OB on the Edge

Stress at Work

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 1

How Stressed Are We?

Stress Across the Country, 2001-2002
Region

% with no life stress

Alberta

% with quite a lot of stress

9.8

26.0

Atlantic Canada

14.6

18.7

British Columbia

12.0

23.6

Ontario

10.7

25.7

The Prairies

8.7

24.5

Quebec

18.0

30.0

Source: Compiled using data from Statistics Canada, "Life Stress, by Sex, Household Population Aged 18 and Over, Canada,
Provinces, Territories, Health Regions and Peer Groups, 2000/01."

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 2

The Most Stressful Jobs

Rank
Score

1.
2.
3.
6.
10.
12.
16.
17.
20.
22.
25.
31.
33.
35.
42.

Stress
Score

US President
176.6
Firefighter
110.9
Senior Executive
108.6
Surgeon
99.5
Air Traffic Controller
83.1
Public Relations Executive
78.5
Advertising Account Executive 74.6
Real Estate
73.1
Stockbroker
71.7
Pilot
68.7
Architect
66.9
Lawyer
64.3
General Physician
64.0
Insurance Agent
63.3
Advertising Salesperson
59.9

Rank
Score

Stress
Score

47. Auto Salesperson

50. College Professor
60. School Principal
103. Market Research Analyst
104. Personnel Recruiter
113. Hospital Administrator
119. Economist
122. Mechanical Engineer
124. Chiropractor
132. Technical Writer
149. Retail Salesperson
173. Accountant
193. Purchasing Agent
229. Broadcast Technician
245. Actuary

56.3
54.2
51.7
42.1
41.8
39.6
38.7
38.3
37.9
36.5
34.9
31.1
28.9
24.2
20.2

Source: Reprinted by permission of the Wall Street Journal, 1996 Dow Jones & Company. All rights reserved worldwide.
OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 3

What Is Stress?
A situation that creates excessive
psychological or physiological demands on a
person.

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 4

General Adaptation Syndrome

Alarm
Body tries to meet initial challenge of stressor.
Increased respiration, raised blood pressure, dilated pupils,
tensed muscles

Resistance
Fatigue, anxiety, and tension

Exhaustion
Prolonged and continual exposure to stressor.

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 5

Effects of Stress
Not necessarily bad
Athletes or stage performers can use stress to
perform close to peak level.

But
Students putting off studying until the last minute
and then developing the flu does not result in
peak performance.

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 6

Causes of Stress
Changes in the workplace:

Competition and change

Technological change
Increasingly diverse workforce
Downsizing
Employee empowerment and teamwork
Work/home conflict

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 7

Consequences of Stress
Physiological symptoms
e.g., increased blood pressure, headaches, heart attacks

Psychological symptoms
e.g., job dissatisfaction, tension, anxiety, irritability,
boredom, procrastination

Behavioural symptoms
Changes in productivity, absence, turnover, eating habits,
smoking, drinking, etc.

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 8

Why Do Individuals Differ in Their

Experience of Stress

Perception
Job experience
Social support
Belief in locus of control
Hostility

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 9

How Do We Manage Stress?

Individual Approaches

Time management
Physical activity
Relaxation techniques
Building social support

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 10

How Do We Manage Stress:

Organizational Approaches

Selection and placement decisions

Goal setting
Redesigning jobs
Increasing employee involvement
Increasing organizational communication
Providing organizational wellness programs

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 11

FactBox
One in three Canadians between the ages of 25 and 44 claims to
be a workaholic.
38% of people in management report being workaholics.
85% of married women who are employed full-time and have at
least one child at home, and 75% of similarly situated men, say
that weekdays are too short to accomplish what needs to get
done.
The financial cost to companies because employees are trying to
balance work and family obligations is estimated to be at least
$2.7 billion a year.
OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 12

FactBox
1/3 of Canadians dont take all of their vacation days,
saving their employers $8 billion a year.

When Canadians to go on holiday, 36% of them take

work, and check their office voicemail and email.

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 13

Tips for Reducing Stress

At least two or three times a week, spend time with
supportive friends or family.
Ask for support when you are under pressure. This is a
sign of health, not weakness.
If you have spiritual or religious beliefs, increase or
maintain your involvement.
Use a variety of methods to reduce stress. Consider
exercise, nutrition, hobbies, positive thinking, and
relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga.
Source: J. Lee, How to Fight That Debilitating Stress in Your Workplace, The Vancouver Sun, April 5, 1999, p. C3. Reprinted with permission.

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 14

Reducing Stress in the Workplace

Avoid electronic monitoring of staff. Personal supervision
generates considerably less stress.
Allow workers time to recharge after periods of intense or
demanding work.
Deliver important information that significantly affects
employees face to face.
Encourage positive social interactions between staff to promote
problem solving around work issues and increase emotional
support.
Keep in mind that staff need to balance privacy and social
interaction at work. Extremes can generate stress.
Source: J. Lee, How to Fight That Debilitating Stress in Your Workplace, The Vancouver Sun, April 5, 1999, p. C3. Reprinted with permission.
OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 15

FaceOff
When organizations provide
on-site daycare facilities,
they are filling a needed role
in parents lives, and making
it easier for parents to attend
to their job demands rather
than worry about child-care
arrangements.

When employees expect

organizations to provide
child care, they are shifting
their responsibilities to their
employers, rather than
keeping their family needs
and concerns private.
Moreover, its unfair to give
child-care benefits when not
all employees have children.

OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 16

Your Perspective
1. Think of all of the technological changes that have happened in
the workplace in recent years, including email, BlackBerrys, and
intranets. What are the positive benefits of all this change? What
are the downsides? As an employee facing the demand to stay
connected to your workplace, how would you try to maintain a
balance in your life?
2. How much responsibility should individuals take for managing
their own stress? To what extent should organizations become
involved in the personal lives of their employees when trying to
help them manage stress? What are the pros and cons for
whether employees or organizations take responsibility for
managing stress?
OB on the Edge: Stress, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada

OB Stress 17