The Perceived Effects of Social Support to Occupational Stress: A Case Study in the Investments Assistance Department of the Philippine Board of Investments

Abstract

Occupational stress is an effect of the various demands within an organization. It is a factor that influences the work performance of an individual. Probing its causes and effects are beneficial in considering how the function of each employee contributes to the effectiveness of an organization. Social support is a flow of communication between people involving emotional concern, belongingness, information as well as instrumental help. It is conceptualized as the beneficial transactions that protect people from adverse effects of stressful occurrences. This study identifies the causes and effects of occupational stress and determines the perceived effects of social support. Knowing the effects of stress to the members of an organization and how it is countered by social support is vital because work and productivity is influenced by the disposition of the employee in the organization. In view of the foregoing issues, identifying the effect of social support coming from the supervisor and the co-employee would affirm or negate the claims of the prev10us studies. The methods included the administration of a researcher-devised questionnaire and an interview schedule to the employees of Investments Assistance Department of the Philippine Board of Investments. The survey questionnaire contained six areas of stressors, five of which were adopted from Cooper, C.L. and S. Cartwright (1994) study on the Occupational Stress model that also served as the framework of this research. The major areas were as follows: intrinsic to the job, role in the organization, relationships at work, career development, organizational structure and climate and home and work interface. Two major categories were involved on the effects of stress, individual and organizational effects. The interview schedule determined the forms of social support and its perceived effects on occupational stress. Data analysis revealed that the prevalent causes of stress were noise, communication with other people, communication flow and formal and informal communication networks. At home, life events were determined to be a stress-causing aspect. The effects of stress on the individual level were felt physiologically through physical pains such as headache, backache, arthritis and exhaustion or fatigue. Psychological effects were changing moods, depression and irritability. On the organizational level, the effects are reduced efficiency, diminished interest in working and reduced capacity to perform task. The forms of social support existing the department affirmed the study of Cohen and Will's (1985) namely: emotional, social companionship, informational and instrumental support. The forms of social support existing in the department are exhibited through words of advice and encouragement, belonging to a group and by engaging in various activities of relaxation and entertainment. The effects of social support from the supervisor revealed that it alleviates the stress employees experience in the work place and it also motivates the employees to work better. The support coming from co-employees lessens the stress experienced through leisure activities. With all these findings, the researcher was able to draw that occupational stress is an end result of factors that emanate both from work and home demands. Social support coming from the supervisor and the co-employee serve as buffering mechanism and stress coping strategy for individuals under stress.