Stress

Stress is a term that refers to sum of physical mental emotional strains or tensions on a person or feelings of stress which result from interactions between people and their environment that are perceived as straining or exceeding their adaptive capacities and threatening their well being, in addition stress has a wide psychological and physical effect as cardiovascular, musculoskeletal systems, headache, gastrointestinal problems, sleep disturbance and depression (Ghaleb, Thuria 2018).

 

Stress can be broadly defined as the negative reactions people have to aspects of their environment. According to Mojoyinola (2008), Stress is derived from the word “Stringi”, which means “to be drawn tight”. Stress is however, interpreted by each person differently. Since it is a feeling, that involves the emotions, it is not something entirely definable or describable. Despite efforts over the last half-century to define the term, no satisfactory definition of stress exists. Defining stress is much like defining happiness. Craig Hospital in 2013 saw stress as an inescapable fact of life. However, one recognizes the unpleasant, usually anxiety – related state, when one thinks of the term ‘stress’ as applying to us. Two aspects should be kept in mind. The first is that it is a ‘state’ – and therefore it is ideally not permanent. Secondly, when one is stressed, one is less likely to behave in the rational way compared to when one is calm.

 

Essentially, stress is the emotional and physical response people experiences when they perceive an imbalance between demands placed on them and their resources at a time to cope with the challenge. What this means is that one experiences stress whenever one is faced with an event or situation that one perceives as challenging to their ability to cope (Brunero. et al, 2006). Stress is not the events that surfaces our way itself but how we interpret them to be. So stress results from interpreting those events as dangerous, difficult, painful, or “unfair”, and/or feeling that one does not have the resources to cope with them.

 

There are differences in underlying causes/sources and triggers for everyone. However, some workplace factors are more likely to lead to stress, such as badly designed shift work, poor communications, bullying and harassment. Workload, lack of managerial support and threats, lack of incentives and job security, violence and bullying has been reported to be the major sources of work related stress (Paul, 2013). Specifically, interpersonal conflicts such as those with patients, supervisors and colleagues, and medical doctors account for a large part of the stress among medical workers (Hirokawa, Taniguchi, Tsuchiya, & Kawakami, 2012).

 

Sharpley et al. (2016) stated that there is also evidence that banking is experiencing role ambiguity. Reported that lack of regular feedback about how well bankers were doing was the highest source of stress. The lack of regular feedback received by banking was reported earlier (Dua, 2014) Feedback is important to enable the bankers to evaluate their performance on the job and how they are progressing in their effort toward task accomplishment. Since positive feedback may serve as reinforcement to the self-efficacy belief that leads to higher performance and less stress, bankers who do not receive regular feedback may experience considerable uncertainty about their role performance.

 

Arnold and Feldman (2010) define stress as “the reactions of individuals to new or threatening factors in their work environment”. Since our work environments often contain new situations, this definition suggests that stress is inevitable. This definition also highlights the fact that reactions to stressful situations are individualized and can result in emotional, perceptual, behavioural and physiological changes.

 

McGrath (2016) proposed a definition based on the conditions necessary for stress. So there is a potential for stress when an environmental situation is perceived as presenting a demand that threatens to exceed the person’s capabilities and resources for meeting it, under conditions where he expects a substantial differential in the rewards and costs from meeting the demand versus not meeting it. McGrath’s definition implies that the degree of stress is correlated with a person’s perceived inability to deal with an environmental demand. This would lead to the conclusion that a person’s level of stress depends on their self perceived abilities and self confidence. Stress is correlated with a person’s fear of failure.

According to Bowing Harvey (2001), stress occurs with the interaction between an individual and the environment, which produces emotional strain affecting a person's physical and mental condition. Stress is caused by stressors, which are events that create a state of disequilibrium within an individual. These authors also stated that the cost of too much stress on individuals, organizations, and society is high. Many employees may suffer from anxiety disorders or stress-related illnesses. In terms of days lost on the job, it is estimated that each affected employee loses about 16 working days a year because of stress, anxiety or depression.

 

Ritchie and Martin (1999) states that stress was described in terms of external, usually physical, forces acting on an individual. Later it was suggested that the individual's perception and response to stimuli or events were a very important factor in determining how that individual might react, and whether an event will be considered stressful. These authors further contended that most researchers acknowledged that both external and internal factors affect stress. They viewed stress as a response to external or internal processes, which reach levels that strain physical and psychological capacities beyond their limit.

  COMMON THEORIES ON STRESS MANAGEMENT AT WORK PLACE

These are the theories that support job stress, below are different school of thoughts that postulated several theories on job stress with concentration on those models that have been influential in past theorizing and empirical research.

 

             The Transactional Stress Model

One the most prominent models which on stress process is the transactional model by Lazarus ,1966; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984. Lazarus and Folkman define psychological stress as “a particular relationship between the person and the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or exceeding his or her resources and endangering his or her well-being”. Thus, Lazarus and Folkman assume that cognitive appraisals play a crucial role in the stress process. Appraisal processes refer to an individual’s categorization and evaluation of an encounter with respect to this individual’s well-being.

Specifically, primary and secondary appraisal can be differentiated. By primary appraisal, encounters are categorized as irrelevant, benign-positive or stressful.

 

Stress appraisals comprise harm/loss, threat, and challenge. By secondary appraisals, individuals evaluate what can be done in the face of the stressful encounter, they tax their coping options. On the basis of primary and secondary appraisals, individuals start their coping processes which can stimulate reappraisal processes.

2.4.2    Systemic Stress – Selye’s Theory:

The popularity of the stress concept in science and mass media stems largely from the work of the endocrinologist Hans Selye. In a series of animal studies he observes that variety of stimulus events (e.g., heat, cold, toxic agents) applied intensely and long enough are capable of producing common effects, meaning not specific to either stimulus events. According to Seyle, these non specifically caused changes constitute the stereotypical i.e. specific response pattern of systemic stress. Selye (1980) defines stress as a non specifically response of the body to any demand, whether it is caused by or results in, pleasant or unpleasant conditions. Selye identifies three stages of adaptation which a person goes through in his General Adaptation Syndrome 1936.They are Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion. These stages are associated with particular biological markers such as changes in hormone patterns and the production of more “stress hormones” and the gradual depletion of the body’s energy resources.

 

 

             Psychological Stress – The Lazarus Theory:

Lazarus states that stress is experienced when a person perceives that the  “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize." this is called the 'transactional model of stress and coping.' According to Lazarus stress is experienced when a person perceives that the “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” This called the transactional model of stress and coping. Neither the environment event nor the person’s response defines stress, rather the individuals perception of the psychological situation is the critical factor.

 

According to Lazarus, the effects that stress has on a person are based more on that persons feeling of threat, vulnerability and ability to cope than on the stressful event itself. He defines psychological stress as a “particular relationship between the person and environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or exceeding his or her resources and endangering his or her well being. According to his theory there are two things that a person thinks when they are faced with a situation. These are called the primary appraisal and the secondary appraisal.

STRESS MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY IN FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NASARAWA

STRESS MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY IN FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NASARAWA

ABSTRACT

The study examined Stress Management and Employee Productivity in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. The study seeks to find solution to the problems of job demand, lack of job control and poor relationship among workers. The main objective of the study is to find out the relationship between job demand and employee productivity in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, to find out the relationship between job control measures and employee productivity in Federal polytechnic Nasarawa and to find out the relationship between poor relationship among staff and employee productivity in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. The researcher adopted the use of survey design which helps in collecting and rendering of all relevant data. Data were analyzed using chi-square. The findings of the study shows that stress management has significant relationship on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa, which means that job demand, has significant relationship  on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa, job control measures has significant relationship on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa and poor relationship among staff has significant relationship in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. Based on findings of the study, the following are recommended: the institution should match jobs with staff with appropriate skills to reduce stress; staff should more control of their responsibility or job specification and above all the institution should provide a conducive environment for staff to carry out their responsibility effectively as it enhance organizational productivity.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. Background to the Study     

Stress is one of the most fundamental problems spanning through human endeavour. Nweze (2015) stated that for two and half decades, stress phenomenon has become a topical issue in management development, seminars and workshops in Nigeria.

Halgin and Whitbourne (2003) conceptualized stress as an unpleasant emotional reaction a person has when he or she perceives an event to be threatening. They stated that this emotional reaction may include heightened physiological arousal due to increased reactivity of the sympathetic nervous system. The stressor is the event itself, which is also called a stressful life event. In the context of this work stress refers to a condition or situation in the body that makes people prone to anxiety, depression, anger, hostility, inadequacy and low frustration tolerance (Wai, 2013).

Management has been defined in various ways. In the view of Esiekpe (2013) management simply implies the skill in dealing with something or to be in perfect control of a situation. Stress management as defined by Cohen and Lazarus (2019) is problem-solving effort made by an individual faced with demands that are highly relevant to his welfare but taxing his adaptive resources. Adaptive resources involve coping methods that people exhibit in order to be habituated with stress.

One of the first means or techniques of stress management is to make sure that employee are properly matched to their jobs, and that they understand the extent of their “authority”. Furthermore, by letting employees know precisely what is expected of them, role conflict and ambiguity can reduced. Redesigning of jobs can also help ease work overload-related stressors. Employee should also have some input in those things that affect them. Their involvement and participation have been found to help lessen stress.

Employee productivity can generally be defined as all the behavior employees engage in while at work. It may also refer to the job-related activities of a worker and how well those activities were executed. Employee productivity is the record related to the results after practicing a job for a given period. It can also be seen as the quality and quantity that are attained by individual employees or group of employees after completing a given task.

For Cooper (2016), stress management strategies comprise measures taken to cope with trying periods, so that a state of psychological and physiological equilibrium is re-established and subsequently maintained.

1. Statement of the Problem     

Stress could be considered as one of the irritating problems that continue to pose threat to the staff productivity in the institution of higher learning especially academic and administrative staffs of the institution. Studies in Nigeria, Ofoegbu & Nwadiani (2016) recorded the prevalence of stressful working conditions in tertiary institutions.

Some of the problems that related to stress include:

1. Personal Problems: Some of the poor performance problems in a work organization are caused by personal issues faced by employees. This issues which often affect the employee personal lives often lead to performance decline, directly affecting the organizational productivity. For organizational productivity to be obtained, the workers must be efficient in their job performance.
2. Physical and psychological issues: At job, stress affect the physical, psychological and financial balance of the employees. As a result of stress, employees are absent from organization and loose working hours. Stress increases the employee turn over from job, which influences the employees as well as organizational productivity. Stress directly affects the employees productivity and both of them are mutually related to each other.
3. Job related problems: Role ambiguity, work relationships, job security, lack of job autonomy, work home interface, compensation and benefits, lack of management support are the keys sources of creating job stress. Due to these sources of stress, employee engagement to work decrease and ultimately it negatively affects the productivity of employees.

In a situation where employee productivity is declining, organizational productivity is often seriously affected. Inspite of this awareness, many organizations still suffer lack of organizational productivity as a result of poor stress management strategy. It is on this note that the study seek to examine the impact of stress management on staff productivity in the institution of higher learning with particular reference to Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa.

1. Objectives of the Study

The objective of this study is to examine the impact of stress management on staff productivity in the institution of higher learning a case study of Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. The specific objectives of the study are:

1. To assess the effect of job demand as a stressor on staff productivity in institution of higher learning
2. To examine the effect of lack of job control as a stressor on staff productivity in Federal polytechnic Nasarawa
3. To investigate the impact of poor relationship among staff on staff productivity in institution of learning.
4. To assess the impact of stress management on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa

1. Research Questions
2. What are the effects of job demand as a stressor on staff productivity in institution of higher learning?
3. What are the effects of lack of job control as a stressor on staff productivity in Federal polytechnic Nasarawa?
4. What are the impacts of poor relationship among staff on staff productivity in institution of learning?
5. What are the impacts of stress management on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa?

1. Statement of Hypothesis

H01: Job demand has no significant impact on staff productivity in institution of higher learning

H02: Job control has no significant effects on staff productivity in Federal polytechnic Nasarawa

H03: Poor relationship among staff has no significant impact on staff productivity in institution of learning.

H04: Stress management has no significant impact on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa

1. Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study will be delimited to all administrative staff in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. It will also investigate the preferred stress management strategies adopted by the administrative staff of tertiary institutions.

1. Significance of the Study      

The study will be considered significant in many ways. For example, the study will provide information on the sources of stress to administrative staff of tertiary institutions especially in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. The information will be useful to the Ministries of Education who may use the information to address the areas where stress emanates as this will help improve staff productivity.

The study will provide information on the preferred stress management strategies adopted by the staff. The information will be useful to the Ministry of Health in alliance with the Department of Health and Physical Education as the information will help them plan worthwhile health promotion programmes which staff might use to their own advantage.

This study will act to increase the body of knowledge for academicians, it will tend describe that how various antecedents affect stress and how stress management affect employee’s academic institution.

1. Historical Background of the Case Study

The Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa was established on 1st July, 1983 by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The establishment of the Polytechnic was predicated on the Government’s desire to transform the society technologically.  This objective is contained in the Federal Polytechnic Decree No.33 of 1979 (as amended to Federal Polytechnic Amendment Decree No. 28 of 1987), which goes thus:

• To train people to acquire technical and vocational skills which are needed for the economic and social development of Nigeria especially in the fields of agriculture, industry and commerce;
• To train and provide people who could improve the quality  of the environment by applying their acquired knowledge in finding solution to our environmental problems for the convenience of members of the society;
• To provide opportunity for our students to be able to appreciate the standard of technology in all its complexities; and
• To provide opportunities for professional training in engineering and other relevant technologies.

An important landmark in the development of the Polytechnic was the initial accreditation of all programmes in 1985 and commencement of Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes in Business Administration and Management. Accountancy, Secretarial Studies as well as Town and Regional Planning also commenced HND programmes in the Year 1986. Subsequently, new programmes and departments were introduced and accredited for the National Diploma and Higher National Diploma respectively. In addition to the regular programmes, the Polytechnic has successfully introduced Part-time Diploma and Higher National Diploma as well as Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) programmes.

At present, there are six (6) Schools and 28 departments.  In addition, processes for the commencement of new Diploma programmes in Mechatronics Technology, Foundry and Rail-tract Technology, as well as Higher National Diploma in Chemical Engineering Technology, Civil Engineering Technology, Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology (Instrumentation option), and Degree programmes are now in progress.

1. Definition of Key Terms

Stress:  Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous.

Stress Management: Stress management is a wide spectrum of techniques and psychotherapies aimed at controlling a person’s level of stress, especially chronic stress, usually for the purpose of and for the motive of improving everyday functioning.

Staff Productivity: Employee productivity (sometimes referred to as workforce productivity) is an assessment of the efficiency of a worker or group of workers. Productivity may be evaluated in terms of the output of an employee in a specific period of time.