Administrative System

1. IV.
MANAGING
STRESS,
CONFLICT
AND CHANGE
PRESENTED BY:
DRHANREB A. LIBERA

2. STRESS
Stress at workplace is a common feature
and majority people experience it.

3. According to Crider, Goethals, Kavanaugh and
Soloman, “Stress is a pattern of disruptive
psychological and physiological functioning that
occurs when an environmental event is appraised as a
threat to important goals and one’s ability to cope.”

4. From a physiological point of view, stress may be
defined as any state during which the body tends to
mobilize its resources and utilize more energy than
it ordinarily would.

5. The stress leads to physiological and
psychological changes such as changes in
heart rate, skin resistance, respiration,
blood pressure and endocrine activity.

6. These changes will deviate a person from
normal performance.

7. These changes are known as stress response.

8. These changes often lead to anxiety and fatigue.

9. Stress is not always negative.Any event
causing stress results into an action from
person under stress.This action may also result
into positive performance.

10. According to Cynthia D. Fisher, L. F. Schoenfeldt
and J. B. Shaw, “The optimum level of tension will
result in maximum performance.”

11. Optimum level of stress is difficult to
determine as it depends upon the kind of
occupation, age, sex and race of the employee.

12. Overstress is always dangerous.
No employee can escape its
consequences.

13. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRESS AND PERFORMANCE IS
SHOWN IN THE DIAGRAM GIVEN BELOW:

14. Positive stress works, as motivator.

15. Person’s attitude and expectations lead to stress.

16. If he fails to fulfill the expected demands he
comes under stress.This kind of stress is self
induced by the person himself.

17. A poor facility at workplace also leads to stress.

18. Managing stress is essential to improve quality
of life at work.

19. CAUSES OF STRESS OR STRESSORS:
1. Organisational Causes
2. Group Level Causes
3. Individual Level Causes
4. Domestic Level Causes
5. Other Causes

20. 1. ORGANIZATIONAL CAUSES
The organizational causes include the organizational structure,
managerial leaderships, rules and regulations, extent of
centralization and decentralization, type of communication,
delegation of powers, number of employees in a room or hall
working together etc.

21. Excessive nature of centralized decisions and allowing
participation of employees in decision making process
cause stress.

22. Style of leadership adopted by the managers
and executives of the organisation also affect
the mental balance of the employees and they
fall a prey to stress.

23. Rules and regulations also become the cause of stress.

24. 2. GROUP LEVEL CAUSES:
At workplace human beings are working. Human
beings are social animals they live in groups.This
group ideology holds good at workplace also.
Employees have to work in groups. Certain jobs
demand teamwork.

25. Employees’ behavior is influenced by group.The
group is also a potential cause of stress where there
is lack of cohesiveness and social support.Working
together in groups is essential at lower level of the
organization.
Lack of social support becomes a cause of stress.

26. The conflicts between groups also are a cause
of stress because inter-department or
intergroup conflicts increase the burden of
work.

27. 3. INDIVIDUAL LEVEL CAUSES:
There are many reasons for causing stress to an
individual. At the workplace when two superiors have
assigned the work to the same individual simultaneously
put him under stress. He will be under tension as to
whose work is to be finished first.This is because of role
conflict.

28. Another reason for stress for an individual is when the job
responsibilities are not clearly defined.The types of
personality also are the causes of stress to an individual.
“Type A personality” individuals are workaholics; works
speedily and exactly, don’t rest, and don’t enjoy life.

29. As against them, the individuals with “Type B
personality” remain stress free comparatively.
These individuals do not bother if work suffers, they
take their own time to complete the task, and they
enjoy life and take full rest.

30. The change in job and job responsibilities because
of promotion or transfer also put an individual
under stress.

31. Several changes are taking place nowadays. Joint
family system has now broken. Modern approach to
life has changed the life style of individuals.
Everyone wants complete freedom.
To run the family according to modern life style is
becoming increasingly difficult.
4. DOMESTIC LEVEL CAUSES:

32. Majority middle class people face the identity crisis.
They want to lead sophisticated life style which the
rich can afford. They suffer from financial crisis
which becomes a major cause of worry and tension
for them. Children’s education, death of a spouse,
purchase of new house, soaring prices, etc. are the
causes of stress to an individual on domestic front.

33. 5. OTHER CAUSES:
Among other include economic, political and technological
changes that are going on continuously.These are extra
organizational but sometimes have negative effect on jobs.
The changes in economic, political and technological front
sometimes have potential threat to the jobs.These reasons put
the employees under stress.

34. Age, health and education are also the
factors causing stress.

35. CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS:
There are serious consequences or effects of
stress on health of the employees and their
work performance.

36. As for physical problems include chronic
fatigue, ulcers, diabetes, skin disorders,
asthma, allergies, high blood pressure,
migraine, irritations, increased heart and
breath rates, heart attacks etc.

37. The psychological problems include tension,
emotional imbalance, boredom, job
dissatisfaction, anxiety, depression, irritation
and procrastination

38. Stress also affects the behavior of the persons.
It leads to adverse changes in job performance,
increased absenteeism, and turnover,
significant increase in the habit of smoking and
alcoholism, and cynicism.

39. The economic effect of stress is that the stressed
employees failed to put their best performance
resulting into low production ultimately leading to
losses.

40. BURNOUTS:
Stress can lead to burnout. Burnout is the result of chronic
emotional stress, physical exhaustion and excess depression.
K. Aswathappa defined burnout as, “a state of mind
resulting from prolonged exposure to intense emotional
stress and involving, physical, emotional and mental
exhaustion.”

41. Excess stress causes burnout. It is therefore
necessary to take steps that stress should not
be allowed to go excess leading to burnout.

42. STRESS REDUCTION STRATEGIES:
No one can escape stress. But sincere attempts can be made to
reduce it. If not reduce it will prove costly to organisation and its
human resources.
Strategies to reduce stress can be divided into:
1. Organizational level strategies, and
2.Individual level strategies.

43. 1. ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL STRATEGIES:
The organization can implement the programs for its
employees such as relaxation techniques, physical fitness
programs, stress education, group discussions, family
counseling, hobby workshops, sports and recreation facilities,
time management, counseling in respect of drug and alcohol
abuse, obesity control techniques etc. to reduce stress.

44. Ergonomics can be used to reduce stress at the workplace.
Improved communication, proper delegation of authority
reducing centralization of authority, jobs redesign specially
to enrich them, proper selection and placement of persons
at respective jobs, participative decision making and
practicing the core techniques of human resource
management are some of the strategies that can keep the
stress under control.

45. Certain sophisticated companies have
massage centers at the workplace for their
employees.

46. 2. INDIVIDUAL LEVEL STRATEGIES:
Organization can make its own efforts as far as
possible to reduce the stressors at workplace but an
individual should make all out efforts to manage his
own stress effectively.

47. FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS INDIVIDUALLY:
 One should take proper balanced diet at proper time.
 Avoid drinking and smoking.
 Regular exercise for fitness.
 Know your strong and weak points.
 Relax for some time to control blood pressure, heart rate.
 Prayers like worshiping etc., meditations, yoga can help reduce
tension.

48.  Effective time management by preparing daily lists of work
according to their priorities and follow it.
 Plan your career.
 Open your heart to your friends; express your feelings,
emotions, threats etc. It helps in relieving the mind from
botheration.
 Take pride on your achievements and receive from others.
 Exercise control on yourself.
 Identify the factors causing stress.Try to keep away from them
as far as possible.

49. CONFLICT
Like stress, conflict is also a part of life of an
individual and organisation.

50. According toWendell French, “conflict in the organization
consists of opposing behaviors between two or more people or
groups who have incompatible goals.”

51. Conflict arises because of disagreement.

52. According to Leonard Greenhalgh, “conflict is not an
objective, tangible phenomenon; rather, it exists in the
minds of the people who are party to it.”

53. Conflict cannot be resolved unless third impartial party
interferes or both coming together and hold a talk.

54. Managers have to spend much of their time in resolving
conflicts between employees or groups of employees.

55. There are many causes that lead to conflict such as
organizational structure, differences in values, perceptions, and
objectives etc. which are to be dealt in skillfully to ease away
conflict so that maximum performance can be achieved from all
the human resources of the organization.

56. For managing conflict, one must understand the situation
and then pursue the parties to conflict to reconsider their
perceptions and come to compromise.

57. The conflicts sometimes if well managed become
conducive to the effective functioning of the organization
otherwise it may result in distortion of interests of the
organization.

58. Manager has to take care that conflicts should not harm
the interests of the organization.

59. CERTAIN BENEFITS ARISING OUT OF CONFLICTS
1. Conflicts create awareness in respect of the problems faced by the
organization, they can then be solved on time.
2. Conflicts bring about change.They bring injustice, inefficiencies and
other defects to surface.The corrective measures can be taken through
appropriate changes.
3. Conflicts involve opposition of ideas and views.Through this
opposition better ideas are evolved leading to correct decisions.
4. Conflicts make the people curious to evolve new creative ideas for
better performance and solutions to the problems than the rival
groups.This helps in stimulating creativity among employees.

60. If such advantageous are the dimensions of conflicts then it
is really beneficial and enjoyable because good is the
yielding. If conflict takes the severe turn then it becomes
very harmful and organisation suffers from it.

61. If issues involved in the conflicts are of principles then it
becomes difficult to resolve because parties will prefer to
stick to their principles but if these issues are divisible and
basic principles are not involved in it then the conflict is
easy to resolve.

62. The manager must be a watchful person. He should closely
watch the eruption of conflict at the beginning itself. If it seems
to increase performance he should stimulate it. If it seems to
harm the performance then he should take the steps to reduce it
or don’t allow it to take hazardous stage.
Regulation of conflict is essential by adopting standard rules and
procedure.

63. CHANGE
Change is an inevitable aspect of organizational life and can
be essential for future growth. However, poor management of
the change process can lead to workers feeling anxious and
uncertain about aspects of their work or employment status.

64. Managing change is when you proactively make the
most of changes to benefit your organization.

65. As the world changes and the needs of beneficiaries
and funders change so, organizations need to adapt.
Much of the time we can just accommodate the
changes and get on with everyday work.

66. But everyone has a different capacity to adapt and
continual or large-scale changes can be unsettling,
create stress and in the long term undermine
organisational effectiveness.

67. Actively managing change is important to ensure
workers can adapt effectively while still delivering
much needed services.

68. If it’s managed well, then change can be
empowering, taking people to the edges of their
comfort zone, stretching them and building their
confidence to realize they are capable of things they
didn’t know.

69. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
1. Communication
2. Consultation and participation
3. Review roles
4. Provide support

70. COMMUNICATION
Communication is the most important strategy in achieving
successful change. Failure to effectively communicate
changes in the workplace may increase worker distress.
It has been said you need to communicate any message
seven times in seven different ways for it to be heard. That
might sound excessive, but don’t just say it once and
assume everyone was listening and understood

71. CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION
 Ensure workers are consulted about workplace change and as a
minimum, note that workers and/ or their unions have a legal right
to be consulted about significant changes under their award,
agreement or industrial relations legislation
 Ensure workers are supported throughout the change process and
are aware of any potential impacts on their roles
 Provide opportunities for workers to participate in the change
process to encourage uptake, increase motivation and promote
ownership of the process and outcomes

72.  Encourage involvement from individuals and work teams
 Encourage workers to be involved in the planning of change
initiative(s) and to provide ongoing feedback on the proposed
change
 Ensure the results of consultations are fed back to the group or
individuals and discuss why it may not have been possible to take
some ideas on board
 Implement changes in a timely manner

73. REVIEW ROLES
 Review team and individual work plans after the change to
ensure roles, objectives and accountabilities are clear
 Change job descriptions to match the new duties and
tasks of the role, preventing ambiguity and role conflict.
Workers should participate in this review process where
possible
 Encourage workers to develop their skills to help them
undertake new and challenging work produced by the
change

74.  Ensure workers feel confident in undertaking their job tasks and
make sure they receive enough training for them to be competent
in their roles
 Where a change in structure or roles occurs, or re-training is
required, use the performance review process as a positive
opportunity for workers to have renewed input to the way they
complete their work

75. PROVIDE SUPPORT
Be aware that workers may need additional
practical or emotional support during times of
organizational change.

76. At the individual level, solutions are aimed at assisting individuals to cope
or build resilience.
Appropriate activities to be considered at this level of intervention include:
 corporate induction programs
 access to employee assistance programs
 training about resilience
 health and wellbeing programs
 counselling/therapy for people experiencing distress from sources both
in and outside of the workplace

77. Thank you!
Drhanreb A. Libera