Physical and Psychological effects of job stress
Stress
Introduction
Stress is an imprecise term. “It is the reaction of individuals to new or threatening factors in their working environment”. (Nelson, & Quick, 2013). It is “psychological and physical reaction to prolonged internal or environmental conditions in which an individual’s adaptive capabilities are overextended” (Schultz, & Schultz 2009). More than half of the entire working population in America suffers from the pressure of job-related stress. Research has proven that extensive job stress adversely affects the emotional, psychological and physical health of a worker. This greatly affects productivity, workers satisfaction and less health workers. Stress is correlated to a person’s fear or failure.
Job stress has extensive negative effects on an individual’s physical and emotional health. Some of stress symptoms includes high level of fatigue, low energy level, constant headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, bad breath, sweaty hand and feet’s, dizziness, high blood pressure, high tempers, restlessness, lack of concentration, chronic worrying, anxiety and apprehensiveness, excessive use of tranquilizers, and excessive drug abuse. It also makes people prone to major illnesses and heart attack.
Performance decrements are the cost resulting from poor quality and low quantity of production, unscheduled machine repair (Spector, 2012). Poor quality and low performance is motivated by distressed employees. Compensation awards are the costs that an organization pays for job distress. This results to massive losses within organizations.
The steps that Mira Smith need to implement to ensure that the stress would not affect the physical and psychological health of her firm’s employees.
It is an inevitable feature both in work and personal life. Neither is it inherently bad nor destructive. Stress prevention has three phases.
Primary Prevention this is intended to reduce, modify, or eliminate the stressor causing stress.
Secondary prevention which is intended to alter or modify an individual’s response to a stressor. People learn to manage the inevitable, inalterable work stressors.
Tertiary prevention this is intended to heal an organization or an individual from stress
A Framework for Preventive Stress Management
Preventive Medicine
Health risk
merica Primary
Organizational Context
Organizational stressors
Task Demand
Role Demand factor
Physical Demand

Interpersonal DemandPreventionAsymptomatic
Diseases
Stress Responses

Individual responses
Organizational Responses


Secondary

Prevention

Individual

Behavioral problems
Psychological problems
Medical problems

Symptomatic

disease

Tertiary
Prevention
Conclusion
In conclusion, Mira Smith can prevent stress in his airline parts manufacturing plant through internal (individual) and environmental (external) methods. Mira Smith should put in place measures that avoid internal conflicts, fear, and guilt feelings. Environmental stressors such as aspects of organizational life example include management issue of authority, monotony, much responsibilities, excessive demand, and unrealistic workloads. Furthermore, adverse working conditions, such as noise, high temperature, overcrowding should be avoided. Poor interpersonal relations (unfriendly or hostile environment) should also be prevented.
Aamodt, M. (2015). Industrial / organizational psychology: An applied approach. S.l.: Cengage Learning
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you mentioned that Mira should put in place measures to avoid conflicts. What are some ways that you (and the Class) can imagine your organization can do this?