STRESS MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY IN FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NASARAWA

STRESS MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY IN FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NASARAWA

ABSTRACT

The study examined Stress Management and Employee Productivity in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. The study seeks to find solution to the problems of job demand, lack of job control and poor relationship among workers. The main objective of the study is to find out the relationship between job demand and employee productivity in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, to find out the relationship between job control measures and employee productivity in Federal polytechnic Nasarawa and to find out the relationship between poor relationship among staff and employee productivity in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. The researcher adopted the use of survey design which helps in collecting and rendering of all relevant data. Data were analyzed using chi-square. The findings of the study shows that stress management has significant relationship on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa, which means that job demand, has significant relationship  on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa, job control measures has significant relationship on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa and poor relationship among staff has significant relationship in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. Based on findings of the study, the following are recommended: the institution should match jobs with staff with appropriate skills to reduce stress; staff should more control of their responsibility or job specification and above all the institution should provide a conducive environment for staff to carry out their responsibility effectively as it enhance organizational productivity.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. Background to the Study     

Stress is one of the most fundamental problems spanning through human endeavour. Nweze (2015) stated that for two and half decades, stress phenomenon has become a topical issue in management development, seminars and workshops in Nigeria.

Halgin and Whitbourne (2003) conceptualized stress as an unpleasant emotional reaction a person has when he or she perceives an event to be threatening. They stated that this emotional reaction may include heightened physiological arousal due to increased reactivity of the sympathetic nervous system. The stressor is the event itself, which is also called a stressful life event. In the context of this work stress refers to a condition or situation in the body that makes people prone to anxiety, depression, anger, hostility, inadequacy and low frustration tolerance (Wai, 2013).

Management has been defined in various ways. In the view of Esiekpe (2013) management simply implies the skill in dealing with something or to be in perfect control of a situation. Stress management as defined by Cohen and Lazarus (2019) is problem-solving effort made by an individual faced with demands that are highly relevant to his welfare but taxing his adaptive resources. Adaptive resources involve coping methods that people exhibit in order to be habituated with stress.

One of the first means or techniques of stress management is to make sure that employee are properly matched to their jobs, and that they understand the extent of their “authority”. Furthermore, by letting employees know precisely what is expected of them, role conflict and ambiguity can reduced. Redesigning of jobs can also help ease work overload-related stressors. Employee should also have some input in those things that affect them. Their involvement and participation have been found to help lessen stress.

Employee productivity can generally be defined as all the behavior employees engage in while at work. It may also refer to the job-related activities of a worker and how well those activities were executed. Employee productivity is the record related to the results after practicing a job for a given period. It can also be seen as the quality and quantity that are attained by individual employees or group of employees after completing a given task.

For Cooper (2016), stress management strategies comprise measures taken to cope with trying periods, so that a state of psychological and physiological equilibrium is re-established and subsequently maintained.

1. Statement of the Problem     

Stress could be considered as one of the irritating problems that continue to pose threat to the staff productivity in the institution of higher learning especially academic and administrative staffs of the institution. Studies in Nigeria, Ofoegbu & Nwadiani (2016) recorded the prevalence of stressful working conditions in tertiary institutions.

Some of the problems that related to stress include:

1. Personal Problems: Some of the poor performance problems in a work organization are caused by personal issues faced by employees. This issues which often affect the employee personal lives often lead to performance decline, directly affecting the organizational productivity. For organizational productivity to be obtained, the workers must be efficient in their job performance.
2. Physical and psychological issues: At job, stress affect the physical, psychological and financial balance of the employees. As a result of stress, employees are absent from organization and loose working hours. Stress increases the employee turn over from job, which influences the employees as well as organizational productivity. Stress directly affects the employees productivity and both of them are mutually related to each other.
3. Job related problems: Role ambiguity, work relationships, job security, lack of job autonomy, work home interface, compensation and benefits, lack of management support are the keys sources of creating job stress. Due to these sources of stress, employee engagement to work decrease and ultimately it negatively affects the productivity of employees.

In a situation where employee productivity is declining, organizational productivity is often seriously affected. Inspite of this awareness, many organizations still suffer lack of organizational productivity as a result of poor stress management strategy. It is on this note that the study seek to examine the impact of stress management on staff productivity in the institution of higher learning with particular reference to Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa.

1. Objectives of the Study

The objective of this study is to examine the impact of stress management on staff productivity in the institution of higher learning a case study of Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. The specific objectives of the study are:

1. To assess the effect of job demand as a stressor on staff productivity in institution of higher learning
2. To examine the effect of lack of job control as a stressor on staff productivity in Federal polytechnic Nasarawa
3. To investigate the impact of poor relationship among staff on staff productivity in institution of learning.
4. To assess the impact of stress management on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa

1. Research Questions
2. What are the effects of job demand as a stressor on staff productivity in institution of higher learning?
3. What are the effects of lack of job control as a stressor on staff productivity in Federal polytechnic Nasarawa?
4. What are the impacts of poor relationship among staff on staff productivity in institution of learning?
5. What are the impacts of stress management on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa?

1. Statement of Hypothesis

H01: Job demand has no significant impact on staff productivity in institution of higher learning

H02: Job control has no significant effects on staff productivity in Federal polytechnic Nasarawa

H03: Poor relationship among staff has no significant impact on staff productivity in institution of learning.

H04: Stress management has no significant impact on staff productivity in federal polytechnic Nasarawa

1. Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study will be delimited to all administrative staff in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. It will also investigate the preferred stress management strategies adopted by the administrative staff of tertiary institutions.

1. Significance of the Study      

The study will be considered significant in many ways. For example, the study will provide information on the sources of stress to administrative staff of tertiary institutions especially in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. The information will be useful to the Ministries of Education who may use the information to address the areas where stress emanates as this will help improve staff productivity.

The study will provide information on the preferred stress management strategies adopted by the staff. The information will be useful to the Ministry of Health in alliance with the Department of Health and Physical Education as the information will help them plan worthwhile health promotion programmes which staff might use to their own advantage.

This study will act to increase the body of knowledge for academicians, it will tend describe that how various antecedents affect stress and how stress management affect employee’s academic institution.

1. Historical Background of the Case Study

The Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa was established on 1st July, 1983 by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The establishment of the Polytechnic was predicated on the Government’s desire to transform the society technologically.  This objective is contained in the Federal Polytechnic Decree No.33 of 1979 (as amended to Federal Polytechnic Amendment Decree No. 28 of 1987), which goes thus:

• To train people to acquire technical and vocational skills which are needed for the economic and social development of Nigeria especially in the fields of agriculture, industry and commerce;
• To train and provide people who could improve the quality  of the environment by applying their acquired knowledge in finding solution to our environmental problems for the convenience of members of the society;
• To provide opportunity for our students to be able to appreciate the standard of technology in all its complexities; and
• To provide opportunities for professional training in engineering and other relevant technologies.

An important landmark in the development of the Polytechnic was the initial accreditation of all programmes in 1985 and commencement of Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes in Business Administration and Management. Accountancy, Secretarial Studies as well as Town and Regional Planning also commenced HND programmes in the Year 1986. Subsequently, new programmes and departments were introduced and accredited for the National Diploma and Higher National Diploma respectively. In addition to the regular programmes, the Polytechnic has successfully introduced Part-time Diploma and Higher National Diploma as well as Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) programmes.

At present, there are six (6) Schools and 28 departments.  In addition, processes for the commencement of new Diploma programmes in Mechatronics Technology, Foundry and Rail-tract Technology, as well as Higher National Diploma in Chemical Engineering Technology, Civil Engineering Technology, Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology (Instrumentation option), and Degree programmes are now in progress.

1. Definition of Key Terms

Stress:  Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous.

Stress Management: Stress management is a wide spectrum of techniques and psychotherapies aimed at controlling a person’s level of stress, especially chronic stress, usually for the purpose of and for the motive of improving everyday functioning.

Staff Productivity: Employee productivity (sometimes referred to as workforce productivity) is an assessment of the efficiency of a worker or group of workers. Productivity may be evaluated in terms of the output of an employee in a specific period of time.