1. WORKPLACE STRESS

2. Stress  The psychological and physical state that results when perceived demands exceed an individual's ability to cope with them.

3. Workplace Stress  The harmful physical and emotional responses that can happen when there is a conflict between job demands on the employee and the amount of control an employee has over meeting these demands.

4. Statistics Canada: Causes of Stress 1. a lack of time or an excessive workload, 2. working too much, 3. fear of accident or injury, 4. poor interpersonal relationships with co-workers or supervisors, and 5. the threat of layoff or job loss.

5. Personal Stress  Stress from an individual’s personal life can also spill over into the workplace and affect what happens in the workplace.

6. Task:  Read: Sources of workplace stress (Access article from my website).

7. Is Stress Always Negative  No, in moderation, stress can act in a positive way by energizing and enhancing an employee’s performance.  Constructive stress is just enough stress to encourage increased effort, while not overwhelming the employee.  Some people thrive on the “pressure” of a looming deadline. It seems to motivate them to work harder.

8. Stress Cont’d  However, achieving the right balance of stress for each employee is not an easy task.  It varies from individual to individual and when stress is too intense or lasts for a long period of time, the stress becomes destructive and it will impair the employee’s performance.

9. Impact of Stress on Performance  There are many different signs and symptoms that can indicate when someone is having difficulty coping with the amount of stress they are experiencing.

10. Physical  Physical signs include:  headaches,  grinding teeth,  clenched jaws,  chest pain,  shortness of breath,  pounding heart,  high blood pressure,  muscle aches,  indigestion,  constipation or diarrhea,  increased perspiration,  fatigue,  insomnia, and  frequent illness.

11. Psychosocial  Psychosocial signs may be:  anxiety,  irritability,  sadness,  defensiveness,  anger,  mood swings,  hypersensitivity,  apathy,  depression,  slowed thinking or racing thoughts,  feelings of helplessness,  or of being trapped.

12. Behavioural  Behavioural indicators include:  overeating or loss of appetite,  impatience,  quickness to argue,  procrastination,  increased use of alcohol or drugs,  increased smoking,  withdrawal or isolation from others,  neglect of responsibility,  poor job performance,  poor personal hygiene,  change in religious practices, and  change in close family relationships.

13. Signs of Stress  The signs and symptoms from stress usually progress through several stages from a “Warning” stage, all the way to “Severe/Debilitating Cumulative Stress Reaction” stage.

14. Why should Managers be aware of Stress.  Caring managers will notice if their employees are overly stressed.  They want employees to feel positive about their jobs.  Job stress can cost a business a lot of money and therefore decrease profits.  A workplace with a very stressful environment will result in increased accidents, absenteeism, employee turnover, and lower productivity.

15. Corporate Wellness Programs What are they?  designed to nurture wellness in workers, regardless of the work environment.  Corporate Wellness programs could be found in factories, corporate offices, large corporations, and small corporations alike.

16. Why did they come about? Corporate Wellness programs stemmed from several different experiences:  companies wanted to reduce healthcare expenses  forward thinking companies wanted to make the work space a more inviting and relaxing environment for their employees.

17. Types of Corporate Wellness Program There are different levels of Corporate Wellness programs.  One level is offering basic services and referrals online.  Online Corporate Wellness programs can be set up to allow employees access to certain types of pre-screened information that is reliable and easy to find.  Many Corporate Wellness programs can tailor resources and data to each employee.  Treating each employee and their concerns sensitively and in a timely manner, can help them see the importance of their health issues as well.

18. Example:  Just because an individual has diabetes does not mean they have all the most up-to-date information on how to best live with diabetes.  Oftentimes, diet and exercise alone can control diabetes and eliminate the need for medication or more invasive treatments.

19. Corporate Wellness is Necessary  Businesses are investing in the physical wellness, safety, and mental health of their employees, but are also taking preventive measures by creating a healthier environment.  Corporations are able to improve the overall productivity and are able to save money on health care expenses.  Businesses are creating healthier employees who will work more diligently and miss fewer days of work due to illness.

20. Assignment: Workplace Stress  Step 1: Read the American Psychological Association's article entitled Stress in the Workplace.Stress in the Workplace  Step 2: Use a Canadian online news website to find a recent article that either supports or refutes the information in the "Stress in the Workplace" article.

21. Canadian News Sources  The Globe and Mail The National Post canada.com (Canwest Digital Media) CBCNews.ca Ottawa Citizen The Toronto Star CTV.ca The Globe and Mail The National Post canada.com (Canwest Digital Media) CBCNews.ca Ottawa Citizen The Toronto Star CTV.ca

22.  Write a one page report comparing the article you read in Step 1 with the article you found for Step 2. Show how your article supports or refutes the claims made in the APA article.  Be sure to properly cite both articles.

23. Citing an Online Newspaper Article:  For example:  Sabin, Russell. "Why the Bird Flu's So Dangerous - Close Watch on Strain That Could Mutate Into Deadly Human Virus." San Francisco Chronicle 17 Oct. 2005: A9. SFGate.com 11 Nov. 2005.