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OCCUPATIONAL STRESS.
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Causes, types, theories, organizational aspects.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Causes, types, theories, organizational aspects.
Paper Introduction:
JOB STRESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL
COMMUNICATIONS
Stress has long been associated with the onset of
significant physical and mental health problems. In the 1980s,
stress began to be implicated in areas beyond the bounds of physical and mental health. In the organizational environment, stress has been implicated in the deterioration of performance efficiency by both managers and subordinates (Gibson, 1993, p. 15). When performance efficiency suffers, the quality of the overall organizational environment deteriorates, and organizational productivity deteriorates (Fox, 1993, pp. 289-318). A deterioration of the organizational environment is accompanied by a deterioration in organizational communication (Gilberg, 1993, pp
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In the organizational environment, stress has beenimplicated in the deterioration of performance efficiency by both managersand subordinates (Gibson, 1993, p. Occupationally-related stressors tend to vary from job to job andfrom organization to organization (Schaubroeck, 1993, pp. "Social Stress and Medical Ideology." In Stressand Survival. This group included stressors such ascustomer demands, time constraints, and ineffective training. Stress-outcomes associated with occupational stressors both task andcontext) tend to vary widely. 353-374). (June 1992). Several remedies to the stress-communication problem have beenproposed. Workers also may getsick or may terminate their relationship with the organization. V. M. Holgate, A. A separate class of stress research has emphasized the determinationof how stressors develop in organizations, as opposed to the identificationof additional stressors, or theassessment stressor quality or quantity (Schaubroeck, pp. L. The ways in which anindividual perceive occupationally-related stressors are also affected bythe non-occupational stressors in an individual's life (Laker, 1992, pp. "Organiza-tionalStress, Job Satisfaction and Job Performance: Where Do We Go Form Here?"Journal of Management, 18, 353-374. Fox, M L. Context-related stressors are external to the tasks associated with ajob (MacBride, pp. M., & Clegg, I. Further, thedefinition infers that stress-outcomes may not be always controllable byindividuals exposed to stressors. Garfield, J. "Open Communications Provide Key to GoodEmployee Relations." Supervision, 8-9. Lower self-esteem was associated withhigher levels of stress. Thisgroup included stressors such as poor co-operation, organizationalpolitics, and similar activities. Change must becarefully planned, employees must be educated as to the nature and purposeof the change, and implementation of change must be non-threatening, ifdebilitating stress associated with the change is to be avoided. 99-1 7). "Psychologists Seek Ways to ReduceWorkplace Stress" Trial, 14-15. 15). J. S. Through the study of stressor antece-dents, andthrough the classification of occupationally related stressors as describedabove, this body of research found that both the type and the magnitude ofstressors varied according to organizational level. R. Certainbehaviors associated with job burn-out have been observed in a wide varietyof occupations. (1993, May 1 ). Stress,however, is also associated with so-calledunderload situations. Thespecific characteristics of a job are the source of what are called task-related stressors (MacBride, 1984, pp. (Fall 1992). Stressorsassociated with the organizational environment are referred to as context-related. These antecedent groups are contextual variables,role variables, and task variables. 1-24). "'High-stress' occupations." In Burke, R. "The Impact of Household Economy on StressReactions Among Professional Women." Journal of Business Psychology, 7, 99-1 7. Schaubroeck, J. Thisresearch identified three groups of occupational stressorantecedents. This same body of research classified the occupational stressors,which stemmed from the three antecedent groups into seven categories(Schaubroeck, pp. E., & Bhagat, R. "Alcohol and Drug Use inthe Workplace." Journal of Management, 18, 239-266. (Spring 1993). These seven stressor categories are entrantconflict, technical problems, efficiency problems, role frustration, staffshortages, short lead times,and excessive meetings. The second source ofoccupational stressors is the organizational environment itself. Workers may simply resortto daydreaming or fantasizing. 1-24). (1991, January). 111-134). JOB STRESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS Stress has long been associated with the onset ofsignificant physical and mental health problems. Louis: The C. (1991, April). (1993, April). St. 8-9). (April 1993). Task-related stressors, as indicated above, are directlyrelated to the specific characteristics of the job itself. 1-25). Job underload means that an individual is notchallenged in her or his work, and may be subject to periods or boredom orperiods of fatigue stemming from boredom. "A Field Experiment TestingSupervisory Role Clarification." Personnel Psychology, 46, 1- 25. Job burn-outactually has been found to be present in all occupations, regardless ofwhether or not the occupation is a so-called high-pressure occupation. J. 239-266).Reductions in effectiveness, productivity, and communication are lesseasily identifiable outcomes of the effects of occupational stressors;however, such outcomes are among the most debilitating for both theorganization and for the individual. "Mediation: the New Balm for CorporateStress." Business Week, 86-87 Sullivan, S. Stressors in organizational environments have been investi-gatedwithin the context of occupational, or on-the-job, stress (Edwards, 1992,pp. Thedefinition also infers that stress-creating events or situations may beviewed as being inherent in specific occupations or tasks. Dilworth, R. 29-38). (3rd ed.). Thesebehaviors include a tendency on the part of an individual to blame othersin an organization for one's own problems, increased absenteeism, increasedinvolvement in interpersonal conflicts and confrontation, and increasingisolation from other in the organization. Toronto: York UniversityPress, pp. 1-24 Orff, J. The first source of these stressors is the job itself. (June 1992). (1993, March). In this context,the researchers concluded that an individual's perceptions ofwork-generated stressors and their eventual reactions to theseorganizational realities are influenced by the location within a particularorganizational environment of that individual. (1993, January). Theseactions are just a few of literally dozens of stress-outcomes that mayresult from the effects of occupational stressors. Gilberg, K. Their strategies in suchattempts involve a breakdown in communication, and are often damaging toboth their organiza-tions and to their own careers. Harris, M. A major occupationally-related stressor is the introductionof change (Sullivan and Bhagat, 1992, pp. 1-25). In the 198 s,stress began to be implicated in areas beyond the bounds of physical andmental health. The term is frequently used inconnection with all so-called high-pressure occupations. The third group of stressors wasthose related to interdepartmental activities within an organization. References Collins, K. One groupof research studies developed three classifications of occupationally-related stressors. J.(Ed.). "Effects of Stressful Job Demands." Academyof Management Journal, 36, 289-318. Extensions of the basic research inthis area found that both contextually-related and role-related variablesaffect interpersonal communication, job attitude, job behavior, and themagnitude of job stressors. This group included stressors such as an absence of supportfrom organizational superiors, non-competitive wage structures, poor job descriptions, and ineffectiveorganizational motivational strategies. R. "Stress and Departures from the PublicAccounting Profession." Accounting Horizons, 7, 29-38. "A Cybernetic Theory of Stress, Coping,and Well Being in Organizations." Academy of Management Review, 17, 238-274. 78-8 ; Smith, 1993, pp. A concept closely associated with occupational stress is job "burn-out" (Holgate and Clegg, 1991, pp. Gibson, V. 14-15). 238-274). Edwards, J. MacBride, Arlene (1984). M., & Heft, L. Contextual variables wereassociated with organizational subsystem; role variables were associatedwith job levels; and task variables were associated with autonomy,complexity, interdependence, routinization, and closeness of supervision. Thesestressors involve role ambiguity, conflicting task demands, work overloador work under load, inadequate resource support, no provision formeaningful participation in decision-making, and insecurity, among others(Collins, 1993, pp. Current Issues in Occupational Stress. Individuals suffering from job burn-out frequently attempt to removethemselves from the situations they perceive to be the source of theirproblems without actually terminating their jobs. "Stress in the Workplace: A HiddenCost Factor." HRFocus, 15. 1-25). Occupational stress is often associated in the mass mediawith overachievers or "workaholics" (Dilworth, 1991, pp. R. When performance efficiencysuffers, the quality of the overall organizational environmentdeteriorates, and organizational productivity deteriorates (Fox, 1993, pp.289-318). 325-337). A deterioration of the organizational environment is accompaniedby a deterioration in organizational communication (Gilberg, 1993, pp. Two primary sources of occupational stress have beenidentified. Job level, associated with job status, wasfound to be tied to self-esteem. Highlevels of self induced stress characterize these individuals. Such a definition of a stressor meansthat it could have an impact whether or not its presence in the environmentwas perceived by those individuals working in that environment. R (1992, April). Alienationis especially harmful to effective organizational communica-tions.Alienation with respect to occupational stress is defined as "an objectivesocial situation that exists independent of its recognition by those inthat situation" (Garfield, p. Mosby Company, 111-134. These remedies include listening by managers, creating teams todeal with the organizational communication problem, and mediation (Orff,1992, pp. 1-25). M. Alternatively, employees may react moreactively by creating interpersonal and intraorganiza-tional conflictsinvolving escalating level of communication problems. Job underload may also createhigher levels of anxiety, depression, and physical illness than joboverload. Occupationally-related stressors also tend to change, asorganizational environments change, as organizational staffing changes, asjob tasks change, and as individuals develop withinorganizations and jobs (Schaubroeck, pp. 86-87). Job burn-out is held to result from the combined effects of work-related factors that create unrelieved work stress, which, in turn, leadsto a generally debilitated psychological condi-tion in individuals. Laker, D. At upper managementlevels, the most significant stressors tended to be qualitative overloadand time constraints, while at lower levels of an organization, the mostsignificant stressors tended to be role frustration and technical problems.This body of research concluded that a large measure of homogeneity in theperceived work experiences ofindividuals exists within particular membership groups, but not betweenmembership groups. "Team Efforts Reduce Job Stress." Safetyand Health, 78-8 . Studies of plant closures andinvoluntarily unemployed workers found that health problems-physical andmental--are higher during layoff periods than during periods of employment.Studies also found that stress is often higher among blue-collar workersthan among managerial personnel. (October 1992). (1985). Absenteeism andsubstance abuse are two additional high profile and easily identifiableoutcomes of occupational stressors (Harris and Heft, 1992, pp. Even on the job, job underload creates as muchstress as does job overload. The secondgroup included those stressors that are common to a wide variety oforganizations. Alienation has also been related to the development ofoccupational stress (Garfield, 1985, pp. The first group included those stressors, which arecommon to a wide variety of jobs. "The Path to ProbationOfficer Burnout." Journal of Criminal Justice, 19, 325-337. 115). Smith, G. Context-related stressors typically develop as aresult flawed organizational structures, ineffective organizationaldevelopment, the inability of an individual to pursue successfullyachievement goals within an organization, or some combination of all three.
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