Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Stress Management in the Workplace

Stress Management in the Workplace The study of human relations looks at the interaction between people in the workplace. From study of Masters in Business and personal experience, I understand the one major problem for human relations and therefore corporations is how to manage stressful events/issues in the workplace. Highly stressed workers are less productive, change jobs much more frequently, and experience more negative health consequences than their less stressed colleagues (North Western National Life, 1991, 1992). This is exactly the reason why good management is needed to combat the problem of stress. This critical reflection will examine stress management from my personal point of view and reflect on the topics learnt regarding human relations in the workplace. This critical reflection utilizes the knowledge and experience I have gained from my fathers workplace, HDFC Bank Ltd India. This company like most banks can be a very stressful and fast paced workplace and like most companies there is conflict, co-o perative efforts and group relationships. From my fathers management in his company I understand that an employee is not just made up of his/her skills. An employee is a person, a human being, and an effective way of managing human relations is to utilize not just that persons skills but the diversity they bring to the company when individual employees make up a team. Companies must limit the amount of conflict within the workplace in order to increase productivity and maximize the efficiency of their workers. Conflict arises due to a difference in values, interest, cultures and can also arise due to miscommunication. It is important when dealing with conflict, that managers understand the underlying factors of why certain conflict arises. With understanding co-workers, employees become compassionate and empathise with each other as they start to understand and grow to know one another. On the other hand, too much agreement between employees is said to be unhealthy for a company. This does not necessarily mean conflict but rather relates to debate over certain issues. Debate is healthy for companies especially if it generates higher productivity. However, I believe, it is necessary for managers to make sure employees behave in a polite and constructive manner. In my opinion, it is also important for managers to have effective negotiation skills. With the arise of conflict, comes in need for managers to resolve conflict and disputes in a fair and equal manner. The two types of negotiation, distributive and integrative negotiation can be achieved with the effective management. Distributive negotiation refers to one party winning and the other party losing whereas integrative negotiation is a win-win situation. Unfortunately the latter cannot always be achieved and with conflict there is sometimes a losing party. Therefore conflict resolution, as a manager it is important to express the need to compromise when conflicts arise. As a manger, I am striving to create my skill in negotiating, more importantly I believe managers like myself, should increase their skill in collaboration and accommodating negotiation skills. In aiming to reduce stress in the workplace, negotiation skills such as finding a common ground, a common interest can divert a ttention away from the conflict and therefore end the stress. Stress in the workplace does not only come from conflicts between employees. In a bank it is very fast paced and the amount of work that the employees have can also cause stressful tensions. This type of stress is known as the treadmill syndrome. Another type of stress can be caused by interruptions in day-to-day processes. This means that employees that are interrupted many times have higher stress levels. However, other types of stress can come from managers and the employers themselves. Uncertainty in company policies, employee contracts or future employment can also result in tension. From personal experience I believe the manager must always aim to achieve a good relationship with co-workers and also aim to decrease the level of stress through effective management skills. I also believe that treating employees as individuals, respecting the diversity in the workplace can also lead to happy and less tensed employees. In my fathers company one effective way of achieving this is to be inclusive with all employees. This can be difficult when dealing with large teams however being able to make employees feel safe, secure and included can reduce the amount of stress in the job. An example of this is where employees share their knowledge and skills so that the team is not only made up of individuals working alone completing separate tasks, but instead works as a group to achieve a common goal. The effective control of self-esteem is also an important element in stress management. Self-esteem when properly managed, can allow employees to feel engaged and happy in the workplace. An effective level of self-esteem will create an effective worker. From personal experience creating a balanced self-esteem within employees is all about personal development. Setting goals and giving employees the knowledge and skills to achieve those goals can boost self-esteem, create confidence in the employees abilities and decrease the level of stress. Another way of creating confidence is by developing a reward system. A reward system allows for praise to be given when employees deserve it however the management of the system should be carefully scrutinised so that employee do not become dissatisfied when they cannot achieve goals. From personal experience I have seen this system in use and by giving employees praise and rewards for doing a good job the workplace can be comparative and employe es feel good about success thus creating high self-esteem and happy effective workers. Happy effective workers may be easy to establish, however the continuation of this emotion and the deliverance of a low stress workplace can only be achieved through effective management. My view of effective management begins with the ability for managers to be able to set an example of how they want their employees to work. This is closely related to the topic of self- management, which enables a manager to lead by example. The concept of leader and follower is very important to establish for managers. Being able to direct and instruct employees in an appropriate manner can also effectively manage stress. I have seen this when personally dealing with lecturers and teachers. An effective leader, manager or teacher should be able to make people feel calm, valued and secure through their attitude towards work and also the manner in which they conduct themselves. In personal experience teachers have made me feel calm, valued and secure by their positive attitude, friendly personality a nd ability to live what they preach (they lead by example). The managers ability to lead by example also relates to gathering information on employees likes and dislikes and making sure communication between employees is at an effective level. The main aims of communication are knowledge management; decision making; coordinating work activities; fulfilling relatedness needs; inform; express feelings and influence. (Evans, (2010) Communication: Interpersonal Effectiveness, [PowerPoint Slides] retrieved from www.jcu.edu). Although these aims are not directly related to stress management, it can be devised that if these aims are achieved the employees work load and general day-to-day tasks will become less stressful. In this day and age, intellectual technology has allowed fir communication to become more efficiently received. However, communication which has been received electronically has more of a chance at being misread. Email, memos, voicemails etc. can create greater conflicts than there would be with face to face communication. Through p ersonal experience and observing my father I have learnt that extensive training in electronic communication and how to write without mistakenly offending people is very important. Face-to-face communication also allows for employees to disclose certain information, allowing people to become comfortable with each other and work more closely as a team. The stress reduction factor in the ability for employees to communication effectively is seen when communication lowers the risk of conflicts and also decreases the amount of mistakes employees make due to miscommunication. In my fathers company I have heard of many mistakes made due to miscommunication, such as Bank Policies on human relations and employment conditions causing panic and unrest with employees and decreasing efficiency. The miscommunication between bank departments and the creation of rumours results in high levels of stress which could be avoided if better management had been in place. The kind of manager that I want t o be relates closely with the Johari window and the four panes of relationships. I believe that by developing a close, professional relationship with employees can generate trust and great communication skills. I also believe that a manager should have the ability to criticise employees in a way which will make them more efficient at their job. Constructive criticism, as many call this, is the ability to point out a persons behaviour in a way which makes that person examine their behaviour but is done in a positive manner. Learning to restructure the way in which I give criticism so that my communication is positive and employees are able to learn from the criticism I give them. I learnt from my father that the way he manages his employees, that positive language generates more positive responses to productivity. This ability to disclose information, communicate and take criticism can only happen if there is a certain level of trust already gained between co-workers. An example, Emp loyees perceptions of low role overload-quantitative, role overload qualitative and lack of career development as sources of stress most likely result in low job stress; in turn, this would benefit both the organizations and the employees themselves. Low job stress should result in better job satisfaction and organizational commitment, since researchers have found significant negative associations between job stress and both job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Jamal Badawi, 1995). Although communication is vital, being able to communicate with a diverse range of employees can be difficult. That is why it is necessary for managers to learn how to communicate in different styles. For example, in the workplace there may be employees which are able to process instructions which are verbally communicated. However, others may be more visually inclined and therefore managers will need the self-disclosure and close relationship with co-workers to develop and understand what communication styles are needed. However, managers are not able to control every little event that happens in the workplace and conflict can still arise even with good management. A managers ability to observe, notice and counter act any possible conflict is a great skill to have. However, no manager is able to control peoples emotions in this can develop into conflict. The managers job in this case is to educate employees on the proper ways of controlling and handling their emotions in times of high stress. In my point of view, I believe that company retreats where employees get to know one another in an environment other than the workplace can lead to high levels of trust between co-workers and also creates opportunities to develop their ability to handle emotional stressful events. From my personal experience in studying I have learnt how to deal with stressful events and control my emotions so that I make rational decisions through observing how my father deals with stress (Exercise and Hobbies) and also through seminars which have taught me how to understand how people think and react to different saturations. As mentioned above, positive language, communication and good management are all good ways to deal with stress in the workplace. One other way to create a stress free environment is to motivate employees in the belief that if workers are motivated and believe in their job conflicts will be diminished, emotions and irrational behaviours will decrease and staff will be happy within themselves and productive. Motivation, I find is a very hard skill to learn and can sometimes take years to develop. From the personal experience I have witnessed great management and motivational skills from one of my teachers. Her motivational skills came from her passion for her subject and the belief in what she was doing. Her passion and excitement motivated her whole class and her creativity and ingenuity for teaching and learning pedagogies catered to a diverse yet successful classroom. Along with motivational skills comes the ability to be able to observe and distinguish learning capabilities. Not every individual has the ability to learn in the same way, and as mentioned before, some may be visual learners others may be auditory and lastly, managers may come across tactile learners. In believe the ability to encourage employees to continue their lifelong learning is an important skill and through learning comes the ability to gain knowledge and ultimately understanding and consideration for others. As a manager, I believe it is this consideration which is also important to stress management. From personal experience I know that knowledge can bring wisdom and the ability to act rationally when conflicts arise. According to my point of view work life balance can be achieved through proper prioritising between work, career and ambition on the one hand and life, pleasure, leisure and family on the other hand. Through this the manager should be able to promote workplace health and understand the work or family conflict. Stress can be related to this, if an employee is does not have a good work life balance he will undergoing stress in all the ways. I believe that there should be a work life balance in the working environment where the employees should be happy and they can give their own effort to achieve the common goal. An example, Singaporean employee perceptions of a supportive HR environment will be negatively related to their perceptions of role overload and responsibility. (International Journal of Stress Management July 2002). In summary, it is very important for managers to learn this significance of stress management. As a manager I believe it is important to keep in mind the organisations, although made up of individuals are essentially individuals that work together. There may be different departments with different managers and therefore different ways of dealing with tasks however, these departments work as a whole in order to successfully achieve a common goal. This is a significance of why stress management is important. If employees are stressed and goals are not achieved, productivity and the company suffer. As expressed above in the critical reflection stress can arise from many situations caused from over work, interruptions or general conflicts between employees. In dealing with stress in the workplace it is important to continue learning new skills in how to deal with conflicts. Some of the factors underlying conflicts which were examined above included miscommunication, lack of knowledge or understanding over diverse workplace etc. The importance of these factors allows for managers to develop a process or plan helping to deal with these factors. I.E self-disclosure will hopefully create a better working environment due to greater knowledge and understanding of each other and thus the ability to communicate more efficiently and effectively with each other. With conflict comes the need for negotiation in order to resolve conflicts and establish a united workplace. My personal experiences and study has allowed me to develop into the kind of manager I believe is most efficient. This involves the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of learning abilities and also able to negotiate to the best of my ability so that compromises can be reached when conflicts arise. But most importantly, I believe in setting a good example for my co-workers which includes continuing my learning through professional development, sharing my knowledge and skills with fellow co- workers, listening and learning from my co-workers and lastly gaining the ability to be emphatic and understanding of diverse cultures and people which I may come across both personally and professionally.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Black Death :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Page 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the later part of the middle ages, an epidemic was unleashed upon society. Killing almost half of the population, the black death not only changed, or ended the lives of everybody in its path, it also left a dark cloud lingering over humanity for decades after. At a time when the population of Europe was at an all time high, food was scarce. The people of Europe were not prepared to fight this terrifying new disease that couldn’t even begin to understand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This catastrophe did more then kill, it changed the structure of life in the middle ages, both the church and state were effected. Surprisingly the public officials treated this as a disease, not as the wrath of a vengeful god on a society of sinners. Although for the people who were dying, or who were seeing their families and neighbors killed, their judgment day had arrived. It would be difficult to keep your faith at a time of great tragedy, if god wasn’t doing this to them, then why was he letting it happen? Religion usually stabilizes a society and brings the people together, but in this case, the faith of the people was among the list of casualties. God had always served as a beacon of hope in uncertain times, and made the people feel safe and cared after. But at a time when entire families and towns are being wiped out, rich and poor alike, faith in god was dieing as fast as the people were.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When kings and nobles started to perish at the hands of this monster, it really painted a dark picture for the rest of society, it proved that nobody was safe. The rich already had more food and better health to start with, which made them somewhat more resistant to the plague, but in the end even they could not escape death. The cities were abandoned rapidly by those who could leave. No amount of power or wealth could save them from their grim fates. When priests and popes began dying, faith was no longer enough.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The plague was accompanied by chaos and panic. People could not understand for what   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Page 2 they were being punished. Most took precautions and hoped for the best. Some accepted that there was nothing they could do about it and felt that they had to live like everyday was their last.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

“Higher Learning” Reaction Paper

The film â€Å"Higher Learning† portrays the many prejudices and race issues that existed in America around 1995, when the movie premiered. The movie takes place at Columbus University, which serves as a fictional university undergoing the transition of America being a more diverse, free nation. From the time when America began its struggle with race and culture boundaries, people of the United States have shown their true beliefs towards other people who may look differently than they do; and the movie â€Å"Higher Learning† is a good example of the type of prejudices. Before the movie even starts, the title of the movie already promotes a message that lies in the title, â€Å"Higher Learning. † The title may suggest that, not only are students attending a university to gain more knowledge needed for the career they choose to pursue, but rather, obtain greater knowledge about life and living freely amongst one another without having race or culture boundaries. Students that are entering college are about to embark on a journey that will prepare them for real life adulthood. The title â€Å"Higher Learning† implies that being enrolled in college is not only for your academic development but also your social evolution. At the current time in the movie, when there were many race and culture boundaries that created conflict between people of different backgrounds; students, especially minorities, were being tested for real life situations by entering college. The way Singleton implements group of students of the same background around campus symbolizes the cultural divide between many different ethnic groups. The racial-ethnic groups that were all the minorities on campus were always seen together and rarely separated. Throughout the movie, many groups of students from different ethnic backgrounds often experienced altercations with each other. Two of the main groups that clashed throughout the movie were the African American students; some of whom involved themselves in the Black Panther organization, and the white supremacist group who recruited Remy from the university. Throughout the film we notice the extreme change of two students, Malik and Remy. Malik who is a gifted track athlete, attending the school on a cholarship, is a African American freshman whose views of different race and cultures are mature, whereas his attitude towards himself being a black track star are immature. We do not see him stereotype other students in the very beginning of the movie; however, we do notice that other students who were not African American acted differently toward Malik and they showed fear an d also hatred towards him. One person who builds hatred toward Malik is Remy. Remy is a white freshman student who is enrolled in the university and is not involved in anything. Remy is placed with an African American roommate and in the beginning of the movie. Remy quickly develops hatred towards the perceived ignorance of his roommates and his friends. Remy then distances himself from his own room and falls into the arms of a group of white supremacist who would like to have him join the group. Shortly, Remy is brainwashed into the group’s ideology that the group of white males promotes. The group of white supremacist displays their ethnocentrism of white people. Malik and Remy are caught in altercations throughout the movie, in which Singleton uses to cause rising action towards a climax that ultimately causes the belief that students have to change. Also, Malik, being involved in these situations, develops some frustration towards the beliefs and acts of Remy and the white supremacist. I believe that Singleton uses these rising actions as a symbol of the way that our environment can influence us and can sway our thoughts on issues. For example, Remy is vulnerable when he becomes an outcast after been known for saying things out of the ordinary. However, he is approached by skinheads that mold him into their group beliefs and values. At first Remy is uncertain when he witnesses his new friends beating up people on Halloween but he is reassured by Scott, who is the noticeable leader of the group, that what they are doing is good and making society cleaner. From there on Remy grows into a skinhead himself that has determination to get rid of the minorities. Malik also undergoes a similar change, where he develops into an individual who shows hate towards white people. Malik also begins to stereotype and he exemplifies this when we notice him dodging his close friend who is his roommate and even tells him that they can’t be seen together. Singleton’s also portrays the different cultures that each group shares. As a group, members enjoy practicing their culture and enjoying the freedom that they have to follow through with their practices. For example, the African American students enjoy listening to their rap, hip-hop, and R & B, and when they play their music in front of people from a different background, more importantly, the white skinheads; they scold the African American students and seek to get rid of them. I believe that Singleton uses this act of other cultures displaying their values to symbolize that America is a free nation where everyone is free to their own beliefs and values; however, many prejudices exist and many people have trouble accepting a more diverse society. Over time, America has come a long way from when segregation of minorities was protested. Being a minority is more accepted in today’s society. Also, even in younger generations, I am beginning to notice that, now, we do not see the color of a persons skin at first. Stereotypes still exist, and it seems almost common nature for one to stereotype a person, but in today’s society, these concepts are more thought about and held back in respect for one another. As a college student, I do not walk around campus and see only groups that consist of only one type of race. When I see groups of people, many of them are more diverse than ever. You can still notice that many of the different races still cling together almost by instinct, however even sometimes these groups interact with each other and are more socially accepting of one another. The racial divide no longer seems to exist as much as it did from the movie. There still are some people out there that still practice ethnocentrism; however, in today’s society, these people are now mostly looked down upon and can be considered a minority group. The race and culture barriers that once caused so much devastating acts of violence and treatment against people of a different background no longer litter the streets of everyday activity. The few people that still have negative beliefs of people of a different race are now sunken into the background of society. Many of the negative words are now kept inside and are often kept unsaid. These words often remain unsaid mainly because in today’s society people who promote prejudices against different races are more than often looked down upon. In addition, certain words now have different meanings, some completely opposite of what they meant in 1995. The way people communicate with people of a different race has changed greatly. There may be preconceived stereotypes that people still carry with them due, mainly in part, to the environment one grew up in. However, people have learned to respect one another and issues with communicating with people of a different race have become more at ease, rather than being hostile. In some ways, however, there are some similarities that exist between the time frame of the movie, and present-day. People in today’s society still stereotype one another. The stereotypical thought is often the first thought that comes across our mind when we see a person of a different race. Over time, though, stereotypes have been slowly diminishing in society. Some other similarities are the groups of people. Although the way that students group with each other is not based so much on race anymore; larger organizations still exist in today’s society. One example of an organization is the Ku Klux Klan. Also known as the KKK, the Ku Klux Klan is a group that consists of only people from the white race. Their main purpose is to reinforce their belief that the white race is more superior to any other races. Other groups also exist in today’s society that practice the values that they believe. However, these groups are not so much outgoing anymore and the acts of violence that the groups committed in the past are rarely seen in present day. There were many points throughout the movie where a scene occurred that caused viewers the realize something. For example, in the scene where Malik is in a conversation with Fudge, Fudge explains to Malik that all the students of the same race only interact with each other and are rarely seen with students of a different race. After Malik is told this, at that point in the scene, Malik’s face turns stern and the music becomes more dramatic. I believe it is at that time where Malik realized the social barriers that existed on campus and also around the world. Another scene that came to be very important to me is when Remy is seen in the first step of him becoming part of the white supremacist group. In the scene Remy is seen studying outside on some stairs shortly after leaving his room due to his African American roommates playing loud music. At the time Remy is vulnerable and is in need of company. The leader of the skinheads happens to approach Remy in this time of need and Remy is convinced into following Scott, the leader of the skinheads. These two scenes in the movie are two of the few scenes that stand out the most to me. These scenes stand out the most to me from other ones because these are two points in the movie where the way the two students perceive people of a different race begin to be altered by their environment. I believe that Singleton incorporated these scenes and the way the two characters develop in order to symbolize the change in society by whom we may encounter in life and how that can impact our beliefs. Another scene that I believe is significant is at the beginning of the movie when Malik enters an elevator after a white student, Kristen, is standing in the elevator about to go up. During this brief scene in the elevator, after Malik get in the elevator, Kristen clinches her purse more tightly and her facial expression shows fear for Malik. This scene shows that at the time of the movie how people reacted towards one another. It is also a brief time where you can notice that Malik only shakes his head when he sees how people react towards him. I enjoyed the movie very much. The movie pointed out the harsh reality of the way society was in 1995, especially on a diverse college campus. The move portrayed many acts of violence that may have occurred in real life and it helps to raise our attention and realize how ignorant people acted toward each other. After watching the movie I hope that people who discriminate against other races and cultures can change the way they think. The movie made me feel grateful, as well, for the people who went through this hard time in America and got through it in a righteous manner. After watching the movie, I became more aware of what the current time era presented to people. And that was ignorance, violence, prejudices, and discrimination towards people who looked differently than that of one’s self. I have much respect for the people who had to go through so much trouble just because they were different. I also enjoyed the movie because Singleton incorporated scenes that may seem out of the ordinary is today’s society, but is what really happened during the days of America segregating. The movie â€Å"Higher Learning† is directly related to our Sociology course, in that the film’s main them is racism, and other sociological issues that existed in 1995. In our sociology class, we learn about the reasons why humans interact with each other in the way that they do. In the movie â€Å"Higher Learning† many issues arise such as racism and discrimination, as well as, prejudices and barriers. In our sociology course, we learn about these issues and other sociological concepts so that we understand the way society interacts.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

The Great War Of The Twentieth Century And The...

During the turn of the twentieth century and the unsettlement of imperialism in Europe and the rest of the world, human kind was exceeding its potential extremely rapidly with the benefits of the Industrial Revolution. However, with change often comes instability. As the world was evolving at an extreme pace, many theories, weapons, philosophies, and political systems emerged. The world had discovered for itself an insatiable thirst for more. This is the philosophy that drove the early twentieth century. This nationalistic and competitive perspective was the reason for the worlds, precisely Europe’s, success. The super nations: France, Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia, were developing at prodigious rates, each trying to obtain more than their rivals. This greedy desire and the forgetfulness of what war really meant sent all these powerful nations to collide in what is considered the â€Å"Great War.† This war, which lasted for four years instead of its int ended four months, marks a paradigm shift in the concept of warfare. Benefiting from the Industrial Revolution, this conflict was to shape the following century. Interestingly enough, this clash of super nations was expected to be â€Å"The War to End all Wars.† These nations believed that war was inevitable for the prosperity of Europe and the world. However, from a contemporary perspective, this is erroneous. The changing of warfare, the Treaty of Versailles and the reluctance of many nations, made it impossible forShow MoreRelated New Economic Imperialism Essay example4919 Words   |  20 PagesNew Economic Imperialism Those in power define national interests as the preservation of the existing set of economic, social, and political relationships. Therefore, the national interest of the supranational capitalist society is the interests of the upper class, allied throughout the globe. The United States capitalist class has proposed to preserve and extend U.S. capitalism by a policy of empire building to satisfy the need for large export markets that could supply cheap inputs