Stress : Organizational Behavior

Stress STRESSDefinition of stress Stress is the psychological demand placed on the body when one must adapt , cope or adjust.It can be healthful in keeping an individual alert , however , intense and prolonged stress can be overwhelming on the body.Organizatonal stress Harmful physical and emotional responsesthat occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capaabilities , resources , or needs of the worker.Types of stressThe following are the different types of stress,as follows ACUTE STRESSAcute stress is the most common form of stress. It comes from demands and pressures of the recent past and anticipated demands and pressures of the near future. CHRONIC STRESS Chronic stress comes when a person never sees a way out of a miserable situation. It's the stress of unrelenting demands and pressures for seemingly interminable periods of time. With no hope, the individual gives up searching for solutions. DISTRESS Stress thst has negative consequence on a persons well being.

Definition of stressorsStressorsare events or contexts that cause a stress reaction by elevating levels of adrenaline and forcing a physical or mental response.Having a few stressors in our lives may not be a problem, but because stress is cumulative, having many stressors day after day can cause a buildup that becomes a problem.

Types of stressors The following are the four main types of stresssors, Extraorganizational stressors Organizational stressors Group stressors Individual stressorsExtra organizational stressors It refers to the factors that are more personal and related more to individual, like

Societal patternsTechnological changesChanged lifestyleRelocation of work or familyUnexpected happening or changes in lifeSociological variables like race, sex and class leads to stressII) Organizational Stressors theyemerge from reasons related to organization or job assigned to individual. They can be of following reasons a)High stress job- It refers to work which involves hectic schedule and complex job responsibilities which result into imbalance in personal and work a life and also overwork may affect physical health of individual resulting into ineffective work and dissatisfaction among employees leading imbalance in family or personal life alsob)Job role Certain job characteristics like job overload, job assignment, job responsibility and responsibility of others, hectic schedules and constant pressure causes stress.c)Improper working condition Sometimes even the physical condition, the infrastructure and lacuna in basic facilities of the organization lead to stress and improper work efficiency.d) Under utilization of skills If the skills remain underutilized it leaves the person demotivated due to scarcity of opportunities for growth resulting into frequent absenteeism, aloofness, role ambiguity, instability and dissatisfaction.e) Organizational Politics Competition within departments if improperly handled results into negative feelings, fault finding and high role ambiguity which spoil the overall culture and climate of organization.III)Individual StressorsSince each individual's disposition and perception for taking and handling stress varies, so the level of stress and its causes are more individual in nature. The causes of individual stressors are a) Role ambiguity It can be due to lack of training, improper knowledge of subject, poor communication channel, friction between superior and subordinates etc.b) Psychological HardinessIt decides the level and capacity of a person to handle stress since it varies from individual to individual. Thus people having high level of hardiness in handling stress are persons who know how to handle situation better and in a planned way so as to reduce level of stressc) Type of PersonalityAs per the category Type A are people who have high level of commitment, are competitive,, aggressive, and exhibit different behavior patterns. They desire to achieve. Such personalities are more prone to chances of stress and incompatibility. Type B are those who have a relaxed and balanced approach and are more confident in their approaches towards work. They are less susceptible to stress.Stress Coping Strategies for OrganizationAfter identifying the types and causes that lead to individual, organizational stress the need arises to remedies these causes so as to save organization and people from being stressful, unproductive and dissatisfied. The organization and the HR department needs to keep a proper eye and control on the organization activities like A) Job related Strategies

* Proper job designing and matching the job and the job incumbent* Proper selection and placement* Training to reduce stress* Counseling and mentoring* Proper and planned job delegation and allocation of task* Monetary and non monetary benefits B) Emotion focused strategies

* Creating open communication channels* Employee assistance programs* Mentoring* Wellness program* Team building exercisesC) Problem focused strategyThey hit the problem directly after analyzing the possible cause of stress. They can be practiced in form of

* Training employees for best time management* Training to perform in a team* Proper job allocation* Job evaluation* Matching performance evaluation with job delegation* Empowering employees* Participative exercises to build up involvement, trust and trust.* Recreation* Training people in perceptual adaptationThus, it is though far difficult to ensure providing a stress less andrelieved work culture or work, the real productivity and efficiency can be truly yielded a only when individuals at their own and the management on continuous basis can practice a monitoring mechanism to identify the causes resulting into stress and improvising such issues along with employees participation matched with counseling, mentoring, open communication channels and empowerment exercises.Effects of StressStress causeschanges in your body. It also affects your emotions.How stress affects the bodyCommon symptoms of stress include: A fast heartbeat. Aheadache. A stiff neck and/or tight shoulders. Back pain. Fast breathing. Sweating, and sweaty palms. Anupset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea.Over time, stress can affect your:1 Immune system.Constant stress can make you more likely to get sick more often. And if you have a chronic illness such as AIDS, stress can make your symptoms worse. Heart.Stress is linked to high blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia), blood clots, and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). It's also linked to coronary artery disease, heart attack, and heart failure. Muscles.Constant tension from stress can lead to neck, shoulder, and low back pain. Stress may make rheumatoid arthritis worse. Stomach.If you have stomach problems, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, or irritable bowel syndrome, stress can make your symptoms worse. Reproductive organs.Stress is linked to low fertility, erection problems, problems during pregnancy, and painful menstrual periods. Lungs.Stress can make symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) worse. Skin.Skin problems such as acne and psoriasis are made worse by stress.

GENERAL ADAPTATION OF SYNDROME (GAS)Hans Selye, MD, PhD (1907 - 1982), the Father of Stress, was a Hungarian endocrinologist and the first to give a scientific explanation for biological stress.Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older.- Hans Selye, MD, PhDHe eloquently explained his stress model, based on physiology and psychobiology, as the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), stating that an event that threatens an organisms well being, a stressor, leads to a three-stage bodily response:Stages of GAS1: AlarmUpon perceiving a stressor, the body reacts with a fight-or-flight response and the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated as the bodys resources are mobilized to meet the threat or danger.2: ResistanceThe body resists and compensates as the parasympathetic nervous system attempts to return many physiological functions to normal levels while body focuses resources against the stressor and remains on alert.3: ExhaustionIf the stressor or stressors continue beyond the bodys capacity, the resources become exhausted and the body is susceptible to disease and death.

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