Management and Leadership: Workplace Stress Case Study Analysis

This report analyzes the case study 'Over The Edge,' focusing on the impact of workplace stress on an employee, Simpson, and the subsequent consequences. The report explores how factors such as discrimination, lack of recognition, and inadequate management response contributed to Simpson's stress, leading to a drastic change in his behavior. The analysis incorporates relevant theories, including transactional and interactional theories of stress, and the Job Demand Control theory, to understand the psychological and organizational dynamics at play. Stakeholder perspectives, including those of the company owner and the affected employee, are considered. The report provides recommendations for mitigating workplace stress, such as improving employee recognition, addressing discrimination, and enhancing transparency in company policies. An action plan outlines steps the organization could take, along with an evaluation of the associated risks and consequences. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of proactive measures to prevent employee distress and promote a healthier work environment.

Running head: ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOURS
ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOURS
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Executive summary
This report has discuss various facets of the workplace stress and how this can lead an
employee to choose the other of crime to avenge his loss. The workplace stress factors
especially the discrimination on the basis of position and efficacy in the company, have
affected the career of Simpson who gradually became the victim of stress. Without being
properly treated by the management the victim has shown insurgency against the company
and faced ultimate devastation. This report has described the case study and implemented
proper theories to recommend some measures.

2ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOURS
Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................3
Contextualisation of the case study to your chosen concept analysis:.......................................3
Concept identification aligned with relevant theoretical underpinnings:...................................3
Stakeholder perspectives:...........................................................................................................3
Critical analysis connecting and synthesising theory to the case study:....................................4
Recommendations:.....................................................................................................................5
Action plan and evaluation of risks and consequences:.............................................................6
References:.................................................................................................................................7

3ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOURS
Introduction:
The aim of this report is to discuss the effect of workplace stress on the growth of the
employees as well as in developing a positive workplace culture. The employees when get ful
support from the organization, can remove stress and get motivated for working in that
organization with more attachment (Osibanjo et al., 2016). This report will discuss the case
study mentioned and detail the stakeholder perspective in the issue. This report will also
judge the factors under the light of different theories. The report will conclude with the action
plan as recommendation.
Contextualisation of the case study to your chosen concept analysis:
The case namely ‘Over The Edge’, has detailed the issues of changing nature of a
polite and dependable person to a criminal due to the work place stress.it is mentioned in the
case study that the work stress can put pressure on the psychology of a person to such extent
that he or she can even die. In this case, the incident can be analysed from both the
perspectives of the organisation as well as the victim Simpson.
Concept identification aligned with relevant theoretical underpinnings:
The concept of workplace stress can be related with the transactional theories of work
related stress and interactional theories of stress both of which relates to the fact that the
stress in the workplaces do not only affect the career of a highly skilled employee but also
lead him to be a psychopath gradually (Seaward, 2017).
Stakeholder perspectives:
In this case study, the entire course of event revolves round the actions taken by the
company owner of Walter Rossler and the employee Simpson. In addition to these, the
stakeholders of this case also include four people along with the owner of the company itself
who were killed in the process.

4ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOURS
Critical analysis connecting and synthesising theory to the case study:
In this particular case, the organisational perspective can be detailed that the policy of
providing trainings to the employees for enhancing their capabilities leads the company
invest more for the employees which was also done in case of Simpson. The company paid
1900 USD as the training cost for Simpson against which he agreed not to leave the company
before three years. However, the organisation could not get the money back from Simpson
nor it get the opportunity to properly utilise the skills of Simpson as he quit the job breaking
the agreement. From the perception of Simpson, it can be stated that the company had
policies to enhance the employee skills through training proves but do not respect their efforts
and do not allow them to enter the office from front door.
As found out in the transactional theory of work stress, the wok environment can be a
stressor for the employee (Thirumaleswari & Ragothaman, 2015). For Simpson, this process
of protesting against the discriminating behaviour of the company led him to think unvalued
for the organisation. This affected his psychosocial needs which affected his respect. The Job
Demand Control theory supposes that that the work related stress result from the interaction
among psychological job demand related to workload can like cognitive and emotional
demand and interpersonal conflicts. In addition to this, the frustration that Simpson could not
change his course of life by entering another company to work.
The interactional theories of stress can emphasis on the interaction and responses as
the foundation of stress (Blackwood et al. 2017). Thus, these factors had created negative
effect in the mind of Simpson therefore finding no other way he gradually became
psychological patient and found way for avenging his suffering.

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Recommendations:
This case is not only a matter of workplace stress and leaving of employee but it is the
action that led a person to engage in criminal activity and murder. In order to reduce or
eliminate the workplace stress, the company first need to enhance recognition process of the
employees (Noblet & Lamontagne, 2016). When an employee is provided with all the
facilities for his efforts and recognition for his contribution, he feels motivated. In case of
Simpson, the company could have replace the policy of entering from the backdoor and
valley their employees as they do the managers or secretaries.
Secondly, the company can properly attend the whistle blower by handling the
feedback against discrimination in no time. If the company wanted to mitigate the issue it
could have arrange a meeting and convince Simpson for the reason of having such policy.
Had it been done properly, the gap in communication about the policy did not make him feel
deprived and may not lead to this situation.
Thirdly, the company can shifts it focus on the transparency on the policies in the
workplace. Wherever a new recruitment enters the job, they should have proper
understanding of the policies of the company (Richardson, 2017). Therefore, the employees
will not create any issues when they get the clear answer from the authority regarding any
gap.
Finally, the negative reference process must be abolished so that the career of an
employee who could not match himself with the organisational values, may not get affected.
There were other methods to get the fund back from Simpson but the owner of the company
Walter Rossler did not follow that method and doomed all of the people associated with it.
Action plan and evaluation of risks and consequences:
Actions by organisation Risks Consequences

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Taking positive and caring image for
the employees irrespective of their
positions
It can make
management
implement new
polices
The employees will have a
feeling of enhanced self
esteem
Improved morale though trainings
and providing opportunities
Investment in
training and
learning process
Employees will have an
engaging relationship with
the organisation and feel
motivated to work
Supportive feedback system The organisation
need to employ time
and resources for
receiving feedback
processing those
and take measures
on the basis of that
The issues of the
organisation will be clearly
pointed out by the
employees which will be
managed with time. It will
enhance employee retention
process.

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References:
Blackwood, K., Bentley, T., Catley, B., & Edwards, M. (2017). Managing workplace
bullying experiences in nursing: the impact of the work environment. Public Money
& Management, 37(5), 349-356.
Noblet, A., & Lamontagne, A. (2016). Creating healthy workplaces. Final report: reducing
workplace stress.
Osibanjo, O., Salau, O. P., Falola, H., & Oyewunmi, A. E. (2016). Workplace stress:
implications for organizational performance in a Nigerian public university. Business:
Theory and Practice, 17, 261.
Richardson, K. M. (2017). Managing employee stress and wellness in the new
millennium. Journal of occupational health psychology, 22(3), 423.
Seaward, B. L. (2017). Managing stress. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Thirumaleswari, T., & Ragothaman, C. B. (2015). Employeeengagement amediator for
managing occupational stress among women nurses a study with special reference to
selected hospitals in kanchipuram district. Journal on Management Studies, 1(2).