industrial psychology- psychological disorders, stress, sexual harassment

Anxiety Disorders

mental health condition marked by excessive, persistent, and intense fear or worry about everyday situations, going beyond normal life stress, causing significant distress or interfering with daily functioning (work, social life)

• Characterized by excessive fear, worry, and nervousness that is difficult to control.

• Common types:

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – chronic worry about everyday things ex- constant worry about job security or performance)

  • Panic Disorder – sudden panic attacks

  • Phobias – intense fear of specific objects or situations

  • Social Anxiety Disorder – fear of social situations or being judged

Personality Disorders

• Involve enduring, rigid patterns of thinking, feeling, and behavior that deviate from cultural norms and can cause problems in relationships and work.

• These patterns are long-term and inflexible.

• Common types:

  • Borderline Personality Disorder – marked by instability in emotions, self-image, and interpersonal relationships, often resulting in intense emotional reactions, fear of abandonment, and impulsive behavior at work.

  • Antisocial Personality Disorder – characterized by a pattern of disregard for the rights of others, including deceitfulness, impulsivity, and violation of rules, which can disrupt workplace order.

  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder – characterized by a extreme sense of self-importance, need for excessive admiration, and lack of empathy for others, often leading to conflict in the workplace.

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) – perfectionism, control

Mood Disorders

• Involve disturbances in emotional state, causing prolonged periods of sadness or extreme mood swings.

• Common types:

  • Major Depressive Disorder –disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest, accompanied by low energy, poor concentration, and reduced ability to function at work.

  • Bipolar Disorder – alternating periods of depression and mania (very high energy, impulsive behavior)

  • Persistent Depressive Disorder – long-lasting, less severe depression

Schizophrenic Disorders

• Serious disorders that affect thinking, perception, emotions, and behavior.

• Characterized by:

  • Hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that aren’t there)

  • Delusions (false beliefs)

  • Disorganized speech and behavior

  • Blunted or inappropriate emotions

• They involve a break from reality, known as psychosis.

Stress

The cause — external pressures or demands placed on an employee (e.g., workload, deadlines, role conflict).

Strain

The effect — the negative physical, psychological, or behavioral reactions caused by stress (e.g., anxiety, headaches, reduced performance).

Role Ambiguity:

When an employee is unsure about their responsibilities, expectations, or how to perform their job. This uncertainty increases stress.

Role Conflict

When competing or incompatible job demands exist (e.g., two supervisors giving different instructions). This creates confusion and frustration.

Three Major Types of Strain

• Psychological Strain – anxiety, depression, irritability.

• Physical Strain – headaches, fatigue, high blood pressure, sleep issues.

• Behavioral Strain – absenteeism, aggression, reduced productivity, substance abuse.

Coping Strategies

• Problem-Focused Coping

• Emotion-Focused Coping

Emotion-Focused Coping

Manages the emotional response to stress when the situation can’t be changed immediately.

Examples:

• Venting to friends

• Meditation, deep breathing

• Taking breaks

• Positive reframing ("I can handle this")

Problem-Focused Coping

Aims to solve or reduce the source of stress.

Examples:

• Time management

• Seeking training

• Delegating work

• Asking for clarification

Used when stressor can be controlled

Individual and Organizational Strategies for Coping with Stress

Individual Strategies

• Exercising, practicing mindfulness, improving sleep

• Time management and organization skills

• Seeking social support

• Setting boundaries

Organizational Strategies

• Clear job descriptions to reduce role ambiguity

• Fair workload distribution

• Employee assistance programs (EAPs)

• Training, mentoring, conflict-resolution systems

• Safe reporting channels for harassment and bullying

• Healthy work–life balance policies (breaks, leave, flexible hours)

Training

A planned effort to improve employees’ skills, knowledge, and abilities.

Types of Training

• On-the-job training

• Off-the-job training

• Orientation

• Skill development

Training Process

1. Needs analysis

2. Program design

3. Implementation

4. Evaluation

Sexual Harassment at Work

any unwelcome sexual behavior that creates a hostile, unsafe, or uncomfortable work environment. It violates employees’ dignity and threatens workplace safety psychologically and emotionally.

Types of Sexual Harassment

Quid Pro Quo

Hostile Work Environment

Hostile Work Environment

Unwelcome jokes, comments, gestures, inappropriate messages, physical touching, or sexualized behaviour that makes the workplace uncomfortable or intimidating.

Quid Pro Quo

• Job benefits in exchange for sexual favors

• This for that”: job benefits (promotion, pay, stability) are tied to sexual favours.

Why Employees Sexually Harass Others

• Abuse of power or authority

• Desire to dominate, intimidate, or control

• Misogyny or discriminatory attitudes

• Lack of organizational consequences (weak policies)

• Peer pressure or toxic workplace culture

• Misinterpretation of friendliness

• Personal issues or entitlement

Training Needs Analysis (TNA)

Identifying gaps between current performance and desired performance.

Levels of TNA

• Organizational Analysis

  • Goals, resources, environment

• Task Analysis

  • Job duties and skills required

• Individual Analysis

  • Who needs training and why

Training Process / Cycle

• Identify training needs

• Set training objectives

• Design training program

• Implement training

• Evaluate training effectiveness

Evaluation of Training

• Reaction – trainee satisfaction

• Learning – knowledge gained

• Behavior – change in job behavior

• Results – impact on performance