Stress and Counseling

Employee stress
Stress The general term applied to pressures people feel in life.

Typical symptoms of stress

Nervousness and tension Chronic worry Inability to relax Excessive smoking and/or use of alcohol or other drugs Problems with sleep Uncooperative attitudes Feelings inability to cope Emotional instability Digestive problems High pressure

Extreme Products of Stress

Resilience
The capacity to handle short-term tension.

Burnout
A situation in which employees are emotionally exhausted, become detached from their clients and their work, and feel unable to accomplish their goals.

 Trauma
Occurs following a major threat to ones security. Workplace trauma
The disintegration of employees self-concepts and beliefs in their capabilities.

Post-traumatic stress
The shock of sudden and dramatic violent incidents often produces immediate stress-related symptoms.

Causes of stress
Stressors
Conditions that tend to cause stress.

Job-Related Causes of Stress

Work overload and time deadlines
Put employees under pressure and lead to stress.

Role conflict and ambiguity

People have different expectations of an employees activities on a job, so the employee does not know what to do and cannot meet all the expectations.

Typical Causes of Stress on the Job

Work overload Time pressures Poor quality of supervision Insecure job climate Inadequate authority to match responsibilities Role conflict and ambiguity Differences between company and employee values Change of any type, especially when it is major or unusual Frustration

Frustration
Frustration
A result if a motivation (drive) being blocked to prevent one from reaching a desired goal.

Defense mechanisms
Trying to defend yourself from the psychological effects of the blocked goal.

 Types of Reaction Aggression They are reflecting frustrations that are upsetting them. Apathy Not responding to your job or associates. Withdrawal Asking for transfer or quitting your job.

 Regression Less mature behavior, such as self-pity and pouting. Fixation You blame your supervisor for both your problems and the problems of others, regardless of the fact. Physical disorders Such as an upset stomach Substitute goals Such as becoming the leader of a powerful informal group in office politics.

 Sources of frustration Frustration and management practice

Stress and job performance

When there is no stress, job challenges are absent and performance tends to be low. As stress increases, performance tends to increase, because stress helps a person call up resources to meet job requirements.

Stress and vulnerability

Stress threshold The level of stressors (frequency and magnitude) that the person can tolerate before negative feelings of stress occur and adversely affect performance. Perceived control Type A and type B people Type A aggressive and competitive, set high standards, impatient with themselves and others, thrive under constant time pressures. Type B more relaxed and easy going. Accept situations and work within them rather than fight them competitively.

approaches TO STRESS MANAGEMENT

Social support The network of helpful activities, interactions, and relationships that provides an employee with the satisfaction of important needs.

 Relaxation A comfortable position in a relatively quiet location Closed eyes and deep, comfortable breaths Repetition of a peaceful word, or focus on a pleasant mental image Avoidance of distracting thoughts and negative events Soothing background music

 Biofeedback People under medical guidance learn from instrument feedback to influence symptoms of stress, such as increased heart rate or severe headaches. Sabbaticals Personal wellness

Employee counseling
Counseling Discussion with an employee of a problem that usually has emotional content in order to help the employee cope with it better.

Need for counseling

People with goo mental health 1. Feel comfortable about themselves 2. Feel right about other people. 3. Are able to meet the demands of life.

Functions of counseling
Advice Telling a person what you think should be done. Reassurance Giving a person courage and confidence to face a problem Communication Providing information and understanding

 Release of emotional tension Helping a person feel more free of tensions. Clarified thinking Encouraging more coherent, rational thought. Reorientation Encouraging an internal change in goals and values.

Types of counseling
Directive counseling The process of listening to an employees problem, deciding with the employee to do it. Nondirective counseling or, client-centered The process of skillfully listening to and encouraging a counselee to explain troublesome problems, understand them, and determine appropriate solutions.

Participative counseling
Participative counseling (also called cooperative counseling) Is a mutual counselor- counselee relationship that establishes a cooperative exchange of ideas to help solve a counselees problems.