Week 8 - Psychosocial Hazards and Workplace Violence

Question 1

Psychologically healthy and safe workplace

Answer 1

A workplace that promotes workers’ psychological well-being and actively works to prevent harm to workers’ psychological health including in
negligent, reckless, or intentional ways

Question 2

CSA-Z1003-13

mental health / psychological safety standard

Answer 2

– A way to show commitment to mental health at
work
– Has been customized to address the needs of
specific working populations (e.g., first
responders)
– Not only motivated by profit to improve OH&S

Question 3

Psychosocial Model of Health

Answer 3

• Approach to the study of health that highlights the importance of both the social environment and psychological factors
  – Health is NOT just the outcome of our biology

Question 4

Social factors

Answer 4

Family circumstances, exposure to violence, and workplace
policies

Question 5

Psychological factors

Answer 5

Levels of self-esteem and anxiety, ability to cope with
pressure

Question 6

Stressors

Answer 6

objectively verifiable event in the
environment that has the potential to cause stress.

Question 7

Stress

Answer 7

an internal response to stressors and
is often characterized by negative feelings of arousal

Question 8

Strain

Answer 8

the result of stress

Question 9

Acute Stressors

Answer 9

• specific time onset
• short duration
• high intensity
• low frequency

example: traffic accident, performance review meeting/conflict with a supervisor may be an acute stressor

Question 10

Chronic Stressors

can think of as something that is constantly eating at you

Answer 10

• no specific time onset
• short or long duration
• repeats frequently
• low or high intensity
• can think of something that is constantly eating at you

job insecurity: nagging worry that job is at risk

Question 11

Daily Stressors

can think of it as a nuisance that pops up that you have to deal with

Answer 11

• specific onset
• short duration
• low in intensity
• infrequent
• can think of it as a nuisance that pops up that you have to deal with

example: dealing with a broken piece of office equipment

Question 12

Catasrophic Stressors

Answer 12

• specific onset
• occur infrequently
• high intensity
• long or short duration
• distinction btwn acute and catastrohic relates to intensity of the stressor

Question 13

Stressors in the Workplace

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) model identifies major categories:

Answer 13

1. Workload and work pace
2. Role stressors (e.g., inter-role conflict, ambiguity)
3. Career concerns (job security, career trajectory)
4. Work scheduling (including bleeding over to non-
   work life, rotations, night-shifts)
5. Interpersonal relations (poor relationships, bullying,
   etc.)
6. Job content and control (e.g., repetitive, variety,
   complexity, autonomy)

Question 14

Stress

Answer 14

Individual’s internal response to, or evaluation of, stressors;
often characterized by negative feelings of arousal

Question 15

General Adaptation Syndrome

Answer 15

The body’s way of gearing up for fight or flight (i.e., to confront or run away from a predator)

short term body changes:
* increased blood supply to the brain and major muscle groups
* decreased blood supply to the digestive system and skin
* increased heart rate and breathing
* increased activity in the stomach, bowels, and bladder
- Extended time spent can lead to other physiological changes

Question 16

Transactional Theory of Stress

Answer 16

• Based on the notion that individuals may perceive and respond
  differently to the same stressors
• People assess stressors in their environment and their ability to
  manage them.

1. an individual is exposed to a challenging event
2. The person appraises the demands of the event and appraises his or her own resources for adjusting to those demands
3. The person initiates a strategy for coping.

Question 17

Transactional Theory Application

Answer 17

Source –> Reaction –> Response or Stressor –> Stress –> Strain

Question 18

Stress Moderators

Answer 18

moderators (factors) affect:
- people’s evaluations of stressors (appraisal)
- how they react to them (i.e., degree of stress experienced)

Question 19

Moderator

Answer 19

• variable that changes the relationship btwn other variables

risk factor versus buffer
–> some aggravate or increased the effects of stressors
–> others can protect individual from adverse effects of stressors

Question 20

Risk Factor

Answer 20

• variable that increases the negative effects of stress

Question 21

Risk Factor: The Individual Personality

negative affectivity: a dispositional dimension reflecting persistent individual different in negative emotion

Answer 21

• relatively stable set of characteristics, responses, thoughts and behaviours of a given individual
  type a behaviour: components: achievement striving (related to performance) and impatience/irritability (related to health)
  negative affectivity: a dispositional dimension reflecting persistent individual different in negative emotion

Question 22

Buffer

Answer 22

• variable that protects peopel from the negative effects of stress
• the social context (social support), this can reduce a person’s vulnerability to stressors and provide tangible and/or emotional support

Question 23

Strain

Answer 23

Strain: the
result of stress
* Four main
categories

Question 24

Psychological Strain

Answer 24

Include a disturbance in affect (e.g., mood) or a disturbance in cognition (e.g., concentration).
* Feeling irritable, anxious, overwhelmed, moody,
depressed, and angry are common affective strain reactions
– “Feeling stressed out”
* Can be short-lived periods to longer-term and more serious diagnoses of psychological disorders
(e.g., depression, anxiety).

Question 25

Burnout: three dimensions

Answer 25

– Emotional exhaustion – Cynicism about one’s work – A sense of inefficacy about one’s contribution

Question 26

Mental Health Disorders

Answer 26

presence of a psychological condition that affect individuals' functioning

Question 27

PTSD

Answer 27

- Results from exposure to traumatic events, often catastrophic stressors (e.g., experiencing a traumatic motor incident, explosion or experience workplace violence, etc.) - Not always easily linked to work BUT certain provinces have pre-emptive clauses for first responders experiencing PTSD to qualify for worker’s compensation

Question 28

Signs of Struggle ## Footnote in regards to mental health

Answer 28

1. expression of distress 2. withdrawal 3. extreme behaviours (neglecting personal hygiene) 4. attendance 5. performing below standards

Question 29

How to help people struggling with mental health

Answer 29

* Check in * Listen with patience * Provide reassureance * (Get in touch with close family/friends) * Encourage help seeking * Offer resources * Follow up

Question 30

Physical Strain

Answer 30

dual role - cause illness - reduction in immune system function - physical symptoms of strain (e.g., stomach upsets, headaches) ## Footnote May seem trivial, but evidence suggests that stress is implicated in more serious physical conditions * Coronary heart disease (CHD) * High blood pressure (hypertension) * Strokes * Ulcers * Asthma * Some forms of cancer

Question 31

Behavioural Strain

Answer 31

reactions take a variety of forms – Individuals may develop nervous habits (e.g., nail biting or nervous tics) – Avoidance of certain situations, or a reduction in individual involvement, either because of a lack of interest or as a means of reducing time demands – May engage in aggressive or violent behaviours – May engage in certain coping strategies/vices

Question 32

Organizatational Strain

Answer 32

* Strain as it pertains to the organization itself * Common organizational outcomes of stress: – Increased absenteeism – Decreased performance – Disturbances of interpersonal relationships at work – Increased likelihood of looking for alternative employment

Question 33

Recognizing, Assessing, and Managing Psychosocial Hazards

Answer 33

Work-related stressors, stress, and strain have substantial negative consequences for both employees and organizations * Identifying psychosocial hazards: – Learn to identify stressors (NISOH model) – Survey the employees – Look for telltale signs of stress (org. outcomes - absenteeism, turnover) – Be attuned to individual employees (changes in behaviour)

Question 34

Recognizing, Assessing, and Managing Psychosocial Hazards

Answer 34

Stress management programs should: - consider the individual and the organization in its interventions - done through primary, secondary and teritiary interventions

Question 35

Primary Level of Intervention (stress) ## Footnote not possible to implement fully because it is costly

Answer 35

* Prevention - Seen as too costly or logistically challenging to be widely implemented (sadly) * Avoiding stress * Reducing exposure * Controlling the stressor

Question 36

Secondary Interventions: Coping (stress)

Answer 36

* Targets the stress after it has already happened * Coping * Reducing damage * Changing perspective – Examples: relaxation training, stress management training and counselling, and programs in nutrition and physical fitness.

Question 37

Tertiary Interventions: Healing (stress)

Answer 37

* Healing the wounds of strain * Examples: Employee assistance programs (confidential, short-term counselling), counselling help, cognitive behavioural therapy

Question 38

Stressor: Injustice at Work

Answer 38

In organizational justice research, “fairness” is not treated as a one-dimensional construct. Three categories of fairness judgmements: – Fairness of outcomes (distributive justice) – Fairness of processes (procedural justice) – Fairness of interpersonal treatment (interactional justice) * All types of injustice are associated with increased work stress and strain

Question 39

Stressor: Technology

Answer 39

* Increasing role of technology affects the psychological as well as the physical well-being of workers * Technology-related factors are psychosocial stressors: – Malfunctions – Isolation (no social interaction) – Privacy (feel watched) – Increased job demands (bring work home) – Increased expectations for continuous learning (need to keep up)

Question 40

Working for Workers Act ## Footnote work/life balance

Answer 40

* On November 30, 2021 Ontario passed new laws that help employees disconnect from work and enjoy better work-life balance – Employers with 25 or more employees are required to have a written policy about employees’ rights regarding disconnecting from their job at the end of the day

Question 41

Stressor: Work-Family Conflict

Answer 41

* Work-to-Family Conflict – Work–family conflict in which work demands interfere with the fulfillment of family responsibilities * Family-to-Work Conflict – Work–family conflict in which family demands interfere with the fulfillment of work responsibilities

Question 42

Causes of Work-Family Conflict

Answer 42

– Behavioural involvement * The amount of time a person spends in a particular role * Too much time at work, not enough at home – Psychological involvement * The degree to which a person identifies with a particular role and sees the role as a central component of his or her self-concept * Overidentifying with one role can cause it to impact other identities/responsibilities

Question 43

The Impact of Work-Family Conflict

Answer 43

- Family-to-work conflict linked with decreased work performance, absenteeism from work – Work-to-family conflict associated with reduced performance in the family role, absences from family events Work–family facilitation: the skills and feelings experienced in one role improve functioning in another role. * E.g., having kids helping you with communication skills

Question 44

RCMP Class Action

Answer 44

Merlo and Davidson initiated (and won) a class- action lawsuit for sexual harassment against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). – The commissioner of the RCMP issued a public apology to all women who were sexually harassed while serving as members of the force. – The Canadian government created a fund of $100 million to compensate the projected 1000 claimants.

Question 45

Widespread Harassment

Answer 45

* Harassment is widespread and is experienced by many individuals regardless of their status within the organization. * Behaviours that may once have been considered “normal” or “part of the culture” are no longer tolerated.

Question 46

Aggression ## Footnote schat and kelloway

Answer 46

Schat and Kelloway: “behaviour by an individual or individualsvwithin or outside an organization that is intended to physically orvpsychologically harm a worker or workers and occurs in a work-related context”

Question 47

Violence ## Footnote – ALL violent behaviours are aggressive – Not all AGGRESSIVE behaviours are violent

Answer 47

– An actual physical assault or threat of an assault – ALL violent behaviours are aggressive – Not all AGGRESSIVE behaviours are violent

Question 48

Bullying ## Footnote forms of aggression

Answer 48

Keashly: “interactions between organizational members that are characterized by repeated hostile verbal and nonverbal, often non- physical behaviours directed at a person(s) such that the target’s sense of him/herself as a competent worker and person is negatively affected.” – More general definition: Aggressive, nonphysical behaviours perpetrated by organizational members over a prolonged period of time

Question 49

Incivility ## Footnote forms of aggression

Answer 49

Cortina and colleagues: low-intensity deviant behaviour with ambiguous intent to harm the target, in violation of workplace norms for mutual respect. Uncivil behaviours are characteristically rude and discourteous, displaying a lack of regard for others.

Question 50

Harassment

Answer 50

Engaging in annoying or embarrassing conduct against a worker in a workplace; conduct that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome

Question 51

Sexual Harassment

Answer 51

* Intentional and unwelcomed sexual conduct or remarks that occur despite resistance from the “victim”

Question 52

Gender Harassment

Answer 52

Comments or actions seen as creating a hostile environment based on gender

Question 53

Sexual Coercion

Answer 53

* The attempt to extort sexual cooperation; can take the form of subtle or explicit job-related threats

Question 54

The Prevalence of Workplace Violence: Canadian Statistics

Answer 54

* 9% reported being hit, kicked, punched, or shoved * 12% had objects thrown at them * 12.6% had been threatened with physical assault * 2.7% had been threatened with a weapon * 79.2% reported experiencing some form of aggressive behaviour

Question 55

Violence at work is unfortunately too common

Answer 55

– 17 percent of all violent victimizations happened in workplaces – 356 000 incidents of workplace violence in a 12-month period in Canada

Question 56

Aggression: 69 percent responded that they had experienced some form of verbal workplace aggression

Answer 56

– Different ways that someone can become a victim (types and sources of aggression)