Stress Management in Organizational Behaviour
Stress management in Organizational Behavior refers to the strategies and techniques employed by individuals, managers, and organizations to identify, prevent, and cope with stress in the workplace.
It involves understanding the causes and impact of stress on individuals and organizations, implementing measures to reduce stress levels, and fostering a positive work environment that promotes employee well-being and productivity.
Whatever kind of job one is involved in, you would always find several factors that lead to severe stress. It is not uncommon today, with everyone worrying about whether the state of the economy and high employment rates would mean that they are the next to losing their jobs.
Like any other management technique, stress management too is very vital for the success of any organization.
If the employees of an organization are unable to work efficiently and be productive, it is the organization that would eventually collapse. It is therefore essential that stress management techniques are understood by all the stakeholders of any organization.
It isn’t easy to point on just one or two causes of stress. There are several factors that could contribute towards a person suffering from all sorts of stress.
You must understand what causes stress if you are to efficiently try and reduce stress from your lifestyle.
Most often, employees find themselves in a state of confusion as to what their job entails and they may even worry as to whether they might lose their jobs given the current economic situation. This could lead to a lot of stress in the workplace.
Increased pressure from employers could also make an employee work too hard and maybe even work overtime in an attempt to impress the employer or outdo another employee.
There are of course other reasons that could contribute to individual employees suffering from severe stress outside the workplace such as family problems, health-related issues and so on.
Failure to understand and eliminate these elements that cause the stress could eventually lead to dire consequences. These elements are generally known as stressors and are found in plenty in the workplace.
It is not only the employees, who need to identify these stressors, but also the organization itself would need to take relevant steps. It is of utmost importance that an organization takes this issue seriously.
The organization can help reduce stress by:
1. Reducing the number of hours for which their employees would have to work per week. This will, in the long run, contribute to a more efficient functioning of the organization, as employees would have more time to rest at home and will come back the next day feeling refreshed.
2. Working hours should be flexible. This may also include shifts and the rotation of employees.
3. A tried and tested technique that many organizations have begun using is the provision of lounges and other recreational facilities to help employees relax during the day should they require some time off.
4. You may even choose to add refreshments and a TV so that they could forget all the worries of work for a few minutes. Investing in such facilities is a great idea for any organization. You may also allow them to take more holidays throughout the year to ensure that they have a good break.
5. Female employees may find that they do not have enough time to spend with their newborn if they have just had a baby. You should make allowance for such situations.
Providing longer maternity leave could help your female employee to come back to work without having too much on her mind with regard to the baby and any postnatal depression.
Another idea would be to provide childcare facilities at the office so that mothers with young children could peep in and ensure their kids are okay every few hours.
6. As an employee, you should also make it a point to occasionally have a casual chat with your employees to ensure that they are satisfied with their jobs and have no issues at work.
7. You should also encourage them and appreciate and praise him/her for tasks carried out very well. This would reduce any worries they may have of the risks of losing their jobs and help them to feel more secure.
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of stress is crucial for early intervention and support. Some common indicators of stress in employees and managers include:
1. Decreased productivity and performance.
2. Increased absenteeism and turnover.
3. Negative impact on physical and mental health of employees.
4. Strained relationships and conflicts among team members.
5. Reduced job satisfaction and engagement.
6. Increased risk of errors and accidents.
7. Increased irritability, agitation, or mood swings.
8. Fatigue, low energy, or sleep disturbances.
9. Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
10. Physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, or digestive issues.
11. Withdrawal from social interactions or decreased participation.
12. Increased reliance on substances like alcohol or drugs.
In organizational behavior, Stress Management Techniques can be categorized as follows :
1. Individual-Level Techniques: Focus on helping individuals develop coping skills and resilience through techniques such as time management, prioritization, relaxation exercises, and mindfulness practices.
2. Organizational-Level Techniques: Involve implementing policies and practices that promote work-life balance, clear communication, employee recognition, and fostering a supportive work culture.
3. Job Redesign and Workload Management: Involves assessing and modifying job roles, responsibilities, and workloads to reduce stress levels. This can include task delegation, workload balancing, and ensuring realistic job demands.
4. Training and Development: Providing training programs to enhance employees’ skills, knowledge, and abilities to handle stress effectively, including stress management workshops, communication skills training, and conflict resolution training.
5. Employee Support Programs: Offering employee assistance programs (EAPs), counseling services, or access to mental health resources to provide professional support for employees experiencing stress.
6. Time Management: Encouraging employees to prioritize tasks, set realistic deadlines, and manage their time efficiently to reduce work-related stress.
7. Regular Communication: Promoting open and transparent communication channels to address concerns, provide feedback, and ensure employees feel heard and supported.
8. Work-Life Balance: Encouraging a healthy balance between work and personal life by promoting flexible working hours, remote work options, and paid time off.
9. Health and Wellness Initiatives: Implementing wellness programs, fitness activities, and providing access to resources that support physical and mental health.
10. Conflict Resolution: Training employees and managers on conflict resolution techniques to address conflicts in a constructive and collaborative manner.
Supportive Leadership: Fostering a supportive leadership style that promotes trust, recognition, and empathy, creating a positive work environment.
Tips:
1. If you are suffering from stress and have identified some of the causes, you should try different techniques to help you cope with the pressure or problems that you face.
2. Being positive and remaining calm would take you a very long way. Try not to worry about insignificant matters.
If you have any queries or any work-related problems, you should always take it up with your employer and try and get the issue sorted out.
3. It is important to keep in mind that you should take regular breaks while at work and even after you get home.
You can relieve yourself of most of the stress by taking part in relaxing activities, be it yoga or simply curling up on the couch with a good book and a cup of coffee.
4. Create a schedule and plan out how you would balance both your work life and family life without letting one overtake the other.
You would find that you are more relaxed this way and would actually look forward to going to work the next day. Of course, nothing can beat a good night’s sleep and a healthy lifestyle and diet.
Although most work-related worries may seem too huge to shake off, once you master the art of coping with stress and are able to get rid of any negative thoughts, you would find that peace would come to you naturally.
Although most work-related worries may seem too huge to shake off, once you master the art of coping with stress and are able to get rid of any negative thoughts, you would find that peace would come to you naturally.
RAJEEV VERMA 