Organizational Behavior, 8e

Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Stress

Stress is behavioral, physical,

or psychological response to
stressors
Stress
is not merely
nervous tension
Stress can have positive
consequences
Stress is not something to
be avoided
The complete absence of
stress is death
Stress is inevitable
Organizational Behavior

Stress
Stressors

A stimulus or situation that causes stress.

Any factor, thing, elements, and variable

that cause stress are called stressor.
TYPES OF STRESSOR
There are two types of stressor.
Work related stressor.
Non work and personal stressor.
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Work-related stressors
Task demands.
Role ambiguities.
Role conflicts.

Ethical dilemmas.
Interpersonal problems.
Career developments.
Physical setting.
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Non-work and personal stressors

Family events.
Economic difficulties.
Personal affairs.
Individuals needs.
Individuals capabilities.
Individuals personality.
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Stress
Pressure people feel in life due to their

reaction to situation.
Complete control over what happens in
their life.
A state of tension experienced by
individuals facing extraordinary demands,
constraints, or opportunities.
It is a state of discomfort felt in the mind
and experienced by the body.
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Stress
Characterized by change within people

that force them to deviate from their

Normal Functioning.
It affects the employee mental and
physical health performance.

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Not All Stress Is Bad

Some level of stress
can increase
productivity
Too little or too much
stress will reduce
performance
This model is not
empirically supported

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Symptoms of stress
Digestive problems
Nervousness & Tension
Emotional Instability
Excessive use of alcohol or drugs
Feelings of inability
Uncooperative attitude
Sleeping problem / absenteeism
Chronic worry or inability to relax

High blood pressure

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Symptoms
Anxiety (intense apprehension about possible
threat)
Phobia (irrational fear about an object, situation
or person)
Obsession (persistent unwanted ideas invading
consciousness)
Depression (sense of loss / retardation)
Faulty habits including drug abuse
Communication problems including
stammering, social phobia, etc
Lack of concentration
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HOW TO RECOGNIZE STRESS

Faster heartbeat & Rapid breathing
Increased sweating

Cold hands and feet

Nausea & diarrhoea
Tense muscles and dry mouth
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SHORT-TERM PERFORMANCE EFFECTS

Interference with clear judgment and

decision making
Reduction of work enjoyment
Reduction in skill
The situation is perceived as a threat and not a
challenge
The positive frame of mind is damaged by the
promotion of negative thinking, narrowing of
attention and disruption of concentration
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LONG TERM EFFECTS OF STRESS

A tendency to suffer from frequent headaches
The feeling of being constantly under strain
Being excessively tired much of the time
Tremor, perspiration, racing of heart beat
Poor sleep / Nightmare
Feelings easily hurt
Something to worry about always
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 Dwelling on negative aspects of past and

future
Overreaction to lifes small problem
Expecting the worst to happen always
Wanting to make sure that everything is all
right
Unable to take decision or to concentrate
Taking everything that goes wrong
personally
Experiencing panic reaction at times
without reason
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General Stress Management Techniques

For SELF
Exercise to release endorphin, practice yoga
Avoid self-medication
Maintain sleep wakefulness cycle
Avoid caffeine, tea or fatty food, take whole food
Perform deep breathing exercise, continue deep muscle relaxation
Establish realistic target and stop negative self talk

Maintain a stress diary

Do not combat stress & make postural readjustment
Manage time effectively & do not take big decision
Improve attitude Drink more water

Learn to say No

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For FAMILY members

Smile to help smiling
Be intimate with more touching behaviour
Promote eye contact
Do not give repetitive suggestions
Do not say Lucky, it wasnt worse
Do not entice to take big decisions
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Predictor of Stress : Head or Heart

Are these parts friends?
Is one part the boss?
How do these two communicate with each
other?
How do they react in the event of
disagreement?

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Persons with High Stress

Blind ambition : Tendency to win at all costs
Unrealistic goals: Setting up goals that are
unattainable
Relentless striving: Working hard in a compulsive
manner

Insatiable need for recognition/power: Being

addicted to glory; tendency to blame others for own
mistakes
Preoccupation with appearances: Being overtly
concerned about public image
Need to seem perfect : Inability to tolerate failure
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Persons with Low Stress

Self-awareness: Knowing how you feel in real time
Emotional literacy: Being able to label emotion
precisely

Empathy and compassion: The ability to feel and

understand the emotions of others
Balance: Being able to take decision striking a
balance between emotion and reason
Responsibility: Taking primary responsibility for your
own emotions and not saying that other made you
feel the way you feel
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Stress

Distress

Eustress

Change
Conflict
Criticism
Imbalance
Discomfort
Unexpectedness
Threat

Tension
Anxiety
Frustration
Strain
Trauma
Fear
Pressure

Challenge
Opportunity
Progress
Success
Achievements
excitements

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Stress and performance

Constructive stress.
Also known as eustress.
Moderate levels of stress act in a positive
way for both individuals and organization.
Destructive stress.
Also known as distress.
Low and especially high levels of stress act
in a negative way for both individuals and
organization.
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How does stress affect people at work?

Stress can harm peoples physical and
psychological health.
Health problem associated with stress.

Heart attack.
Stroke.
Hypertension.
Migraine headache.
Ulcers.
Depression.
Muscle aches.
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Key symptoms of excessive stress

Changes from:
Regular attendance to absenteeism.
Punctuality to tardiness.
Diligent work to careless work.
A positive attitude to a negative attitude.
Openness to change to resistance to

change.
Cooperation to hostility.
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Stress prevention
The best first-line strategy in battling
stress.
Involves taking action to keep stress

from reaching a destructive level.

Need to monitor personal and non-

work stressors and to be proactive in

preventing their adverse impact.
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Stress management
Accept its existence
Know your limit
Share
Take care of your health
Make time for fun and relaxation
Participate
Exercise
Meditate
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Demands-Resources Model of Stress

Demands
Responsibilities, pressures, obligations, and
uncertainties in the workplace
Resources
Things within an individuals control that can be
used to resolve demands
Adequate resources help reduce the stressful nature
of demands

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A Model of Stress

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Potential Sources of Stress

Environmental Factors
Economic uncertainties of the business cycle
Political uncertainties of political systems
Technological uncertainties of technical innovations
Organizational Factors
Task demands related to the job
Role demands of functioning in an organization
Interpersonal demands created by other employees
Personal Factors
Family and personal relationships
Economic problems from exceeding earning
capacity
Personality problems arising from basic disposition
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Causes Of Stress
EXTERNAL

Major life changes

Work
Relationship difficulties
Financial problems
Being too busy
Children and family

Causes Of Stress
INTERNAL

Inability to accept uncertainty

Pessimism
Negative self-talk
Unrealistic expectations
Perfectionism
Lack of assertiveness

Managing Stress
Individual Approaches
Implementing time management
Increasing physical exercise
Relaxation training
Expanding social support network
Organizational Approaches
Improved personnel selection and job placement
Training
Use of realistic goal setting
Redesigning of jobs
Increased employee involvement
Improved organizational communication
Offering employee sabbaticals
Establishment of corporate wellness programs
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Strategies for Managing Stress:

Stress management strategy #1:
Avoid unnecessary stress
Learn how to say no
Avoid people who stress you out
Take control of your environment
Avoid hot-button topics
Pare down your to-do list
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Strategies for Managing Stress:

Stress management strategy #2
Alter the situation
Express your feelings instead of bottling
them up
Be willing to compromise
Be more assertive
Manage your time better
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Strategies for Managing Stress:

Stress management strategy #3
Accept the things you cant change
Dont try to control the uncontrollable
Look for the upside
Share your feelings
Learn to forgive

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Strategies for Managing Stress:

Stress management strategy #4
Adapt to the stressor
Reframe problems
Look at the big picture
Adjust your standards
Focus on the positive

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Assignment
What are the steps to be followed in
STRESS MANAGEMENT.
Write down the Definitions of Stress
from the following perspective
stimulus based definitions,
intervening
process
or
definitions, and
response-based definitions

transactional