Stress and wellbeing

Stress

• Body’s response to any demand or pressure 

• Occurs when there is substantial imbalance between environmental demand and the perceived response capability of the focal organism

  • Self perception (e.g., I cant do this) then it would cause the bodily response

• Demands= stressors

Types of stressors

Eustress and Distress

Eustress

Good stress: results in desirable outcomes; stressors serve as motivators to perform

Distress

Bad stress: counterproductive effects on human health, work productivity, and performance

Occupational stress

Sources: working conditions, shift work, long hours, risk and danger, new technology, work overload, work underload, emotional labor like working in service oriented companies

Organizational sources of stress

• Interpersonal stress

• Job ambiguity

• Lack of control

• Physical work conditions

• Harassment

• Organizational change

• Work family conflict

Individual sources of stress

• Susceptibility to stress

• Resistance to stress

• Self efficacy (Job related, leadership, relationship)

Type A

Personalities generally have stress problems although most do not recognize until extreme symptoms or serious illnesses develop

• Type A is a learned personality complex

Type A1

110+
- High risk of developing cardiac illness and other stress related illnesses

Type A2

80- 109 

Cardiac-prone personality but your risk of heart disease is not as high

Type AB

Mix of Type A and B patterns, healthier pattern than A1 or A2 but potential for splitting into type A behavior and you should recognize this

Type B

Personality complex characterized by general relation and coping adequately with stress (express few of the reactions associated with cardiac disease

Moderators of stress

Personality traits moderate relationship between stresses and outcomes

• e.g., Work

Holmes and Rahe stress scale

• Most common is death of a spouse

• Next, divorce, marital separation, imprisonment

Effects of stress

• Physiological

• Psychological

• Behavioral

Physiological

Stomach, panic attack

Psychological

Mental health

Behavioral

• Work role

• Anti social behavior at work

• Fight from the job

• Degradation of other life roles

• Self damaging behavior

Cooper cummings model of stress and coping

1. Emotion focused coping

2. Problem focused coping

Organizational health in the philippines

• Mental health act RA 11036

• Call center work 

Mental health act RA 11036

“Section 25. Mental Health Promotion and Policies in the Workplace. -

Employers shall develop appropriate policies and programs on mental health issues, correct the stigma and discrimination associated with mental

conditions, identify and provide support for individuals with mental health

conditions to treatment and psychosocial support”

To support this law, both the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) released guidelines for private and

public sector institutions to develop programs and policies that promote

mental health among employees

Call center work

Unusual work schedules, overbearing and irate callers, excessive work targets, daily quality assurance and service performance requirements 

• Disruption of circadian rhythm bc of graveyard shifts 

• Corporate performance (profitable) significantly and negatively correlated with work stress

Irate callers (emotional labor component)

• Surface acting: follow script; leads to more stress

• Deep acting: empathy

Strategies used to increase employee well being services and facilities

• High compensations for those who had to adjust to difficult work conditions

• Ergonomically designed work spaces and equipment

• Learning programs/ holistic approaches to cope with stress

• Regular healthcare

• Counselling

• Exercise and diet programs

• Security support, transportation, living arrangement

Work life balance

Work related stress is a strong predictor of work family conflict

• Organizational support- job and life satisfaction

• Social support (friends and family), life and marital satisfaction

• Programs on parenting, time management

IO focuses on improving work environment to enhance well being, satisfaction and quality of life

Promoting occupational health

• Fitness programs

• Comfortable and relaxing work environment

• Encouragement of leisure activities

• Sports and recreational facilities

• Events such as marathons and sports competitions

• Adjusting table heights, reducing noise levels, improving work posture, improving thermal conditions and illumination

• Training on coping

Covid 19: Organizational actions/responses to help employees adapt

• Flexible work arrangements

• Mental health and well-being programs

• Physical health and safety measures

• Financial support

• Provision of material resources

• Communication of short and

• Long term plans

Covid 19: Coping strategies on the individual employee level

• Task-focused coping

• Stress management

• Social coping

• Cognitive strategies

• Learning and development activities

• Faith-oriented coping

• Maladaptive strategies