| | DECEMBER 2020MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM9· Role Overload (RO): Extent to which work demands exceed resources and extent to which individual is able to accomplish workloads· Role Ambiguity (RA): Extent to which priorities, expectations, and evaluation criteria are clear· Role Boundary (RB): Extent to which individual is experiencing conflicting role demands and loyaltiesAccording to the OSI's normative data, only 2% of the population scored in the high stress range (>70) in these areas, yet for this team it was 26% for RO, 16% for RA, and 7% for RB). The analysis revealed close relationships between the three stressors RO, RA, and RB and that all three showed strong correlations with Vocational Strain. Vocational Strain (VS) is defined in the OSI as "The extent to which an individual is having problems in work quality or output and attitudes towards work." Ultimately, it was concluded that the combined stressors of Role Ambiguity (unclear roles, responsibilities, and expectations) and Role Boundary (conflicting role demands, decision makers, and loyalties) were driving Role Overload (demands exceed resources), which showed a strong relationship with vocational strain (Figure 1). Role overload, a major complaint of employees in the course of the interviews, was not a root cause, but rather an outcome of the combined impact of the other two primary stressors. The root cause factors of stress had been isolated. More powerful was the fact that the OSI analysis fully aligned with the core factors identified in the comprehensive analysis. Together, the integrated analysis enabled OD to prescribe precise recommendations towards returning the team to growth AND being a great place to work. Figure 1: Role Overload v. Vocational StrainThe failure to effectively manage employee stress can be catastrophic. Prolonged stress has been associated with depression, anxiety, violence, loneliness, panic, substance abuse, and personality problems. At work, increased absenteeism, health care costs, turnover, and interpersonal conflict, as well as reduced employee motivation and engagement can have a profound negative impact on productivity and profitability, increasing the risk of organizational `atrophy', and compromising competitive posture.Organizations, much like the human body, are dynamic open systems constantly assessing and adapting to and endless array of environmental stimuli, all of which requires energy ­ fiscal, physical, and psychological. To compete on a sustained basis and be successful, organizations must balance energy expenditure and renewal with regards to its human `fuel'. Just as health professionals utilize a variety of devices and tests to evaluate patient health and vitality by detecting and diagnosing potential threats, organizations will increasingly come to depend on a specialized OD capability empowered by a technologically driven `sensor suite' to continuously monitor performance and health, diagnose conditions, and prescribe `treatments' to ensure vitality, sustainability and a strong competitive stance for the future. To compete on a sustained basis and be successful, organizations must balance energy expenditure and renewal with regards to its human `fuel'
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