Stress Management
Lecture No 3
3rd Week
Delivered by: Dr. Muhammad Waqas
BBA-A 6th
Southern Business School
Institute of Southern Punjab
Overview- Last Lecture
• The evidence of stress
• Stress as opposed to pressure
• The cost of stress
Summary of Content
• A model of human performance and stress
• The effects of stress
a. Effects of stress on the individual
b. Effects of stress on job performance
c. Effects of stress on the organization
A Model of Human Performance and Stress
The Effects of Stress
• Stress can have a significant effect, both on the individual and the
organization.
• Effects of stress on the individual
• No two people necessarily manifest the same stress response.
However, many of the outward signs of stress are readily
recognizable. Stress fundamentally initiates a number of changes in
body processes which are complex and involve several levels, such
as:
• Emotional: characterized by tiredness, anxiety and lack of
motivation
• Behavioral: changes in behavior resulting in poor relationships with
colleagues, indecisiveness, absenteeism, smoking, excessive eating
and alcohol consumption;
• Psychological: the individual complains of increasing ill health
associated with headaches, general aches and pains, and dizziness.
These contribute to raised blood pressure, heart disease, a reduced
resistance to infection, skin conditions and digestive disorders.
• Researchers confirmed that a stressful working environment can
lead to coronary heart disease, in most cases associated with ever-
increasing job demands, poor levels of actual control over the job
and an imbalance between the efforts made and the reward received.
However, these effects were not necessarily related to conventional
risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure and being
overweight.
• Broadly, when people are subjected to changing workloads,
resulting in higher demands being imposed, less direct control over
the job and reduced support from management, their mental health
deteriorated.
Effects of stress on job performance
• For people to perform well, they need interesting work, good
working conditions, the chance to participate in the social
surroundings of work and to feel valued.
• Whereas, the stressful work situations arising from, for example, the
repetitive work patterns, such as assembly work, poor physical
working environments, inadequate opportunities for communication
between colleagues, and continuous harassment from managers to
meet deadlines can have direct adverse effects on job performance.
In particular, where people feel their contribution to the
organization’s success is undervalued, this can result in missed
deadlines, poor productivity, ineffective decision-making by line
managers and, in many cases, poor time keeping and
absenteeism.
Effects of stress on the organization
• Approaches to stress amongst employees at all levels vary
considerably. In some organizations, the culture can only be defined
as ‘aggressive’. Employees who complain about stress caused by
excessive workloads may be greeted with the classic ‘If you can’t
stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!’ response from their
immediate manager.
• In many organizations, junior managers are expected to work long
hours and undertake a range of projects and assignments in order to
prove their worth to the organization.
• Furthermore, job reviews (appraisals) are intended to provide
guidance to junior managers from senior management, to review
current progress and to agree objectives, which are measurable and
achievable, for future performance.
• Many job and career reviews, however, are badly conducted and can
be stressful for employees, frequently resulting in stress arising from
a feeling of unfairness, lack of understanding by their immediate
manager and anger.
Examples of how stress can affect an organization include:
• Increased complaints from clients (Sabotage);
• Employees losing commitment to the success of the organization;
• Increased staff turnover;
• Increased levels of absenteeism;
• Reduced performance by the workforce; and
• A substantial increase in civil claims for stress-induced injury
resulting in increased employers’ liability insurance premiums.
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