| Anyone who has ever worked knows that stress | | | | during off hours, etc. Finally, there's often a |
| is part of the workplace. Stress in itself is not | | | | perception by workers that if they don't play ball |
| bad, in fact, we can't live without it. Applying the | | | | they will be "encouraged" to move on and find a |
| correct amount of stress hardens our muscles, | | | | different position. |
| sharpens our minds, and strengthens our spirits. It | | | | 5. Job And Career Uncertainty And Insecurity |
| is when we move from this "good" type of | | | | It's a fact: Most people in the workplace will have |
| stress into distress that things begin to go wrong. | | | | five to seven career changes over the course of |
| The fact is, most people who work are feeling | | | | their work lives. Some of these changes will be |
| pressure from things going on both inside the | | | | by choice, while others will be due to economic, |
| workplace and outside the workplace. Let's | | | | business-related decisions, and other |
| explore... | | | | non-controllable factors. The fact remains, these |
| There are seven common stressors that effect | | | | changes are going to occur whether workers |
| how people feel about the workplace: | | | | believe it or not, want them or not, or are ready |
| 1. Being out of sync with one's career values | | | | for them or not. |
| 2. Consistently applying burn out skills rather than | | | | Why so many career changes? It used to be that |
| motivated skills | | | | a person could go to work for a company and |
| 3. Being delegated responsibility without authority | | | | stay with the company for 30 or 40 years. If he |
| 4. Being expected to produce more work with | | | | or she was loyal to the company and did certain |
| fewer resources | | | | things in a certain way the company would take |
| 5. Job and career uncertainty and insecurity | | | | care of him or her. After a lifetime of |
| 6. The pace of change | | | | employment the person would retire with a nice |
| 7. Balancing family and work obligations | | | | pension and a gold watch. |
| A combination of some or all of these seven | | | | This type of informal employer-employee |
| stressors is the root cause of most, if not all, | | | | contract began to disappear in the 1980's. From |
| stress in the workplace. The indicators pointed out | | | | the early 1980's through the mid-1990's massive |
| by many workplace surveys (working harder, | | | | and unprecedented layoffs occurred (often in the |
| feeling overwhelmed, work/life time priorities, | | | | name of the "bottom line"). Job security as we |
| irritability and frustration, zoning out with TV, | | | | once knew it became a relic of the past. Today |
| feelings of helplessness, etc.) can be viewed as | | | | it's all about becoming career self-reliant. The |
| symptoms of these underlying root causes. | | | | informal contract has changed to |
| Stress can be manifested by something as benign | | | | "...we (the company) will give you the necessary |
| as someone having a tiff with a coworker to | | | | resources (such as training and job aids) to do |
| something as tragic as a disgruntled worker | | | | your job, but it is up to you (the employee) to |
| harming others. Following is a brief overview of | | | | determine where you want to go and what you |
| each of the seven workplace stressors. | | | | want to do within this framework. Furthermore, |
| 1. Being Out Of Sync With One's Career Values | | | | there is no obligation on our part to ensure your |
| Put simply, career values are the personal | | | | job security - it's up to you, the employee, to |
| principles or standards that govern our behavior in | | | | keep your skills sharp, your knowledge keen, and |
| the workplace and that are important in our | | | | your career goals updated. Oh, but by the way, |
| overall career decisions. Examples include job | | | | we expect you to work 45-60 hours per week, |
| flexibility, time freedom, preferring either a fast- | | | | not say bad things about the company, and thank |
| or slow-paced work setting, working alone, | | | | your lucky stars that you even have a job." |
| working with others, helping society, monetary | | | | This change in the informal employer-employee |
| reward, job stability, and so on. It is important | | | | contract has snuck up on most workers and |
| that workers narrow down and define their 5 to | | | | many still don't realize this transition is occurring. In |
| 10 core career values. These core career values | | | | fact, the current workforce, those people aged |
| then become decision making and assessment | | | | 22 to 65 years, is the transitional generation of |
| points for people to measure and see if where | | | | workers. What this means in terms of stress is |
| they are working and what they are doing at | | | | that when many people (especially those between |
| work is in sync with their values. It is when | | | | 30 and 65 years old) entered the workforce, |
| someone is not in sync with her values that | | | | they had an expectation of the way it used to |
| stress occurs. For example, if Jane's top career | | | | work: That if one entered the workforce and |
| value is work/life balance, but she is spending 80 | | | | was loyal to the company that the company |
| hour per week at work, has not taken a family | | | | would take care of her or him. After all, that's |
| vacation in two years, and consistently misses her | | | | what they heard from their parents and |
| children's school events; she has a values clash | | | | grandparents: "Get a good secure job, preferably |
| and stress occurs. The more she works, the | | | | with benefits, and things will be OK." However, the |
| greater the stress. | | | | reality has changed and people become confused |
| 2. Consistently Applying "Burn Out" Skills Rather | | | | and often fall into a survival mode of operation. |
| Than Motivated Skills | | | | They become afraid to challenge the status quo |
| Skills are what people bring to the table to get | | | | and question decisions made by the company |
| work done. Budgeting, supervising, editing, | | | | decision makers (such as cutting vacation and |
| computer programming, training, designing | | | | other benefits, having more and more work piled |
| websites, etc., are examples of skills. | | | | on them, and being delegated more responsibility |
| Motivated skills are the things that a person does | | | | without the adequate level of authority to carry |
| well and likes to do. Burns out skills are the things | | | | out the necessary tasks.) |
| a person does well but does not like to do. If | | | | 6. The Accelerating Pace Of Change |
| someone is constantly applying his or her burn out | | | | Business decisions, technology, markets, and the |
| skills rather than his or her motivated skills on the | | | | economy - all seem to be changing at the speed |
| job, performance will begin to decrease, | | | | of light. One day the company decides it is going |
| motivation is lost, and eventually "burn out" | | | | to ramp up to provide product or service "A" and |
| occurs. | | | | the next day switches to product or service "Z". |
| Why don't people always use and apply their | | | | Workers invest time and energy to learn a new |
| motivated skills in the workplace? Most companies | | | | email program and 2 months later are asked to |
| have a performance management system or | | | | drop that one and learn a different one. Markets |
| performance appraisal process. It is in these | | | | and the economy ebb and flow and the company |
| systems and processes that motivated skills can | | | | reacts or even overreacts, setting off huge |
| be sabotaged. For example: | | | | ripples of chaos and uncertainty within the |
| Sam, an account manager in a healthcare | | | | organization. |
| organization, has always been good at working | | | | These are things that managers and employees |
| with people, getting others to buy into his ideas, | | | | deal with on a daily basis. Over time, if a person |
| and documenting his work results. He completes a | | | | does not learn to go with the flow of change, she |
| motivated skills assessment and learns that his | | | | or he will become overwhelmed when even the |
| main motivated skills (what he likes to do very | | | | slightest change occurs. When someone reaches |
| much and is very good at doing) are employee | | | | this point, something as simple as the company |
| training, sales, and writing. His burn out skills (what | | | | letterhead changing can be the straw that breaks |
| he is very good at doing but does not like to do) | | | | the camel's back. |
| turn out to be planning and budgeting. His | | | | 7. Balancing Family And Work Obligations |
| supervisor invites him to the annual appraisal | | | | There are two key family issues facing many in |
| meeting and the following conversation ensues: | | | | today's workplace, 1) child care, and/or 2) elder |
| Supervisor: "Sam, you did such a great job on the | | | | care. This at a time when society, in the form of |
| budget last year that this year instead of having | | | | peer pressure and media advertising, continues to |
| you just do the planning and budgeting for our | | | | set the expectation that today's worker should |
| department, I'm going to ask that you do the | | | | be able to do it all: Look great, be full of |
| planning and budgeting for the entire company. | | | | enthusiasm, have a great career, keep the home |
| Again, you were so thorough and did such a great | | | | fires burning by taking care of children and/or |
| job that I think you should be rewarded." | | | | parents, handle the pets, make over the spare |
| Sam: (Afraid to appear ungrateful and possibly | | | | bedroom, plan a fabulous vacation, the list goes |
| jeopardize his job). "Well, thanks, but I..." | | | | on. It is worth mentioning that this sample list of |
| Supervisor: "Now don't worry. I know working on | | | | perceived expectations was taken directly from |
| the company-wide budget is going to take a lot | | | | just one evening of watching TV and noting |
| of time. As such, I am revamping your account | | | | commercials, sitcoms, and reality shows occurring |
| manager position and taking all of your training, | | | | during primetime. All these expectations foisted |
| sales, and report writing tasks off your plate. | | | | upon working folks in just a couple of hours. The |
| That should free you up to work strictly on | | | | question is, what message is this sending to |
| planning and budgeting." | | | | workers and how are they dealing with it? |
| Unless Sam speaks up and finds a positive way | | | | This constant effort of trying to be the perfect |
| to negotiate himself back to what he likes to do | | | | mom or dad, the perfect partner, the perfect |
| and is good at doing, he will experience burn out, | | | | worker, have the perfect body, drive the perfect |
| usually sooner rather than later. This burn out will | | | | vehicle and so on, is really taking a toll on workers |
| lead to decreased motivation, which leads to less | | | | and adding to the pile up of stress. |
| productivity, which leads to poor performance | | | | Summary Of Workplace Stressors |
| appraisals, and ultimately could result in Sam losing | | | | As you can see, the seven stressors mentioned |
| his job. | | | | overlap and integrate in such a way that it is no |
| 3. Being Delegated Responsibility Without Authority | | | | wonder that today's workforce is becoming more |
| This is a classic stress builder and is occurring | | | | and more stressed, apathetic, tired, and burned |
| more and more in organizations. Many people, | | | | out. Being expected to do more with less, not |
| especially those who have been with the | | | | having opportunities to recognize and apply their |
| company for a period of time, become taken for | | | | career values and motivated skills, having more |
| granted. Because they are always there and | | | | responsibility heaped upon them without the |
| always willing to pitch in, it is often assumed that | | | | necessary levels of authority to carry out the |
| they will take on more and more work and | | | | responsibility, and the constant nagging worry of |
| responsibility. In essence, this creates a vicious | | | | keeping their jobs is a huge challenge for today's |
| cycle - as soon as one task or project is | | | | workers. |
| completed, it is assumed these loyal people will | | | | Here's The Good News: Fifteen Ways To Get Rid |
| take on the next one with no consideration of | | | | Of Workplace Stress |
| their own time or motivational needs. | | | | Although the stressors outlined above are real, it |
| Because of the fast pace in most businesses | | | | is always a good idea for people to assess how |
| these days, it is a common flaw that this work is | | | | much reality versus perception we have in their |
| assigned with no real structure in place as to who | | | | individual situations. As such, take a few minutes |
| has the authority to carry it out - kind of a "just | | | | to ask yourself the following questions and to |
| do it and don't ask too many questions" approach. | | | | really think hard about if you have more power |
| People in this position are often under | | | | than you may think to change at least some of |
| self-imposed stress and end up working longer | | | | your situations for the better: |
| hours than many others in the organization, | | | | 1. Am I bringing any of this on myself? |
| including the people who do the delegating. | | | | 2. Are there things I can be doing to improve the |
| 4. Being Expected To Produce More Work With | | | | situation? |
| Fewer Resources And For Less Rewards | | | | 3. Am I blaming someone or something else (my |
| As managers are being asked to do more with | | | | partner, my company, my children, traffic, etc.) |
| less, they in turn pass this along to their work | | | | for the degree of happiness I am attaining or not |
| groups. This creates a see-saw of stress that | | | | attaining in my life? |
| bounces up and down the organizational chain. It is | | | | 4. Am I actually taking control of what I can |
| assumed that people will not push back on either | | | | control and accepting what I cannot control? |
| of these points because it is an "employer's | | | | 5. Have I lulled myself into a false sense that my |
| market." That is, there are more people looking | | | | work and my non-work lives are beyond my |
| for good jobs than there are good jobs available | | | | capabilities to handle - am I copping out? |
| and the added stress of job security is imposed | | | | 6. Do I know what my career values and |
| (more on this later.) | | | | motivated skills are? If not, how can I find out? |
| Along with the challenge of doing more with less, | | | | 7. If I am unhappy with my work situation, what |
| many employee benefits and/or reward | | | | is my short-term action plan to transition to |
| programs are being "revised" or cut back. For | | | | something better? Who controls this decision? |
| example, many companies no longer carry over | | | | 8. What are my long-term career action plans? |
| unused vacation from one year to the next...if | | | | 9. Am I being as time efficient as I can? Am I |
| you don't use it you lose it. The irony being that it | | | | looking for ways to integrate tasks and projects? |
| is harder to take time off because there is so | | | | 10. Am I focusing on what needs to get done so |
| much work to do and if a person does take a | | | | that I don't have to take work home? |
| week's vacation, the amount of work that piles | | | | 11. Can I form a support group (possibly made up |
| up while out of the office kicks the stress drive | | | | of trusted coworkers, friends, clergy, etc.) where |
| into high gear once she returns to work. As such, | | | | I can safely share my concerns, vent my anger, |
| many people don't take a true vacation but take | | | | and deal with non-productive emotions? |
| work with them or come into the office during | | | | 12. Am I a Type-A workaholic? If so, can I admit |
| vacation times just to keep the work from piling | | | | it and ask for help? |
| up too high. Holiday shutdown between Christmas | | | | 13. Do I use work as a convenient excuse to not |
| and New Year's is also being scaled back by many | | | | deal with other facets of my life? (Primary |
| organizations. Promotions are tougher to attain. | | | | relationship, self image, weight challenges, etc.) |
| Some employers are even tampering with | | | | 14. What would it take for me to turn off the TV |
| maternity leave by proposing a variety of flexible | | | | two nights per week and do something more |
| work schedules to dissuade employees from | | | | energetic or socially responsible? |
| even taking leave. These "incentives" include items | | | | 15. Are my tears and frustration at work really a |
| such as telecommuting, part-time hours, working | | | | symptom of something else going on in my life? |