Ravalier PhD Theis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

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they are to achieve career goals/tasks), the less psychological stress they
experienced.
The previous description of the different types of stressor is
important to the study because it will allow the profiling of stressors later
in the project (for example, see results Chapter 7 Parts 1 to 4). Indeed,
a recent meta-analysis and pathway analysis conducted by Yu et al.
(2007) of over 450 studies demonstrated that subjective stress (individual
cognitions and feelings caused by events) has a significant, direct
influence on health. It also found that some objective stressful events,
such as examinations, high workload and military service, are inevitable
stressors and as such the strain outcomes can eventually occur.
Therefore these descriptions provided will play an important part in both
identifying the stressors that participating individuals in the current study
face, and in attempting to find interventions that may help in dealing with
these stressors. However, as mentioned above this review is not assumed
to represent every stressor that individuals in the workplace may face.
The next section of the project will evaluate the different methods that are
used most widely to ameliorate and/or alleviate individuals’ suffering, or
with the potential to suffer from, stress in the workplace.
1e) Managing Stress at Work
As previously discussed in a critical manner, organisational stress
affects the physical and psychological well-being of individuals, and as
such has the potential to alter the effectiveness of organisations. Several
reviews have been conducted of interventions which were designed in
order to reduce occupational stress and the general findings of such
reviews are that occupational interventions are effective. For example,
van der Klink et al. (2001) looked at whether stress interventions in
organisations are effective, as suggested by many previous qualitative
reviews. Forty eight studies were included as being appropriately
designed and as having used reliable measures, and the meta-analysis
found reliable evidence that employees benefit from stress-reducing
interventions.