20 Addressing Occupational Stress Both employees and employers suffer the consequences of workplace stress. Several strategies can be used to minimize occupational stress and decrease interpersonal conflict and toxicity in the workplace. After reading this chapter, you will be able to: ■ Identify approaches to mitigating workplace stress ■ Navigate a toxic workplace ■ Identify the steps of conflict resolution STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE OCCUPATIONAL STRESS Employers have traditionally used two different approaches to address workplace stress. The first is to address organization culture and processes. To do this, management focuses on (Orly, Rivka, Rivka, & Dorit, 2012; Roberts, Grubb, & Grosch, 2012): ■ Internal processes ■ Management practices ■ Workflow issues ■ Employee assignments/workload ■ Clearly defining employee expectations ■ Improving communication ■ Providing opportunities for positive social interactions among employees ■ Reducing uncertainty about career ladders Individual managers can help alleviate occupational stress by: ■ Regularly recognizing employees’ contributions ■ Monitoring assignments to be sure they are manageable ■ Listening to employees and making changes as needed to improve working conditions ■ Monitoring internal stress and taking steps to manage it ■ Recognizing that change is a challenge for employees and offering support through times of transition ■ Making small gestures, such as leaving a card signed by office mates on employees’ birthdays or work anniversaries, to show employees they matter ■ Offering to pitch in and help when workers are overwhelmed Another approach to reducing occupational stress is to focus on employees through targeted educational or stress-reduction programs. For example, employers might offer: ■ Meditation areas ■ Exercise programs ■ Wellness programs, including weight management and addictions counseling ■ Cognitive behavioral therapies ■ Stress-reduction skill-building sessions, such as time management programs ■ In-services on conflict resolution ■ Team-building activities Workplaces bring together individuals from varied backgrounds and levels of professional experience in one setting. Ideally, all the talents of a diverse team would be brought to bear within an organization, maximizing productivity. However, individual personalities, workflow preferences, and problem-solving approaches can vary so greatly that a team can devolve into conflict when faced with stressful situations. CONFLICT RESOLUTION Conflict occurs when two or more people disagree and is almost inevitable in work situations where many personalities and work styles come together (Dahlin & Wittenberg, 2015; Tjosvold, Wong, & Yi Feng Chen, 2014). Mallidi (2015) noted that engaging in successful conflict resolution helps build leadership skills. But, before one can take on the task of resolving conflict, it is important to recognize the various ways individuals handle conflict. The four main styles are as follows (Saltman, 2006, as cited by Mallidi, 2015): ■ Avoidance: In this approach, the person simply sidesteps the issue, which may be appropriate when the issue is not significant. However, it is not effective when the issue is ongoing or significant. ■ Accommodation: With this approach, the person listens carefully to the other person and accepts his or her position. This is a good approach when a person understands that his or her own position is flawed. ■ Competition: With this approach, the person forcefully defends his or her own position. The approach does not support good teamwork. ■ Collaboration: Using this approach, each person involved in the conflict engages in negotiation to find a solution that meets everyone’s needs. This is generally considered the most effective style of resolving conflict. The approaches to conflict resolution tend to vary according to a person’s personal preference, as well as the perceived power differential in a given situation. When conflict occurs, the steps of navigating a resolution are as follows (Dahlin & Wittenberg, 2015): ■ Gathering facts about the conflict ■ Identifying the goal of conflict resolution ■ Addressing the conflict with the other person or persons involved ■ Identifying each person’s stake in resolving the conflict ■ Discussing the conflict ■ Engaging in problem solving ■ Determining outcomes that meet the needs of both parties When conflict is resolved successfully, it can be a constructive process that results in mutual benefit (Tjosvold et al., 2014). However, when conflict is very challenging or deep-rooted and ongoing, mediation may be beneficial. Fast Facts in a Nutshell
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