MBA – (1st Year) (Second Semester) DDE
Examination, Jan - 2004
Organizational Behavior (3.21)
Unit –I
Q1.
What do you mean by organisational behaviour? What is the
significance of studying O.B. Discuss the challenges of that work
force diversity has posed for present day O.B.
Ans. Organizational Behavior is field of study that illustrates the impact that
individual, groups and structure have on behavior within organization for the
purpose of applying such knowledge towards improving an organization affective
ness i.e. OB is concussed with the study of what people do in an organization
and how that behavior affects the performance of the organization. Underlying
this systematic approach is the belief that behavior is not random. It stems from
and is directed towards some and that individual believes, rightly or wrongly, is in
his or her best interest.
OB is an applied behavioral science that is built on contribution from a number of
behavioral disciplines. The predominant areas are
a) Psychology:- The Science that sets to explain and sometimes change the
behavior of human beings. The contribution includes study of topics like
Motivation, personality, Emotions, perception, Job Satisfaction etc.
b) Sociology:- The Study people in relation to them fellow human beings. The
contribution includes study of topics like Group dynamics, work teams,
communication, power, conflict etc.
c) Anthropology:- The Study of societies to learn about human beings and
their activities. The contribution includes study of topics like organizational
culture, organizational environment, cross-cultural analysis etc.
d) Political Science:- The Study of individual and groups within a political
environment. The contribution includes the study of topics like conflict,
Intra – organizational politics, power etc.
One of the most important and broad based challenges currently facing
organizations is adapting to people who are different. The term to describe this
challenge is work force diversity. While globalization focuses on differences
between people from different countries work force diversity addresses
differences among people within given countries.
Work force diversity means that organizations are becoming more
heterogeneous in terms of gender, which varies from the so-called norm. It
includes women, south Indians, Benalies, Punjabies , physically disabled, elderly
etc.
Earlier it was assumed that people who are not different would somehow
automatically want to assimilate. But now it is recognized that employee’s don’t
set aside their cultural value and life style preferences when they come to work.
The challenge for organizations, therefore, is to make themselves more
accommodating to diverse groups of people by addressing their different life –
style, family needs and work styles.
Workforce diversity has important implications for management practice.
Managers have to shift their philosophy from treating everyone alike to
recognizing differences and responding to those differences in ways that ensure
employee retention and greater productivity while at the sometime, not
discriminating. This shift includes, for instead, providing diversity training and
revamping benefit programs to accommodate the different employees. Work
force diversity if positively managed, can increase creativity and innovation in
organizations as well as improve decision making by providing different
perspectives on problems. When work diversity is not managed properly, there is
a potential for higher turnover, more difficult communication and more
interpersonal conflicts.
Q2. Define attitude. How they are formed and how they can be changed?
Ans. Attitudes are evaluative statements-either favourable or unfavourable
concerning objects, people, or events. They reflect how one feels about
something.
There are three components of attitude cognition, affect and behaviour.
The belief that “discrimination is Wrong” is a value statement. Such an
opinion is the cognitive component of an attitude. It sets the stage for the more
critical part of an attitude – its affective statement. Affect is the emotional or
feeling segment of an attitude and is reflected in the statement “I don’t like Mr. X
because he discriminates against minorities”. Finally, affect can lead to
behavioural outcomes. The behavioural component of an attitude refers to an
intention to behave in a certain way towards someone or something eg. “I choose
to avoid Mr. X because of my feelings about him”.
There exists a strong relationship between behaviour and attitude. This is
particularly true when attitudes are vague and ambiguous. When you have had
few experiences regarding an attitude issue or given little previous thought to it,
one will tend to infer one’s attitude has been established for a while and are well
defined, those attitudes are likely to guide one’s behaviour.
Attitude can be changed by bringing change in behaviour. Any relatively
permanent change in behaviour is called learning. Three theories have been
offered t explain the process of learning by which we acquire patter us of
behaviour. These are classical conditioning operant conditioning and social
learning.
a)
Classical Conditioning: - deals with the association of one event with
another desired event resulting in desired behaviour or learning.
b)
Operant Conditioning: - A type of conditioning in which desired
voluntary behaviour leads to a reward or prevents punishment. The tendency to
repeat such behaviour is influenced by the reinforcement or lack of reinforcement
brought about by the consequences of the behaviour. Therefore, reinforcement
strengthens a behaviour and increases the likelihood that it will be repeated.
c)
Social learning: - People can learn through observation and direct
experience. The influence of this model is central to the social learning viewpoint. Four
processes have been found to determine the influence that a model will have on an
individual.
i)
Attention Processes: - People learn from a model only when they
recognize and pay attention to its critical features.
ii)
Retention Processes: - A model’s influence will depend on how well
the individual remembers the model’s action after the model is no longer readily
available.
iii)
Motor Reproduction Process: - After a person has seen a new
behaviour by observing the model the watching must be converted to doing. This
process then demonstrates that the individual can perform the modeled activities.
iv)
Reinforcement Process:- Individuals will be motivated to exhibit the
modeled behaviour if positive incentives or rewards are provided. Behaviours
that are positively reinforced will be given more attention, learning better, and
performed more often.
Because learning takes place on the Job as well as prior to it managers will be
concerned with how they can teach employees to behave in ways that most
benefit the organization and this change their attitude. When managers attempt
to mold individuals by guiding their learning in graduated steps, they are “shaping
behaviour” and this changing their attitude.
There are four ways in which to shape behaviour through positive
reinforcement negative reinforcement, punishment and extinction.
Following a response with something pleasant is called positive reinforcement
Negative response happens when individuals learn to avoid or escape from
unpleasant consequences. Punishment is causing an unpleasant condition in an
attempt to eliminate an unpleasant behaviour. Eliminating any reinforcement that
is maintaining a behaviour is called extinction.
Unit –II
Q3. What do you mean by perception? Discuss the steps involved in
perception. Under what circumstances perceptual distortions take place?
Ans. Perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their
sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment.
Attribution Theory is used to develop explanation of the ways in which we Judge
people differently, depending on what meaning we attribute to a given behaviour.
Basically the theory suggests that when we observe an individual’s behaviour we
attempt to determine whether it was internally or three caused. That
determination depends largely on three factors: (i) Distinctiveness (ii) Consensus
and (iii) Consistency.
Internally caused behaviours are those that are believed to be under the personal
control of the individual. Externally caused behaviour is seen as resulting from
outside causes; that is person is seen as having been forced into a behaviour by
the situation.
Distinctiveness refers to whether an individual displays different behaviours in
different situations what is to be determined is whether this behaviour is unusual.
If it is, the observer is likely to give the behaviour an external attribution. If this
action is not unusual, it will probably be judged as internal.
If everyone who is faced with a similar situation responds in the same way, we
can say the behaviour shows consensus.
Consistency refers to whether person responds the same way over time. The
more consistent the behaviour, the more the observes is inclined to attribute it to
internal causes.
A number of factors operate to shape and sometimes distort perception. These
factors can reside in the perceiver, in the object or target being perceived, or in
the context of the situation in which the perception is made.
When an individual looks at the target and attempts to interpret what he or she
sees, that interpretation is heavily influenced by the personal characteristics of
the individual perceiver. Personal characteristic that affect perception include a
person’s attitudes, personality motives, interests, past experiences and
expectations.
Characteristics of the target being observed can affect what is perceived. Local
people are more likely to be noticed in a group than quite ones. So, too, are
extremely, attractive individuals because targets are not looked at in isolation, the
relationship of a target to its background also influences perception, as does our
tendency to group close things and similar things together.
The context in which we see objects or events is also important. The time at
which an object or event is seen can influence attention as can location, light or
any number of situational factors.
Q4. Distinguish motivation from satisfaction. What are different
motivators at work place? How do you rate money as motivator?
Ans. Motivation represents an “unsatisfied need” which creates a state of
tension or disequilibrium, causing an individual to move in a goal-directed pattern
towards a state of equilibrium by satisfying the need.
Management generally uses financial and non-financial motivators
to motivate their employees.
Financial Motivators: - Such motivation is connected directly or indirectly
with money. Wages and salary, bonuses, profit sharing, leave with pay, medical
reimbursement etc. are included under this type of motivation.
Non Financial Motivators: - Non financial motivators are the psychic
rewards, or the rewards of enhanced position, that can be secured in the work
organisation. Some of the most commonly used non-financial motivators are: 1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
Appraisal, praise and prestige
Status and pride
Competition
Delegation of Authority
Participation
Job security
Job Enlargement
Job Rotation
Job Enrichment
Quality of work life
1. Appraisal Praise and Prestige: - When he does his work well the employed
naturally wants it to be praised and recognized by his boss and fellow workers.
Praise seems to have its greatest value when given and received as recognition.
Recognition satisfies human need for esteem by others by others and for selfesteem. This recognition may be shown in the form of praise, of a pat on the
beck of the employee or a recommendation for a pay raise, promotion or
assignment of more interesting tasks.
2. Status and Pride: - Status refers to “the social rank of a person” and satisfies
social and egoistic needs. A management often tries to satisfy these needs by
establishing status symbols and distinctions in its organisation. Individuals try
hard to gain these status symbols; and once these have been achieved, there is
a carving for higher status symbols.
3. Competition: - As a form of motivation, competition is widely used in an
organisation. Individuals do compete with one another if they feel they have
chance of winning and satisfying their “ego”. This competition may be in regard to
sales production or safety measures. The person who is adjudged the best is
awarded the coveted prize.
4. Delegation of Authority: - An authority is the right to act, to direct, and to
requisition resources needed to properly perform the Job. The delegation of a
substantial amount of responsibility to execute a given task often proves to be a
strong motivation. The subordinate is more or less on his own. The supervisor
trusts him. He feels that he must show results.
5. Participation : - It implies the physical and mental involvement of the people in
an activity especially in that of decision making. This satisfies one’s ego and self
esteem and the needs of creativeness and initiative.
6. Job Security: - For some employees, this is an equally important motivator.
Job security implies that an employee would continue on the job in the same
plant or elsewhere and that he shall enjoy economic and social security through
health and welfare programmes, providing security against sickness,
unemployment,, disability, old age and death.
7. Job Enlargement: - It is the process of increasing the complexity of the Job in
order to appeal to the higher order needs of workers. It implies that the
employees perform more varied tasks, which are all of the same level the idea
being to make the jobs less monotonous. The idea of job enlargement is to
provide the workers with the opportunity to make greater use of their minds and
skill so that they are more able to help satisfy their need for self esteem and
dignity.
8. Job Rotation: - It implies the shifting of an employee from one job to another
so that monotony and boredom are reduced. The basic objective of job rotation is
to increase the skill and knowledge of the employee about related jobs. In Job
rotation, workers learn to do all the different activities necessary for an operation
or unit of work.
9. Job Enrichment: it is a from of changing or improving a job, so that a worker is
likely to be more motivated. It provides the opportunity for greater recognition \,
advancement growth and responsibility. An employee where job is enriched will
perform the management function of planning and control so far as his own work
is concerned. In an enriched job, an employee knows the overall deadlines and
the quality standards he must meet, and within that framework he plans the order
in which he will tackle the various tasks and the time that should be devoted to
each. He holds himself responsible both for meeting the deadlines and for
producing work of the necessary quality, and he does not pass his work or pet
others to judge it till he is satisfied that it meets the required standards.
10: Quality of Work Life : the term quality of work life means different things to
different persons. To a worker on an assembly time, it may just mean a fair day’s
pay , safe working conditions and a supervisor who treats him with dignity . to a
young new creative tasks and a successful career.
a)
There are many factors which can contribute to quality of work life like:
b)
Adequate and fair compensation
c)
A safe and healthy environment.
d)
Jobs aimed at developing and using employee’s skills and abilities.
e)
Growth and security; jobs aimed at expanding employees capabilities,
rather than leading to their obsolescence.
f)
An environment in which employee’s right to privacy, dissents equity etc.
Unit III
Q 5.
Define the meaning of a group . why do people join a group?
Discuss the steps involved in formal group process
Ans A group is defined as two or more individuals, interacting and
interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives. Groups
can either be formal or informal. Formal groups are designated work group
defined by the organization’s structure. Informal groups are network of personal
and social relations not established or required by the formal organization but
arising spontaneously as people associate with on another.
Groups are further sub classified into command, task, interest or friendship
groups command and task groups are dictated by the formal organization, while
interest and friendship groups are informal alliances.
The organization chart determines a command group. It is composed of
individuals who report directly to a given manager.
Task group are also organizationally determined, represent those working
together to complete a job task. However, as task group’s boundaries are not
limited to its immediate hierarchical superior. It can cross command relationship.
All command groups are also task group, but because task groups can cut
across the organization, the reverse need not be true.
Interest group includes those working together to attain a specific objective with
which each is concerned. Employees who band together to have their vacation
schedules altered, to support to peer who has been fired, or to seek improvement
in working conditions represents the formations of unified body to further their
common interest.
Friendship groups are formed by those who share on or more common
characters.
People join groups for various reasons like: a) Security - By joining a group individuals can reduce the insecurity of
standing alone. People feel stronger, have fewer self doubts, and are
more resistant to threats when they are part of the group.
b) Status – Inclusions in a group that is view as important by others, provides
recognition an status for its members.
c) Self – esteem – Groups can provide people with feelings of self worth.
That is , in addition to conveying status to those outside the group,
membership can also give increased feelings of worth to the group
members themselves.
d) Affiliation – Groups can fulfill social needs. People enjoy the regular
interaction that comes with group membership. For many people, these on
– the – job interactions are their primary source for fulfilling their needs for
affiliation.
e) Power – what cannot be achieved individually often becomes possible
through group action. There is power in numbers.
f) Good achievements – There are a times when it takes more than one
person to accomplish a particular task – there is need to pool talents,
knowledge or power in order to complete a job. In such instances,
management will rely on the use of a formal group.
Groups generally pass through a standardized sequence in there eruditions.
Group passes through five stages in its developmental process –
The first stage forming is characterized by as great deal of uncertainly
about the
group’s purpose structure and leadership. Members are “testing the
waters” to
determine what types of behavior are acceptable. This stage is complete when
members have begun to think of themselves as part of a group.
The Storming stage is one of intragroup conflict. Member accepts the existence
of the group, but there is resistance to the constraints that the group imposes on
individuality. Furthermore, there is conflict over who will control the group. When
this stage is complete, there will be a relatively clear hierarchy of leadership
within the group.
The third stage is one in which close relationships develop and the group
demonstrates cohesiveness. There is now a strong sense of group identity and
camaraderie. This norming stage is complete when the group structure solidifies
and the group has assimilated a common set of expectations of what defines
correct member behavior.
The forth stage is performing. The structure at this point is fully functional and
accepted. Group energy has moved from getting to know and understand each
other to performing the task at hand.
For permanent work groups, performing is the last stage in their development,
however, for temporary committees, teams, task forces, and similar groups that
have a limited task to perform, there is an adjourning stage. In this stage, the
group prepares for its disbandment. High task performance is no longer the
group’s top priority. Instead, attention is directed toward wrapping up activities.
Responses of group members vary in this stage. Some are upbeat, basking in
the group’s accomplishments. Others may be depressed over the loss of
camaraderie and friendship gained during the work group’s life.
Q6.
Discuss the meaning and process of empowerment. Also explain its
barriers and facilitators.
Ans. Empowerment is putting employees in charge of what they do. Decisionmaking is pushed down to the operating level, where workers are given the
freedom to make choices about schedules and procedures and to solve work
related problems. Employees are allowed full control and their work . An
increasing number of organizations are using self managed teams, in which
workers operate largely without bosses. Empowerment is necessary component
of a customer responsive culture because it allows service employees to make
on the spot decisions to satisfy customer completely.
In empowering employees managers have to learn how to give up control and
employees have to learn how to take responsibility for their work and make
appropriate decisions.
There are several barriers to empowerment. Some managers a re very reluctant
to delegate authority and many sub-ordinates avoid taking on the responsibility
and authority. The causes for such reluctance are based upon certain beliefs and
attitudes which are personal and behavioural in nature.
A.
Reluctance of executive.
A manager may believe that he can do his work better than his
subordinate. He might believe that his subordinates are not capable
enough. Delegation may take a lot of time in explaining the responsibility
to the subordinate and the managers may not have the patience to explain
supervise and correct any mistake.
b. Lack of confidence and trust in subordinate: since the manager is
responsible for the actions of his subordinates he may not be willing to
take chances” with the subordinates in case the job is not done right.
c. Sense of insecurity. : some managers feel very insecure in delegating
authority specially when the subordinate is capable of doing the job . the
manger in such a situation may feel his loss o power and competition
from the subordinates.
a.
B.
Reluctance of subordinates.
a. Many subordinates are reluctance to accept authority and make decisions
for fear that they would be criticized or dismissed for making wrong
decisions. This is especially true in situations where subordinate had
make a mistake earlier.
b. The subordinates may not be given sufficient incentives for assuming
extra responsibility which could mean working harder under pressure.
Accordingly I the absence of adequate compensation in the form of higher
salary or promotional opportunities a subordinate may avoid additional
responsibility.
c. The subordinate may lack self confidence in doing the job and may fear
the supervisor will not be available for guidance once the delegation is
made and this makes them feel uncomfortable with additional
responsibility.
d. Some subordinates hesitate to accept new and added assignments when
there is a lack of necessary information and when the available resources
are nit adequate or proper.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Facilitators of empowerment.
Since empowerment results in several organizational advantages, it
becomes necessary for the management to remove any barriers to
effective empowerment.
Empowerment must be complete and clearly understood. the subordinate
must now precisely what he has to do and know. It should be preferably in
writing with specific instructions so that subordinates does not repeatedly
refer problems to the management for opinion or decision.
Proper selection and training. : The management must make proper
assessment of subordinates in terms of their abilities and limitations before
delegating the proper authority. Additionally the management must work
closely with the subordinates in training them in how to improve their job
performance. This constant communication will build up the self confidence of
the subordinate.
Motivate subordinate: management must remain sensitive to the needs and
goals of subordinates. The challenge of added responsibility in itself may not
be a sufficient motivator. Accordingly adequate incentives in the form of
promotions, status, better working conditions or additional bonuses must be
provided for additional responsibilities well performed.
Tolerance with subordinates mistakes: The subordinates are not experienced
in making objective judgments as the managers, so they are bowed to make
objective judgments as the managers, so they are bound to make mistakes in
the process. Unless their mistakes are serious in nature or occur repeatedly,
the management should not severely penalize subordinates but encourage
them to learn from their mistakes. They should be allowed to develop their
own solutions and be given sufficient freedom in accomplishing delegated
tasks.
Establish adequate control: -If there are adequate checkpoints ad controls
built in the system like weekly reports etc. then managers will not be
continuously spending time in checking the performance and progress of
subordinates and their concerns about subordinates performing inadequately
will be reduced.
Unit –IV
Q7. Define leadership. Discuss the factors that make a leader more
effective then others. Also discuss one leadership theory that
supports your earlier viewpoint.
Ans. “Leadership is the capacity to frame plans that will succeed and the faculty
to persuade others to carry them out in face of all difficulties.
The definition has two parts. The first deals with the capacity to
frame plans (Programmes, Projects etc.) that have high probability of success.
This implies that a plan should reflect a leader’s group and feel of the quality of
his resources and the environments in which the plan has to be implemented.
The second part of the definition deals with the implementation of plan by
persuading others to do what is really expected of them despite difficulties,
discouragement and obstacles.
A leader is a person who stands out in influencing the activities of a
group in setting goal and making. Progress toward achieving these goals. He
plays more than one role VIZ, group task –definition and solution of problems
group building and maintenance and individual satisfaction needs. The leader
gain influence through their speech behaviours.
There are several theories of leadership to support the above viewpoint,
the most important being “Behavioural Theory”. This theory studies leadership by
looking at leaders in terms of what they do. The leadership effectiveness is
judged in terms of individual subordinate outcome. Leadership behaviour is
defined along employee centred dimension and production centered dimension
both complimenting each other. This style shows improvement in productivity.
Behavioural theory cites two dimensions that substantially account for
most of the leadership behaviour described by employees. These two
dimensions are called (a) Initiating Structure and (ii) Consideration.
Initiating Structure: - refers to the extend to which a leader is likely to
define and structure his or her role and those of employees in the search for goal
attainment. It includes behaviour that attempts to organize work, work
relationships and goals. The leader characterized as high initiating structure
could be described as someone who “assign group member to particular tasks”
expects workers to maintain definite standards of performance and “emphasizes
the meeting of deadlines”.
Consideration: - is described as the extent to which a person is likely to
have Job relationships that are characterized by mutual trust respect for
employees ideas and regard for their feelings. He or she shows concern for
followers comfort, well being, status and satisfaction. A leader high in
consideration could be described as one how help employees with personal
problems, is friendly and approachable, and treats all employees as equal.
+ Initiating structure involves creating a work environment, so that the
work of the group is organized, coordinated, sequential, organizationally relevant
so that people know exactly what is to be done and how it is to be done.
The structure involves having the leader organize and define the role each
member is to assume, assign tasks to them and push for the realization of
Organisational goals.
Q8.
Distinguish between distress and eustress. Discuss how work design and
Organisational culture may act as stressors. Also discuss the stress
management strategy for the same.
Ans. Stress is anything that changes as physical emotional or mental state
while encountering various stimuli in our environment. Low to moderate levels of
stress stimulates the body and increase its ability to react. Individuals then often
perform their tasks better more intensity or more rapidly. But too much stress
places unattainable demands or constrains on a person, which results in lower
performance. Even moderate levels of stress can have a negative influence on
performance over a long term as the continued intensity of the stress wears
down the individual and saps his or her energy resources. Two separate terms
have been used to distinguish between the positive and negative effects of stress
on the individual, even though bodily reactions to the two forms of stress are
similar “Eustress is” positive stress that accompanies achievement and
exhilaration Eustress is the stress of meeting challenges such as those found in
managerial job.
Distress occurs when we feel insecure, inadequate helpless or desperate
as a result of too much or too little pressure or tension.
Stress is a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an
opportunity, constrains or demand related to what he or she desires and for
which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain an important.
More typically, stress is associated with constrains and demand. The
former prevents one from doing what one desire. The latter refers to the loss of
something desired.
Two conditions are necessary for potential stress to become actual stress.
There must be uncertainty over the outcome and the outcome must be important.
The stress is highest for individuals who perceive that they are uncertain as to
whether they will win or lose and lowest for individuals who think that winning or
losing is a certainty. But importance is also critical. If winning or losing is an
unimportant outcome, there is no stress.
Three sets of factor (a) environmental, (b) organizational and (c) individual – that
act as potential cause of stress. Whether they become actual stress depends on
individual differences such as job experience and personality when stress is
experienced an individual, its symptoms can surface as physiological,
psychological and behavioral outcomes.
(a)
Environmental factors – just as environmental uncertainty influences the
design of an
organization’s structure, it also changes in the business cycle create
economic uncertainties. When company B is contractive, for example, people
become increasingly anxious about their job security.Similarly political instability
is a cause of stress. Political crisis like civil war, riots, hostilities with neighboring
countries etc can lead to stress.
Technology uncertainties are a third type of environmental factor that can cause
stress. New innovations can make employee’s skills and experience obsolete in
a very short time, computers, robotics, automation and similar forms of
technology innovations are a threat to many people and cause them stress.
(b)Organizational factors – organizational factors that cause stress include task,
role, and interpersonal demands, organizational structure and organizational
leadership.
Task demands are factors related to a person’s job. They include the design of
individual’s job (autonomy task variety, degree of automation), working conditions
and physical work layout.
Role demands relate to pressures placed on a person as a function of the
particular role he or she plays in the organization. Role conflicts create
expectations that may be hard to reconcile or satisfy. Role overload is
experienced when the employee is expected to do more than time permits.
Interpersonal demands are pressures created by other employees, lack of social
support from colleagues and poor interpersonal relationships can cause
considerable stress, especially among employees with a high social needs.
Organizational structure defines the level of differentiation in the organization, the
degree of rules and regulation and where decisions are made. Excessive rules
and lack of participation in decisions that might be potential sources of stress.
Organizational leadership represents the managerial style of the organization’s
senior managers. One chief executive officer creates a cultural characterized by
tension, fear and anxiety. They establish unrealistic pressures to perform in the
short run, impose excessively tight controls, and routinely fire employees for poor
– performance.
(c )
Individual factors - Primarily, these factors are family issues, personal
economic problems and inherent personality characteristics.
People hold family and personal relationships dear. Marital difficulties, the
breaking off of relationship and discipline troubles with children are examples of
relationship problems hat create stress for employees.
Economic problems created by individuals overextending their financial
resources is another set of personal troubles that can create stress for
employees and distract their attention from their work.
Some people may have an inherent tendency to accentuate negative aspect
of the world in general i.e. stress symptoms expressed on the job may actually
originate in the person’s personality.
Stress Management strategy can be sub – divided into Individual Approaches
and organizational approaches.
Individual Approaches: Individual Approaches that have proven effective included
time management techniques, increasing physical exercises, relaxation
techniques and expanding the social support network.
The well-organized employee can often accomplish twice as much as the person
who is only organized. So an understanding and utilization of time management
principles can help individuals better cope with tensions created by Job
demands.
Non-competitive physical exercise such as aerobics, walking, jogging, swimming
and riding a bicycle have long been recommended as a way to deal with
excessive stress levels. These forms of physical exercise heart capacity lower
the at rest heart rate and provide a mental diversions from work pressure.
Individuals can teach themselves to reduce through relaxation techniques such
mediations, hypnosis and biofeedback. Deep relaxation for about 15 –20 minutes
a day release tensions and provides a person with a pronounced sense of
peacefulness. Importantly, significant changes in heart rate, blood pressure and
other physiological factors result from achieving the condition of deep relaxation.
Having friends, family or work colleagues to talk to provide an outlet when stress
levels become excessive. It provides someone to hear your problems and to offer
a more objective perspective on the situations.
Organizational Approaches:
Several of the factors that cause stress –
particularly task and role demands and organizational structure – are controlled
by management. As such they can be modified or changed, strategies that
management might want to consider include improved personnel selection and
Job placement, training, use & realistic goal setting., redesigning of Jobs,
increased employee involvement, improved organizational communication and
establishment of corporate wellness programs.
Certain jobs are more stressful than others. Individuals with little experience or
external loans of control tend to be more prone to stress. Selection and
placement decisions should take these facts into consideration. Similarly, training
can increase individual’s self – efficacy and thus lesser job strain.
Individuals perform better when they have specific and challenging goals and
receive feedback on how well they are progressive towards these goals. The use
of goals can reduce stress as well as provide motivation.
Redesigning Jobs to give employees more responsibility, more meaningful work,
more autonomy and increased feedback can reduce stress because these
factors give dependence on others.
Role stress is detrimental to a large extend because employees feel
uncertain about goals, expectations, how they’ll be evaluated and the like.
By giving the employees a voice in decisions that directly affect their job
performance, managers can increased employee control and reduce this
role stress. So managers should consider increasing employee
involvement in decision-making.
Increasing formal organizational communication with employees reduces
uncertainty by lessening role ambiguity and role conflict. Given the
importance that perceptions play in moderating the stress – response
relationship, management can also use effective communications as a
means to shape employee perception.