Stress, as defined by Edwards (1996) is a "consequence of or a general response to an action or situation that places physical or psychological demands, or both, on a person."   While we have all, undoubtedly complained about our stress levels "going through the roof" on several occasions, do we actually know what stress can do to our bodies and what we can do to manage stress at the workplace?

Our bodies are designed to enable us to encounter stress in our daily lives.   Not only does our "fight-or-flight" response allow us to survive stressful situations, but stress can also have motivating powers.   Too little stress can lead to boredom and the lack of fulfillment or motivation to accomplish one´s tasks.   Studies have demonstrated that there is an optimal point at which stress can enhance performance. Individuals differ as to the level at which optimal functioning results from the interaction between stimuli and performance.   In the workplace, one must find the appropriate occupation for which they are suited in order to achieve congruence.  

Studies have demonstrated that occupations having high demands but low decision-making latitude, such as assembly-line workers, are sources of stress, as are those occupations that have high decision-making latitude but deal with a multitude of variables simultaneously, such as nurses and police officers. When stress becomes unmanageable, physiological, emotional and behavioral outcomes result.   Stress overload can lead to anxiety, fatigue, headaches, hypertension, depression, alcoholism, drug abuse, and cardiovascular or gastrointestinal disease.   At the workplace, stress related disability claims are a rapidly growing form of occupational illness within the workers´ compensation system. Moreover, stress can generate increased costs due to lost productivity from stress-related disease and illness, as well as increased health insurance premiums.   As those employees having low levels of work-related stress miss fewer days of work due to injury and illness, reducing stress in the workplace can generate cost savings for those organizations that actively promote stress management.

WORK/LIFE BALANCE: what´s all the fuss?

There is no doubt that we have all experienced stress at some time in our lives. Job interviews, rapidly approaching deadlines, and corporate presentations are often wrought with feelings of anxiety and tension. While stress-ridden situations such as these cannot simply be eliminated from our working lives, stress at the workplace need not be a no-win situation. From daycare to eldercare, sabbaticals to fitness centers, employers have a myriad of options from which to choose to help ease the burdens of their workers.  

Work/life balance may be defined as the repackaging and restructuring of work to alleviate the conflicting demands of one´s personal and professional life. Policies and programs developed to assist employees in alleviating their work/life conflict allow organizations to benefit from a less stressed and more productive, efficient and satisfied workforce. The notion of a necessary balance between one´s work and family life has become especially salient as women have secured a permanent position in the labor market, and as the Baby Boom generation nears retirement.  Coupled with a supportive corporate culture and climate, these initiatives enable organizations to benefit in the areas of attraction and retention, absenteeism and productivity.   As globalization has led to increased labor market competition, those organizations that actively promote work/life balance are at a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining top talent in the new millennium.

According to the Institute of Personnel and Development´s annual survey of one thousand workers, forty-percent of employees surveyed state that work demands often get in the way of non-work commitments.   Similarly, in a survey of employees at a global high-tech firm "volume of work" was cited as the main obstacle to obtaining proper work/life balance.   Managers must learn to control the demands they place on their staff, and understand that flexible work arrangements may be necessary to reduce their employees´ work/life conflict. One must remember that "face time" does not necessarily translate into "work time"!

COMBATTING STRESS AT THE WORKPLACE: Flexible work arrangements

Organizations implement flexible work arrangements to provide individually negotiated conditions of employment with regard to the place, scope, or timing of work.   To ensure the success of a flexible work arrangement program, managers and employees must operate in an environment in which trust and respect prevail.   The organizational culture provides the framework for effective programs and policies that reduce stress.   The goals of the company and the needs of its employees must be in alignment to encourage participation and to ensure the ultimate success of alternative work arrangements.   Following are some options for managers to assist workers in achieving harmony in their personal and professional lives:

Flexible Hours: employees work fulltime with core office hours but flexible start and finish times.   The most common alternative work arrangement, flexible hours enable employees to modify their schedules to suit their childcare and transportation needs.

Telecommuting: employees perform work outside of the office for an agreed-upon portion of the workweek.   Telecommuting, allows for office space and utilities savings with no impact on salary or benefits.

Compressed Workweek: employees work a typical workweek, but work more hours on certain days and less hours or no hours on other days.   For example, an employee works from 8 to 6 Monday through Thursday, and has an extra day of leisure at the end of each week.

Part-time Work: employees are considered part-time if employed less than 30 hours in their main work role.   Such an arrangement allows for increased compatibility between employee availability and workload.

Job Sharing: Two part-time employees share the responsibility and functions of one full-time position, allowing the workers to maintain their seniority and career development.

One should be aware that there are potential drawbacks that may be incurred with the implementation of these programs, such as communication and isolation concerns for off-site employees, additional administrative costs, and the potential for decreased productivity at the end of a long workday in the case of the compressed workweek. However, the benefits of alternative work arrangements, which include increased employee motivation, morale and organizational commitment, enhanced efficiency and job satisfaction, as well as reduced stress and absenteeism, most certainly outweigh the drawbacks of a flexible work arrangement policy.

STRESS BUSTERS

Role conflict, which may be defined as the incompatibility of one´s expectations and demands, and role overload, which occurs when an employee perceives that his or her cumulative demands exceed his or her ability and motivation to perform a task, are frequently the cause of an individual´s work-related stress. Aside from running away to a remote, sun-splashed tropical island, there are simple ways for managers and employees to combat stress that arises from role conflict and role overload.  

Firstly, an employee should assess her environment to ensure that she is employed in a role that best suits her needs.   While some workers thrive and excel in fast-paced, hectic environments, others are more suited for more steady and relaxed working conditions.   Learning to say no, and that you cannot do absolutely everything may actually be simpler than you think.   By dividing overwhelming duties into easy-to-conquer tasks, and crossing off priorities on a master list, you may find that you have accomplished much more than you had imagined.     Taking mini workout breaks at the office, such as a run up the stairs, or a quick set of sit-ups to get the blood flowing, can give you the extra bit of energy you seek during a stressful day.

Organizations, on their part, to assist their employees in decreasing their stress levels, can implement programs that educate employees on stress management techniques, such as relaxation therapy, yoga, and meditation. Wellness programs, such as fitness and nutrition education also serve to combat stress in the workplace.   Many proactive corporations are introducing such programs as noon hour "fit-walks" around the office building, health and safety fairs, and back health education.   Tuition reimbursement, family leave, resource libraries, Employee Assistant Programs, and career development programs are other available options that many employees are able to take advantage of within those organizations that value the importance of a stress-free environment.