Evoluation of Stress
Evoluation of Stress
Evoluation of Stress
Stress has been called “the invisible”. It is a disease that may affect you,
your organization, and any of the people in it, so you cannot afford to ignore it.
EVOLUATION OF STRESS:
The Garden of Eden began as a tranquil stress environment. However when
Adam was given the tantalizing chance to eat the forbidden fruit, he was trust into
mankind’s first stressful situation. Adam was offered a choice and, as we know,
decision-making is the breeding ground for conflict, frustration and distress.
DEFINITION:
Stress in individual is defined as any interference that disturbs a
persons’ healthy mental and physical well being. It occurs when the
body is required to perform beyond its normal range of capabilities.
Alarm Reaction: The first is the alarm phases. Here the individual
mobilizes to meet the threat. The alarm reaction has two phases. The first phases
includes in initial “stock shock phase” in which defensive mechanism become
active. Alarm reaction is characterized by autonomous excitability; adrenaline
discharges; increase heart rate, ulceration. Depending on the nature & intensity of
the threat and the condition of the organization the period of resistance varies and
the severity of symptoms may differ from “mild invigoration” to “disease of
adaptation”.
Resistance: The second is the phase of resistance. The individual attempts
to resist or cope with the threat. Maximum adaptation occurs during this stage. The
bodily signs characteristic of the alarm reaction disappear. It the stress persist, or
the defensive reaction proves ineffective, it may overwhelm the body resources.
Depleted of energy, the body enters the phase of third.
Exhaustion: Adaptation energy is exhausted. Sings of the alarm reaction
reappear, and the resistance level begins to define irreversibly. The organism
collapses.
Pestonjee has attempted / identified three important sectors of life in which
Stress originates. These are
Job and organization, refers to the totality of the work environment (task,
atmosphere, colleagues, compensation, policies, etc.). The social sector refers to
the other such factors. The Intrapsychic sector encompasses those things, which are
intimate, and persona, like temperament, values, abilities and health. It is
contended that stress can originate in any of these sectors or in combinations
thereof.
In the figure below it can be seen that the magnitude of stress emanating
from the stress to learner limit of the individual to handle these stress. This
indicates a balanced state.
ORGANIZATION-INDIVIDUAL NORMAL INTERACTION
PATTERN
S.T.L – STRESS TOLERANCE LEVEL
In the figure we find that job and organization loads have increased and have
made a dent in the personality. In this stage, we find minor surface changes taking
place, which are quite manageable.
In the stage three and the figure below, we find that job and organizational
loads have become unmanageable and interact with intrapsychic loads. This
is the stage at which he negative consequences of the stress become
apparent. Most of the stress related diseases emerge at this point. When the
situation persists we move into the next stage in which we start operating
beyond the “stress tolerance limit”.
MAJOR SURFACE DISFIGURATION
Frantic copying
1. Extra ordinary effort
2. Worry and anxiety about the self
3. Onset of physiological symptoms
4. Aggressive tendencies
Several types of breakdowns and cracks are observable in this stage i.e.,
fourth stage. If unchecked the situation may culminate into the last and most
intense phase wherein complete disintegration of personality takes place. At this
stage, the individual requires proper psychological and medical care. The figure
below depicts the fourth and fifth stage.
STRESSORS OR LOADS
B. Physiological symptoms
Headache / Migraine
Insomnia
Lack of appetite
Digestive disorders
Sexual disorders
Temperamental changes.
Pestonjee has also developed a model to explain how we cope with stress
reactions. It is called the BOUNCE model because the behavioral decomposition
taking place due to stress tense to get reflected in interpersonal reactions. The
reactions are received & analyzed by the environment, which in turn, bounce back
signals to the individuals to bring about a change either at the orgasmic level or at
the response level.
HONEYMOON STAGE:-
This stage can be describe as accounting for the euphoric feeling of
encounter with the new job such as excitement, enthusiasm, challenge and pride.
Dysfunctional features emerge in two ways first; the energy reverses are gradually
depleted in coping with the demands of a challenging environment. Second, habits
and strategies for coping with stress are formed in this stage which is often not
useful in coping with later challenges.
CRISIS STAGE:-
When these feelings and physiological symptoms persist over period of
time, the individual enters the stage of crisis. At this stage he develops “escape
mentality” and feels oppressed. Heightened pessimism, self-doubling tendencies,
peptic ulcers, tension headaches, chronic backaches, blood pressure.
TYPES OF STRESS:-
It the stress for the day to day adaptability of man to his environment
and results in the maintenance of internal steady state (homeostasis) it
is know as neustress. For example, one produces neustress in order to
breath, work.
Stress is through of in negative terms. It is thought to be caused by
something bad (for example the boss gives a formal reprimand for
poor performance). It the stress response is unfavorable and
potentially disease producing, this is known as distress. Constant
worry in a susceptible individual can lead to ulcers.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRESS:-
Stress affects as well as the individual within them. An organization with a
high level of absenteeism, rapid staff turnover, deteriorating industrial and
customer relations, a worsening safety record, or poor quality control is suffering
from organizational stress.
The cause may range from unclear or overlapping job descriptions, to lack of
communication, to poor working conditions, including “sick building syndrome”.
Environmental factors:
Just as environmental uncertainty influences the design of an organization.
Changes in business cycle create economic uncertainties.
Political uncertainties:
If the political system in a country is implemented in an orderly manner,
there would not be any type of stress.
Technological uncertainties:
New innovations can make an employee’s skills and experiences obsolete in
a very short period of time. Technological uncertainty therefore is a third type of
environmental factor that can cause stress. Computers, robotics, automation and
other forms of technological innovations are threat to many people and cause them
stress.
Organization factors:
There are no storages of factors within the organization that can cause stress;
pressures to avoid error or complete tasks in a limited time period, work overload
are few examples.
Task demands are factors related to a person’s job. They include the design
of the individual’s job working conditions, and the physical work layout.
Role ambiguity is created when role expectations are not clearly understood
and employee is not sure what he / she is to do.
Individual factors:
The typical individual only works about 40 hrs a week. The experience and
problems that people encounter in those other 128 non-work hrs each week can
spell over to the job.
Family problems:
National surveys consistently show that people hold family and discipline,
troubles with children are examples of relationship problems that create stress for
employee and that aren’t at the front door when they arrive at work.
Economic problems:
Economic problems created by individuals overextending their financial
resources are another set of personal troubles that can create stress for employees
and distract their attention from their work.
CAUSES OF STRESS
Society the working world and daily life have changed almost beyond
recognition in the past 50 years. These changes have contributed to a major
increase in stress.
Stress is caused from both outside & inside the organization & from groups
that employees are influenced by & from employees themselves.
Stressors:
The agents or demands that evoke the potential response are referred to as
stressors. According to Steel a stressors is “Whatever produces stress with or
without functioning hormonal or nervous systems”.
Organizational stressors:
Besides the potential stressors that occur outside the organization, there are
also those associated with the organization itself. Although the organization is
made up of groups & individuals, there are also more macro-level dimensions
unique to the organization that contains potential stressors.
MACRO-LEVEL ORGANIZATIONAL STRESSORS:
POLICIES
Unfair, arbitrary performance reviews.
Rotating works shifts.
Inflexible rules.
Unrealistic job descriptions.
STRUCTURES
Centralization; Lack of participation in decision making.
Little opportunity for advancement.
A great amount of formalization. JOB
Interdependence of departments. STRESS
Line-Staff conflicts.
PHYSICAL CONDITIONS
Crowding & lack of privacy.
Air pollution.
Safety hazards.
Inadequate lighting.
Excessive, heat or cold.
PROCESS
Poor communication.
Poor / inadequate feedback about performance.
Inaccurate / ambiguous measurement of performance.
Unfair control systems.
Inadequate information.
GROUP STRESSORS:
The group can also be a potential source of stress. Group stressors can be
categorized into three areas.
1. Lack of groups cohesiveness:-
“Cohesiveness” or “togetherness” is a very important to employees,
especially at the lower levels of the organizations. If the employee is denied
the opportunity for this cohesiveness because of the task design, because the
supervisor does things to prohibit or limit it, or because the other members
of the group shut the person out, this can be very stress producing.
2. Lack of social support:-
Employees are greatly affected by the support of one or more member of a
cohesive group. By sharing their problems & joys with others, they are much
better off. It this type of social support is lacking for an individual, it can be
very stressful.
3. Intra-Individual, interpersonal & inter-group conflict:-
Conflict is very closely conceptually or hostile acts between associated with
in compatible or hostile acts between intra-individual dimensions, such as
personal goals or motivational needs / values, between individuals within a
group, & between groups.
INDIVIDUAL STRESSORS:
In a sense, the other stressors (Extra organizational, organizational, & Group
stressors) all eventually get down to the individual level. For example, role
conflict, ambiguity, self-efficacy & psychological hardiness may all affect the level
of stress someone experiences.
CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS
The effect of stress is closely linked to individual personality. The same
level of stress affects different people in different ways & each person has different
ways of coping. Recognizing these personality types means that more focused help
can be given.
Stress shows itself number of ways. For instance, individual who is
experiencing high level of stress may develop high blood pressure, ulcers,
irritability, difficulty in making routine decisions, loss of appetite, accident
proneness, and the like. These can be subsumed under three categories:
Individual consequences
Organizational consequence
Burnout
Individual consequences:
Individual consequences of stress are those, which affect the individual
directly. Due to this the organization may suffer directly or indirectly, but it is the
individual who has to pays for it. Individual consequences of stress are broadly
divided into behavioral, psychological and medical.
Behavioral consequences of stress are responses that may harm the person
under stress or others. Behaviorally related stress symptoms include changes
in productivity, turnover, as well as changes in eating habits, increased
smoking or consumption of alcohol, paid speech, and sleep disorders.
Burnout:-
A final consequence of stress has implementation for both people and
organizations. Burnout is a general feeling of exhaustion that develops when an
individual simultaneously experiences too much pressure and few sources of
satisfaction.
Managing stress in the work place
Every responds to stress in a different way, it is only by understanding the
nature of individual responses that you can start fighting stress yourself and others.
Reduction or elimination of stress is necessary for psychological and
physical well being of an individual. Efficiency in stress management enables the
individual to deal or cope with the stressful situations instead of avoidance.
Strategies like tie management, body-mind and mind-body relaxation exercise,
seeking social support help individual improve their physical and mental resources
to deal with stress successfully.
Apart from helping employees adopt certain coping strategies to deal with
stress providing them with the service of counselor is also useful.
Many strategies have been developed to help manage stress in the work
place. Some are strategies for individuals, and other is geared toward
organizations.
Individual coping strategies are used when an employee under stress exhibits
undesirable behavior on the jobs such as performance, strained relationship with
co-workers, absenteeism alcoholism and the like. Employees under stress require
help in overcoming its negative effects. The strategies used are:
Exercise:-
One method by which individual can manage their stress is through exercise.
People who exercise regularly are known to less likely to have heart attacks than
inactive people are. Research also has suggested that people who exercise regularly
feel less tension and stress are more conflict and slow greater optimism.
Relaxation:-
A related method individual can manage stress is relaxation. Copying with
stress require adaptation. Proper relaxation is an effective way to adopt.
Relaxation can take many forms. One way to relax is to take regular vacations;
people can also relax while on the job (i.e. take regular breaks during their normal
workday). A popular way of resting is to sit quietly with closed eyes for ten
minutes every afternoon.
Time management:-
Time management is an often recommended method for managing stress, the
idea is that many daily pressures can be eased or eliminated if a person does a
better job of managing time. One popular approach to time management is to make
a list, every morning or the thins to be done that day. Then you group the items on
the list into three categories: critical activities that must be performed, important
activities that should be performed, and optimal or trivial things that can be
delegated or postponed, then of more of the important things done every day.
ROLE MANAGEMENT:-
Some what related to time management in which the individual actively
works to avoid overload, ambiguity and conflict.
SUPPORT GROUPS:-
This method of managing stress is to develop and maintain support group. A
support group is simply a group of family member or friends with whom a person
can spend time. Supportive family and friends can help people deal with normal
stress on an ongoing basis. Support groups can be particularly useful during times
of crisis.
BEHAVIORAL SELF-CONTROL:-
In ultimate analysis, effective management if stress presupposes exercise of
self-control on the part of an employee. By consciously analyzing the cause and
consequences of their own behavior, the employees can achieve self-control. They
can further develop awareness of their own limits of tolerance and learn to
anticipate their own responses to various stressful situations. The strategy involves
increasing an individuals control over the situations rather than being solely
controlled by them.
COGNITIVE THERAPY:-
The cognitive therapy techniques such as Elli’s rational emotive model and
Meichenbaum’s cognitive strategy fir modification have been used as an individual
strategy for reducing job stress.
COUNSELING:
Personal counseling help employees understand and appreciate a diverse
workforce, the holistic approach adopted by the counselor gives him a
comprehensive view of the employee as client and enable him to deal the issues of
work related problems in a larger context with his awareness of the inter-
relationship among problems in adjustment with self, other and environment and
that a work concern will effect personal life and vice-versa, the employee would
receive help regarding the problem in all life.
One of the advantage of the individual interventions is the individual can use
these skills to improve the quality of life in offer domains like family, social
support and self, thus reducing the negative carry of experiences in these domains
into the work life which might effect his occupation mental health.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES:-
The most effective way of managing stress calls for adopting stressors and
prevent occurrence of potential stressors.’
Two basic organizational strategies for helping employees manage stress are
institutional programs and collateral programs.
The organization’s culture can also used to help to manage stress. The
organization should strive to foster a culture that reinforces a healthy mix of work
and nonworking activities.
COLLATERAL PROGRAMS:
In addition to their institutional efforts aimed at reducing stress, many
organizations are turning to collateral programs. A collateral stress program in an
organizational program specifically created to help employees deal with stress. The
organizations have adopted stress management programs, health promotion
programs and other kinds of programs for this purpose.