Essay Questions
1. What are the implications of stress at work?
Key Points:
- Although it is difficult to estimate the cost of work-related stress, many studies report that it has enormous impact in terms of both economic costs and human suffering.
- Understand the ‘cost’ to companies of stress.
- Point out that the word ‘stress’ is used in a number of ways (the student might cross-refer to chapter 19 here).
- Identify the numerous stressors in the work environment that can result in distinctive physiological, psychological and behavioural responses:
- Physical stressors
- Work load
- The person’s role in the organization
- Career development issues
- Social stressors
- The timing of work.
- Indication that the outcome of stress is a function of the interaction of the individual and the environment.
- Consider the resources that we bring to a work situation, which can also affect the way each of us responds to stress:
- Knowledge
- Social support
- Control
- Personality characteristics (including the three personality traits of hardiness)
- Tackling stress (including stress management programmes).
