Stress Case

ABSTRACT

Stress can be defined a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. This paper discusses different types of workplace stress such as its factors, ways to dealing with stress, some fact about stress in several countries and etc. In this paper, it reviews six articles that include stress in the workplace, employees stress and performance, working together to reduce stress, stress and its implication towards work performance, family conflict and stress and lastly, deal with stress in the workplace. The method that used to analyse this report is by reading several articles and magazines, internet and interviewed family and friends about their point of view and experience of stress. The study shows work related stress has various factors and implications. The implications affect people differently but its impact can be felt by the people surround them such as their family, friends and workmate. So, people should be more alert and concerned about someone's behaviour changes so that their stress level are under control.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Stress is common issues that people all over the world are facing it. From all six journals and articles that I gained from internet, it is discussed about the definition of stress, ways to dealing with stress, how stress affects people's life, types of stress and is it good or bad approaches, and the implication of stress among workers.

According to Robert Ostermann, professor of psychology at FDU's Teaneck-Hackensack Campus, "No one reaches peak performance without being stressed, whether an athlete, an office worker or a manager." It means that stress is not always a bad thing, it can be negative effect, but it also can be a positive effect depends on what situation and how person handle their emotions.

In the articles and journals that I have read, people who are facing stress will have obvious symptoms such as forgetful, easily get mad, insomnia and others negative symptoms. The causes might be sexual harassment at the workplace, family problems, threat from employer or bullying and other causes that disturbing thoughts of the employee.

2.0 SUMMARIES OF ARTICLE

Article 1: Stress and Psychology by Azizi Yahya et al.

In Article 1, it is discussed about psychology that related to stress level and its influencing factors among employees in a plastic manufacturing and the implication towards work performance. According to the article 1, job stress is a situation in which some characteristics of the work situation are thought to cause poor psychological or physical health, or to cause risk factors making poor health more likely. Job stress arises when demands exceed abilities, while job-related strains are reactions or outcomes resulting from the experience of stress (Westman, 2005).

So, job stress is a chronic disease that can cause illness inside and outside body or in other term, emotional and physical illness. Based on the article, the U.S.A's NIOSH define job stress as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirement if the job do nor match the capabilities, resources or need of the worker (Salih, 2003). In one investigating of industry worker in United State, Brewlow and Buell, 1966 found that individual under 45 years old of age who worked more 48 hours a week had twice in risk of death of coronary health disease (Susan & Cary, 1997).

When employees are facing job stress, it surely will affect their work performance. Coming from psychological perspective, Campbell describes job performance as an individual level variable. It means the employee's work ability and quality influenced the organization performance.

Next is about organizational climate or corporate climate. It is the procedure of measuring the culture of the organization. According to Ekvall (1987) stated that the organizational climate arises in the confrontation between the individuals and the organizational situation.

Last but not least is workplace bullying. Based on the article 1, workplace bullying is about a personalized, often sustained attack on one colleague by another colleague using behaviours which are emotionally and psychologically punishing (Arynne, 2009). So, we can see that workplace bullying can lead to stress because it is humiliating behaviours towards individuals or groups or employees and usually involve biological violence.

Article 2: Family Conflict and Stress by Nurnazirah Jamadin et al.

In Article 2, it discuss about work related to family conflict and stress. Usually, people go to work to support their family for living such as money, foods, education and house. Of course, it is influenced people's life and they will facing so many conflicts during the time as if they doing decision making, and handling stress. So, people should learn how to balance between the work and family because if they do not do so, they will not be able to handle stress and mixing up the problems for example, family problems brought up to work.

According to Article 2, research on stress is widely found in the work environments in western countries but rarely found in Asia particularly in Malaysian. Understanding the factors that contribute to occupational stress is necessary for improving stress management programs in Malaysian organizations. The earlier study on sources of stress at the work place in Malaysia found that there are numerous other unmeasured variables that can contribute to stress at the work place.

In employer's point of view, if stress cannot be handled by employee, it can result their performance and it is affecting the entire organization. So, we know that stress has the implications for the individual as well as the organization. Employer should keep an eye on their employees so that the employer, at least know what to do.

Based on Article 2, many workers will experience conflict between two roles, works and family. They will be facing this when they are trying to balance work and family responsibility.

For the conclusion, if family conflict not handled well, it can cause stress and the problem become more serious. From the article, Rees found that women encounter more stress as compared to men. The main reason is women have to balance their responsibilities towards their work and family. So, according

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