MGT3002

Stress

In 1994, it was estimated that stress costs corporate America around $68 billion annually. Estimates

today peg the �gure at around $200 billion! Obviously, this is an increasing problem that needs to be

dealt with effectively and creatively. We generally state that effects of stress are negative but

ironically stress can also have positive effects. For example, when we work hard for a test, we feel some stress, but if the outcome is an excellent grade the experience rejuvenates and reenergizes us.

Stress may be caused by environmental, organizational, and individual factors.

Among the environmental factors, economic uncertainties are a signi�cant source of stress today.

Higher unemployment levels coupled with increasing levels of outsourcing of jobs to countries other

than America is certainly seen as a threat. In addition to this, the threat of terrorist strikes is causing a

good amount of stress today.

Demands of a task and role, the design of the job, the quality of leadership, and the very structure itself

are some of the organizational factors that induce stress. A job that offers little autonomy and limited

opportunity to participate in decisions always generates stress. Likewise, autocratic leadership and

work overload can create stress. In addition, individual factors, such as uncertainties in family

relationships and personal �nancial problems are common sources of stress.

Stress manifests in physiological symptoms, psychological symptoms, and behavioral symptoms.

Some people seem to be naturally more tolerant of stress than others. However, you have several kinds of options for managing stress levels. Walking, jogging, swimming, aerobics, yoga, and meditation are

quite well known methods to reduce stress levels and maintain good health and �tness. Perhaps more

important and more effective is building a network of social support. In fact, the absence of social

support may become a source of stress. Social support is about closeness and sharing—with family,

friends, and colleagues. Sharing of experiences, both positive and negative, on a continuous basis with

others works well to alleviate the symptoms of stress. If the individual is unable to share certain experiences, then simply writing them down and reviewing them can help reduce stress.

Certain issues creating stress may need to be kept out of the mind temporarily in order to be able to

come back later and examine the matter from a fresh perspective. Certain issues may also be dealt

with better by reviewing them in a different setting. For instance, some people can take a leisurely-

paced walk away from the setting of the stress to review and re�ect on the issues. For this a positive

commitment to one's own well-being is essential and serves as a form of invisible support. Without this commitment, no amount of activities and exercises will really be of much help.

More and more organizations today are recognizing the importance of investing in efforts to manage

and reduce stress. To this end, organizations have been successful with changes in structure and job

design, increased employee participation, improved communications, and training. In addition,

wellness programs that assist employees and managers in dealing with physical and psychological

conditions are also becoming popular.

Overall the management needs to accept that, like the inevitability of organizational con�ict, there is

also certain inevitability about stress in the workplace. Given this fact, it is also the responsibility of

management to invest in efforts and techniques to manage and reduce stress rather than leaving the

issue as a personal responsibility for the individual.

With this direction and with a personal willingness to monitor one's own well-being, stress need not be

as much of a source of concern for us.