Causes of stress in vehicle manufacturing employees and perceptions of the effectiveness of a stress management intervention programme

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Stress has become a part of everyday life for most employees. Studies have shown the negative effect that stress has on employee wellbeing. Stress management intervention (SMI) programmes are commonly implemented by organisations to reduce work-related stressors, as well as to assist employees to cope with and minimise the impact of stress. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore the causes of stress at a vehicle manufacturing company, and the perceptions of employees about the effectiveness of an SMI programme. METHODS: A qualitative interpretive approach was followed, using a case study design. The research was conducted at a vehicle manufacturing company in Pretoria, South Africa; eleven purposively sampled permanent white- and blue-collared employees who had participated in an SMI programme were included. Data were collected from personal interviews and a focus group discussion. The data were analysed using the ATLAS.ti software. RESULTS: Some of the causes of stress in the workplace, identified by the participants, were company ethics and culture, interpersonal conflict, management style, deadlines, workload, type of job, job profiles, job insecurity, incompetence of employees, lack of resources, and remuneration. Most participants (90.9%) evaluated the SMI as being very effective. CONCLUSION: The causes of stress amongst workers are multifactorial. Effective SMIs can assist to alleviate stress and to equip employees with skills to manage stress. This promotes a healthy workforce and increases productivity. If SMIs are not implemented effectively, there might be loss in productivity, increased absenteeism, and deteriorating health in the workforce.