Understanding workplace Stress
STRESS IN ORGANIZATIONS
The final element of individual behavior we will discuss in this chapter is stress. Many people
think of stress as a simple problem. In reality, however, stress is complex and often
misunderstood. To learn how job stress truly works, we must first define it and then describe the
process through which it develops.
The Nature of Stress
Stress has been defined in many ways, but most definitions say that stress is caused by a
stimulus, that the stimulus can be either physical or psychological, and that the individual
responds to the stimulus in some way. Therefore, we define stress as a person's adaptive
response to a stimulus that places excessive psychological or physical demands on him or her.
Given the underlying complexities of this definition, we need to examine its components
carefully. First is the notion of adaptation. As we discuss presently, people may adapt to
stressful circumstances in any of several ways. Second is the role of the stimulus. This stimulus,
generally called a stressor, is anything that induces stress. Third, stressors can be either
psychological or physical. Finally, the demands the stressor places on the individual must be
excessive for stress to actually result. Of course, what is excessive for one person may be
perfectly tolerable for another. The point is simply that a person must perceive the demands as
excessive or stress will not actually be present. There has been a marked increase in stress
reported by airline workers in the last few years. A combination of increased pressure for salary
and benefit reductions, threats to pensions, demotions, layoffs, and heavier workloads have all
become more pronounced since September 11. And today's rising energy prices are likely to
increase these pressures. As a result, more airline workers than ever before are seeking
counseling services; turnover and absenteeism are also on the rise.
The Stress Process
Much of what we know about stress today can be traced to the pioneering work of Dr. Hans
Selye. Among Selye’s most important contributes were his identification of the general
adaptation syndrome and the concepts of eustress and distress. Offers a graphical
representation of the general adaptation syndrome. According to this model, each of us has a
normal level of resistance to stressful events. Some of us can tolerate a great deal of stress and
others much less, but we all have a threshold at which stress starts to affect us.
The GAS begins when a person first encounters a stressor. The first stage is called
“alarm”. At this point, the person may feel some degree of panic and begin to wonder how to
cope. The individual may also have to resolve a “Fight-or-flight” question: “Can I deal with this,
or should I run away?”
If the stressor is too extreme, the person may simply be unable to cope with it. In most
cases, however, the individual gathers his or her strength and begins to resist the negative
effects of the stressor. The manager with the long report to write may calm down, call home to
tell his or her kids that he or she is working late, roll up his or her sleeves, order out for dinner,
and get to work. Thus, at stage 2 of the GAS, the person is resisting the effects of the stressor.
Often, the resistance phase ends the GAS. If the manager completes the report earlier than he
or she expected, he or she may drop it in his or her brief-case, smile to himself or herself, and