Stress and coping

1. Stress and coping

2. What is Stress? Appraisal Coping Reappraisal Stressor (Stimulus) Acute/chronic/ hassle/ (Temporal dimension) Positive/ negative Strain or well being or both (Response) ADAPTATION Personality traits as moderators Type A Locus of control Optimism Self-efficacy

3. Potential stressor Lazarus and Folkman Process Model of coping Primary appraisal: What is the meaning of this event? How will it affect my well-being? Event irrelevant Event stressful Event benign-positive Threat Harm Challenge Socio-ecological coping resources Personal coping resources Secondary appraisal: What can I do? What will it cost? What do I expect the outcome to be? Coping strategies Emotion-focused strategies Problem-focused strategies Reappraisal: Has the stress changed? Am I feeling better? Outcome

4. Stress arises when the demands of a situation/experience/event are appraised by the individual as about to tax or exceed the resources available, thereby threatening well-being • Disruption in normal functioning • Resolution of the disruption • Coping – efforts to master, reduce or tolerate the demands created by a stressful transaction

5. Components of strain • Physiological • Cardiovascular symptoms, biochemical reactions, gastrointestinal symptoms • Degeneration due to chronic exposures • Psychological • Dissatisfaction • Anxiety and irritability • Depression • Emotional exhaustion and fatigue • Anger • Burnout

6. Behavioural • Self-damaging behaviours (drug/alcohol abuse) • Organisational disruptions (absenteeism, errors, vandalism)

7. Components of well-being • Self-acceptance • Mastery • Autonomy • Positive relationships • Personal growth • Purpose in life

8. Workplace stressors • Factors intrinsic to the job • Work conditions (temperature, furniture/layout, risks/hazards) • Shifts • Hours of work • Travel • Technology • Overload (qualitative/quantitative) • Job design elements • Roles in the organisation • Ambiguity • Conflict • Responsibility for people • Overload/underload

9. Relationships at work • Boss • Subordinates • Colleagues • Career development issues • Job security • Job performance and advancement • Inequity • Victimisation • Ethical dilemmas • Organisational structure/processes, culture, etc • Home-work interface

10. Case discussion • Now that you have understood yourself, be Amy. Do you feel that you can help Scott – Why/why not? How can you help him?

11. As a manager, you need to manage your own stress and help those working with you to manage theirs. How would you do this? • Personal level interventions • Organisation level interventions

12. Managing stress – personal strategies • Lifestyle issues - exercise, diet, sleep, substance use and relaxation (meditation and biofeedback) • Leisure and hobbies (Work-life balance) • Prioritising and time management • Social support • Spiritual resources • In the workplace – delegation, mentoring, role negotiation

13. Managing stress – organisational strategies • Create comfortable working conditions – physical environment, organisational processes and practices - (as far as possible), including an atmosphere of support and avenues for redressal • Match individuals with tasks (and train them for growth) • Clarify employee roles • Assign mentors to employees • Offer job security/ensure employability • Offer flexitime • Provide on-site care facilities for dependents • Provide stress and time management training • On-site exercise and relaxation facilities/training • Employee assistance programs (counselling)

14. Optimal Stress Curve (Yerkes-Dodsen Curve) Maximum Performance Eustress Distress Distress High Poor Poorperformance Poor performance Low (underaroused, bored) Moderate (optimally aroused) High (overaroused, overwhelmed) Stress (Emotional Arousal)

15. General Adaptation Syndrome Key: 1 Shock 2 Counter-shock 3 Resistance 4 Collapse 1 2 3 4 Normal resistance level to a stressor Alarm Resistance Collapse

16. Enhancing well-being at work – organisational interventions • Primary level interventions – eliminate/reduce stressors, target organisation/job related factors • Job design, physical environment, structure, processes/practices, supportive/compassionate climate • Secondary interventions – stress management training to alleviate strain and enhance well-being through improving coping, target the individual, most commonly used • Relaxation, meditation, yoga, time management, cognitive restructuring

17. Tertiary level interventions – rehabilitation of individuals who have suffered ill-health (physical/mental) due to strain • Counselling, medical help

18. Developed via: Basch, A.J., & Fisher, C.D.(2004) Development and validation of measure of hassles & uplifts at work. Academy of Management meeting. New orleans Beresford, B. (1994) Resources & Strategies: How parents cope with the care of disabled child. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry,35, 171-209. Cooper, C.L., Dewe, P.J, O’Driscoll, M.P. (2001). Organizational Stress. London :Sage Fredrikson, B (2000). Cultivating positive emotion to optimise health and well being. Prevention & Treatment,3. Lazarus, R.S. (1991) Psychological stress in the workplace. Journal of Social Behaviour & Personality, 6, 1-13

19. References • George, J. M. & Jones, G. R. 1999. Understanding and Managing Organizational Behavior, (Second Edition). Reading: MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. • Kahn, R. L., & Byosiere, P. 1998. Stress in organizatinoa. In Dunnette, M. D., & Hough, L. M. (Eds.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology (Volume 3: 571-650. Mumbai: Jaico Publishing House. • Robbins, S. P. 1996. Organizational behavior: Concepts, controversies, applications. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India.