Psychosocial Hazards – Part 1
Patricia Murray
Psychosocial Hazards
Module OSH10010
Psychosocial Hazards – Part 1
Part 1
Stress
Part 2
Coping and Resilience
Patricia Murray, BA., MSc., M Phil
Organisational Psychologist – Health and Safety Authority
Part 1
What is stress?
What are the different meanings of stress?
Core models of stress
What are the major stressors in work?
How can work-related stress be managed?
What is stress?
Definitions vary – all have in common that there is
a negative influence on our sense of ability, which
results in varying degrees of distress
Stressors – the ‘influences’ which cause stress
Stress – can be acute or chronic (time-line)
Psychological perspective on stress - how it works
on our mind and emotions
Stress in organisations
Part 1 Learning Outcomes
Having completed all of the learning activities associated with
this lecture, you should be able to:
Explain the meaning of the term ‘stress’
Describe the different models of stress, the nature of
stress and mechanisms through which stress causes
problems
Identify the major stressors in life and in the workplace
Explain what is meant by the psychological perspective on
stress and how this knowledge can be applied to
managing stress
Assess psychosocial (stress-related) risks at work
Everyday understanding of stress
Unpleasant
situations influencer
Uncomfortable
state of mind - our
psychological
reaction
Unpleasant
physical
sensations
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Psychosocial Hazards – Part 1
Patricia Murray
Psychological Stress
The nature of stress
“Stress is a particular relationship between the
Stress experience is
interactive
person and the environment that is appraised
by the person as taxing or exceeding his or her
resources and endangering his or her well-
Stressors
being.”
Stress response
of person
Lazarus and Folkman
Different approaches to
the study of stress
Models of Stress: The General
Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
Approaches to stress
Normal level
of resistance
Physiological
approach
Psychological
approach
Alarm reaction
Flight or fight response
Increased:
Breath rate
Heart rate
Blood pressure
Body metabolism
Resistance
Exhaustion
Demand-Control-Support Model
(Karasek)
This model suggests that where there is
stress, it is primarily due to an interaction of
the demands placed on the person, the
support they have or do not have and the
control they have over that situation.
This is often used when building tools
(questionnaires) to assess stress.
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Psychosocial Hazards – Part 1
Patricia Murray
Another model – add in Relationships,
Role, Change
Stress
response
Demand, Control, Support model was builton…
Relationships, Role, Change added
(D,C,S,R,R,C)
Stressors
i.e. D,C,S,R,R,C
This six-item model is often used in workrelated stress assessment tools – i.e. HSA’s
Work Positive, HSE (UK) Management
Standards
Personal
Appraisal
moderators and
mediators/coping/
resilience
No stress
response
Causes of Stress - internationally
Stressors
External
•
Job demands
•
Role conflict
•
Job loss
•
Death
•
‘Loss’
Internal
•
•
•
Negative
beliefs and
attitudes
Lack of
resilience
No/bad coping
Death of a spouse / parent / child or loved one
Divorce / Marital separation
Loss of work / financial survival
All have in common: loss
Many have in common: loss of a scarce
resource, such as love, companionship, the
drive we all share to progress towards
fulfillment
Organisational stressors
Factors intrinsic to organisations
– groups of people pursuing inter-connected aims
Role-based stress - unclear or over-loaded
Relationships - conflict and bullying
Career factors - Effort-Reward imbalance
(another model of stress: the E-R Imbalance
model)
Structures and cultures within organisations
Organisational stressors continued
Training, learning challenges
Discrimination – sense of justice
Information Technology (IT) and stress
– human/machine interaction research
Bullying
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Psychosocial Hazards – Part 1
Patricia Murray
Bullying and stress at work
“Bullying can be defined as repeated aggression,
verbal, psychological or physical, conducted by
an individual or group against others.”
Bullying is one ‘stressor’
The SHWW Act 2005, Section 8 (2)b,
references ‘improper conduct at work’, which
might lead to safety or health deficits.
The HSA definition is that bullying at work is:
‘repeated inappropriate behaviour, verbal,
physical or otherwise ..that a reasonable person
would regard as undermining a person’s right to
dignity and respect at work’ .
(Code of Practice on Bullying, 2007)
Lazarus and Folkman
Bullying types
Effects of bullying / harassment
Manipulation of victims’ reputations by rumour,
gossip and ridicule
Social exclusion or isolation
Physical abuse or threats of abuse
Physiological symptoms include:
– fatigue and sleeplessness.
Psychological symptoms include:
– depression, acute anxiety and loss
of self-esteem.
Behavioral symptoms include:
– withdrawn personality, decreased performance
and increased likelihood of accident, injury.
Bullying: What to do
Does the organisational system condone
bullying behaviour or fail to recognise it as a
problem?
The HSA’s Code of Practice outlines different
staged approaches to the management of
allegations of improper behaviour at work,
including bullying.
Bullying: Code of Practice
Informal Approach (1) - engage, listen,
solution-focused remedy
Informal Approach (2) - listen, give ABP
documentation, mediation/solution focused
meeting of both parties*, resolve.
Formal Approach – investigation
Reviews and record keeping
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Psychosocial Hazards – Part 1
Patricia Murray
Stressors
Managing Stress at Work
Demands
– Quantitative: too much to do and too little time
to do it
– Qualitative: e.g. boring/chaotic/undo-able
Lack of control
Lack of social support: supportive culture
Lack of opportunity to grow towards fulfilment:
– open up/change how jobs are done; give
people more responsibility, increasing learning
and variety of tasks
Use a noted Model to inform developing a tool
– or use the HSA tool
Carry out yearly, or regular staff survey
Collect complaint data and note
content/causes
Analyse Sick Certs – patterns?
Train supervisors and managers so they
prevent stress -D,C,S,R,R,C.
Host awareness raising sessions; let staff own
their own wellbeing – WHO 5
The stress response – managed,
or not managed
Individual
Mind
Stressors
No
stress
AppraisalResilience
Stress
Coping
Body
Behaviour
Psychosocial Hazards
Part 1
Stress – reflect for one minute on when you
get stressed, why that is, really, how you
become and how you might better manage
the process
Part 2
Coping and Resilience
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