Explain how stress in the workplace can impact upon employees. What are factors that can lead to stress in the workplace and how can an organisation look after its workforce when it comes to reducing stress?(25 points).
The Answer Is:
See the Answer is the explanation.
Explanation:
Overall explanation
Below you will find how you can plan and draft the essay. Remember this is an example of one way you could approach the question. At Level 6 the questions are much more open so your response may be completely different and that's okay.
Essay Plan
Intro – stress has impacts both for employee and employer
P1 – how stress impacts on employees
P2 – factors that lead to stress – quote HSE
P3 – how an organisation can look after workforce
Conclusion – stress has far reaching consequences
Example Essay
Workplace stress is a prevalent issue that can have profound effects on employees and organizational performance. Stress arises from various sources and can significantly impact an individual's well-being, productivity, and job satisfaction. Recognizing the importance of addressing workplace stress, organizations have adopted strategies to mitigate its adverse effects. This essay explores the impact of workplace stress on employees, the factors contributing to stress, and organizational strategies for stress reduction.
Impact of Workplace Stress on Employees:
Physical Health Effects: Persistent workplace stress can lead to physical health issues such as headaches, digestive problems, and hypertension. In extreme cases, it has been known for stress to cause heart-attacks.
Mental Health Implications: Stress is closely linked to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. Employees experiencing high levels of stress are at greater risk of developing these conditions, leading to decreased concentration, motivation, and overall job satisfaction.
Decreased Productivity: Stressed employees often find it challenging to focus on tasks, leading to reduced productivity and lower quality work. This can affect project timelines and overall organizational performance.
Increased Absenteeism: Stress-related illnesses can lead to increased absenteeism, impacting team dynamics and workload distribution. Absences can also result in increased costs for organizations.
Low Morale and Job Satisfaction: A stressed workforce may experience reduced job satisfaction and morale. This can lead to decreased engagement, a higher turnover rate, and difficulties in attracting and retaining talent.
Factors Contributing to Workplace Stress: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Management Standards of 2003 have identified six causes of work-related stress:
Lack of Support: Insufficient support from supervisors or peers can exacerbate stress, as employees may feel isolated and unsupported in challenging situations.
Excessive Workload (Demands): High workloads, unrealistic deadlines, and excessive overtime can overwhelm employees, leading to stress.
Lack of Control: Employees who have limited autonomy or decision-making authority may feel stressed due to a perceived lack of control over their work.
Role Ambiguity: Unclear job roles and responsibilities can create confusion and stress, as employees struggle to meet undefined expectations.
Change and Uncertainty: Frequent organizational changes, such as restructuring or layoffs, can create job insecurity and stress among employees.
Workplace Relationships: Poor relationships with colleagues or supervisors can contribute significantly to workplace stress. For example bullying or harassment in the workplace.
Organizational Strategies for Stress Reduction:
HSE Management Standards: Organizations can adopt the HSE Management Standards as aframework to identify and address stressors. This involves assessing workplace conditions related to the six stress factors and taking action to improve them.
Mental Health Support: Offer employee assistance programs (EAPs), mental health resources, and counselling services to help employees cope with stress and mental health challenges.
Training and Education: Provide training on stress management, resilience, and work-life balance to empower employees with coping strategies.
Workload Management: Ensure workload distribution is reasonable and aligned with employees' capabilities. Encourage breaks and discourage excessive overtime.
Communication: Promote open and transparent communication channels to address concerns, clarify roles, and keep employees informed about organizational changes.
Flexible Working Arrangements: Offer flexible working options, such as remote work or flexible hours, to help employees achieve a better work-life balance.
Leadership Training: Train managers to recognize signs of stress, provide support, and create a supportive and inclusive work environment.
In conclusion, workplace stress has far-reaching consequences on employees and organizational outcomes. A recent study by CIPD has shown that stress is the leading cause of long-term absence from work. Recognizing the sources of stress, organizations can implement strategies, and use the HSE Management Standards, to mitigate its impact. By fostering a supportive and healthy work environment, organizations can reduce stress levels, enhance employee well-being, and improve overall performance.
Tutor Notes
- I really wanted to add studying for CIPS when you have a full-time job is a factor that can lead to stress in the workplace. It’s definitely not a wrong answer, but an examiner may not share my sense of humour haha
- I’ve chosen to write this essay in bullet points to show you how it can be done. This is a useful style if you’re running out of time, and if English isn’t your first language. The important thing with answering CIPS questions is to actually answer the question. You don’t need ‘posh’ language like ‘furthermore’ and ‘moreover’. You can get a good score by writing simply and succinctly.
- HSE Management Standards 2003 identifies six causes of work-related stress that I wrote about above. Here’s a fun mnemonic to help you learn them: - SDCRRC – stress does create really crappy realities
- The study guide doesn’t talk about this, but you could mention Mental Health First Aid Courses, which are growing in popularity, and also the use of confidential counselling.
- Your essay could have mentioned Hatton vs Sutherland (2002). This case is an important precedent – it shows that just because a workplace offers confidential counselling to employees, this does not negate responsibility for employee stress – the company is still liable for causing you stress.
Describe and evaluate one model that can be used to classify different forms of stakeholders (25 points)
The Answer Is:
See the Answer is the explanation.
Explanation:
Stakeholder Classification: Using Mendelow’s Matrix
Stakeholders play a crucial role in the success of an organization, influencing decisions, resources, and operations. To effectively manage stakeholders, organizations need a model that helpsclassify and prioritize stakeholdersbased on their influence and interest. One widely used framework isMendelow’s Stakeholder Matrix.
This essay describesMendelow’s Matrix, evaluates its effectiveness, and discusses itsadvantages and limitations.
Mendelow’s Stakeholder Matrix
Mendelow’s Stakeholder Matrix (1991) is astrategic toolthat classifies stakeholders based ontwo key factors:
Power– The ability of a stakeholder to influence the organization’s decision-making.
Interest– The level of concern a stakeholder has about the organization’s activities.
Based on these factors, stakeholders are placed intoone of four quadrants:
Stakeholder Group
Power
Interest
Management Strategy
Key Players
High
High
Actively engage and involve
Keep Satisfied
High
Low
Monitor closely, engage when necessary
Keep Informed
Low
High
Provide regular updates, listen to concerns
Minimal Effort
Low
Low
Monitor but minimal engagement
1. Key Players (High Power, High Interest)
These stakeholders havesignificant influenceover the organization andstrong interestin its operations.
Examples:✔Senior executives,major shareholders, government regulators.✔Large customers orstrategic suppliers.
Management Strategy:✔Actively involve them in decision-making.✔Consult regularlyand address their concerns immediately.
Evaluation:✔Managing this group well ensuresstrong support for company initiatives.✘Ignoring them can lead tosignificant resistance and business risks.
2. Keep Satisfied (High Power, Low Interest)
These stakeholders havehigh power but low interest, meaning they canaffect the organization significantlyif ignored.
Examples:✔Government bodiesthat enforce regulations but do not intervene unless necessary.✔Wealthy investorswith minimal involvement in daily operations.
Management Strategy:✔Engage periodicallyto keep them satisfied.✔Provideupdates on key decisionswithout overwhelming them.
Evaluation:✔Proper management preventsunexpected opposition.✘If engagement is too frequent, they maylose interestor disengage.
3. Keep Informed (Low Power, High Interest)
These stakeholdersdo not have direct powerbut arehighly interestedin the company’s actions.
Examples:✔Employees, local communities, NGOs concerned about sustainability.✔Small-scale suppliers who depend on the company.
Management Strategy:✔Communicate regularlythrough reports, newsletters, or meetings.✔Listen to concernsand provide transparency.
Evaluation:✔Keeping them engaged buildspositive public relations and internal morale.✘If ignored, they mayescalate concerns to higher-power stakeholders.
4. Minimal Effort (Low Power, Low Interest)
These stakeholders havelittle influence and low interest, meaning theydo not require significantattention.
Examples:✔General publicwho have no direct impact on the company.✔Non-core supplierswith small contracts.
Management Strategy:✔Monitortheir concerns occasionally.✔Avoidunnecessary engagementunless their influence changes.
Evaluation:✔Avoiding excessive engagement savestime and resources.✘If theirinterest or power grows, they may requirereclassification.
Evaluation of Mendelow’s Stakeholder Matrix
Advantages of the Model
✔Simple and Practical– Easy to understand and apply in various industries.✔Helps Prioritize Stakeholders– Ensurescritical stakeholders receive appropriate attention.✔Supports Strategic Decision-Making– Guides communication and engagement efforts.✔Adaptable– Can be used formergers, change management, procurement, and public relations.
Limitations of the Model
✘Does Not Capture Stakeholder Dynamics– Stakeholder power and interestchange over time, requiring constant reassessment.✘Overlooks Stakeholder Relationships– Some stakeholdersinfluence others(e.g., media can amplify employee concerns).✘Power and Interest Can Be Subjective– Classifying stakeholders requiresjudgment and regular review.
Conclusion
Mendelow’s Stakeholder Matrix is apowerful tool for classifying and managing stakeholdersin any organization. By categorizing stakeholders based onpower and interest, leaders candevelop effective engagement strategiesandmitigate risks associated with key stakeholders. However,stakeholder influence is fluid, soongoing analysisis necessary for long-term success. Despite its limitations, this model remainsa fundamental framework for strategic stakeholder management.
