1.1 Introduction
Teachers often refer to stress as the result of outside influences acting on them, most often physical ones. Stress is brought on by stressors, which are situations that throw a person's body out of balance. Numerous workers may have anxiety problems or diseases linked to stress (Ritchie et al. 2009). Stress is also defined as a specific interaction between an individual and their surroundings that they see as exhausting or surpassing their resources and posing a risk to their wellbeing (Irving, J.A. et al., 2009).
Individuals' assessments of events, their perceptions and interpretations provide meaning to them, and their ability to cope decides whether they are perceived as dangerous or positive. Stress alone does not have a harmful effect on an individual. Individual responses to stress are also influenced by personality features, as what one person finds challenging may find exciting in another (Robinson, M. D. et al., 2011).
This chapter will address the background information that motivated this study, the challenges that prompted it, its aim, and its objectives as a preface to subsequent sections of the study. Additional factors include the study's significance, scope, limitations, research questions and hypotheses, and the definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Stress related to school is a common issue in many institutions, but it is especially bad in the human services sector, where teachers make up the majority of the workforce (Schaufeli and Greenglass, 2001). Teaching is a challenging profession by definition, claims Sarafino (2002). Beginning in the middle of the 1950s, stress was seen as a serious health issue and as a danger at work (Jennings, B.M., 2009). According to Naturale (2007), stress is a state in which a person responds to or encounters something different from a new opportunity, the constraints, and the amount of work required in accordance with the demand. One may also argue that this stressful circumstance is a strong one in which the desired and perceived outcomes are both equally significant and uncertain at the same time. But after closely observing stress, scientists have concluded that stress itself, or even just the word "stress," may either increase pressure or tension, both of which can be harmful.
According to a survey made by Smith, Segal and Jaffe (2007), the above statement is confirmed for the survey. When the stress, depression or anxiety is associated with work, then there will be 13.5 million loss of working days, this is according to a self-report survey by labour force in India. This finds a fact that it is necessary for a manager to manage the welfare of employees directly, and ensure that there is continuous workflow without any kind of sick leaves or absenteeism levels on chart.
In their observations, Tanova and Holtom (2008) found that in large number of meta-analysis which can determine the reasons of employee turnover and employee attritions, and found universal agreement could be reached about the determinants of the both as work stress. It has been discovered, though generally, that employee attitude and their job satisfaction alone cannot explain the reasons of employees stress. In their study two types of stress results have been referred to, one is physical stress and the other is mental.
Teachers spend one-third of their day at work; therefore, they need a pleasant working environment, cooperative coworkers, and good working conditions to feel comfortable in the workplace (Charner & Fraser, 2003:48). Ivancevich (2007:12) argued that teachers should feel that their jobs are fulfilling and that this will help them be productive. Delivering high-quality services requires employees to be pleased, which essentially equates to worker motivation. This may be achieved via providing competitive pay, health benefits, and other advantages. When motivated and happy, employees often provide high-quality work and excellent customer service. Low-quality outputs, a high incidence of staff turnover, and excessive absenteeism are all consequences of disgruntled personnel (Ivancevich, 2007). Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Assessment of Coping Strategies and Work Related Stress Among Teachers.
1.3 Statement of Problems
An investigation showed that higher education is an incredibly demanding field to work in, with long hours, high workloads, challenging students, and competing demands. Higher education personnel are more susceptible to high levels of stress due to their physical and psychological demands.
Stress has been linked to a rise in memoranda mistakes, expensive medical expenses, tardiness, low productivity, and a rise in sick days. There are no real steps taken to treat these stress-related disorders that have a detrimental impact on productivity, despite the fact that occupational stress has severely detrimental consequences on the human body and job performance.
Desseller (2000) agreed that organisational stress has wide-ranging effects that lower both the quantity and quality of teacher work performance. Hardworking and valuable individuals who have bad encounters at work have their expectations crushed, their ambitions sidetracked, and/or their confidence damaged, according to Frost (2003).
Moreover, a deliberate connection between work stress and its detrimental impact on productivity has not been made. This study aims to highlight the Coping Strategies and Work Related Stress among Teachers.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Assessment of Coping Strategies and Work Related Stress Among Teachers. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To examine the effect of stress among teachers on the performances of students in the area under study;
- To determine the impact long working hours on the job performances of teachers in the study area;
- To ascertain whether work stress influences negative job attitude among teachers in the study area;
- To identify the causes of work stress among teachers in the study area; and
- To investigate the coping strategies needed to curb work related stress among teachers; and
- To determine the relationship between stress and job dissatisfaction among teachers in the area under review.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Is there any significant relationship between stress and job dissatisfaction among teachers in the area under review?
- Does work stress influences negative job attitude among teachers in the area under study?
- What is the impact long working hours on the job performances of teachers in the study area?
- What are the causes of work stress among teachers in the study area?
- What are the coping strategies needed to curb work related stress among teachers?
- What is the effect of stress among teachers on the performances of students in the area under study?
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