Abstract Through depth interviews and qualitative research techniques with print media and electronic media organizations, this study will discuss about job stressors of the employees in News organizations. This study is also to explore the personal coping strategies of facing work stress. And to the end will further unveil how media organizations assist journalists to deal with work stress. The result shows that the job stressors from media organizations contain three categories: work factors, personal factors, and environment. It emphasizes how the variable environments cause group members¡¦ physical and mental unrest and tension continuous process. First one is ¡§work factors¡¨ and it contents include at least three elements. They are the nature of work (time pressure, heavy workload, the work itself, working conditions, fairness, and nervous), organizational factors (organizations¡¦ roles and structure, role ambiguity, role conflict, and organizational climate and culture), and social relations at work (work place relationships, lack of social support). The second category is "personal factors". It includes individual itself, such as incentives, occupational health, and family, but career development, for example, the chance of professional development. The last one is "environment". This category includes economic and technological uncertainty and other total 18 kinds¡¦ sources from three major sorts. Furthermore, the ¡§coping strategies¡¨ of facing job pressure has five different types. Those types are classified as problem-centered, emotion-centered, appraisal-centered, avoidance-centered, and religion-centered. They all emphasize that organizations¡¦ members will use both the usable resources and experiences along with self-awareness to determine how to solve or reduce their working pressures. Moreover, journalists usually receive several kinds of assistance from media organizations to deal with their work stresses. Usually, the employees will gain a long vacation after a period of consecutive working days. They also receive social or emotional support through communications, such as verbal encouragement, or informational support such as the class of spiritual growth and development, etc. Also, the research found which the interviewees using religion-centered strategies to face their job stresses is a new discovery. This strategy has never been found in the reviewed literatures, or previous relative studies. The researcher believes this discovery will help the scholars engaging in the job stress-related follow-up studies as the basis for further research III and application. In conclusion, based on the interviews, the researcher suggests that the media organizations should extend the time of socialization procedure for freshmen. They also need to provide appropriate equipments for their employees, and strengthen the social supports. By this, the organizations will be able to prevent the journalists burning out, and improve their working satisfaction in order to promote their commitment with the media organizations.

This exploratory study explores how management control systems influence job stressors. More specifically, this study seeks to unravel the mechanisms by which budget and KPI controls influence job stressors. In our study we use the well-established Job Demand - Job Control - Job Support Model to compare previous research on job stressors with our case study. We interview Controllers and Managers at a manufacturing company within the industrial industry. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed through thematic content analysis. Our study discovers various combinations of how budget and KPI controls influence job stressors. We unravel four mechanisms by which budget and KPI controls influence job stressors. The identified mechanisms are Involvement, Comparability, Predictability, and Rationalization, in where involvement is shown to be most prominent.

Job stress has been associated with lower levels of job satisfaction in the workplace, and the economic performance of organizations is directly affected by employee job satisfaction. Five job stressors in particular (work-home conflict, invasion of privacy, work overload, role ambiguity, and job insecurity) have been shown to contribute the most to job stress. Organizations with high job satisfaction rates are more likely to have lower turnover, fewer accidents, higher customer satisfaction scores, and better performance. This study contributes to the literature by examining the mediating role of emotional intelligence and organizational citizenship behavior on the relationship between job stress and job satisfaction. Panel data was collected using Qualtrics and Amazon Mechanical Turk. Utilizing PLS-SEM, it was found that the named job stressors do contribute to job stress, job stress does negatively affect job satisfaction, and this relationship is partially mediated by both emotional intelligence and organizational citizenship behavior. Discussion of future research regarding job satisfaction is included.

This study tested the existence of significant differences in levels of perceived job stressors between non-managerial individuals in boundary-spanning and nonboundary- spanning occupations. Correlations between selected demographic characteristics and levels of perceived job stressors were also determined.

Orientadores: Monica Sanches Yassuda, Anita Liberalesso Neri / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T11:55:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fontes_ArletePortella_M.pdf: 649927 bytes, checksum: c95b7afdf1d6e1987d5ba28c0d6c9bf0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: O envelhecimento e o desgaste provocado pelo trabalho demandam a compreensão das relações entre idade, experiência e o enfrentamento dos estressores ocupacionais. Objetivo: investigou-se através de um estudo descritivo o enfrentamento de estressores ocupacionais e sua relação com estresse percebido, idade, cargo e experiência, mediadas por crenças de auto-eficácia e agência, entre 71 líderes, técnicos e engenheiros de empresa elétrica, comparados quanto à idade (27-50 anos) e tempo de serviço (>=5 anos; 2 - 4 anos; <2 anos). Método: Os participantes foram submetidos a questionário sociodemográfico e ocupacional, escala de intensidade do estresse percebido, enfrentamento do estresse ocupacional, auto-eficácia e agência, aplicados nos locais de trabalho por pessoal treinado. Resultados: Foi encontrada alta consistência interna para as escalas de enfrentamento (0,849), crenças de agência (0,754) e agência pessoal (0,744). O grau de estresse percebido foi sete (escala de 0 a 10), identificando-se estressores inerentes à organização, tarefas e gestão de pessoas. A auto-eficácia do enfrentamento foi moderada (engenheiros: M=3,34, ± 0,28; técnicos: M=3,13, ± 0,41). Agência interpessoal correlacionou-se significativamente com idade: os mais jovens acreditam mais no exercício de controle através de recursos do outro, em relação aos mais velhos. Foram observadas correlações positivas entre tempo de serviço e auto-eficácia; manejo com controle e esquiva; auto-eficácia e controle; agência pessoal com controle e auto-eficácia; agência interpessoal com controle, manejo, auto-eficácia e agência pessoal. Na análise de regressão linear, quanto maior uso de controle, maior auto-eficácia, agência pessoal e interpessoal; quanto maior uso de manejo de sintomas, maior agência interpessoal. Conclusões: Os resultados apontam para o valor da experiência e das crenças de eficácia e agência para um envelhecimento competente no trabalho. Os indivíduos que envelhecem no trabalho e as organizações beneficiam-se da melhor compreensão das relações entre idade, experiência, enfrentamento de estressores e crenças pessoais / Abstract: The aging and work stress demand comprehension of relations among age, experience and coping with job stressor. Objective: it was investigated through a descriptive study the coping with job stressor and its relation with perceived stress, age, job position and experience, mediated by beliefs of self-efficacy and agency, among 71 leaders, technicians and engineers of an electricity utility company, compared to age (27-50) and time of work (>=5 years; 2-4 years; <2 years). Method: the participants were submitted to a sociodemographic and job questionaire, scales of perceived stress intensity, coping with job stress, self-efficacy and agency, applied in the work by trained people. Results: it was found high internal consistency for coping scales (0.849), beliefs of agency (0.754) and personal agency (0.744). The degree of perceived stress was 7 (scale 0-10), identifying stressors inherent in organization, tasks and people management. The coping self-efficacy was moderate (engineers: M=3.34, ± 0.28; technicians: M=3.13, ± 0.41). Interpersonal agency was correlated significantly with age: the youngest ones believe more in the exercise of control through the resources of the others, in relation to the oldest. Positive correlations were observed among time of work and self-efficacy; management with control and escape; self-efficacy and control; personal agency with control and self-efficacy; interpersonal agency with control, management, self-efficacy and personal agency. In the analysis of linear regression, the more the use of control, the higher self-efficacy, personal and interpersonal agency; the more the use of symptom management, the higher the interpersonal agency. Conclusions: The results pointed to the value of the experience and of the beliefs of efficacy and agency for a competent aging in the work. The individuals aging in the work and organizations take the benefit of the best comprehension of relations among age, experience, stressor coping and personal beliefs / Mestrado / Gerontologia / Mestre em Gerontologia

This paper explores issues of the work stress of Czech employees using the data from Quality of working life survey conducted in Sociological institute of Czech Academy of science in 2014. However work stress is generally seen as a serious problem, employers in the Czech Republic do not take it enough into account yet. The aim of this paper is to define groups of employees which are the most endangered by work stress, sources of stress (stressors) and explore the relationship between work stress and life satisfaction with special focus on employee status. As a theoretical background, we use the theory of spillover (transmission between life spheres), theories of high status stress and low status stress and balance models of work stress (namely Job demands-control model and Effort- reward imbalance model). Apart of work demands, overtime work, low social support and negative phenomenon as well as monotonous and unattractive job content and poor job security were identified as important stressors. As the most endangered group were identified those who have lower employee status, high level of stress and also lower satisfaction in all studied aspects of life. Situation of this group can be seen as a serious social problem. All identified stressors occur in this group together with other unfavourable...

Businesses are operating in extremely turbulent and dynamic environments – globally and nationally – and have to adapt to ever–increasing changing circumstances, as well as cope with severe pressure to increase profit margins in an attempt to ensure their economic survival. Adding to this challenge is the changing employment relationship characterised by diversity, complexity and high levels of work stress which contribute to poor physical and mental health and employee disengagement. Individuals are strongly influenced by their work environments, and the well–being of employees is therefore critical as it relates directly to work performance. Positive Organisational Behaviour (POB) emerges within the framework of the Positive Psychology movement. POB takes Positive Psychology to the work environment as it studies and applies positively orientated human resource strengths and psychological capabilities that can be measured, developed and effectively managed. The general objective of this research was to conceptualise the components of Positive Organisational Behaviour (POB) (hope, optimism, self–efficacy, and resilience) from the literature and establish the reliability of established international psychometric measures in a South African sample. Additionally, the relationship between POB and other work–related phenomena, such as job satisfaction and turnover intention, work stress and engagement are also of interest. Various research designs were employed to obtain the necessary data. First, a cross–sectional survey design was used to obtain a sample from the study population at a particular point in time. Data was gathered from all employees in a specific business unit in a chemical factory. In addition to the cross–sectional design, a one–group pre–test post–test design was also utilised to evaluate the effects of a self–development programme on POB. This design also allowed for the investigation of the role of POB in the link between organisational stress and employee health. Finally it was possible iv to test the cross–lagged effects between measurements of POB and Engagement, and investigate causality. The following measuring instruments were used in attaining the objectives of the empirical study, namely a biographical questionnaire, the Dispositional Hope Scale, Life Orientation Test–Revised (LOT–R), Self–Efficacy Scale, Ego–Resiliency Scale, Lack of Role Clarity, Role Conflict, Quantitative and Qualitative Role Overload, Job Satisfaction, Turnover Intention, Quantitative and Qualitative Job Insecurity, Neuroticism, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). The SPSS Programme was used to carry out statistical analysis to describe the participants in terms of demographic characteristics, investigate the reliability and validity of the measuring instruments, and reveal the nature and relationship of the variables in terms of descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis. The Amos Programme was used to carry out structural equation modelling. Exploratory and Confirmatory factor analysis established the validity of each of the four scales (hope, optimism, self–efficacy and resilience) that constitute POB and showed that only one factor explains the variance in the data, and that the individual scales relate positively to POB. The study provides support for the core POB construct in a heterogeneous South African sample and provides a new instrument for its measurement. Results confirmed a negative relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention over time. No relationship between POB, job satisfaction and turnover intention could be found in this research. The only significant contributor to participants? turnover intention over time was their baseline levels of turnover intention and their job satisfaction at both baseline and at the second measurement. The moderating role of POB in the relationship between turnover intention and job satisfaction was also not supported. No evidence could however be found that the training programme had a significant contribution to increase job satisfaction and POB with the subsequent lower levels of turnover intention. Results indicated that only the job stressors, quantitative and qualitative job insecurity and the lack of role clarity hold predictive value with regard to POB (T1) and general health. It could also be established that POB (T1) acts as a partial mediator between v job stressors and general health. The negative effect of job stressors can therefore be minimised in the presence of POB. A positive correlation between the stress factors (lack of role clarity, role conflict, role overload and job insecurity), neuroticism and general health is evident from the results of this research. Results also confirmed a positive relationship between the aggregate engagement and POB scores, as well as the positive relationship between the total POB and engagement score. Given the positive nature of all the constructs measured, the inter–correlations were significant at both Time 1 and 2. Results revealed that POB at Time 1 did not predict engagement at Time 2. Strong evidence was found, however, that engagement at Time 1 predicted POB at Time 2. This finding is in line with research which suggests that engagement can facilitate the mobilisation of job and personal resources. In closing, recommendations for the participating organisation and future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Businesses are operating in extremely turbulent and dynamic environments – globally and nationally – and have to adapt to ever–increasing changing circumstances, as well as cope with severe pressure to increase profit margins in an attempt to ensure their economic survival. Adding to this challenge is the changing employment relationship characterised by diversity, complexity and high levels of work stress which contribute to poor physical and mental health and employee disengagement. Individuals are strongly influenced by their work environments, and the well–being of employees is therefore critical as it relates directly to work performance. Positive Organisational Behaviour (POB) emerges within the framework of the Positive Psychology movement. POB takes Positive Psychology to the work environment as it studies and applies positively orientated human resource strengths and psychological capabilities that can be measured, developed and effectively managed. The general objective of this research was to conceptualise the components of Positive Organisational Behaviour (POB) (hope, optimism, self–efficacy, and resilience) from the literature and establish the reliability of established international psychometric measures in a South African sample. Additionally, the relationship between POB and other work–related phenomena, such as job satisfaction and turnover intention, work stress and engagement are also of interest. Various research designs were employed to obtain the necessary data. First, a cross–sectional survey design was used to obtain a sample from the study population at a particular point in time. Data was gathered from all employees in a specific business unit in a chemical factory. In addition to the cross–sectional design, a one–group pre–test post–test design was also utilised to evaluate the effects of a self–development programme on POB. This design also allowed for the investigation of the role of POB in the link between organisational stress and employee health. Finally it was possible iv to test the cross–lagged effects between measurements of POB and Engagement, and investigate causality. The following measuring instruments were used in attaining the objectives of the empirical study, namely a biographical questionnaire, the Dispositional Hope Scale, Life Orientation Test–Revised (LOT–R), Self–Efficacy Scale, Ego–Resiliency Scale, Lack of Role Clarity, Role Conflict, Quantitative and Qualitative Role Overload, Job Satisfaction, Turnover Intention, Quantitative and Qualitative Job Insecurity, Neuroticism, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). The SPSS Programme was used to carry out statistical analysis to describe the participants in terms of demographic characteristics, investigate the reliability and validity of the measuring instruments, and reveal the nature and relationship of the variables in terms of descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis. The Amos Programme was used to carry out structural equation modelling. Exploratory and Confirmatory factor analysis established the validity of each of the four scales (hope, optimism, self–efficacy and resilience) that constitute POB and showed that only one factor explains the variance in the data, and that the individual scales relate positively to POB. The study provides support for the core POB construct in a heterogeneous South African sample and provides a new instrument for its measurement. Results confirmed a negative relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention over time. No relationship between POB, job satisfaction and turnover intention could be found in this research. The only significant contributor to participants? turnover intention over time was their baseline levels of turnover intention and their job satisfaction at both baseline and at the second measurement. The moderating role of POB in the relationship between turnover intention and job satisfaction was also not supported. No evidence could however be found that the training programme had a significant contribution to increase job satisfaction and POB with the subsequent lower levels of turnover intention. Results indicated that only the job stressors, quantitative and qualitative job insecurity and the lack of role clarity hold predictive value with regard to POB (T1) and general health. It could also be established that POB (T1) acts as a partial mediator between v job stressors and general health. The negative effect of job stressors can therefore be minimised in the presence of POB. A positive correlation between the stress factors (lack of role clarity, role conflict, role overload and job insecurity), neuroticism and general health is evident from the results of this research. Results also confirmed a positive relationship between the aggregate engagement and POB scores, as well as the positive relationship between the total POB and engagement score. Given the positive nature of all the constructs measured, the inter–correlations were significant at both Time 1 and 2. Results revealed that POB at Time 1 did not predict engagement at Time 2. Strong evidence was found, however, that engagement at Time 1 predicted POB at Time 2. This finding is in line with research which suggests that engagement can facilitate the mobilisation of job and personal resources. In closing, recommendations for the participating organisation and future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Job insecurity in the workplace has become an increasingly important trend in organisational research. The appraisal of job insecurity by individuals plays a significant part in how reactions manifest in the experiences of workplace stressors, job satisfaction, positive and negative work attributes and social support. However, there is a lack of research regarding specific workplace stressors at work leading to certain outcomes like safety behaviour, turnover intention and mental health, especially within a South African working context. Job insecurity has also been classified as a workplace stressor. The existence of other stressors tends to increase the ultimate effect of insecurity for the individual. The attempts from organisational management to manage this phenomenon are therefore crucial in decreasing the negative effects of job insecurity and increasing the productivity of the organisation. In order to measure the job insecurity levels of employees, it is important to make use of valid and reliable job insecurity measures. An absence of empirical research on validity and reliability studies in terms of job insecurity in South African is evident. The main objectives of this research were: 1) to establish the psychometric properties of a measure of job insecurity in a selected gold mining company in South Africa; 2) to determine the influence of job insecurity and work stress (i.e. role conflict, clarity and overload) on worker safety performance and if coping could moderate this; 3) to investigate the theoretical and empirical relationships between job stressors (task completion ambiguity and task quality ambiguity), competency demands, employability perceptions, job satisfaction and turnover intention over time, and 4) to investigate if social support has a mediating effect between positive interpersonal attributes, negative interpersonal attributes, job insecurity and subsequent health. To achieve the first objective, a cross-sectional design was used (N = 566), including various business units of a South African-based gold mining company. The assessment of the psychometric properties of a measure of quantitative and qualitative job insecurity for employees was determined through construct (structural) equivalence, exploratory factor analysis and multivariate analysis of variance to calculate the comparison of the factor structure for the different cultural groups. For qualitative job insecurity, the scale shows low equivalence for the African languages group. Statistically significant differences were found between the levels of job insecurity of employees in terms of gender. The second objective, concerning the investigation into the relationship of work stress and job insecurity with unsafe behaviour at work, was achieved with across-sectional survey design (N = 771). The hypothesised model included the influence of role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload, and job insecurity on unsafe work behaviour. Coping was introduced as a moderator in this relationship. The results indicated that when employees experience work stress and job insecurity, their safety compliance is low. This relationship was also moderated by a coping strategy of Avoidance. To achieve the third objective, a longitudinal study was conducted and data was gathered by means of an electronic survey, with 771 employees participating at Time 1, and 345 participating at Time 2. Results for predicting employees’ turnover intentions, experience of task completion and quality ambiguity, external employability and job satisfaction made a direct contribution in predicting their turnover intention. No mediating role of job satisfaction between job stressors, competency demands and employability perceptions on the one hand and turnover intentions on the other hand, were found. Addressing the fourth objective in investigating the moderating role of social support between the relationship of experiencing positive interpersonal (communication with the manager and feedback), negative interpersonal experiences (powerlessness and interpersonal conflict), job insecurity (quantitative and qualitative) and health, was met with a longitudinal random sample of employees in different business units in one selected multi-national mining company based in South Africa (N = 771). Results for these employees indicated that all the proposed variables, except feedback from the manager, were statistically significantly related to health. No moderating effect for social support could be found over time, but it was shown that interpersonal conflict at work is a longitudinal predictor of employee health. By way of conclusion, the implications of the research were discussed and recommendations for managers and for future research were made. / Thesis (PhD (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Job insecurity in the workplace has become an increasingly important trend in organisational research. The appraisal of job insecurity by individuals plays a significant part in how reactions manifest in the experiences of workplace stressors, job satisfaction, positive and negative work attributes and social support. However, there is a lack of research regarding specific workplace stressors at work leading to certain outcomes like safety behaviour, turnover intention and mental health, especially within a South African working context. Job insecurity has also been classified as a workplace stressor. The existence of other stressors tends to increase the ultimate effect of insecurity for the individual. The attempts from organisational management to manage this phenomenon are therefore crucial in decreasing the negative effects of job insecurity and increasing the productivity of the organisation. In order to measure the job insecurity levels of employees, it is important to make use of valid and reliable job insecurity measures. An absence of empirical research on validity and reliability studies in terms of job insecurity in South African is evident. The main objectives of this research were: 1) to establish the psychometric properties of a measure of job insecurity in a selected gold mining company in South Africa; 2) to determine the influence of job insecurity and work stress (i.e. role conflict, clarity and overload) on worker safety performance and if coping could moderate this; 3) to investigate the theoretical and empirical relationships between job stressors (task completion ambiguity and task quality ambiguity), competency demands, employability perceptions, job satisfaction and turnover intention over time, and 4) to investigate if social support has a mediating effect between positive interpersonal attributes, negative interpersonal attributes, job insecurity and subsequent health. To achieve the first objective, a cross-sectional design was used (N = 566), including various business units of a South African-based gold mining company. The assessment of the psychometric properties of a measure of quantitative and qualitative job insecurity for employees was determined through construct (structural) equivalence, exploratory factor analysis and multivariate analysis of variance to calculate the comparison of the factor structure for the different cultural groups. For qualitative job insecurity, the scale shows low equivalence for the African languages group. Statistically significant differences were found between the levels of job insecurity of employees in terms of gender. The second objective, concerning the investigation into the relationship of work stress and job insecurity with unsafe behaviour at work, was achieved with across-sectional survey design (N = 771). The hypothesised model included the influence of role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload, and job insecurity on unsafe work behaviour. Coping was introduced as a moderator in this relationship. The results indicated that when employees experience work stress and job insecurity, their safety compliance is low. This relationship was also moderated by a coping strategy of Avoidance. To achieve the third objective, a longitudinal study was conducted and data was gathered by means of an electronic survey, with 771 employees participating at Time 1, and 345 participating at Time 2. Results for predicting employees’ turnover intentions, experience of task completion and quality ambiguity, external employability and job satisfaction made a direct contribution in predicting their turnover intention. No mediating role of job satisfaction between job stressors, competency demands and employability perceptions on the one hand and turnover intentions on the other hand, were found. Addressing the fourth objective in investigating the moderating role of social support between the relationship of experiencing positive interpersonal (communication with the manager and feedback), negative interpersonal experiences (powerlessness and interpersonal conflict), job insecurity (quantitative and qualitative) and health, was met with a longitudinal random sample of employees in different business units in one selected multi-national mining company based in South Africa (N = 771). Results for these employees indicated that all the proposed variables, except feedback from the manager, were statistically significantly related to health. No moderating effect for social support could be found over time, but it was shown that interpersonal conflict at work is a longitudinal predictor of employee health. By way of conclusion, the implications of the research were discussed and recommendations for managers and for future research were made. / Thesis (PhD (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.