Employees continually encounter various tasks ranging in levels of stress, so it is no surprise that work is one of the top sources of stress, according to the American Psychological Association (White 1). In order to experience stress, one must encounter a stressor, which is a taxing task. However, not all work tasks will be stressful, rather they are benign. An employee decides whether or not a particular work demand is benign or not during primary appraisal when the employee considers the effort of level required for such a demand. Even though the majority of employees view stress negatively, certain types of demands, challenge stressors, do present opportunities to further their skills. On the other hand, hindrance stressors limit such …show more content…
In the case of Netflix, employees are seemingly given a challenge stressor, because they are given the responsibility to manage a workload that could be spread across 3 to 4 employees. The plausibility of such responsibility is for Netflix’s executive management to motivate its employees through above-average pay and unlimited vacations. However, like the famous psychological example where a psychologist suggests that a glass of water is heavy for as long you hold it, Netflix employees will not have high levels of organizational commitment. Unfortunately, Netflix’s structure serves a hindrance stressor for employees because of role overload, which is ineffective performance due to competing demands. In terms of coping, Netflix offers the unlimited vacation policy, so employees experiencing strain will use behavioral coping by utilizing that vacation time. Ultimately, this avoidance behavior, otherwise known as withdrawal behavior, will lead to Netflix employees resigning from their …show more content…
Another benefit of ROWE is that employees are solely judged on their respective job performance. Some of Best Buy’s employees were concerned about such a culture leading to heightened stress, because of work to family conflict and the increased burden on employees in the office. However, according to Best Buy, ROWE has increased levels of job satisfaction, commitment, and productivity. Due to ROWE’s success at headquarters, Best Buy’s executive management was considering expanding ROWE to its retail stores. Given its customer-service oriented culture, there are questions of its plausibility, because employees cannot leave customers stranded for service. Overall, Netflix offers its corporate employees a culture with a behavioral coping, because it gives them the ability to perform at their own pace and in the comfort of their own
Shuttleworth, A., (2004). Managing workplace stress: how training can help. Industrial and Commercial Training, 36 (2), 61 – 65.
“Culture is not the most important thing. It’s the only thing.” (Gabler, The Magic in the Warehouse, 2016). It has been said that “Costco acts more like a cheerful cult than a hard-driving business.” (Gabler, The Magic in the Warehouse, 2016). Costco hasn’t wavered from their founder’s strategy of promoting within; over 98% of their management started their careers with Costco. This strategy clearly works; the environment is one of family not just coworkers. They are loyal to the brand and motivated to work hard and climb the corporate ladder. Costco sees this as ensuring the future of their values which in turn ensures their
The current CEO of Netflix has done an amazing job so far, becoming one of the biggest streaming media providers in the world. With myself being appointed to the CEO position, I have impressive shoes to fill. Netflix has made some serious changes since the startup in 1997. We are now the leading streaming media provider of the world, moving our business into over 130 new markets worldwide, reaching new international growth records. As CEO, I will drive change, identify the current opportunities and threats, and identify our current strengths and weaknesses, based on my prior evaluations throughout these last eight weeks. How will I specifically drive change? I will drive change through innovation based on new strategies and ideas.
Lowe’s tries to foster collaboration and strength in a variety of methods; many are through leadership training tracks and supporting employees and their families. During times economic uncertainty, it is important that individuals know that they an organization that cares and supports them. In a comprehensive report released by Lowes, the company detailed improvements Lowe’s achieved in important focus areas, including the health, safety and engagement of employees, the company’s advancement towards its 2020 goals and its partnership with suppliers to maintain the highest ethical standards and improve the products it sells (Lowe’s Companies, 2015a). According to Lowe’s Companies (2015a), “For the first time in Lowe’s annual Employee Opinion Survey, all of its U.S. stores, distribution centers and customer support centers all reached the company’s benchmark engagement goal of 65 percent, indicating a highly engaged and satisfied staff” (para 4).. “Career Bliss recognized Lowe’s as one of the 10 happiest retailers to work for in 2014” (Lowe’s Companies, 2015, para 5). To keep an organization running efficiently and effectively, you need a good customer base; you cannot achieve this without helpful, courteous and willing employees. Lowe’s understand that to keep up in the industry, they need to ensure they employees are taken care of
In the article “Inside Amazon: Wrestling Ideas in a Bruising Workplace” by Jodi Kantor and David Streitfeld, both authors noted Amazon’s business and work strategy as harsh and strict but rewarding and life-changing at the same time. Apparently, Amazon’s business model focuses on harsh and strict regulations to keep employees more motivated, productive, and innovative. In comparison to other companies who values benefits and positive reinforcement for their workers, Amazon values constant productivity for improvement and growth and compensation as a competitive aspect in workplace. Many people may see this business strategy and the company as harsh and a horrifying experience; however, I believe and agree that this strategy
According to McIntosh and Sheppy, (2013) stress is not always harmful and can have some positive effects on an individual (McIntosh & Sheppy, 2013). Some stress can serve as an intrinsic motivator and enhance an individual’s performance and productivity. Stress becomes a problem when it begins to decrease an indivi...
In the recent years, organizations have paid extra attention to employee stress and its effect on job performance. Burnout, an outcome of stress is known to cause individual, family and organizational problems and health conditions such as insomnia and hypertension. The question many ask is where does it originate from? And, how supported are the employees by the organization? Researchers have attempted to link stress and burnout and its effect on job performance. This research analysis includes different scholarly studies done and that found many contributing factors such as job satisfaction, work and family demands, work environment, and culture.
If an employee is not accessible, it could lead to negative ramifications from the management team, no matter the toll, physical or emotional. The scathing article was shared with Amazon employees and CEO of Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos, which denies these allegations. In a memo shared with his staff, Bezos encourages employees to read the negative report. Any type of behavior describing these abusive actions were encourage to be reported to Human Resources or directly to the CEO (Cook, 2015). How can this damaging reputation be remedied? The purpose of this case study, through business analysis, will provide recommendations how to improve the employee culture at Amazon.com.
Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix headquartered in Los Gatos, CA, began the company’s operations in 1997 after receiving an enormous late charge from a movie rental he returned long overdue. However, Hastings had the desire to be different than traditional movie outlets; whereas, customers had to drive to the location, pay a certain amount for each movie they rented, and were given a deadline in which to return the movie. Instead of using a method established by other video markets “to attract customers to a retail location, Netflix offered home delivery of DVDs through the mail” which eventually led to a booming business towards streaming forms of entertainment (Shih, Kaufman, & Spinola, 2009, p. 3). Direct and indirect competitors, along with outside obstacles, to a greater extent present a financial threat for Netflix. As a result, Netfl...
Over time, this dull pain can erode the self-confidence and passion of even the strongest people, which in turn, affects their spouses and children and friends in subtle but profound ways… Though it may be difficult to quantify, the dissatisfaction of employees has a direct impact on productivity, turnover, and morale, all of which eventually hit a company’s bottom line hard,” (p. ix –
First, in relation to the organization’s most important asset, people, Sears has failed to recognize the distinctive competences that lie in the skills and abilities of their own employees. Sears once was a very successful organization in relation to how they treat their employees. Sears was one of the pioneers of measuring employee engagement in the retail industry by creating a set of measures known as Total Performance Indicators. People who enjoy going to work every day, as a result of a high-performing company culture, increases their productivity, giving them a higher return on salary. This model of employee engagement worked very well for Sears in the past, however, in recent years, Sears has strayed away from this core competency.
Shih, W., Kaufman, S., & Spinola, D. (2009, April 27). Netflix. Harvard Business School Case 607-138, p. 1-15. Retrieved from http://embadu.com/sites/default/files/Netflix.pdf
Every work environment has certain stress level inherent in its modus operandi, and how employees react to the different situations is likewise varied. Many theories try to explain an employee’s attitude can alter the expected negative reaction to workplace stress. These broad concept of identifying “moderators” can be simplified by considering if the individual employee has a type A or B personality, his or her locus of control, hardiness, and self-esteem. A moderator is defined as “a variable that affects the direction or strength of the association between two other variables”, employee and work related stress (Landy & Conte, p. 469). There are other peripheral factors like social groups that may have less
Since people are always dealing with certain changes in their lives, they are always dealing with some type of stress. One of the biggest growing issues with stress is stress in the workplace. According to Northwestern National Life, one-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives (“Stress at Work,” 1999).... ... middle of paper ...
Long – term stress can even require the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety, and depression; it can be a main cause of moodiness and frustration. Many of us are aware of the physical symptoms of stress-muscle pain, rapid breathing or an increased pulse. At the same time, they also suffer from emotional of stress which can be like roller coaster of highs or lows. emotional effects rang from emotional overeating to a feeling of being overwhelmed and pressure. stress impact many other components, which leads to difficulties in making decisions, loss sense humor, poorer concentration, negative thinking. As can be seen, stress nearly brings serious effects to people. Apart from the effects above, it can be the main reason which creates your decreased productivity at work. stress makes people less control their pace work, which leads to dissatisfaction. about 40% employees said that they are burned out because of work-related stress and loss $300 billion each year in the workplace . In addition, your relationship with people around also become worsens because of your stress. In fact, stress makes people puzzled and their life can undergo a considerable