Understanding and Managing People

Tutorial 9

Stress

Stress

Task

• Yerkes-Dodson law asserts that a certain level of stress is necessary to induce high work motivation and performance. Identify the implications of this assertion and the problems associated with putting it into practice.

• Compare and contrast the stressors that might be experienced by an assembly-line worker and the chief executive of a company.

Task …

• As a senior manager, what steps would you take to help improve the quality of working life for your staff?

• Make a list of the things that cause stress for you. Stressors might involve university (e.g. living with people that you do not get on with, etc.) work (e.g., financial pressures, conflict between work schedules and university work, etc.), and/or personal problems (e.g., missing family and friends, relationship problems, etc.). Try to be specific as possible.

• Reflect and write down the differing ways that you cope with these pressures?