Name
Capella University
PYSC_FPX 3200
Prof. Name
November, 2024
Applied Research in Psychology
Employee stress is a major issue that has an impact on employees’ mental health and job performance, as well as on organizational productivity (Restrepo et al., 2021). In applied research in psychology, this issue is faced directly in the specification of work stressors, their impacts, and the variables that mediate between them. These include workload, communication, job discretion, and interpersonal conflict stressors. The steps of applied research include the collection of various data using surveys, interviews, experiments, and even confrontation to generate prospects for the solution of the problem. For example, stress management programs, mindfulness training, and work-family conflict policies are a few areas that stress-solving psychologists might explore. Professional psychologists create research-based methods geared towards certain organizational contexts as these are applied in actual practice.
Overview
The applications of psychological research into work stress on a package that seeks to provide workable solutions to help the worker and organization achieve better job satisfaction, better mental health, and consequently a productively healthy workforce (Anglim et al., 2020). By contrast, applied research attempts to make specific changes based on an evaluation of the corporate climate to pinpoint the roots of stress that may involve flexible working hours, conflict-solving skills improving channels of communication, etc. These applications may times contain information on the policies of human resources regarding the development of health support cultures. As an aspect, there are some level of ethical issues that may follow this activity including attending to the confidentially of participants and freedom with their participation and wellbeing consent. By working with other leaders in organizations, sustainability is guaranteed. The results obtained are as follows: enhanced mental health as well as job satisfaction among workers; companies receive fewer sick days, smaller turnover rates, and higher efficiency. For example, mindfulness programs would bring about low-stress levels as a net effect, supportive leadership styles on the other hand, when they start practicing the open communication that is a part of them, would bring about low levels of workplace conflict, hence improving morale and efficiency.
Proposed Solution to Workplace Stress
Employed stress prevention strategies include comprehensive organizational needs-based stress management programs as one of the suggested approaches. These may range from over and above sessions such as meditation or yoga practice which they need to address their stress as it occurs (Piao & Managi, 2022). While the implementation of radical systems was deemed unfeasible, measures to decrease stress stemming from well-defined work schedules or personal commitments might include offering opportunities to telecommute or have variable working hours. It is also accompanied by a multitude of communication opportunities starting from the possibility of calling a supervisor or leaving an anonymous message. They can also center themselves on easily getting mental health assets such as counseling or EAP to extend professional aid (Maresca et al., 2022). Supportive leadership behavior should be practiced by managers since organizations focus on health promotion by reducing the majority level of stress. To enhance the measures that organizations use to create a constructive clinical interface, boost worker satisfaction, health, and productivity, or even foster a supportive organizational culture, they should enhance their integration.
Applying Theory to the Solution
Interestingly, the application of psychological theories to workplace stress solutions provides more effectiveness since people’s solutions are built on the theories of human behavior (Piao & Managi, 2022). For example, there is the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping that outlines how employees appraise their stressors and coping styles. This model will enable the development of strategies that can prevent the perception of threats as well as strengthen the coping resources among the employees through for instance stress management training and or peer support programs will be enhanced. One of the most promising frameworks is Self-Determination Theory (SDT) which says that autonomy, competence, and relatedness are essential (Van Nimwegen et al., 2023). Concerning autonomy; solutions such as flex time, concern competence through training in a skill, and relatedness through team-building activities. In addition, the Demand-Control Model presents job demands and control over work tasks that can be useful for flexible job role management and leadership.
Impact on Mental Health and Well-Being
The negative relationship between work-life stress and mental health well-being is very influential in employees thereby causing anxiety, depression, and burnout. This leads to status emotions being easily upset, difficulty in thinking, and poor motivation hence having disengaged employees (Hermosilla et al., 2023). Stress is also linked to the rise in cases of diseases that affect them medically such as cardiovascular diseases and immunocompetence that worsens their mental needs. Workplace stress for employees could also result in low self-esteem, inadequate, and general organizational insignificance, and promotion of an unbalanced personal and interpersonal life at work. The condition escalates as it grows into truancy, cock-up, and potential dismissal from one’s job. Stress and job dissatisfaction form a circle in this respect. On the other hand, it can be argued that an increase has been in stresses the workplace through specific interventions from the Human resource that enhances the mental health and well-being.
To deal with stress better, it becomes organizational support when there is mindfulness training, work schedule flexibility, and mental health for the workers (Kim et al., 2022). These interventions will not only lessen levels of stress but also enhance levels of emotional coping with stressors. This is because the organization has helped the employees by providing requisite support so they can find themselves carrying out their duties effectively. Work stress would be reduced, which is good for workforce health, engagement, and organizational culture.
PSYC FPX 1000 Assessment 3 Conclusion
Concisely, organizational stress has become an important issue in the employees’ physical state and the organization’s productivity rate (Martins et al., 2022). Applied psychological research possesses practical solutions grounded in sound empirical evidence that can alleviate its effects. Such are mindfulness in the workplace programs, flexible working hours, and, always open communication channels for the employees. Such interventions are based on stress and coping theories, Self-Determination Theory, and the Demand-Control Model, and to this extent, they are effective and meet the employees’ psychological requirements. The last of it all is the fact that overall debarring of stress in the workplace will decrease the rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout; increase satisfaction leveled out; build up emotional strength; and therefore improve well-being.
PSYC FPX 1000 Assessment 3 References
Kim, J., & Jung, H.-S. (2022). The effect of employee Competency and organizational culture on employees’ perceived stress for a better workplace. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(8), 4428. ncbi. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084428
Martins, V., Serrão, C., Teixeira, A., Castro, L., & Duarte, I. (2022). The mediating role of life satisfaction in the relationship between depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout among Portuguese nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Nursing, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-00958-3
Piao, X., & Managi, S. (2022). Long-term improvement of psychological well-being in the workplace: What and how. Social Science & Medicine, 298, 114851. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114851
Van Nimwegen, D., Hjelle, E. G., Bragstad, L. K., Kirkevold, M., Sveen, U., Hafsteinsdóttir, T., Schoonhoven, L., Visser-Meily, J., & de Man-van Ginkel, J. M. (2023). Interventions for improving psychosocial well-being after stroke: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 142, 104492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2023.104492
Maresca, G., Corallo, F., Catanese, G., Formica, C., & Lo Buono, V. (2022). Coping strategies of healthcare professionals with burnout syndrome: A systematic review. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 58(2), 327. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58020327
Anglim, J., Horwood, S., Smillie, L. D., Marrero, R. J., & Wood, J. K. (2020). Predicting psychological and subjective well-being from personality: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 146(4), 279–323. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000226
Restrepo, J., & Lemos, M. (2021). Addressing psychosocial work-related stress interventions: A systematic review. Work (Reading, Mass.), 70(1), 53–62. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-213577
Hermosilla, S., Forthal, S., Sadowska, K., Magill, E. B., Watson, P., & Pike, K. M. (2023). We need to build the evidence: A systematic review of psychological first aid on mental health and well-being. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 36(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22888
