MGMT 453 – Week 9
On the Holmes and Rahe Stress Inventory, I received a score of 159, which just makes it into the threshold of 150-300 points for a 50% chance of a health breakdown in the next two years. I experienced a lot of life changes over the past year, but for the most part, they were challenge stressors rather than hindrance stressors. On the Coping and Stress Management Skills Test, I received a problem-focused coping score of 86. This means that I tend to handle stress by taking action to improve the stressor or situation that caused the stress to arise. On the Type A Personality Test, I received an impatience/irritability score of 20, which means that my interactions with others are characterized by warmth and tolerance rather than impatience and hostility. I would like to know more about the rest of my results on this test, as I always assumed I had somewhat of a Type A personality. I would assume that my scores for the achievement striving, time urgency, drive, and competitiveness dimensions would be higher. Some of the steps that I can take to manage stress throughout my career include avoiding negative interpersonal conflict at work, staying organized to keep up with my tasks, and engaging in relaxing activities to remove myself from stressful situations, such as going on walks during my lunch breaks.
Some companies are taking innovative actions to help their employees manage stress. Many workers face stress when trying to balance the demands of their work and their personal lives. One company, Honest Paws, not only switched to fully remote work to provide employees with more flexibility, but they provided a stipend of several hundred dollars to all employees to set up a home office (Taylor). Some employees constantly feel tense at work and struggle to take breaks and relax. One company, InsideTracker, has attempted to curb this stress by holding 15-20 minute mat stretching classes before lunch every Friday to help their employees relieve tension and release endorphins (Taylor). Other employees just need a day off but can’t afford to take one. This is why Proofpoint Marketing granted each of their employees an extra day off of their choosing during the first few weeks of the pandemic (Taylor).
References
Taylor, S.J. (2020). “How 3 Companies Are Helping Employees Cope With Stress.” Workest. https://www.zenefits.com/workest/how-3-companies-are-helping-employees-cope-with-stress/
