time each week for recreation.

Organizational Stress Management

Increase individuals autonomy and control

Ensure that individuals are compensated properly
Maintain job demands/requirements at healthy levels
Ensure that associates have adequate skills to keep
up-to-date with technical changes in the workplace
Increase associate involvement in important decision
making
Improve physical working conditions
Provide for job security and career development
Provide healthy work schedules
Improve communication to help avoid uncertainty and
ambiguity

Coping strategies
Positive self talk,
Visualization uses imagination to put positive messages
into action
Relaxation techniques
Enough sleep and exsercise
Avoid getting angry over things you can't change
Learn how to say 'no' to unreasonable demands
Put 20 minutes 'me time' in your diary every day
Accept the fact that you can't be 'all things to all people'
Have one 'arrangement free' weekend every month
Eat healthy

Resilience
The positive psychological capacity to rebound, or bounce back
from adversity, uncertainty, conflict or failure

Factors associated with resilience

- Self efficacy
- Social support conflict skills
- Personal ethics
- Optimism
- Education

Striking for Stress at Verizon

Issues:
Constant monitoring
Promised training didnt happen
Pressure to sell to every customer
Call center perceived as a gold-plated sweatshop

Settlement changes:
Advanced notification of monitoring
Monitoring only during regular hours
Face-to-face feedback
Permission to be away for 30 minutes
Formation of a committee
Funding for work-family support programs
Team vs. individual performance measures
Split shifts and job sharing
Limits on overtime