Rlchard Pettlnger

CULTURAL ISSUES

Stress management is concerned with the following.

» Addressing particular cultural and attitudinal concerns that emp- loyees have as the result of their knowledge and understanding of the history and traditions of the particular sector, organization, and location in which they work.

» Addressing knowledge and understanding when individuals are to come to work in a new and unfamiliar environment or location. This may be as the result of the following.

» The takeover of the existing organization by another which has lost its own distinctive and desired ways of doing things. In this

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case, stress is managed by re-inducting and re-orientating staff into the new required standards as well as operational drives.

» The relocation of individuals to unfamiliar parts of the world. The best organizations provide structured, supported, settling in programs including a set of social, professional, and occupational contacts so that comfort of life and quality of working life are addressed side by side.

Otherwise, general stress management requires that organizations, and their managers, constantly address and reinforce the positive aspects of organization culture, shared values, attitudes, and behavior so that mutual confidence, respect, and value continue to be reinforced and enhanced.

4.