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Explore the various sources and impacts of occupational stress, including sociocultural, organizational, interpersonal, psychological, biological, and physical factors. Learn about workaholism, burnout, and strategies to combat stress in the workplace.
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Occupational Stress Chapter 15
Sociocultural -racism, sexism Organizational- hiring policies, layoffs Work setting- tasks, supervision Interpersonal- relationships Psychological- self image, coping skills Biological- disease, disability Physical/ Environmental- poor air, climate, noise Multi-faceted Look at Occupational Stress Occupational Stress Evaluation Grid (Page 320) recognizes that occupational stress occurs in seven different contexts:
Why Is Occupational Stress of Concern? • Cost to businesses was about $300 billion/year • Employees “always on call” concept • Leads to increased sick days, drug or alcohol abuse, and early death • Can promote high turnover rates of employees • Liability (i.e., workers’ compensation, disability, or litigation)
Did You Know? • Absences attributed to stress tripled between 1995 and 2004 • More than 62% of the time when workers called in “sick,” they were not really “sick” (Entitlement Mentality) • Most heart attacks occur on Monday’s and least occurred on Friday’s
Gender and Occupational Stress • Stressors that particularly affect women include: • Career blocks • Sexual harassment • Male-dominated climate • Performance pressure • Gender stereotyping • Isolation • Lack of role models © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Control/Demands Interaction Control Psychological Demands © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
The Workaholic • Immersing oneself excessively in work at the expense of non-work activities • Identifying oneself more with the role of a worker rather than as an individual • Are you a person who happens to be a student, or are you a student who happens to be a person? © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
The Workaholic (cont.) • Two factors for classifying workaholics (Naughton, 1987) • Career commitment (CC) • Obsession-compulsion (OC) • Naughton believed there were three types of workaholics: • Job-involved workaholics (high CC, low OC) • Compulsive workaholics (high CC, high OC) • Non workaholics (low CC, low OC) © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
The Workaholic (cont.) • Scott, Moore, Micelli classified workaholics as: • Compulsive-dependent • Perfectionist • Achievement-oriented • Spence & Robbins (1992) proposed a workaholic triad: • Work involvement, drivenness, and work enjoyment © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Ways to Combat Workaholism • Focus on the work you most like doing, work that you wouldn’t mind “doing for free” • Use your time; don’t let it use you • Build friendships at work • Schedule open time into your work life • Learn to say no sometimes • Create a work environment that pleases you • Look for the positives in your job © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Burnout • Adverse stress reaction to work with psychological, psychophysiological, and behavioral components • Symptoms include: • Diminished sense of humor • Skipping rest and meals • Increased overtime/no vacation • Increased physical complaints • Social withdrawal • Changed job performance • Self-medication • Internal changes
Five Stages of Burnout • Stage 1: The honeymoon- satisfied with job • Stage 2: Fuel shortage- fatigue sets in • Stage 3: Chronic symptoms- exhaustion/disease/anger • Stage 4: Crisis- illness, absenteeism, relationship issues • Stage 5: Hitting the wall- physical/psychological, can be life threatening.
Women and Work Outside the Home • Women are clearly disadvantaged in the world of work: • They make less money than their male counterparts • Women are subjected to more sexual harassment • Minority women earn less than non-minority women © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Women and Work Outside the Home (cont.) • 59% of women work outside the home • Still employed in traditionally women’s roles • Secretaries • Receptionists • Nurses • Bookkeepers • Nursing aids • Elementary school teachers © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
University College, London Study • Just thinking about work may trigger stress, says Dr. Andrew Steptoe • Study of 75 men and women • Showed steeper increases in the hormone ‘cortisol’ on workday mornings than on days off • Occurred within 30 minutes of work, showing anticipation of work may trigger job-related stress
Job Stressors • Money • Health and safety hazards • Work environment • Insufficient training • Job security • Family adjustments or partner’s career • Violence
The only job security in the world is to be more talented tomorrow than you are today.