Workplace Stress A01 & A02

Learning Outcomes (by the end of the lesson you will be able to:)

1.Outline research on workplace stressors• Outline the investigation into the Job-Strain Model (Marmot et al 1997)• Outline the Sawmill study (Johansson 1978)• Outline the Saliva Study (Schaubroeck et al 2001)

2.Outline & evaluate work-overload, work-underload & low control issues as stressors

3.Evaluate the methodology of studying stress including internal and temporal validity issues

4.Evaluate the consequences of workplace stress

5.Describe real world applications of psychological research on workplace stressors

Workplace Stress

What is Workplace Stress?The Job-Strain Model

The Job-Strain Model proposes the workplace creates stress and illness in two ways:

1. High Workload(Creating greater job

demands)

1. High Workload(Creating greater job

demands)

2. Low Job Control (eg over deadlines,

procedures, etc)

2. Low Job Control (eg over deadlines,

procedures, etc)

In pairs, identify stressors for both types of job-strain

Research on Workplace Stressors (A01)Marmot et al (1997)

Marmot et al (1997) investigated the job-strain model of workplace stress on 7372 Civil Servants in London and proposed that:

1. High WorkloadHigh-grade employees1. High Workload

High-grade employees2. Low Job Control

Low grade employees2. Low Job Control

Low grade employees

So Marmot et al (1997) predicted :1. Both groups would experience stress for different reasons.

2. Stressed employees would show signs of cardiovascular disease.

Methodology – Write an operationalised, directional, experimental hypothesis for BOTH types of job strain. (Write 2 hypotheses.)

Research on Workplace Stressors (A01)Marmot et al (1997) continued

Experimental Method –

•Participants answered a questionnaire on workload, job control and amount of social support.

•Researchers also obtained an independent assessment of workload and control by checking job specs & role responsibilities with personnel management.

FINDINGS: 5 years after the initial assessment they found:

Research on Workplace Stressors (A01)Marmot et al (1997) continued

1. People with low levels of job control were more likely to have developed heart disease than were those who had reported high levels of job control.

2. The association did not appear to be linked to employment grade. High demand jobs (i.e. being a boss) are not linked to stress related CHD

3. The association could NOT be explained in terms of other risk factors such as smoking, physical inactivity or degree of social support.

So what was the CRITICAL factor in determining the onset of heart disease?

Research on Workplace Stressors (A01)Johansson (1978) – Sawmill Study

Research on Workplace Stressors (A01/A02)Schaubroeck et al (2001) - Individual Differences

Pairs work, S13

Consequences of Workplace Stress (A02)Research Support on Harmful effects of work stress – Kivimaki

et al (2006) Meta Analysis

• Kivimaki et al (2006) carried out a meta-analysis of 14 studies looking at the risk of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) in association with work stress.

• 83 000 employees across Europe, the US and Japan.

• Found employees with high levels of job strain were 50% more likely to develop CHD.

Write a directional hypothesis for this meta analysis

Tell the person next to you a biological reason that those experiencing workplace stress are more likely to

show signs of CHD than those who don’t. (HPA or SAM pathways – use one each)

Consequences of Workplace Stress (A02)Work Underload – Shultz et al (2010)

• Most research focuses on work overload or having too many job demands.

• Work underload = employed in jobs that are beneath their capacities or where they are given tasks that are lacking in any creativity or stimulation.

• Shultz et al (2010) – data from 16 000 adult employees across 15 European countries.

• Work overload had the highest levels of stress-related illness.

• However, those who reported work underload also reported low job satisfaction and significant levels of absence due to stress-related illness.

• Read the article on S14 & answer the questions in pairs.

Problems with the Study of Workplace Stress (A02)The impact of Workplace Stressors –

Individual Differences in ‘Hardiness’ Lazarus (1995)Lazarus (1995) suggests that there are individual differences in the way people react to and cope with individual stressors.

Lazarus’s Transactional Approach emphasises the degree the thing is perceived as a stressor depends on person’s perceived ability to cope.

Therefore high job demands and role ambiguity may be perceived as stressful to one person but not another, particularly those high in HARDINESS.

SAS applicants

are screened

for ‘Hardiness’

Problems with the Study of Workplace Stress (A02)What is ‘Hardiness’?

Control – Hardy people see themselves as being in control of their lives, rather than being controlled by external factors

beyond their control.

Commitment – Hardy people are involved with the world around them, and have a strong sense of purpose.

Challenge – hardy people see life challenges as problems to be overcome rather than as threats or stressors. They enjoy

change as an opportunity for development.

How Hardy are you? Test yourself. Use S15.

Problems with the Study of Workplace Stress (A02)The Evolution of Work & Work Stressors

Temporal Validity Issues• The changing nature of the work environment, with the advent of

new technology, virtual offices and the blurring of home/work environments means that our current knowledge of workplace stressors rapidly becomes out of date.

• As the ultimate purpose of research in this area is to help people manage the stresses of their working day, psychological research may inevitably lag behind actual work practices.

Problems with the Study of Workplace Stress (A02)Questionnaires as a research tool

Internal Validity Issues• Most studies use questionnaires (self report) – Identify the issues.

• Dewe (1989) - questioned the use of traditional questionnaires as they may distort the importance of some items that may no longer be important while ignoring others that are (temporal validity)

• Keenan & Newton (1989) – study of engineers. Interviews instead of Questionnaires & revealed stressors not usually covered by traditional Questionnaires eg time-wasting job demands and interpersonal conflicts.

• Role conflict and ambiguity which are usually included in Questionnaires were seldom mentioned as significant stressors.

• Interviews therefore may offer a more valid way of assessing the impact of workplace stressors than traditional Questionnaires.

Real World Applications (A02)Ritvanen et al (2007) Teacher’s Fitness Study

Research on workplace stress has led to suggestions about how to deal with its negative consequences.

Ritvanden et al (2007) studied whether aerobic fitness could reduce the physiological stress responses teachers experienced during working hours.

26 male and female teachers. Exercise tests, measurement of physiological responses (Identify!) as well as level of perceived stress.

Results – teachers with the highest levels of aerobic fitness had lower levels of heart rate, muscle tension and perceived

stress.

Group Work

1. Discuss research into the effects of workload on workplace stress (8 marks)

2. Discuss research into the effects of control on workplace stress (8 marks)

3. Discuss research into workplace stress (12 marks)

• Identify which A01 and A02/A03 material you want to use.

• You are going to create a short video that can be done in any way you want. You don’t have to be on camera, you could film a mind map or pictures while you narrate the studies and findings.

• If you’re feeling brave, then go for it and be the star of the show.

• You can be as creative as you like – eg you could role-play a study to make it more memorable.

• Peg each of the studies to the names of the researchers and include this in your video.

• Use the question as your video title.

• Make sure everyone saves a copy of the video so you can use it as part of your revision strategies.

Group Work