Stress

Stress is the excessive pressure placed on the people from the extraordinary demands, constraints or opportunities.

Types of the Stress

• Eustress- When the stress is in the form of productive or functional, it known as eustress, for instance, stress for the innovation or for creativity, taking risk for entrepreneurial activities or in Olympic competitions.

• Dis-stress- When stress is in the form of dysfunctional, it is known as dis-stress, for instance, stress due to overloaded, inability to perform the task and due to conflicts.

Causes of the Stress

• Extra organizational Stressors- sudden crisis, technological or societal changes, financial crisis, family, relocation, economic condition.

• Organizational Stressors- administrative policies and strategies, organizational structure and design, working condition, and task structure. Employees feel stress due to downsizing, restructuring and reengineering in an organization.

• Group Stressors- Group cohesiveness and social support

• Individual factors- Personality traits often responsible for developing the stress on an individual. Personality traits such as supportiveness, emotionality, anxiety are related to the individual stress.

Organizational

Stress

Group Stress

Individual Stress

Extra Organizati

onal Stress

Stress

Symptoms of Stress

• Physical –• Increased heart rate and blood pressure• Sudden increase or decrease in weight• High breathing rate• Headache and body ache, fatigue• Reduction in the immune system of the body• Weak digestive system and occurrence of acidity

• Psychological – Job dissatisfaction– Hypertension– Always confused mind set and unable to take

decisions– Lacking of concentration– Appearance of procrastination

Behavior- • Increased absenteeism• Reduction of the employee productivity • Conflict among the team members• Lacking of organizational commitment• Under eating or over eating • Increased smoking or drinking or drug

abuse

The Yerkes – Dodson Curve

• Yerkes and Dodson defined the relationships between the Eustress and Distress and impact on the health and performance of the worker

• When the degree of the stress exceeds an optimum level eustress will be converted into distress.

Maximum Performance

Low

HighPoor Performance

Poor Performance

Eustress Distress

Good

Poor

Inverted-U Relationship between Stress and Job Performance

E X H I B I T 18–10E X H I B I T 18–10

Half of the corporate sector workforce unwell

A study by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India

( Assocham), said 54 per cent of the workforce in IT and ITES sectors were afflicted with depression, severe headaches, obesity, chronic backache, spondylitis, diabetes and hypertension.

Psychology Aspects of Stress

1. Elizabeth -Kubler- Ross: Not full filled expectations

2. Viktor Frankl Model- Anger produces urge to fight and fear produces urge to flight( to hide or run away)

3. Wayne Dyer Model- Guilt and worry

4. Leo Buscaglia- Need for love

5. Abraham Moslow- Hierarchy of Needs

Coping strategies for Stress

1. Individual coping strategies

• Routine Exercise- walking, jogging, swimming, yoga

• Time Management –

• Making a list of activities to be accomplished

• Prioritize the activities of each day which are most urgent

• Relaxation techniques- meditation, hypnosis and biofeedback

2. Organizational coping strategies- job demands, organizational structure and working condition responsible

• Selection criteria

• Training and development

• Goal setting approach

• Redesign the job • Effective communication • Employees development programs or wellness

programs-Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. Has started varieties of the clubs like Theatre Club, Fitness Club, Music Club, and Community Services Club for the wellness activities. Infosys Technologies Ltd. gives emphasis on the self-awareness and provides guidelines how to cope with stress through workshops from experts.

Burnouts

Prolonged stress causes the burnout • Reduction of the physical energy• Emotional exhaustion• Weaker immune system of the body and

increase susceptibility cold, flu and minor illnesses.

• Losing interest to maintain the interpersonal relationships

• Development of pessimistic attitude • Inefficiency at work

Difference between the stress and burnout

• Stress is caused by the over engagement of activities either personal or professional

• Existence of over reactive emotions

• Individuals are more proactive and perform activities with hesitate

• Appearance of physical fatigue due to loss of energy

• Primary symptoms are physical in nature

• It is caused by the disengagement in life and feeling of empty in an individual

• Lack of the emotions • Individuals are helpless

and hopeless• Loss of motivation, dull

behavior• Primary symptoms are

psychological in nature

Causes of the burnout

• Work related causes of burnouts- are as follows-

– Lack of the recognition in organization– Lack of role clarity– Unchallenging work– Lack of ability-job fit principle for an

employee– High working pressure

• Individual related causes of burnouts-are as follows-

– Hectic schedule without any relaxation– Lack of the social life– Imbalance between the professional and

personal life

• Personality traits related causes of burnouts- are as follows

– Lack of the self esteem– Lack of confidence and pessimistic attitude

towards the life– Type A personality

Strategies to cope with the burnouts

• Get a break

• Get support

• Concentrate on a Vision

Time Management

• Donald Wetmore, President of Productivity institute defines, “Time Management is the foundation for creating balance in our lives in vital areas, such as health and family”

Time Wasters

1. Internal time- wasters • Personal disorientation- how managers

organize their work place, cabin, desks, attending the telephonic calls, attend to the visitors

• Procrastination-is a process to postpone or avoidance of taking decisions fro important activities due to difficulty, unpleasant, and chances of failure.

• Large intensity of socialization • Lack of the communication

2. External time wasters• No. of meetings • Interruptions-Phone calls

– Visitors- Visitors can be categorized into two groups- Internal External

• Excessive usage of internet

Time Logs

This is a technique for analyzing the duration of time spends in each an every activity by the employees in an organization. This can be implemented for daily, weekly, fortnightly, and monthly.

Time abusers

• It refers an attitude or behavior that reflects procrastination due to the fear of evaluation of his /her work or being a questioned about his/her performance.

Removal of Time Abusers

• Pareto Principle on Time Management

According to this principle a small number of causes (20 %) are responsible for a large number of results (80%).

• 20% of the defects cause 80 % of problems.• 20% of efforts decide your 80% of the success.• 20% of the work consumes 80% of time and

resources in project management.

Time Management Skills

• Organize and execute priorities.• Make out the list of the activities that are important but

don’t come into the category of urgency. Such as training to subordinates, strengthening the relationships, keeping one physically fit and so on.

• Always doing the right things rather than doing things right.

• Always focus on your role identity and try to keep a balance among the key roles. Beside the manager, individual may has other roles as son/daughter, spouse, siblings, friends, and so on.

Basic Rules for Time Management

• Goal setting

• Covey’s Method- Stephen R. Covey described urgent-important relationships at work place

• Urgent

• Activities

• Crisis

• Important Pressing problems

• Deadline-driven projects

• Meetings

• Preparation

• Not Urgent

• Activities

• Prevention, training, anticipating problems

• Relationship building

• Planning

• Recreation

• Important

• Activities

• Not ImportantInterruptions- Phone calls, meetings

• Proximate, pressing Activities matters

• Popular activities

• Not Important

• Activities

• Trivia

• Busy Work

• Time wasters escape activities

• Junk mails

• Make daily priority list

• Maximum utilization of time - ‘Swiss Cheese techniques’ is used to get maximum output for individual’s time.

• Premack Principle- This principles suggest that first complete the work which is utmost important irrespective its liking or disliking.

• Avoid Procrastination

• Maximum utilization of Prime Time

• Utilization of Protected Time

• Maintaining of an Assignment Booklet

Planning Time and Resources

• Need for planning- to set objectives and goals• Components of a Plan-a. Time factorb. Rewardsc. Group Tasks• Types of Planning-a. Long Termb. Short Termc. Daily Plan

Strategies for Planning the time

Steps-

1. Identify the various demands of a manager

2. Scheduling them and focus on future events

3. Monitoring the use of time

4. Self Management

Setting the Goals

• Specific- Answerable to Why, When, What , How• Measurable• Achievable• Realistic• Time Bound

Delegation of Work

Process of delegation of the works• Type of the Work• Details• Direction- Not only downwards, but upwards and

laterally