GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT

This study was to assess the organisational measures put in place by the workers and management of Wake Forest University to manage stress. The research design for this study is a survey research design. The area of this study is Wake Forest University. The population of the study consists of all the staff of Wake Forest University. The respondents in the study consisted of 1208 teaching staff and 830 non-teaching staff. These were obtained through a proportionate stratified sampling technique, which was used in selecting respondents because it enhances effective representation of the samples from each segment on reaction to the problem. The sample of 212 respondents was derived the popular sampling techniques called “sample fraction” which borders on a sizeable number of population of the study. The researcher will develop one instrument tagged "Work Stress and Organizational Performance Questionnaire" (WSOPQ). The instrument was face and contents validated, which was done by the researcher’s supervisor. One expert from test, measurement, and evaluation also helped in validating the instrument. A Crombach Alpha technique was used to determine the reliability of the instrument (WSOPQ), using 20 respondents who did not form part of the main study were selected and the instrument administered to them. Data collected from the respondents was subjected to a reliability test, and it produced a reliability coefficient of 0.72 to 0.85. The study concluded that stress has become an integral part of the academic scholars and lecture. Academic scholars have increased the level of stress among the lectures in Wake Forest University. An optimal level of stress can be a source of positive motivation to succeed. Work stress changes one’s physical or mental state in response to a workplace that pose an appraised challenge or threat. Identifying the signs of stress, this is due to the rise of globalisation and competitors from various institutions of which Wake Forest University is not excluded. Therefore, the causes of work stress include perceived loss of job, and security, sitting for long periods of time or heavy lifting, lack of safety, complexity of repetitiveness and lack of autonomy in the job. In addition, work stress is caused by job in satisfaction, job overload, lack of equipment to carry out the job and organizational climate. One of the recommendations made was that government should focus on how to minimize work stress so that academic scholars and lecture can improve their performances in Wake Forest University.

KEYWORDS: Stress Management Measures, Staff, Wake Forest University and North Carolina