Cognitive‐affective stress propensity: a field study

A cognitive‐affective stress propensity model was examined using field study data. Structural equation models analyses tested hypothesized and alternate models to determine their goodness‐of‐fit with the data. The results supported a direct relationship between stress propensity and strain, and an indirect, mediated relationship between stress propensity and strain through a subjective stress construct. In addition, stress propensity was found to moderate the relationships of experienced negative affect with somatic and with psychological strain, and with one of three measures of subjective stress. Implications of the results for research and practice are discussed. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Correlates of relocation intention and emotional responses to an Israeli plant relocation

Prior to a relocation of a governmental organization in Israel, 155 workers responded to a questionnaire tapping three criteria: the intention to relocate, positive feelings, and stress reactions. The questionnaire also addressed potential correlates: biographical data, family-related variables, perceived attitudes of co-workers, job satisfaction and centrality, and anticipations regarding work and nonwork aspects. The intention to relocate was associated mainly with the perceived attitude of the spouse and the children. Stress experienced was most strongly related to the future job prospects, and the positive emotions were mostly correlated with the perceived favourability of the anticipated changes. The family-related variables were found to be significantly correlated with all the criteria. These results suggest that organization should direct efforts on spouse and children in order to influence employees' decisions and feelings regarding relocation. This and other implications are discussed.     

Coping with transition: A study of layoff survivors

This study examined the determinants and consequences of survivors' coping responses to a recent workforce reduction involving permanent layoffs. The participants consisted of 200 unionized technicians in the telecommunications industry. Survivors with high optimistic predispositions and a strong sense of mastery were more likely to engage in control-oriented coping. Perceived threat of job loss was positively related to the use of both control and escape coping whereas sense of powerlessness was negatively related to the use of control coping. Control coping was associated with positive outcomes and escape coping with negative outcomes. Coping had both additive and interactive effects on the outcome variables. The implications of these findings for management are discussed.     

Cross‐national job stress: a quantitative and qualitative study

Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, this study contrasted employees' job stress perceptions and their relationships to strains in China and the United States. Significant job stressor–strain correlations were found in both countries. However, hierarchical regression analyses revealed significant interactions of country by job stressors in predicting job strains, indicating the unique patterns of stressor–strain relationships in China and the United States. In the qualitative analyses, American employees reported significantly more incidents of lack of job control, direct interpersonal conflict, lack of team coordination, anger, frustration, feeling overwhelmed, and stomach problems than the Chinese. Chinese employees reported significantly more incidents of job evaluations, work mistakes, indirect conflict, employment conditions, lack of training, anxiety, helplessness, sleep problems, and feeling hot than the Americans. The qualitative approach contributed above and beyond the quantitative results in that it revealed culture‐specific job stressors of job evaluations, work mistakes, and indirect conflict that had been overlooked in western‐based stress research. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of mindfulness-based stress reduction to a stress management intervention in a study of a mining sector company

Purpose. The aim of this article was to check whether mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an effective intervention in reducing work-related stress in the case of workers in a copper mine. Methods. Sixty six employees were randomized to the experimental group (32 participants) or to the control group (34 participants). Work-related stress was measured using the job content questionnaire (JCQ) and mental health was measured using the general health questionnaire (GHQ-28) Experimental manipulation was 40-h MBSR training. Results. Multivariate repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a significant increase of JCQ decision latitude (F?=?17.36, p?<?0.001) and social support (supervisor F?=?9.00, p?<?0.004; coworker F?=?5.61, p?<?0.020), and a significant decrease in GHQ-28 anxiety (F?=?5.28, p?<?0.079) and depression (F?=?3.95, p?<?0.048) due to the intervention. Conclusions. The study confirms that MBSR can be effective in reducing stress resulting from the external risk (and/or imagined fear) of losing one’s health or life. The use of MBSR could be recommended in health and safety activities in difficult and dangerous work conditions, such as mining, to promote workers’ well-being.     

Innovations and personal change: Patterns of adjustment to relocation

The aim of the study was to test hypotheses derived from Nicholson's (1984) theory of work-role transitions within the context of job relocation. These hypotheses concern the adjustment strategies used by those changing jobs. A total of 121 U.K. employees provided data at three points in time during the process of their relocation. Measures included job characteristics, personal change, role innovation, self-esteem and subjective well-being. Data were analysed via non-recursive structural equation models using LISREL VI. Results were generally consistent with the model of work-role transitions. Individual differences in self-esteem were found to influence adjustment strategies over and above the effects of job characteristics.     

The effects of job-related stress on medical center employee communicator style

Founded on the assumption that communicator style is situationally and contextually influenced, this study investigates the effects of job-related stress on communicator style. It was specifically designed to measure the effects of job-related stress factors on employee communicator style within the context of a medical center organization. Three central research questions are posed: (1) what, if any, meaningful differences in communicator style can be found from general work conditions to stress-specific conditions; (2) do different stress conditions give rise to meaningful differences in communicator style; (3) what communicator style differences exist among three major medical center employee hierarchies in response to stress-specific situations. The results indicate that communicator style in the stress-specific sample was significantly more dominant, open, attentive but less dramatic and friendly. Multivariate analysis revealed that communicator style accounted for the greatest differences between employees who were experiencing stress due to being unprepared to perform their work role. All role-related stress variables were more powerfully discriminated by the communicator style variables than department/unit stress (stress at the work group level). Finally, communicator style variables provided statistically significant discrimination of three occupational groups: physicians, administrators/managers, and line employees. Physicians appeared to be more assertive and less supportive in their communication; administrators/managers were assertive but also supportive while line employees were both submissive and supportive in their communicator style. These three employee groups were also discriminated using the job-related stress variables. Although statistically significant findings were obtained, the discriminant functions were less powerful than the communicator style discriminant functions.     

Firm relocation as a potential solution for environment improvement using a SWOT-AHP hybrid method

Global economic expansion and increasing concentration of people in the large cities, especially in developing countries leads to some environmental issues such as air pollution. Relocation of the firms as a great air pollutant can be an appropriate alternative for diminishing these pollutions. Yet, there is a lack of research about factors precluding firm relocation with respect to decision making factors when determining whether or not to relocate. Thus, the purpose of this case study is to examine firm relocation decision-making factors and to apprehend the role of environment issues in making them using a combination of SWOT matrix and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The combination yields analytically determined priority factors and makes them commensurable. The results indicated that decision makers at this firm consider weaknesses, more importantly than strengths, opportunities and threats. Specifically, eradicating from a large market is the most significant factor for decision makers and notably diminishing air pollution as a governmental concern ranked third.     

Efficacy beliefs and work stress: An exploratory study

This study investigated the possible role of self-efficacy in the stress process by examining relations between stressors (role ambiguity, situational constraints, and hours), strains (job dissatisfaction, anxiety, frustration, and turnover intent), and efficacy beliefs (both individual and collective). Individual efficacy was related to only two of the four strains and had no mediating or moderating effects. Collective efficacy, however, was strongly related to both stressors and strains. Collective efficacy also moderated the effect of work hours and mediated the relation between situational constraints and two of the strain measures. It was concluded that the theory of individual self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977) may not adequately explain collective efficacy. Future research on the self-efficacy construct as well as its role in the stress process was suggested.     

Industrial relations stress and job satisfaction: Concurrent effects and mediation

We examine the effects of negative and positive industrial relations stress on both mood (negative and positive) and job satisfaction. Twenty industrial relations practitioners completed daily reports of industrial relations stress, mood, and job satisfaction over a 20-day period. After controlling for serial correlation, negative industrial relations stress affected negative mood and, in turn, job satisfaction. Positive industrial relations stress had direct effects on both positive mood and job satisfaction with positive mood also affecting job satisfaction. All effects were concurrent with no next-day effects of stress on mood or job satisfaction. Further research on industrial relations stress is both warranted and encouraged.     

When the type of move matters: employee outcomes under various relocation situations

The type of job change associated with relocation and the type of relocation decision were examined as predictors of post‐move attitudes and intentions. Employees who relocated for a lateral or downward job change reported lower perceived organizational support and higher turnover intentions than those who relocated for a promotion. Further, those taking downward moves or moving involuntarily had lower perceptions of support and higher intentions to quit than lateral relocators and voluntary relocators, respectively. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Supervisors' exceedingly difficult goals and abusive supervision: The mediating effects of hindrance stress,anger, and anxiety

This study examined a contextual predictor of abusive supervision. Specifically, we hypothesized that job goals that are judged by supervisors to be exceedingly difficult to attain is a predictor of subordinate‐rated abusive supervisory behavior. Drawing on the cognitive theory of stress, we hypothesized that exceedingly difficult job goals assigned to supervisors predict abusive behavior directed at their subordinates, as mediated by the supervisors' hindrance stress and emotions (e.g., anger and anxiety). We collected data from employees and their immediate supervisors to test this theoretical model (N = 215 matched pairs). The results of this multisource field study provided support for the hypothesized relationships. In particular, assigned job goals that were appraised by supervisors as exceedingly difficult to attain predicted their hindrance stress. Also, hindrance stress was positively related to anger and anxiety, which in turn predicted abusive supervision. Theoretically, these findings contribute to research on goal setting, stress, and abusive supervision. In addition, these findings are practically important in that they provide suggestions on how to minimize abusive supervision in organizations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predictive effects of occupational and marital stress on the mental health of a male workforce

This study examined the predictive contribution of occupational and marital stress to the development of symptomatolgoy, affective disorder, and alcohol-related problems in a sample of 325 male power plant employees interviewed at baseline and one-year follow up. After controlling for known clinical and social risk factors, we found statistically significant predictive effects of job demands on affective disorder and job decision latitude on alcohol problems. In addition, the specific combination of high job demands with low decision latitude was important in predicting the occurrence of alcohol problems. Marital stress was not predictive of poorer mental health. The analyses provided only minimal support for a stress-buffering rote of social support.     

Facilitating and inhibiting effects of job control and social support on stress outcomes and role behavior: a contingency model

High levels of job control and social support are often related to effective job performance and coping with work stressors. However, support may have more positive effects on role behavior when job control is low. In addition, despite theoretical expectations, simple demands–control and demands–support interactions are infrequently found to predict health and psychological strain outcomes. The ‘demands–control–support’ model (Johnson and Hall, 1988) of stress coping integrates these ‘stress buffering’ and ‘decision latitude’ models and observes more consistent findings. This model posits that social support buffers the adverse effects of high demand, low control jobs. However, explicit tests of the interaction of these variables suggest that control can have positive or negative effects on strain, depending on the level of social support. In this study, supervisor consideration was positively related to subordinate job performance, extra-role behavior, and in-role prosocial behavior (conscientiousness) among subordinates perceiving low job control. The relationship between consideration and performance and extra-role behavior was negative among high control subordinates. The demands×control×support interaction predicted health symptoms, organizational commitment, supervisor satisfaction, and absence due to illness, but the interaction plots do not support the prevailing perspective that support buffers the effects of ‘high strain’ (i.e. low control, high demand) jobs. Patterns were similar for different demands and different social support loci (i.e. supervisor, co-workers). An alternative theoretical process of the demands–control–support interaction is proffered, and implications for organizational intervention are discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Implementing computer-based automation in the office: A study of experienced stress

This study focuses on the impact of previous experience with automation implementations on experienced stress associated with different work aspects, following the introduction of computer-based office automation. One hundred and ninety-one full-time secretaries at a large university in Canada completed questionnaires related to stress perception and prior experience with office automation. Results indicated that those without previous experience reported higher levels of experienced stress associated with work content aspects such as task difficulty and interest in the task, whereas those with prior experience reported greater problems with contextual aspects such as training and instruction. These findings are discussed in the context of research on ‘technological change as a source of organizational and occupational stress’.     

Cognitive and motivational effects of participation: A mediator study

Previous experimental studies of participation have typically examined its motivational (especially commitment) benefits. These studies showed that these benefits are neither large nor consistent. The present study focused on the cognitive benefits of participation in decision making (pdm) and on the role of a different motivational mediator, self-efficacy. Unlike previous research which claimed to study the cognitive (informational) effects of participation, the present experiment: (a) allowed the information concerning task strategies to emerge from group discussion rather than being manipulated by the experimenter; (b) measured the actual strategies that were developed and used by subjects in the pdm condition; and (c) measured self-efficacy which was associated with the discovery and use of these strategies. It was found that the strategies developed by the subjects and their self-efficacy completely mediated the effect of participation on performance. Further, participation in setting goals, consistent with previous studies, did not affect performance but did affect self-efficacy.     

The teacher stress process: A cross-cultural analysis

A cross-cultural systems analysis was performed on teacher stress data from Canada and Sweden. The LISREL structural analysis was based on a conceptual model adapted from Kyriacou and Sutcliffe. Although the LISREL solution did not reach statistical significance it was concluded that the conceptual model in the essential features was corroborated by the LISREL analyses. Measurement errors, as well as the sensitivity of the used goodness of fit test (chi square) to the size of the samples was put forward as explanations of the failure to reach statistical significance for the LISREL structural solutions. Furthermore, it was argued that the heterogeneity of the teachers with respect to the stages of their professional careers should be considered in further research on teacher stress, to be able to capture the process aspects more adequately.     

The effects of quality improvement practices on team effectiveness: a mediational model

Researchers have been challenged to specify the processes that quality improvement (QI) practices could be expected to generate and to explain how they might contribute to organizational effectiveness. This research article meets that challenge through a study of 97 teams in the health care field. The authors developed a ‘Quality Improvement Practices Index’ and showed that QI practices could be differentiated from traditional team‐level variables, and that such practices affect both directly and indirectly (through team‐level variables) team effectiveness. Two models were tested using structural equation modelling. It was found that the perceptions of the impact of QI practices on team effectiveness varied depending on who was assessing the team's performance—members of the team or managers who were external to the team but responsible for the team's performance. The authors discuss the implications of these results both for researchers and practitioners. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Work stress among long-distance coach drivers: A survey and correlational study

This paper presents findings from an Australian survey of work conditions, coping behaviors and stress among 93 long-distance coach drivers. A tripartite model of coach driver stress is presented. The model proposes that the impacts of job demands (e.g. driving hours) on work-related stress outcomes (e.g. doctor visits) are mediated by a set of maladaptive coping behaviors and responses (e.g. stimulant use, speeding). Correlational analyses of the survey data provided general support for the model. Results suggested that long driving hours provide the single best predictor of maladaptive behaviors such as stimulant use and sleep disturbance among the drivers. The maladaptive behaviors, in turn, consistently predicted stress outcomes such as doctor visits and symptom reports. Direct correlations between job demands and stress outcomes were also consistent with the model, but the correlations were of a lower magnitude. The data suggests that stimulant use and sleep disturbance may be important mediators in the link between job demands and stress outcomes for long-distance coach drivers. Path modelling with larger samples is recommended for future research along the present lines. Implications for work practices within the long-distance transport industry are briefly considered.