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The 3-Dimensional Approach to Identifying and Managing Stress Risks in Business

Introduction

Because of the belief, often prevalent with managers, that "stress" is a weakness, many people tend to avoid a deeper understanding of what it is and, as a consequence, fail to make changes in their behaviour that would make them more able to manage its negative effects.

The result can be patterns of behaviour and illness ranging from the relatively minor, such as individuals working below their capacity, to major illnesses - and even death. Along this continuum lies a broad range of business risk and exposure.

If there are stressed people in an organization - irrespective of whether that stress comes from their private lives or from the workplace - it will be costing that organization a great deal of money that could be better used elsewhere.

The Department of Health has estimated that, at any one time, 20% of the workforce are troubled by personal problems. If, as a result, these people cease working effectively for just 30 minutes per day, the resultant annual loss is an astounding £200,000 for every 500 employees. (These figures are based on an average salary of £24,000).

This does not account for mistakes, poor decisions, breakdown in relationships between departments, or even between the organization and its customers, and all the other problems that stressed people can create. Neither does this figure include the cost of sickness absence or medical retirements - many of which have a stress-related element, which is sometimes very large. Finally, neither does this figure include the cost of any potential stress claims against organisations – whether or not these are valid or not.

The Three Dimensional Approach

With a view to better managing the stress problem in business, it is useful to classify approaches to stress according to whether they emphasize ‘stimulus’ (stressors) ‘response’ (signs of strain) or ‘transactional’ (intervening) variables.

The Stimulus Approach: The First Dimension.

According to definitions which focus on ‘stimulus’ variables, stress is essentially a condition of the environment; for example, too high (or low) a temperature, or too high (or low) a level of stimulation or demand. In simple terms, programmes for managing stress which are based on this approach seek to distinguish ‘stressful’ from ‘non-stressful’ features of the environment and to reduce the former whilst providing more of the latter.

The Response Approach: The Second Dimension.

Definitions of stress which emphasize ‘response’ variables begin from the position that a person can be said to be suffering from stress only if sufficient ‘signs of strain’ - e.g. tension, loss of appetite (or binge-eating), impaired concentration, or abnormal workplace behaviours are present. Programmes for managing stress which are based on this approach will therefore focus upon those individuals who are showing marked ‘signs of strain’: and will seek to relieve their symptoms by providing opportunities for relaxation, physical exercise and/or healthy eating.

The Transactional Approach: The Third Dimension.

Finally, definitions of stress which focus upon ‘intervening’ variables suggest that it is our perception of the demands facing us - rather than the demands themselves - which result in the experience of stress. This, of course, is not a new position to take up. In the First Century A.D. Epictetus wrote, “People are disturbed not by things, but by the view they take of them.” It does, though, rather “cut-across” many current popular views of stress, which tend to see people as passive, helpless victims. This is a view often impacting negatively on business.

In contrast, programmes for managing stress which focus upon ‘intervening’ variables acknowledge that stress does not result simply from exposure to excessive demands. If it did, then all who are exposed to work-place pressures would, inevitably, succumb to the ravages of a stress-related illness. And, clearly, this is not the case, as what is stressful to some is invigorating and motivating to others.

What this approach teaches us is that stress is largely a consequence of the irrational ideas and demands that people impose upon themselves.

For example, imagine you are giving an important presentation at work; your every attempt at humour is falling flat and you start feeling stressed. It would be easy to conclude that your stress comes directly from the poor reception to your presentation. But this would be false. In such a situation, it is likely that you would be generating your own stress, by saying to yourself something along the lines of, “I absolutely must give an outstanding presentation; it is awful that it is not going well, and this confirms that I’m worthless.” With such a belief activated, it is hardly surprising that you would become ever-more stressed and that your presentation would deteriorate still further.

BUT, how different would your experience be if, in the same situation, you were to remind yourself that, “Just because I would prefer to give an outstanding presentation, there is no law in the universe that says that I MUST do so…It is disappointing that it hasn’t started off as well as I’d hoped it would; but I’m a resourceful person and I can still turn it around...”

With this appraisal activated, you would retain control of your emotional response to the situation; be far more likely to succeed in achieving the goals of your presentation - and reduce the harmful impact of stress to a minimum!

Conclusion:

Managing stress from this perspective requires a commitment to training and/or coaching managers and employees so that they better understand the relationship between their ‘perceptions’ (or ‘beliefs’) and their ability to manage successfully the increasing demands made upon them.

• HDA has experience of providing Stress Solutions from each of the 3 Dimensions in both public and private sector organizations, including eg. electronics companies, investment banks, publishers, retailers, media and entertainment companies, travel companies and public sector organisations.
• HDA consultants include successful and experienced management trainers, health psychologists, counsellors and coaches, all skilled in the identification and management of stress.
• If stress is an issue in your organization, give us a call and find out more about our Stress Solutions!

More on HDA:

HDA’s range of consultancy services support organisations in all sectors (ranging from FTSE/Fortune 100 companies, to SME's, to public sector organisations), to manage the human aspects of business capability and organisational / career change.

Our work ranges from closely partnering with client organisations to manage large scale organisational change and restructuring processes, to facilitating behavioural change and development within teams and individuals; both in established and early-stage organisations.

HDA provides consultancy solutions in: organisational change consultancy, group facilitation, career management and outplacement, leadership development and executive coaching, employer branding and talent development, performance and productivity management, employee retention and motivation, stress management and employee counselling.

More on John Perry:

John is a very active HDA coach and facilitator; blending highly effective one-to-one coaching skills with a strong knowledge-based facilitation and workshop-delivery approach. He has particular capability in the areas of human capability, the management of stress, and the management of time.

As a highly recognised ex university academic, John combines significant academic expertise with solid commercial knowledge gained as a self-employed consultant and coach, and, most recently, as CEO of an outsourced services organisation. He has delivered coaching, facilitation and consultancy to diverse world-class organisations like Sony UK, Barra International; HSBC; Acterna UK: Xyratex: Lehman Brothers; West Dorset District Council; Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust; The Compass Group; the Disney Corporation; Barclays Global Investors; Barclays Bank; Lloyds Risk Management; IMS; National Grid Transco Ltd; Halma; L’Oreal and BGI.

John has an MA and MSc (Psych), and is an NLP practitioner.

To discuss potential HDA contributions, please contact us at email: info@hda.co.uk