New study underscores type of intervention needed by employee role
Managing stress in organisations needs targeted strategies in order to minimise its impact on job satisfaction, according to a new study from the University of Hong Kong.
Researchers from HKU Business School found that relying on stress education to reduce stress is largely ineffective.
Instead, different intervention strategies are needed depending on the type of stress employees face and their position in the organisation.
Manager-level employees require promotion-focused intervention, such as directly confronting problems, planning actions, seeking support, and enhancing self-resilience, according to the study.
Meanwhile, non-manager employees need a prevention-focused intervention, which may include reducing their workload, emotional venting, distancing oneself from stressors, and declining excessive demands.
"Through this research, we aim to encourage organisations to pay closer attention to stress management of employees with different job roles and levels of responsibility, adopt targeted and scalable strategies, and foster happier, more sustainable workplaces," said Echo Wan, Associate Dean and Director of the Institute of Behavioural and Decision Science at HKU Business School, in a statement.
Addressing workplace stressors
The study, which was carried out in collaboration with the Hong Kong Association for Customer Service Excellence (HKACE), used a mobile phone-based measurement-and-intervention approach.
It measured the burnout level of employees, focusing on three types of workplace stress:
- Challenge stressors (workload and job responsibilities)
- Hindrance stressors (bureaucracy and role conflicts)
- Interpersonal stressors (coworker conflicts)
According to the findings, hindrance and interpersonal stressors should be minimised as much as possible because of their potential harm to job satisfaction.
Challenge stressors, on the other hand, should not be eliminated entirely because a moderate amount of them preserves motivation and prevents overload, the study stated.
"By understanding how stress impacts different roles and identifying the most effective interventions, organisations can not only alleviate daily pressures but also elevate their customer service performance," said Derek Choi, chairman of HKACE, in a statement.
Using AI to address stress
Meanwhile, the research also highlighted how artificial intelligence tools can help develop mobile apps that can reduce employee stress more effectively.
It stated that AI-supported frameworks can be used to collect real-time physical and mental stress data, conduct analysis, and deliver personalised interventions.
This is in contrast to traditional corporate stress interventions that require lengthy preparation and high costs, according to the study.
"This scalable framework provides practical tools to build healthier, more resilient teams, ultimately driving excellence in customer experience. At HKACE, we believe that investing in people is the key to delivering service excellence that lasts," Choi said.
