Based on the results from the tests, a few things that I learned about myself are the following: sometimes I may not realize that certain aspects of my life are causing hindrance stressors, I am fairly efficient at problem-focused coping but should apply it to more than just the major and most apparent stressors in my life, and that I should practice intentional improvement on the effects that irritability may have on my relationships with those around me. When I think about what steps are necessary to take in order to improve my stress management as I progress through my professional career, the first thing that comes to mind are limiting distractions, engaging in physical activities and adjusting my thinking (Swift, 2022). The most difficult out of these steps is definitely the adjustment of my thought processes because of how subjective thoughts are to each individual stressor, as well as how challenging it can be to notice our own thoughts when in the midst of a stressful season of life. When I look at the action steps that organizations are taking to help their employees, the adequacy of the benefit programs offered is vital to employees’ health and stress coping (Swift, 2022). Benefits within a job could be considered as health benefits, recognized holidays, vocational time off, a PTO system, retirement plans, paid family leave, and many others. These are all examples of what organizations can, and should, do to help their employees manage their health and stress coping. Within these examples that I listed, there are some legally required benefits while others are discretionary benefits. Discretionary benefits are also an important aspect that organizations should practice when looking at how to best support the health and wellbeing of their employees (Swift, 2022). A specific branch of these types of benefits that I consider to be of  importance, due to its effort of reducing employee stress, is the services that organizations provide their employees. Employee Assistance Programs (EPA’s) are something that could make an organization stand out among others because of the personal stressors that it addresses, rather than just offering help for work-related stressors. In conclusion, from my experience, the correlation between health and stress is something that is not discussed or recognized enough among the professional realm when it should be. Individuals taking steps to understand their own coping mechanisms with stress holds value in allowing them to take the benefits being offered by organizations into deeper consideration when job searching.

References:

Swift, M. (2022). Week 9: Lecture 6. Job Stress. 

Swift, M. (2022). Week 9: Lecture 4. Designing Benefits Programs. 

Swift, M. (2022). Week 9: Lecture 1. Discretionary Benefits.