Often, organizational changes are stressful because some employees perceive aspects of the changes as threatening. These employees are more likely to quit, partially in reaction to their stress. To reduce the perception of threat, employees need to perceive the organizational changes as fair. Research indicates that those who have a positive change orientation before changes are planned are less likely to perceive changes as unfair or threatening.
After completing the course, the student should be able to:
- Identify the potential environmental, organizational, and personal sources of stress at work and the role of individual and cultural differences.
- Identify the physiological, psychological, and behavioral symptoms of stress at work.
- Describe individual and organizational approaches to managing stress at work.
- Describe the key employability skills gained from studying OB that are applicable to other majors or future careers.