The use of the occupational stress indicator (OSI) in factory workers in China

The purpose of the study was to investigate occupational stress among Chinese factory workers (N=342), from three cities of South East China, using the shortened version of the Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI)-2. The results showed that the reliabilities and predictive validity of the OSI-2 subscales and other subscales used for the study were reasonably high. Quite a high percentage of workers perceived high work pressure. The main sources of stress were intrinsic to the job; and the coping strategies that were most frequently used to tackle stress were “control” methods. In addition, “satisfaction on environmental condition” seemed to be a common predictor for job satisfaction, and mental and physical well-being. The logical relationships between job satisfaction, mental well-being and physical well-being in Chinese workers have provided support to the findings obtained in Western countries.     

Differences in occupational stress in three European countries

In this study, the reliabilities of the Dutch translation of the Occupational Stress Inventory, which is based on the theory of Cooper (Cooper & Marshall, 1976), was investigated. The sample comprised 436 nurses. A comparison is made of the individual and job satisfaction stress levels of Dutch and British nurses (N = 546), and of British managers (N =123) and German managers (N =133). The differences in the reliabilities of the Dutch version, compared to the British and German, are small. The differences between the stress and satisfaction scores are found to be greater between occupational groups than between nations.     

The Role of Occupational Self-Efficacy in Mediating the Effect of Job Insecurity on Work Engagement,Satisfaction and General Health

This study explores the associations among job insecurity, occupational self-efficacy, work engagement, job satisfaction and health and the mediation role of occupational self-efficacy. Two hundred and forty-one workers, were asked to fill in the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, the Satisfaction Scale of Occupational Stress Inventory and the General Health Questionnaire. Mediation analysis was performed using the boot-strapping method. Job insecurity was negatively related to work engagement, job satisfaction and general health. Occupational self-efficacy mediated the relationship between job insecurity, work engagement, job satisfaction and health on employees in the private and public sectors. The originality of this work is that it shows the effect of job insecurity on engagement, satisfaction and health, and the mediational role of occupational self-efficacy. In a time of economic crisis, when it is not possible to guarantee permanent contracts, Human Resource managers might consider occupational self-efficacy as a resource when planning interventions.     

Coping strategies in the workplace: Relationships with attributional style and job satisfaction

This paper examined the relationships between workplace coping strategies, occupational attributional style, and job satisfaction among a sample of 190 nurses employed with a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. As an occupational group, nurses experience high levels of chronic workplace stressors. Participants completed a questionnaire packet containing the Brief COPE, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ)-Short Form, and the Occupational Attributional Styles Questionnaire (OASQ). Results indicated that a positive occupational attributional style was associated with greater use of problem solving/cognitive restructuring coping styles and less use of avoidance coping styles to deal with workplace stress. This pattern of coping strategies was also associated with greater job satisfaction. Further analyses indicated that the relationship between occupational attributional style and job satisfaction was mediated by the use of problem solving/cognitive restructuring, and avoidance coping strategies to deal with workplace stress. Implications for workplace interventions and work adjustment counseling are discussed.     

A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Job Stressors and Reactions Among Employees Holding Comparable Jobs in Two Countries

The present study examined occupational stress in a cross-cultural context with a sample of female clerical employees from an Eastern and a Western culture, namely, India and the United States. An open-ended methodology was used to study occupation-specific stress. Two other variables that researchers have studied in the job stress process, locus of control and social support, were also examined. Large differences were obtained in the perception of the source of stress, the coping mechanisms, and reactions to the stressor. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

员工工作压力感问卷的初步编制

通过访谈和文献阅读,编制中国员工工作压力感问卷,为企业提供简便的了解员工压力的工具。在两家企业中的293名员工中进行问卷调查,同时要求被试完成工作压力调查问卷、职业紧张量表和自我效能测验。结果表明,有16个项目符合测量学要求;问卷的内部一致性信度α系数为0.8260;问卷有较好的效标关联效度,员工工作压力感得分与工作压力调查问卷和职业紧张量表得分呈显著正相关,与自我效能分数呈显著负相关;探索性因素分析显示问卷包含三个主要因子。     

Job stress in university,corporate, and military personnel

The Job Stress Survey (JSS) was administered to large samples of university and corporate employees and senior military personnel. Differences in the perceived severity, frequency of occurrence, and overall level of occupational stress were evaluated for individuals working in these settings. Gender differences in job stress and the factor structure of the JSS were also evaluated. Two occupational stress factors were identified, Job Pressure and Organizational Support, which were remarkably stable for males and females and for individuals working in university, corporate, and military settings. Corporate employees reported higher levels of perceived severity of job stress than the other groups, whereas military personnel reported that they more frequently experienced almost all of the job stress events. No overall differences were found for the three groups in the JSS Job Stress Index.     

Effects of Organizational Level and Gender on Stress in the Workplace

Occupational stress adversely affects productivity, absenteeism, and job turnover, and contributes to health-related problems. The effects of organizational level and gender on the specific sources of occupational stress assessed by the Job Stress Survey (JSS) were evaluated for a heterogeneous sample of 1,791 working adults (860 males, 931 females) employed in 2 industrial companies and a large state university. Significant main or interactive effects of organizational level and/or gender were found for the JSS Item Index, Severity and/or Frequency scores of 29 of the 30 JSS items. Organizational level effects were both more numerous and larger in magnitude than gender effects. Employees at higher organizational levels reported that they experienced stress more often while making critical decisions and dealing with crisis situations than did workers at lower levels, for whom inadequate salary and lack of opportunity for advancement were more stressful. For males, work stress was more strongly related to concerns about their role in the power structure of an organization, whereas female employees reported experiencing more severe stress when there was a conflict between job requirements and family relationships.     

Occupational Stress in Workers and Managers in Steelworks in China

Occupational stressors and strains of 121 Chinese steelwork employees and 122 managers were measured using the Chinese version of the Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI). It was found that factors intrinsic to the job, Type A behavior, logic, and organizational structure and climate were the main predictors of mental ill-health and physical ill-health in managers. Organizational structure and climate and relationships with other people were important predictors for workers. Management processes and organizational forces were the strongest predicting factors of job satisfaction in both samples. On certain OSI scales and subscales, managers scored statistically higher than workers. It is proposed that these results reflect the enormous economic and social changes currently taking place in China, together with certain features inherent in Chinese organizational and managerial processes.     

职业紧张因素的结构关系分析

运用经修订的库珀职业紧张量表对不同职业和性别的我国职工的职业紧张作了研究,发现不同职业和性别对于职务感受和个人因素解释及身体健康状况等各有显著影响,通过对量表的结构关系分析后认为目标要求、应付工作压力的策略和职工的内部控制感是影响职业紧张的深层原因。从而对现今国外有关职业紧张的理论提出了新的看法,为今后的研究与应用提供了理论根据和实践指导。     

Management style and its effect on prison officers’ stress

This study investigates the impact of the work environment on the level of perceived job stress in prison officers. Two models of prison administration were assessed in an attempt to identify the organizational structures and processes which were related to level of occupational stress. To identify the impact of occupational stress on prison officers, the bureaucratic and unit management models of prison administration are compared with respect to officer job characteristics and management processes. The Occupational Role Questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were administered to 112 prison officers. A multivariate analysis identified a significant main effect for prison management type. On all measures, prison officers from the bureaucratic management model (Pentridge Prison) scored higher than officers from a unit management model (Barwon Prison). Role boundary, physical environment, and trait anxiety were the most salient discriminators between officers from Pentridge and Barwon. Private Practice.     

Job Stress and Burnout Among Correctional Officers: A Literature Review

This literature review presents an overview of occupational stress and burnout in correctional institutions, based on 43 investigations from 9 countries. First, the prevalence of various stress reactions among correctional officers (COs) is discussed: turnover and absenteeism rates, psychosomatic diseases, and levels of job dissatisfaction and burnout. Next, empirical evidence is summarized for the existence of 10 specific stressors in the CO's job. It appears that the most notable stressors for COs are role problems, work overload, demanding social contacts (with prisoners, colleagues, and supervisors), and poor social status. Finally, based on 21 articles, individual-oriented and organization-oriented approaches to reduce job stress and burnout among COs are discussed. It is concluded that particularly the latter (i.e., improving human resources management, professionalization of the CO's job, and improvement of the social work environment) seems to be a promising avenue for reducing job stress and burnout in correctional institutions.     

青年员工职业适应压力源探析

对浙江省某市20家企业146名青年员工的职业适应压力现状进行调查。结果显示:(1)职业适应问题确实给青年员工带来职业适应压力,其中适应突发事件压力和职业前途压力较大;(2)不同性别、学历、婚姻状况和企业类型的青年员工在职业适应压力的一些维度上差异显著;(3)逐步回归结果表明身体适应压力和人际适应压力对总压力体验有显著影响,身体适应压力、动态任务完成及创新压力对心理体验有显著影响,身体适应压力对情绪体验和生理体验有显著影响。     

Job stress and attitudes toward change: The mediating effect of psychological attachment

The present study explores the indirect effect of job stress on attitudes toward change through individuals’ psychological attachment (organisational commitment mindsets and job embeddedness). The sample comprised N = 350 employees (black African: 67%; males: 69%; 26–40 years: 67%) who were affected by organisational change in the South African fast-moving consumer goods sector. The participants completed self-report measures on their job stress and psychological attachment experiences and their attitudes towards organisational change. The analysis applied structural equation modelling to test for the mediation effect of psychological attachment on the link between job stress and attitudes toward change. The findings suggest job stress to have a direct negative effect on job embeddedness and a positive, direct effect on attitudes toward change. Low levels of job embeddedness had a direct effect on positive attitudes toward change and mediated the link between job stress and attitudes toward change. The study contributes to organisational change theory by suggesting that experiences of job stress lower employees’ job embeddedness and this lowered sense of attachment translates into change-supportive attitudes.     

EI training and pre-service teacher wellbeing

Teaching is a profession of high occupational stress and ‘emotional labour’ that can potentially result in job dissatisfaction, mental health problems, and leaving the profession. Emotional intelligence (EI) encompasses an array of emotional competencies that facilitate the identification, processing, and regulation of emotion and may enhance successful stress management, as well as augmentation of teacher well-being and classroom performance. Drawing upon research that EI can be developed through specific training, a modified version of the program, “Managing Occupational Stress through the Development of Emotional Intelligence” (Hansen, Gardner, & Stough, 2007), was administered to pre-service teachers over a five-week period. A control group completed only the questionnaire protocol of EI and other measures at the start, end, and one month following the program. Results were generally in line with those obtained by Poole and Saklofske (2009) suggesting that EI and related psychological well-being variables can be positively impacted by focused EI training.     

Assessing potential effects of daily cross-domain usage of information and communication technologies

ABSTRACT

A within-person diary research design with 39 full-time workers was used to examine the effects of daily cross-domain usage of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on job-related performance and stress in both workplace and home domains. Segmentation preference effects on links between cross-domain ICT usage and both job performance and job stress were also analyzed. A positive association was found for the first relationship in mixed home-workplace contexts, and a negative association for the second in home contexts only. A stronger segmentation preference effect on the negative relationship between cross-domain ICT usage and job stress was found for integrators (employees who integrate work and home domains) compared to separators (employees who separate work/non-work activities). Our findings suggest that daily cross-domain ICT usage can enhance job performance and reduce job stress, with a moderating effect of segmentation preference on the link between cross-domain ICT usage and job stress.     

Managing Job Stress in the Netherlands

Compared with other countries, in the Netherlands work pressure and sickness absenteeism and work incapacitation rates due to work-related mental health problems are quite high. About a decade ago a new Working Conditions Act (WCA) was introduced that had far-reaching consequences for the way job stress is dealt with in organizations. The WCA emphasizes the central role to be played by commercially operating Occupational Health and Safety Services (OHSSs), and it defines a new kind of professional—the Work & Organizational Expert—who is primarily responsible for the assessment and prevention of job stress. Recently, a number of instruments have been developed for psychosocial risk assessment that are now widely used on a regular basis in a way prescribed by the WCA. Preventive measures are increasingly taken by organizations in order to reduce job stress and sickness absenteeism. Based on the Dutch approach some lessons may be learned. Recommendations pertain to (1) the role of government, (2) legal recognition of psychosocial work factors, (3) the privatization of the occupational health and safety sector, and (4) evaluation of job stress prevention programs.     

职业污名与离职倾向：牵连家人污名与家庭卷入的作用

职业污名对从业者的工作态度和工作行为有着重要影响。以往研究从个体职业身份的视角解释职业污名的作用, 忽略了从业者个体身份认同的多重属性。本研究基于身份边界理论, 提出职业污名会通过牵连家人污名这一机制影响从业者的离职倾向。另外, 这一机制的强弱取决于个体的家庭卷入程度。本研究通过对分属不同职业的384名从业者的3轮问卷调研发现, 家庭卷入调节了牵连家人污名在职业污名与离职倾向之间的中介作用。当个体的家庭卷入水平高时, 这一中介作用更强; 家庭卷入水平低时, 该中介作用更弱。本研究在理论上提出并检验了职业污名影响的新机制, 同时对实际管理工作提出了建议。     

The Relationship between Workplace Incivility and Helping Behavior: Roles of Job Dissatisfaction and Political Skill

This article investigates the mediating role of job dissatisfaction in the relationship between employees’ perceptions of workplace incivility and their helping behavior, as well as the buffering role of political skill in this process. Three-wave, time-lagged data collected from employees and their supervisors revealed that employees’ exposure to workplace incivility diminished their helping behavior through their sense of job dissatisfaction. This mediating role of job dissatisfaction was less salient, however, to the extent that employees were equipped with political skill. For organizations, this study accordingly pinpoints a key mechanism—namely, unhappiness about their job situation—through which rude coworker treatment links to lower voluntary workplace behaviors among employees, and it reveals how this mechanism can be better contained in the presence of political skill.     

Understanding Occupational Stress in Child-Welfare Supervisors1

The consequences of occupational stress include not only physical and psychological illnesses, but also a variety of employment problems. The current study examined stress and physical symptoms reported by a sample of child-welfare supervisors at a state human-services agency. Results indicated that a tendency to suppress angry feelings was related to an increased level of perceived stress and a greater number of physical symptoms. Suppressed anger was also related to dissatisfaction with co-workers. Finally, results did not suggest any significant relationships between type of managerial style typically employed and job satisfaction, perceived stress, anger, or physical symptoms. Results of the present study highlight the importance of focusing on anger expression in interventions developed to address occupational stress.