D-Girls

 

  

 

No.1 

 

 

 

Group members:

 

1. Ajda L.

2. Sonja P.

3. Anka A.

4. Barbara S.

 

 Distribution of roles: 

 

LEADER: Ajda

SECRETARY: Anka

TIME-KEEPER: Barbara

REPORTER: Sonja

 

 

Stress and depression at work

 

 

No.2 

 

 

 

 

Definition:

 

 

Stress is a psychological and biological state that is a reaction to emotional or physical pressure. Weather imagined or actual it affects an individual’s ability to functional normally leading to exhaustion, irritability, constant state of alert and also inability to concentrate. Long-term exposure to stress can even lead to depression which is a state of low mood and lack of enthusiasm.

 

We focused on the connection between stress and the complexity of work. How the working environment affects an individual, not only the importance of tasks he is given but also the pressure he is exposed to while working. Exposure to stress also reduces the ability to work or at least makes the employee work less efficiently.

 

With the use of qualitative research (we will do one or more interviews) we will be researching how complex tasks contribute to a higher level of stress and  potentially lead to depression and also try to show that the higher or more responsible the work position is the higher the risk of stress and other occupational diseases.

 

 

 

 

 

Research question / Hypothesis: 

 

- Workers in company X that are employed as managers are more vulnerable to stress than workers in manufacturing.

 

 

Working questions:

 

1. Definition of the term “stress” (Barbara)
2. Definition of the term “depression” (Sonja)
3. What are the causes and consequences of stress in the workplace? (Sonja)
4. What are the symptoms of stress in the workplace? (Barbara)
5. Is stress more intense in more demanding jobs? (Sonja)
6. Does the increasing complexity of organizational structure increase the formation and intensity of stress? (Anka)
7. Does company x take an effort to reduce stress in their employees? (Ajda)
8. How is stress faced by employees in company x and how do they deal with it? (Ajda)
9. Are workers in company x who are employed as managers  more vulnerable to stress than workers in manufacturing?  (Anka)
10. What do the employees in company x suggest that would be best for reducing stress in their workplace? (Ajda)

 

GLOSSARY

Depression:  potrtost, deprimarnost

Stress: vzorec specifičnih odzivov, ki jih naredimo na držljaje, ki motijo naše ravnovesje in bremenijo našo sposobnost za obvladovanje

Major depression: duševna motnja, za katero je značilna apatičnost, nespečnost,..

To cope with stress:  kosati se s stresom

Job strain:  službeni pritisk

Absenteeism:  odsotnost z dela

Hypestress:  govorimo v primeru, ko je oseba prisiljena sprejeti ali opraviti več kot je sama zmožna.

Hypostress: lenobnost, dolgočasje, premalo stresa.

Mental tension:  Duševna napetost

Exhaustion stage: faza izčrpanosti

Stressor: stresorji

 

 

 

Literature:

 

-Atwater, Eastwood. Psychology for living- Adjustment, growth and behavior today, 1994

new jersey

-Božič, Mija. Stres pri delu, 2003 Ljubljana

-Cox, Tom. Research on work-related stress, 2000 Luxemburg

-Selič, Polona. Psihologija bolezni našega časa. Znanstveno in publicistično središče, 1999 Ljubljana

-Stranks, Jeremy W.  Stress at work- managment and prevention, 2005 Amsterdam

-Available at: http://osha.europa.eu/en (accessed on 29th February 2010)

 

 

Minutes :

 

 

Minutes of the 1st meeting "Project based learning" 

(The meeting was held on the 4th of March from 14.00 to 16.00  at the FDV library) 

 

Present: Ajda, Barbara, Sonja, Anka

Absent: /

 

 

Agenda:

 

1. Selecting the topic

2. Defining the problem

3. Division of roles

4. Any other business

 

Item 1: 

Discussion: We looked through the given themes and selected a few most interesting to us. Barbara suggested  the topic of Health and work. Ajda than proposed that we focused on the connection between stress and work. After we talked and thought about the topic and our interests we agreed on that topic.

Decision:We chose the topic health and work, stress and depression at the workplace

 

Item 2: 

Discussion:While defining the problem Sonja suggested that we should focuse on the increase of stress and the complexity of work and assumed that the level of stress increases relatively to work complexity.

Decision: We all agreed that the main problem we will focus on is whether workers that are employed as managers are more vulnerable to stress than workers in manufacturing.

  

Item 3: 

Discussion:We divided the roles and also agreed that the roles may change through our work. Anka agreed to be the secretary, Sonja chose the role of the reporter and Barbara agreed to be the time-keeper, we all decided that Ajda should be the leader.

 Decision: We divided the roles coherently.

 

Item 4: 

Discussion:Finally we discussed about the appropriate literature and where to find it. Sonja and Barbara volunteered to search for the appropriate literature at the library. 

Decision: We decided to find the literature until the next meeting.

 

Minutes taker: Anka

Chair: Ajda

    

 

Minutes of the 2nd meeting "Project based learning"

(The meeting was held on the 19th of March from 13.00 to 16 .00  at the FDV library) 

 

 

 No.3

 

 

 

Present: Anka, Barbara, Sonja, Ajda

Absent:  /

 

 

 

Agenda:

 

1. Forming the research question

2. Forming 10 working questions

3. List of literature

4. Any other business 

 

 

Item 1

 

Discussion: We discussed about the main question and there were some different suggestions. Ajda said we should focused on how does company x take an effort to reduce stress in their employees, but at the end we all agreed with Sonja that we should focuse on intensity of stress in different demanding jobs .

Decision: It was agreed that the most interesting about stress at work will be to research the intensity of stress in different demanding jobs in the company which we chosen. We will see whether workers that are employed as managers are more vulnerable to stress than workers in manufacturing in company x.

 

Item 2

 

Discussion: Ten working questions had to be done so we all discussed and decided wich questions will be the best for our research. Ajda and Anka  suggested some questions that we will use in the empirical part of our research and Barbara and Sonja suggested the questions for theoretical part of our research work.

Decision: We all agreed and formulated 10 working questions that are published in our Wiki page.

   

Item 3

 

Discussion:Sonja and Barbara had the task to find some books and articles about stress and depression and the other task was for Ajda and Anka to go to company x and get an agreement to carry out 4 interviews with different employees.

Decision: We then selected the most appropriate literature and write it down. Barbara found the Psychology for living- Adjustment, growth and behavior today , Stres pri delu, Research on work-related stress , Sonja found Psihologija bolezni našega časa and Stress at work- managment and prevention. Anka and Ajda got an agreement with company x and  started to write some questions for interviews.

 

Item 4

 

Discussion: Anka suggested that the next meeting is held on 24rd March at the FDV library.

Decision: We all agreed.

 

 

 

Minutes taker: Ajda

Chair: Barbara

 

 

Minutes of the 3rd meeting "Project based learning"

(The meeting was held on the 24th of March from 14.30 to 16.00 at the fdv library)

 

Present: Sonja, Anka, Barbara, Ajda

Absent: /

 

 

Agenda:

 

1. Action - item - up

2. Report writting (task destribution)

3. Any other business

 

 

Item 1

 

Discussion: We discussed if everyone finished their task. Barbara and Sonja reported that they found all the necessary literature for the report. Ajda and Anka also completed the interviews with the company x.

 

Item 2

 

Discussion: While planning our report by using a concept map Ajda suggested that we should divied in pairs.

Decision: We decided that Sonja and Barbara would write the introduction and the first part of the report. Anka and Ajda would interview the employees and write what they have investigated and the conclusion.

 

Item 3

 

Discussion:  Ajda suggested that the next meeting is held 10 days before the report deadline.

Decision:  We all agreed.

 

 

Minutes taker: Sonja

Chair: Ajda

 

Minutes of the 4th meeting "Project based learning"

(The meeting was held on the 1st of April 2010, from 18.00-19.00 at the FDV library)

PRESENT: Ajda, Anka, Barbara, Sonja

ABSENT: /

 

AGENDA:

1. Action –item follow up
2. Discussed and finished our survey questions
3. Discussed about progress linked with our task
4. Performed weekly task – make glossary
5. Any other business

 

ITEM 1:

DISCUSSION:  Barbara confirmed that we successfully corrected our mistakes from previous meeting in the required time. Then we discussed about a date when our research paper must be completed.

DECISON:  Ajda suggested that our work must be done till 5th of April. Which all members supported.

 

ITEM 2 :

DISCUSSION:  We were talking about our survey questions, suggested by Ajda andAnka.  Barbara and Sonja then added a few more proposals that they found very important for our project.  Further on we put together best 12 questions for the interview and 21 polls questions that we all agreed about. Then we send an email to prof. Ignjatovič. He reviewed our survey questions and corrected them. He also gave us some further guidance, that will help us to get better feedback and clearer picture about the problem Later Ajda and Barbara send the correct version to X company. 

DECISON:  We all agreed that as soon as we get back our polls, Ajda and Anka will write an empirical part, then we will compared their part with theoretical written by Barbara and Sonja. And then write the conclusions.

 

ITEM 3:

DISCUSSION:  We discussed about progressing our theoretical part that Barbaraand Sonja already working on. They presented their work so far and received some feedback from Ajda and Anka .

DECISION:Barbara and Sonja will use the corrections and suggestions that they get. Ajda and Anka will work on survey results and then deal very fast with empirical part.

 

ITEM 4:

DISCUSSION:  This week we are required to add a glossary and minutes for 4^th meeting on Wiki. We all agreed that since Ajda and Anka have a lot of work with survey, the glossary will be prepared by Barbara and Sonja.

DECISION:Barbara and Sonja will try to find a couple of phrases that can be very useful for our classmates and that we find very interesting.

 

ITEM 5:

Until next meeting we will have our project done and we will just discuss about possible mistakes and corrections. We will also discuss about the results and connections between empirical and theoretical part and then write our conclusions and end up with this project.

Sonja suggested that next meeting is held on 6^th April at Net Cafe.  

 

 

Minutes taker: Barbara 

Chair: Sonja 

 

 

Source:

Picture 1: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UfGnuCiwVws/R7CiDnc4kkI/AAAAAAAAAPE/dqnWBbGuBpk/s320/girl_sign.gif  ,( accessed on 2 March 2010 )

Picture 2 and 3:http://images.google.si/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/pha0093l.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/w/work_related_stress.asp&usg=__mvWK66F-rp68xjzIWdzF36MHls8=&h=400&w=335&sz=33&hl=sl&start=15&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=kwn6noStjhpiIM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dstress%2Bat%2Bwork%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dsl%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1, (accessed on 20 March 2010)

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