| dc.description.abstract | Stress is an all too common part of life today. Growing evidence suggests that high levels of stress adversely affect physical health, psychological wellbeing and general performance. Despite this evidence, a number of factors seem to influence how stress will affect performance. The purpose of the research was to investigate factors that influence the relationship between stress and corporate performance. The study was guided by six specific objectives. The study employed a cross sectional survey design which consisted of a sample of 32 companies listed at the NSE.
The population was stratified into top management, middle level management and non-managers, and then random sampling was used to select respondents. Both primary and secondary data were also used. The secondary data on financial performance was collected from the NSE Handbook of 2007 and 2010. On the other hand, data on stress, stress manifestation, stress management, individual characteristics and qual itative performance was collected using a structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. Contrary to expectation, the relationship between stress and corporate performance was found to be positive.
The results of the study also showed that the relationship between stress and stress manifestation, and that of stress manifestation and corporate performance were positive. The strength of the relationship between stress manifestation and corporate performance was found to be moderated by some of the stress management indicators which include social support and corporate approach to stress management There were mixed findings on the moderating effects of individual characteristics, only level of education and personality were critical factors at influencing the relationship between stress manifestation and corporate performance.
The study also established the joint effect of the moderators stress management and individual characteristics on stress manifestation and corporate performance was greater than the independent effect of individual characteristics. The findings of the study also revealed that nonmanagers were more stressed than managers. The study experienced limitations in terms of use of questionnaires only, which are sometimes subject to reporting inaccuracies. It was also challenging to distribute questionnaires to workers in the factories and farms as the relevant authorities felt it would interfere with their duties. Further research recommended the use of interviews or focus groups, which are relatively inexpensive and can provide fairly dependable data within a short time frame.
The study also recommended that other moderating variables be included in future studies to further establish factors that influence the relationship between stress and corporate performance. The findings and conclusions of the study were discussed in view of implications on policy, practice and theory. On theoretical implications, the study was able to support and extend studies by Welford (1973) on the relationship between stress and performance. Specifically the study revealed social support, corporate approach to stress management, level of education and personality as important moderators in the stress manifestation and corporate performance relationship.
The study recommended that managers conduct frequent stress audits among employees in order to ensure stress is maintained at moderate levels in order to enhance performance. The government together with other stakeholders who include FKE and COTU should come up with regulations that take care of the psychological health of workers. The study further recommended that stress management programmes be put in place, these may include; flexible work schedule and work life programmes such as site daycare center for children, extended maternity and paternity leave. | en_US |
