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EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND STRESS
MANAGEMENT IN THE WORKPLACE
The purpose of this research is to assess the relationship between work stress and employee motivation based on previous research. Not much research has been done on the connection between workplace stress perceptions and performance. This study also aims to determine the impact of motivation and stress on employee performance as well as to provide mangers the information they need to develop the organization management system. By correlating the workplace stress factors with employee performance, this research reveals that the determinants of stress involve motivation, relationships, and management strategies. For the purposes of this research, a quantitative method is applied. Questionnaires and document reviews are tools used for this research data collection. The data is demonstrated in appropriate charts, graphs, and tables. Keywords work stress, motivation, and stress management
CONTENTS
ABSTRACT
1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 6
1.1 Research background ................................................................................ 6 1.2 Problem statement ..................................................................................... 7 1.3 Research questions .................................................................................... 7 1.4 Definition .................................................................................................. 8 1.4.1 Work satisfaction .......................................................................... 8 1.4.2 Work motivation ........................................................................... 8 1.4.3 Work stress .................................................................................... 9 1.5 Significant of the study ............................................................................. 9 1.6 Research objectives ................................................................................. 10 2 WORK MOTIVATION ................................................................................. 11 2.1 Motivation factors ................................................................................... 11
3.4.2 The psychological stress and coping theory by Lazarus and
- 2.2 The correlation between job satisfaction and employee’s motivation
- 2.3 Motivation theory - 2.3.1 The Maslow Hierarchy of Needs - 2.3.2 The achievement motivation theory of McClelland - 2.3.3 Adam’s motivational equity theory - 2.3.4 The goal-setting hypothesis of Locke - 2.3.5 Theory X and Theory Y by Douglas McGregor - 2.3.6 William Ouchi’s Theory Z - 2.3.7 The Hawthorne effects
- 2.4 Transition and summary
- 3 WORK STRESS
- 3.1 Types of stress
- 3.2 Factors causing work stress
- 3.3 The impacts of stress on employee’s performance
- 3.4 Psychological stress theories - 3.4.1 Selye’s Theory of systemic stress
- 3.5 Transition and summary
- 4 STRESS MANAGEMENT
- 4.1 Approaches to stress reduction in the workplace
- 4.2 The influence of stress management on overall performance
- 5 EMPIRICAL RESEARCH
- 5.1 Research method and questions
- 5.2 Results of questionnaires
- 5.3 Research analysis
- 5.4 Research limitation and reliability
- 6 CONCLUSION
- 6.1 Study conclusion
- 6.2 Recommendation for further study
- REFERENCES
- PICTURE REFERENCES
- APPENDICE
of work life stress. Acute stress level is a main threatening factor to both physical and psychological health of employees (Schulz, 2012). Since work performance plays an essential role in any business (Khan, 2012), it is important for every organization to take the employee’s working conditions into account and make major efforts so that employees could perform their best at work. The main purpose of this study is to address factors causing stress, gaining motivation for employees and approaches for stress management in working life. 1.1 Research background Globalization, technology breakthrough, work intensification and diversification in the workforce have resulted in increasing work stress and pressure (Kalliath,2014). In the modern society, it is noticeable that workplace stress has become more and more serious, which is considered to be a risk factor for poor life quality and chronic disease (Umanodan, 2009). Stress level is controlled by the ability and experience of every individual that it appears to be critical or intimidating. This is the factor that creates a huge effect on the performance of employees no matter which level they work at (Ross, 2005). Such effect may prevent the organization from utilizing employees’ full potential. Since 1980, occupational health physicians, human resources practitioners and other professionals have made a serious attention on work stress due to its impact on productivity (Biron & Karanika-Murray,2014; Gachter, Savage & Torgler, 2011; Kossek, Pichler, Bodner & Hammer, 2011; Pridgeon & Whitehead, 2013). Not only does it affect the productivity, but it also becomes the factor that causes a rise in employer’s healthcare fees. According to contemporary research, motivating employees and providing stress management solutions is one of the most challenging tasks for any organization. Even though numerous workplace stress issues and social support have been examined, it has been remained a controversial topic.
1.2 Problem statement According to Lazarus (2003), stress is a complex and widespread phenomenon. This phenomenon has constantly become a dilemma for every organization due to its cause of lowering productivity, increasing employee turnover and reducing profits. There is no doubt that stress has negative effects on employees’ motivation. Motivation plays a crucial role in employee retention and satisfaction (Ramlall, 2004); and therefrom affects the company’s efficiency and performance in the long run. By comprehending the key factors that trigger stress and developing motivational methods for work satisfaction can be provided to support organizations to elevate their employee’s performance. 1.3 Research questions
- What are the main factors that cause work stress?
- What are the main factors that encourage work motivation?
- What is the relationship between stress and motivation?
- What is the influence of motivation and stress management on employees’ job satisfaction? 1.4 Definition 1.4.1 Work satisfaction As defined by Hoppock in 1935, Job Satisfaction is a combination of psychological, physiological, and environmental conditions that makes an individual feel satisfied with his or her work. It is a pleasant state of emotion that results from the appreciation of an employee achieves their work’s values (Locke, 1969). When it comes to a more profound meaning in this new century, it is called a set of positive or negative emotions and feelings that an individual experiences throughout their work (Karatepe, Uludag, Menevis, Hadzimehmedagic, & Baddar, 2006). According to Kumari (2011), work satisfaction consists of ten proven ingredients, which are (1) culture, (2) communication, (3) opportunities, (4) leadership, (5) working conditions, (6) employee personality, (7) security, (8) career development, (9) pay and benefits, and (10) rewards and recognition.
and stress management techniques. The findings from this research may bring about multiple benefits for organizations and the health of workforce. A healthy and motivated workforce is a source of competitive advantage of every organization (Lerner, Rodday, Cohen and Rogers, 2013; van Scheppingen, 2013). Top executives who are not able to provide employees with professional development in the workplace cannot access to the optimum value from their talent and performance (European Commission, 2012). When leaders and managers comprehend the aspects of employee’s motivation and workplace stress, they can easily identify the syndrome and provide effective interventions in order to promote the levels of workforce productivity, an increase in the return on investment and business overall outcome. Developed business practices according to the relationships of work-life conflict, social support, work stress and performance help organizational leaders improve the competitive advantages and strategic goals of the business (Scheppingen, 2013). 1.6 Research objectives The fundamental purpose of this study is to reveal the factors causing and reducing stress, along with ones promoting motivation for workers. In order to fulfil the aim of this research, there are further objectives that are developed, which are:
- To explore the most common factors that trigger stress in the workplace environment from gathering questionnaire’s answers.
- To measure the stress level employees often experience in such situations.
- To notice the importance of the employee’s job motivation and its influence on business’s goals.
- To understand the impacts of workplace stress on employees’ and the organization’s performance.
- To identify the best approaches for managers to help manage stress and motivate employees
2 WORK MOTIVATION
2.1 Motivation factors Employees can be impacted by several forces, fundamental demands, and desire of the state of being, which are the reasons for inspiring them to act in a certain way or accomplish certain works. Extrinsic and intrinsic elements that cause a person to take specific behaviors are referred to as the concept of motivation (Adair, 2009). Managers have generalized beliefs about what motivates employees in different types of organizations. The most substantial factor of organizational effectiveness appears to be motivation (Lawler, 1973). According to Rutherford (2005), motivation improves organizational performance since motivated employees are actively looking for better solutions to perform, which means these individuals are more productive and quality driven. As a result, it is critical for management to understand how organization affects employee motivation. The studies of Frederick Herzberg, which addressed the question about what people want from their work experience, made an important contribution to the understanding of individual motivation. According to Herzberg, motivators (also known as job satisfiers) are mainly intrinsic factors that contribute to work satisfaction, which are achievement and recognition, the nature of work and responsibility, growth, and advancement. Extrinsic elements of the working environment are hygiene factors (known as job dissatisfiers), such as business policies, relationships with coworkers, salary and benefits, and job security.
important role in motivating individuals. Development not only makes employees self-sufficient and enables them to perform more productively in the workplace, but it also allows them to maximize their contribution to the organization. When a company invests in its people, it creates a culture of motivation, loyalty, and retention. Similarly, if there is no healthy work-life balance, employees are more prone to ‘burn out’ and become unmotivated. Therefore, employees are nurtured when they are provided with a good work-life balance. A good leader motivates employees successfully, since he or she is believed to have the knowledge of what encourages loyal and motivated people to work at their best. Moreover, in a positive work environment, motivated employees have opportunities to grow. Physical and non-physical environments that are mentioned. As for the physical environment, it refers to the workplace space and its surroundings. Employees perform better in an open and sensory- stimulating environment. They value communication and engagement when it comes to the intangible environment. 2.2 The correlation between job satisfaction and employee’s motivation Since most theories on work motivation are founded on the relationship with work satisfaction, there is a lot of evidence that motivational elements are linked to work satisfaction. According to Herzberg’s two-factor theory, motivators are the main driving force of job satisfaction. Having opportunities and responsibilities for development, striving for achievement, and receiving acknowledgement for accomplishments are key motivating factors that have a substantial impact on job satisfaction. Considering hygiene factors, salary, for example, has no motivational value. However, if it is absent of insufficiently offered, it might cause dissatisfaction. There are definite connections between the degree of employee satisfaction and how motivated they are at work, which are commitment, varied approaches, feelings of worth and optimism (Lisa Mooney). The commitment an individual has to his or her company exemplifies the link between motivation and satisfaction. As a result, commitment is created by
motivation along with satisfaction. When a person is motivated and satisfied at work, their commitment is developed. Furthermore, varied approaches provided by managers are a source of employee satisfaction and motivation. This means that managers keep the workplace interesting by varying their approach to the tasks and encouraging their employees to do the same. Employees will be inspired to follow the manager’s actions once they see the new approaching work helps increase productivity. The belief of that he or she is valued to the organization is critical to an individual’ overall attitude. Encouraging employees to feel valuable is one of the important way to boost the motivation and work satisfaction. Besides, optimism, staff motivation and satisfaction seem to have a natural link. Managers in the workplace should radiate optimism – especially in times of change or difficulty 2.3 Motivation theory Motivation psychologists typically try to demonstrate how motivation changes over time within an individual or among different individuals during the same period. The goal of motivational psychology is to understand how and why this happens. Motivation theories are usually divided into two categories, which are content theories and process theories. In a nutshell, content theories define motivation whereas process theories explain how it occurs. Although no particular motivation theory can fully clarify all aspects of human motivation, these theoretical explanations are commonly used to develop approaches and tactics for improving motivation in various fields of human activity. In 2021, Beata Souders, M.Sc., PsyD summarized and described different theory models invented by various prominent researchers. The following are those represented theories.
oriented his studies toward another way from satisfaction. He was convinced that human actions could only have one dominant motive at the time. The needs are classified into three categories, which are achievement, affiliation, and power; and those are impacted by both internal and external influences. The demand for achievement is described as a desire for excellence against a standard that stems from a psychological need for competence, which arises from three sources of competition (Beata Souders, 2021). That competition are the task itself, competition with oneself, and competition with others. A high need for achievement can be influenced by a person’s social environment and socialization. Figure 3: McClelland's Theory of Needs 2.3.3 Adam’s motivational equity theory According to Beata Souders (2021), The equity theory of motivation conducted by J. Stacy Adam (1963), which is based on Social Exchange theory. It says that we feel motivated when we are treated equitably and receive what we think is fair in favor of our efforts. The theory implies that a person compares their contributions not only to the amount of rewards they receive, but also to what other persons receive for the same level of input. Even though equity is requisite for motivation, it does not
involve the differences in individual needs, personalities and values that effect their perspective of inequity (Beata, 2021). Figure 4: Adam's Theory of Equity 2.3.4 The goal-setting hypothesis of Locke According to Locke and Latham’s goal-setting theory (1990), which is an integrative model of motivation, goals are essential determinants of behavior. The theory is probably the most commonly used that underlines goal specificity, difficulty and acknowledgement and gives guidance for incorporating them into development programs and management by objectives methods in a variety of areas (Beata, 2021). The formula for effective goal setting of Locke includes (Beata,2021):
- Setting challenging and yet achievable goals.
- Setting clear and measurable goals.
- It should be a commitment to the goals.
- Involvement in the goal-setting procedure, the use of extrinsic rewards and promoting intrinsic motivation through feedback on accomplishment could all be strategies for the goals
- Elements of support should be provided. Inspiration, necessary resources and materials, and emotional support, for instance.
Mayo discovered that employees were more productive when they were given feedback and enabled to contribute to the workflow. Figure 8: The Hawthorne Effect 2.4 Transition and summary Motivated workers can help boost productivity, engagement and even profit, among other things. It is critical not to take motivated employees for granted and keep on nurturing and valuing them so that they can contribute their best for the business. On the other hand, employees who are not motivated have a negative impact on the organization’s overall performance. Effects such as job dissatisfaction and lack of enjoyment in work. Inability to complete responsibilities on schedule, and a high rate of job turnover are evident. Even if it is not obvious at first glance, the presence of motivational issues might be identified once an employee’s performance is evaluated. Business owners should strive to enhance job satisfaction so that employee motivation improves, which results in higher work performance and efficiency. In
order to help the organization prosper, leaders need to focus on encouraging enthusiasm, optimism, satisfaction and a good sense of teamwork.
3 WORK STRESS
3.1 Types of stress Nowadays, stress is among the most popular used words, and it has unfortunately become one of the most significant obligations of the way we live. Stress might not always be the consequence of difficult situations. Even in good or bad circumstances, we can experience stress. A wide range of behaviors can be stressful for a person. To gain a better understanding of stress, many theorists aimed to study the nature of stressful behaviors and classified them into two categories, which are acute stressors and chronic stressors.
- Acute stressors are threatening experiences and are one of the least harmful types of stress that have a short duration and a clear termination. This is stress caused by specific conditions or experiences that involve unpredictability, threats to the ego, and a lack of control.
- Chronic stressors are threatening experiences that last for an extended period and have no obvious time limit. It is caused by frequent exposure to situations that trigger stress hormones to be released. Such type of stress can damage a person’s mind and body. There are several other types of stressors, according to author Zheljasko Hristov (2003), one of which is job characteristics. There are contributing factors that result in workplace stress. One is psychological abuse at work, and the second is a risk of physical abuse. Besides, working with a large group of people also causes stress. 3.2 Factors causing work stress According to Dyck (2001), work stress can have an impact on an employee’s quality of life. It is one of the most serious health risks to which individuals are exposed in both developed and developing countries (Paul, Danna, and Griffin; 2002). Various studies involving the causes and effects of perceived workplace stressors were
3.3 The impacts of stress on employee’s performance Employee performance can refer to a main mental process that is structured by individual action, such as the execution of tasks including evidence processing operations, e.g memory, decision, and consideration. According to some researchers, the impact of stress on the performance of several tasks contribute to the comprehensive solution of evaluating an inverted u-curve connection between the stress level and tasks performance (Hermann,1975). Several researchers have examined the relationship between work stress and individual performance with widely divergent hypotheses. Previous research has been discovered four different perspectives on the stress-performance relationship, which are positive, negative, curve-shaped, and not related at all. The positive relationship perception is that stress equals the challenge. Since the challenge pushes people to the limits of their abilities, this perspective indicates that stress has a positive relationship with performance (Meglino, 1977). However, this perspective is not supported by any specific evidence. The vision that there is a negative relationship between stress and performance is more generally accepted. According to Gupta and Beehr (1979), stress is primarily a feeling that leads to dysfunction in an organization and its people. The underlying assumption of this perception is that if employees are under high stress levels, they will attempt to relieve it by spending more time on non-work related activities resulting in poor performance. The curve-shaped perspective on the stress-performance relationship connects the negative and positive one. Proponents of such orientation believe that a moderate stress level is best for employee performance. According to these studies, a certain amount of stress is necessary for people to take action, and the energy released as a result of stress can be directed toward improving productivity. Employee will, however, spend more time trying to cope with stress than performing when the level of stress is too high (Allen, Hitt and Greer, 1982). The fourth vision found that there is no relationship between an employee’s stress level and his or her performance. This perspective is based on the assumption that
humans are indeed rational. This point indicates that employees want to perform because they are paid for it or because they want to succeed. They do not allow other factors, such as stress, to enter that way. By conducting a empirical study, Jamal (1985) examined the four mentioned hypotheses. The results showed that the negative relationship is supported, the curve-shaped relationship and no relationship perspective receive limited support. The vision of positive relationship was disproved. 3.4 Psychological stress theories 3.4.1 Selye’s Theory of systemic stress As reported by H.W.Krohne (2002), Han Selye, a Hungarian endocrinologist, is known for integrating the stress concept in science and the media. Selye came up with the term ‘General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)’ to describe his stress model, which is based on physiology and psychobiology. According to his approach, a stressor, which is anything that threatens an individual’s well-being triggers a three-stage physical response. These stages are:
- Alert: This first stage starts when the body is confronted with a stressor, the battle reaction is triggered, and the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated. To respond to a danger or threat, hormones such as adrenalin or cortisol are produced into the bloodstream, which activates the body’s resources.
- Resistance: The organism reaches the resistance stage if noxious stimuli continue. While the body directs its energy against the stressor, the parasympathetic nervous system restores numerous physiological functions to average levels. Blood glucose levels are still high, adrenaline and cortisol levels also remain high; however, the organism appears to be normal exterior. This action leads to increase in heart rate, blood pressure and respiration.
- Exhaustion: When the unwanted stimulation continues, resistance will give way to exhaustion. If a stressor persists beyond the body’s capacity, the organism’s resources will be depleted, which becomes vulnerable to disease or death.
