Introduction
Organizations are increasingly experiencing a challenge arising from the dynamic nature of the environment in which they operate. In order to survive in this environment, it is paramount for these organizations to develop their competitive advantage. One of the ways through which they can achieve this is by integrating the concept of organizational development.
Anderson (2011, p.2) defines organizational development as the various organizational-wide efforts that are incorporated by a firm’s management team in order to improve its operational effectiveness. Organizational development also entails the process of facilitating organizational and personal change by utilizing various interventions.
According to Daft (2010, p. 432), organizational development mainly emphasizes on social and human aspects within a firm in an effort to enhance a firm’s effectiveness in dealing with problems that may arise in its operation.
For an organization to benefit from its organizational development programs, it must take into consideration the wellbeing of its human capital. Organizations should consider their employees as one of their most important assets. Over the recent past, there has been an increment in the level of changes within the business environment.
Some of these changes have emanated from an increment in the intensity of competition due to the high rate of globalization. In an effort to create a high competitive advantage, most organizations are considering incorporating change in their operation such as by undertaking mergers and acquisition and implementing new technology.
The recent economic crisis has also presented a challenge to employees due to the high cost living and job insecurity. These changes significantly reduce the employees’ level of productivity due to the associated stress. In executing organizational duties, employees may be overloaded with tasks which may cause them to be stressed.
Cunningham (2000, p.112) asserts that employees have their own personal such as those associated with career development. According to Cunningham (2000, p.112), if an organization does not address the employees’ individual needs such as their career goals, there is a high probability of such employees experiencing stress.
Findings of a report by the World Health Organization revealed that work stress can be a major hindrance to an organization attaining its goals in addition to affecting the workers health (Leka, Griffiths & Cox, 2003, p.3). This arises from the fact that stress makes employees to be poorly motivated and hence less productive. Additionally, stress reduces employees’ safety.
The resultant effect of stress in work environment is that an organization fails to attain the desired organizational development goals. This underscores the importance of integrating stress management in organizations. In the light of this, the author of this paper intends to conduct a critical literature review on the concept of stress management.
Literature review
Definition of stress in work environment
Employees experience stress from different sources such as from work and home. It is not possible for an organization to protect employees from stress arising from home. However, organizations can protect employees from work related stress. One of the ways through which an organization can achieve this is by integrating effective work organization and stress management (Parker, 2007, p. 23).
An employee may experience stress due to work demands for example if he or she is assigned a task that he or she does not have sufficient skills and knowledge to perform. Considering the changes in the external environment, employees cannot avoid pressure arising from work.
Work pressure may be an effective source of motivation. However, in some circumstances, excess work pressure may result into stress. The level of stress may be high if employees do not receive the necessary support from the managers and supervisors.
Leka, Griffiths and Cox (2003, p.3) are of the opinion that work related stress arises from the disparity between the demands of the job and the pressure on the employee on one hand and the mismatch between their abilities and knowledge on the other.
Causes of stress in workplace
According to Leka, Griffiths and Cox (2003, p.11), stress in workplace may arise as a result of different factors that lead into intense pressure and job demands. Others may be associated with ineffective work organization or how the job is designed. Additionally, unsatisfactory working conditions and poor management may also result into work stress.
According to Palmer and Cooper (2010, p. 162), the various work aspects which have a potential of causing stress are referred to as stress related hazards. The chart below gives a summary of the stress hazard with regard to work content and work context.
Stress management
According to Fried (2008, p. 61), stress management entails the various techniques that are used in eliminating feelings of strain. If not well managed, stress may lead into dysfunctional behavior amongst the employees in addition to poor mental and physical health.
For example, stress may result into extreme physical conditions such as heart diseases, high blood pressure, digestive system complications and musculo-skeletal disorders. As a result of stress, the employees’ operational efficiency is significantly reduced.
The employees’ ability to make effective decisions and to think logically is also affected. Parker (2007, p. 32) asserts that stress leads into a reduction in the employees’ level of commitment in their duties.
Stress in the workplace negatively affects employees productivity and hence the organization’s performance. Over the recent past, organizations in different economic sectors have appreciated the strength of relationship between the well being of their workforce and their productivity. Firms in the public and private sector are increasingly appreciating the costs associated with stress (Weinberg, Sutherland & Cooper, 2010, p. 61).
Stress management is one of the ways through which they are integrating in an effort to minimize stress. According to Ron (2004, p.1), it is estimated that job stress in the United States costs businesses more than $ 300 billion in their corporate profit annually.
This cost arises from increased complaints by customers and clients, a high rate of absenteeism, a rise in legal claims by employees, poor employees’ performance and productivity, and lack of employee commitment. On a daily basis, it is estimated that one million people do not attend work daily in the United State as a result of workplace stress overload (Ron, 2004, p. 1).
Ashworth (2005, para. 1) In 2005, the rate of unscheduled absenteeism in the US reached its five-year high due to a number of factors amongst them stress. According to Leka, Griffiths and Cox (2003, p. 14), inefficiency in managing job stress tarnishes an organization’s image both internally and externally.
Ron (2004, p.1) is of the opinion that stress is a major issue in an organization’s operation. However, it is astonishing to see the rate at which organizational CFOs and CEOs are concerned with attaining the desired profitability. Additionally, firm’s management teams are also concerned with ensuring that the employees are committed in executing their duties.
Despite this, most organizations have not implemented strategies aimed at dealing with stress at the workplace. According to Jex and Britt (2008, p.222), one of the most effective methods of dealing with stress related hazards in workplace is through stress management. The best stress management strategies that an organization can implement are those that check it from reaching excessive levels.
In the 21st century, organizations are increasingly appreciating the importance of being involved in managing work related stress (Kaila, 2005, p.494). The rationale for this trend is that organizations are partially involved in making the employees to be stressed.
As a result, they should be actively involved in relieving it. The other rationale is that employees who are less stressed are more effective in their duties. In an effort to manage stress, organizations have implemented two main strategies. These include;
- Institutional programs
- Collateral programs
Institutional programs
These entail the various stress reduction strategies that are established through different organizational mechanisms (Griffin & Moorhead, 2011, p. 191). For example, in order to establish work-life balance, organizations should effectively design their jobs. According to Kaila (2005, p.494), working in shifts can be a source of stress to employees.
This arises from the fact that the employees will be forced to change their relaxation and sleeping patterns. Therefore, it is paramount for organizations to implement work schedules that contribute to reduction of stress. One of the way through which an organization can achieve this is by integrating flexible-working schedule.
This will give employees an opportunity to take care of their non-work activities such as advance their career by going back to school, having time with their family and being involved in recreational activities. Establishing work-life balance can be very beneficial to both employees and the organizations.
Stress within an organization can also be reduced by creating a strong organizational culture. One such culture that organizations can integrate entails ensuring that there is a balance between the employees work and non-work activities. For example, a firm’s management team may make it to be a norm that all employees should go on vacation or take some time off from work in order to relax.
Another institutional mechanism that a firm can consider entails ensuring that there is effective supervision. According to Kaila (2005, p.494), a supervisor can cause employees to be stressed by overloading them with tasks. To avoid this, a firm’s management team should ensure that its employees are assigned manageable and reasonable tasks.
Collateral programs
These include stress reduction programs that are specifically designed to assisting employees to cope with stress. There are different collateral programs that organizations incorporate in their stress management efforts. Some of these include Health Promotion Programs (HPPs), Employee Wellness Programs (EWPs) and Stress Management Programs.
According to Werner and DeSimone (2009, p.362), HPPs and EWPs are composed of various activities that are aimed at improving organizational practices and promoting employee behavior. The core objective is to ensure that the employees are fit and healthy to perform their duties.
The HPP and EWP programs are based on the principle that employee wellness does not only entail ensuring that the employees are not sick. However, they are aimed at encouraging employees to adopt lifestyles that contribute towards maximization of their wellbeing.
In their health promotion programs, organizations incorporate a holistic approach by educating employees on different issues. The health promotion programs are composed of different dimensions that are aimed at promoting employee wellness. These include emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, communal and social dimensions.
According to Kaila (2005, p.494), collateral programs encourage employees to be involved in exercises thus reducing stress indirectly. However, implementation of collateral programs as stress management strategies can be costly. This arises from the fact that organizations will be required to invest in the necessary physical facilities.
Despite this, Kaila (2005, p.494) asserts that more and more organizations are increasingly exploring this option in their stress management. Studies which have been conducted reveal that fitness and wellbeing programs significantly reduce absenteeism as a result of stress. Additionally, they also help in improving an employee’s mental health and his or her ability to resist stress.
Training and development
According to Donaldson-Fielder, Lewis and Yarker (2011, p. 67), organizations also use training and development interventions in managing stress. There are two main ways through which organizations use training and development in their stress management. These include technical skills training and stress management skills training.
Technical skills training
Technical skills training enhances employees’ ability to cope with job requirements. For example, technical skills training contribute towards significant reduction in the amount of effort required to execute a task. The resultant effect is that employees experience minimal stress arising from work demands and pressure.
Through technical skills training, an employee’s level of confidence in performing his or her duties is improved. To determine the technical skills training that an organization should conduct, a firm may conduct a performance appraisal, stress risk assessment, or a one-on-one conversation with the employees (Leka, Griffiths & Cox, 2003, p.3).
For example, an employee who may be assigned a new task may be required to make a presentation in front of the organization’s directors. This may cause anxiety to the employee leading into stress. In order to improve the employee’s presentation skills; the organization may enroll him or her to a presentation skills course in an effort to improve his or her confidence level when communicating to the managers (Spiers, 2003, p.84).
Additionally, a risk assessment conducted by an engineering firm revealed that employees were reporting work-related stress and a high level of job dissatisfaction. Upon investigation, the firm revealed that the cause of the stress was as a result of the project management systems that the firm was using.
The project management team revealed that they had never received training on how to operate the new Information Technology system that the firm had implemented. In order to minimize stress as a result of the new technology, the firm implemented a training program on how to operate the new software (Donald-Fielder, Lewis & Yarker, 2011, p. 68).
Stress management skills training
This is a stress management strategy that is aimed at increasing the employees’ level of awareness on stressors and the importance of their wellbeing. Alternatively, stress management skills training is aimed at teaching employees on how to reduce stress. In their stress management skills training, organizations intend to bridge the gap that existed between the job demands, the employees’ ability to perform the tasks and the resources available.
There are three main types of stress management skills training that an organization can implement. These include multimodal, relaxation-based and cognitive behavioral therapy. Multimodal training entails increasing the level of awareness on what stress is, how to identify signs of stress and how they can acquire skills to cope with stress.
Relaxation-based training entails educating employees on how to undertake mental and physical relaxation in an effort to deal with the various consequences associated with stress. On the other hand, cognitive behavioral therapy training entails equipping employees with skills that change their perception on the source of stress differently.
According to Donaldson-Fielder and Yarker (2011, p.69), these stress management skills training are very effective in reducing stress. However, a recent evaluation conducted on these methods revealed that cognitive behavioral therapy training is more effective compared to the other two methods.
Support interventions
These include the various forms of assistance strategies such as therapy and counseling employees who are suffering from stress.
The support interventions targets individuals who have not benefited from stress prevention strategies such as training and development. The support interventions are focused at curing symptoms of stress. Support interventions may also entail medical treatment and coaching employees suffering from stress.
Conclusion
In order for organization to attain their goals, it is paramount for management teams to ensure that their employees are committed and productive. However, employees are faced with a challenge in executing their duties due to work-related stress. Stress has a negative impact to both the employee and the organization.
Therefore, it is important for organizations to incorporate the concept of stress management in order to help them cope with challenging work situations. There are different strategies that an organization can integrate in their stress management efforts.
To be effective in stress management, it is important for firms to integrate both curative and preventative stress management strategies. Some of the main strategies that a firm can integrate entail institutional programs, collateral programs, training program and support interventions.
Institutional programs contribute towards reduction of work-related stress by ensuring that there are effective organizational mechanisms that minimize stress in its structure. Some of the ways through which they attain this is by being effective in designing jobs.
Organizations should ensure that they assign employees jobs in according with their abilities and the resources available. It is also important for firm’s management teams to design jobs that are meaningful to their employees.
Jobs should be designed in such as way that employees can be able to use their skills in executing them. This will contribute towards creation of a high level of commitment. It is also critical to ensure that the employees understand their role and responsibilities. When making decisions that affect them, firm’s management teams should give the employees an opportunity to participate.
Organizations should also integrate effective work-schedule that ensures a high level of flexibility. The work-schedules incorporated should be in line with the employees’ non-work responsibilities and demands. Such schedules reduce work-related stress by giving employees an opportunity to pursue their personal goals such as advancing their education
. Employees intend to advance their career in order to improve their competitiveness in the labor market. Additionally, employees have sufficient time with their family and friends and to engage in recreational activities that improve their wellbeing hence reducing stress. On the other hand, collateral programs aid in improving the employees fitness and wellbeing.
Training and development strategies such as technical skills training and stress management skills training enable employees to cope with job pressure and associated stressors. Through technical skills training, an employee is equipped with skills that enable him or her to execute tasks assigned with minimal pressure and effort.
On the other hand, stress management skills training equip employees with a high level of awareness regarding skills. Organizations may also integrate support interventions such as counseling and coaching employees who are already suffering from stress.
Therefore, to increase the probability of attaining organizational development, it is critical for firm’s management teams to integrate effective stress management. Stress management benefits both an organization and its employees.
Reference List
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