Copyright ©2009 South-Western, a division of Cengage Learning All rights reserved Chapter 7 Organizational Behavior Nelson & Quick, 6 th edition Stress

Copyright ©2009South-Western, a division

of Cengage Learning All rights reserved

Chapter 7 Organizational

BehaviorNelson & Quick,

6th edition

Stress and Well-Being At Work



What is Stress?

Stress - the unconscious preparation to fight or flee that a person experiences when faced with any demand

Stressor - the person or event that triggers the stress response

Distress - the adverse psychological, physical, behavioral, and organizational consequences that may arise as a result of stressful events

Strain – distress



What is Homeostasis?

Homeostasis – a steady state of bodily functioning and equilibrium

Photos courtesy of Clips Online ©2008 Microsoft Corporation



4 Stress Approaches: Homeostatic/Medical Approach

Homeostasis External environmental

demand+ =

Fight

Flight




• Individuals differ in their appraisal of events & people

• What is stressful for one person is not for another

• Perception and cognitive appraisal determines what is stressful

4 Stress Approaches: Cognitive Appraisal Approach



4 Stress Approaches: Cognitive Appraisal Approach

Problem-focused copingemphasizes managing the stressor

Emotion-focused copingemphasizes managing your response

Coping with Stress




• No undue stress • Good person-environment fit: a person’s

skills & abilities match a clearly defined, consistent set of role expectations

• Stress, strain, and depression occur when– Role expectations are confusing and/or

conflicting– Person’s skills & abilities do not meet the

demands of the social role

4 Stress Approaches: Person-Environment Fit Approach



4 Stress Approaches: Psychoanalytic Approach

= the difference between ego ideal and

self-image

Self-Image - how a person sees oneself,

both positively & negatively

Ego Ideal - the embodiment of a

person’s perfect self

! ?




The StressResponse • Blood redirected from the

skin & internal organs to brain and large muscles

• Increased alertness: improved vision, hearing, & other sensory responses

• Release of glucose & fatty acids for sustenance

• Depression of immune system, digestion, & similar restorative processes

Release of chemical

messengers, primarily

adrenaline, into the

bloodstream

Sympathetic nervous system

& theendocrine

(hormone) system activated



Sources of Stress at WorkWork Demands

Task Demands Role Demands Change Lack of control Career progress New technologies Time pressure

Role conflict: - Interrole - Intrarole - Person-role

Role ambiguity Interpersonal Demands Physical Demands

Emotional toxins Sexual harassment Poor leadership

Extreme environments Strenuous activities Hazardous substances Global travel



Stress Sources at Work

Nonwork Demands

Home Demands Personal Demands Family expectations Child-rearing/day care arrangements Parental care

Workaholism Civic and volunteer work Traumatic events

Workaholism – an imbalanced preoccupation with work at the expense of home and personal life satisfaction



Stress Benefits and CostsBenefits of Eustress (Healthy, Normal Stress)

Performance Health Increased arousal Bursts of physical strength Full engagement

Cardiovascular efficiency Balance in the nervous system Enhanced focus in an emergency

Costs of Distress Individual Organizational

Psychological disorders Medical illnesses Behavioral problems

Participation problems Performance decrements Compensation awards



Yerkes-Dodson LawPerformance arousal

High

LowLow

(distress)Optimum(eustress)

High(distress)

Stress level

Boredom fromunderstimulation

Optimumstress load

Conditions perceived

as stressful

Distress fromoverstimulation



Positive Stress

• Stress response itself is neutral

• Some stressful activities (aerobic exercise, etc.) can provide an energy boost to enhance a person’s ability to manage stressful demands or situations




Negative Stress

Negative stress results from– a prolonged activation of

the stress response– mismanagement of

the energy induced by the response

– unique personal vulnerabilities




Work-related psychological disorders(depression, burnout,

psychosomatic disorders)

Medical illness

(heart disease, strokes,

headaches, backaches)

Behavioral problems(substance abuse,

violence, accidents)

Individual Distress



Organizational Distress

Participative Problems - a cost associated with absenteeism, tardiness, strikes & work stoppages, & turnover

Performance Decrement - a cost resulting from poor quality or low quantity of production, grievances, & unscheduled machine downtime & repair

Compensation Award - an organizational cost resulting from court awards for job distress



Dealing with Stress

Achilles’ heel phenomenon –

a person breaks down at his or her weakest

point

Backaches

HeadachesHeart Disease

DepressionPhotos courtesy of Clips Online ©2008 Microsoft Corporation



Are There Gender-Related Stressors?

Sexual harassment

Early age fatal health problems

Long term disabling health problems

Violence




Type A Behavior Patterns

Type A Behavior Patterns - a complex of personality and behavior characteristics– Competitiveness– Time urgency– Social status

insecurity– Aggression– Hostility– Quest for

achievementsPhotos courtesy of Clips Online ©2008 Microsoft Corporation



Personality HardinessPersonality Hardiness - a personality

resistant to distress & characterized by –commitment (versus alienation) –control (versus powerlessness) –challenge (versus threat)

Transformational Coping - a way of managing stressful events by changing them into subjectively less stressful events (versus regressive coping - passive avoidance of events by decreasing interaction with the environment)



Self-Reliance

Self-Reliance - a healthy, secure, interdependent pattern of behavior related to how people form and maintain supportive attachments with others

Counterdependence - an unhealthy, insecure pattern of behavior that leads to separation in relationships with other people

Overdependence - an unhealthy, insecure pattern of behavior that leads to preoccupied attempts to achieve security through relationships



Preventative Stress Management - an organizational philosophy that holds that people & organizations should take joint responsibility for promoting health and preventing distress & strain

Preventative Stress Management




Primary Prevention - designed to reduce, modify, or eliminate the demand or stressor causing stress

Secondary Prevention - designed to alter or modify the individual’s or the organization’s response to a demand or stressor

Tertiary Prevention - designed to heal individual or organizational symptoms of distress & strain

Stages in Preventative Stress Management



DistressIndividual problems• Behavioral •Medical• PsychologicalOrganizational costs• Direct • Indirect

Symptomaticdisease

Tertiary Prevention:symptom directed

Preventative Stress Maintenance

Stress responses• Individual• Organizational

Asymptomaticdisease

Secondary Prevention:response directed

Organizational stressors• Task demands• Role demands• Physical demands• Interpersonal demands

Health risk factors

Primary Prevention:

stressor directed

SOURCE: Based on J. D. Quick, J. C. Quick, and D.L. Nelson. “The Theory of Preventive Stress Management in Organizations,” in C. L. Cooper, ed. Theories of Organizational Stress (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. 1998), 246-268.

Organizational Context Preventive Medicine Context



Organizational Stress Prevention

• Primary prevention – Job redesign– Goal setting– Role negotiation– Career management

• Secondary Prevention– Team building– Social support at work



Job Strain ModelUnresolved

strain(ill health)

WorkloadLow High

Self-determination

Lo

wH

igh

Activejob

SOURCE: B. Gardell, “Efficiency and Health Hazards in Mechanized Work,” in J. C. Quick, R.S. Bhagat, J. E. Dalton, and J. D. Quick, eds., Work Stress: Health Care Systems in the Workplace. Copyright © 1987. Reproduced with permission of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., Westport, CT.

Passivejob

High-s

train

job

Low-stra

in jo

b



Social Support at Work & Home

Individual

OrganizationalSupervisorColleagues

SubordinatesClients

FamilySpouse ChildrenParents In-laws

Church/ Synagogue/MosqueMinister/Rabbi/Priest

FriendsSupport groups

ClubsBusiness

SocialAthletic

ProfessionalPhysicians

PsychologistsCounselors

Lawyers

SOURCE: From J. C. Quick J. D. Quick, D. L. Nelson and J. J. Hurrell, Jr., in Preventive Stress Management in Organizations, 1997, p. 198. Copyright© 1997 by The American Psychological Association. Reprinted with permission.



Individual Preventive Stress Management

Primary Prevention Positive thinking: Optimistic, nonnegative self-talk that reduces

depression Time management: Improves planning & prioritizes activities Leisure-time activity: Balances work & non-work activities

Secondary Prevention Physical exercise: Improves cardiovascular function & muscular

flexibility Relaxation training: Lowers all indicators of the stress response Diet: Lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease &

improves overall physical health

Tertiary Prevention Opening up: Releases internalized traumas & emotional

tensions Professional help: Provides information, emotional support, &

therapeutic guidance



What Can Managers Do?

• Learn how to create healthy stress without distress

• Help employees adjust to new technologies• Be sensitive to early signs of distress• Be aware of gender, personality, and

behavioral differences• Use principles and methods of preventive

stress management



Chapter 7: Reflect & Discuss

Meet the Parents Video Clip

What to Watch for and Ask Yourself• Does Greg experience the stress response

during this scene? What evidence appears in the scene?

• Does he experience distress or eustress?• Why does Greg respond so harshly to the simple

request to check his bag?

Documents

Copyright ©2009 South-Western, a division of Cengage Learning All rights reserved Chapter 7 Organizational Behavior Nelson & Quick, 6 th edition Stress