EFFECTS OF STRESS ON LECTURERS PERFORMANCE

ABSTRACT
This paper examined the effects of stress on lecturers academic performance a case study of lecturers in Federal College of Education Pankshin. The research design adopted in this research work is the survey research design. A structured questionnaire validated by experts in business education was used as an instrument for data collection. The population for the study consists of the some selected lecturers in the College. The findings of the research work support the findings of a similar study on educational sector of Pakistan conducted by Usman Basher and Muhammad Ismail which showed that stress signifincently reduce the performance of an individual. Stress is considered rising and has become challenge for the employer and because high level stress is results in low productivity, increased absenteeism and collection to other employee problems like alcoholism, drug abuse, hypertension and host of cardiovascular problems (Meneze2005).Personality factors have shown inclination towards stress, anxiety, and other occupational health outcomes in different areas of medicine, and these factors may contribute to feelings of job dissatisfaction and stress (Michie and Williams 2003).Thus it was recommended that employer should proactively minimize stress by providing adequate administrative support to lecturers; Increasing employment, Training and retraining through organized programmes focusing on how to manage stress, Optimize work load, effectively manage expectations, minimize relationship and role conflict, Provision of medical services to enable lecturers regularly go for general medical checkup, deploy adequate reward system and provide adequate training and counseling to lecturers in order to improve their job performance and job satisfaction.

TABLE OF CONTENT
COVER PAGE – – – – – – – – – – i
TITLE PAGE – – – – – – – – – – ii
DECLARATION – – – – – – – – – iii
APPROVAL PAGE – – – – – – – – – iv
DEDICATION – – – – – – – – – – v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT – – – – – – – – vi
ABSTRACT – – – – – – – – – – vii
TABLE OF CONTENT – – – – – – – – – viii-x

CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION- – – – – – – – – 1
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY- – – – – – 1
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM- – – – – – 3
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY- – – – – – – 4
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS- – – – – – – – 5
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY – – – – – 5
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY – – – – – – – 6
1.7 LIMITATION(S) OF THE STUDY – – – – – – 6
1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS – – – – 6

CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 INTRODUCTION- – – – – – – – – 7
2.1 ORIGIN, TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITION OF STRESS- – – 7
2.2 NATURE OF STRESS- – – – – – – – 9
2.3 STRESS PROCESS OR RESPONSE STAGES- – – – – 12
2.4 TYPES OF STRESS- – – – – – – – 13
2.5 CAUSES OR SOURCES OF STRESS AT WORK – – – – 15
2.6 SYMPTOMS AND EFFECTS OF STRESS ON EMPLOYEES PRODUCTIVITY – – – – – – – – 21
2.7 THE IMPACT OF STRESS ON THE ORGANISATION – – – 23
2.8 THE IMPACT OF STRESS ON PRODUCTIVITY – – – – 29
2.9 MANAGING STRESS – – – – – – – – 33
2.10 SUMMARY – – – – – – – – – – 35
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 INTRODUCTION – – – – – – – – 36
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN – – – – – – – – 36
3.2 POPULATION – – – – – – – – – 36
3.3. SAMPLING TECHNIQUES – – – – – – – 37
3.4 INSTRUMENT FOR DATA COLLECTION – – – – 37
3.5 VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF INSTRUMENT – – – 37
3.6 PROCEDURE FOR DATA COLLECTION – – – – – 37
3.7 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS – – – – – – 37

CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION OF DATA AND ANALYSIS
4.1 PRESENTATION OF PRELIMINARY DATA – – – – 40
4.2 ANALYSIS OF QUESTIONNAIRE – – – – – – 41
4.3 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS – – – – – – – 47
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 SUMMARYOF FINDINGS – – – – – – – 49
5.2 CONCLUSION – – – – – – – – – 50
5.3 RECOMMENDATION – – – – – – – – 50
REFERENCES – – – – – – – – – 51
APPENDIX I – – – – – – – – – – 54
APPENDIX II – – – – – – – – – – 55

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Back ground to the study:
The significance of education is not to be over emphasized; it stands to be a major factor and an important tool for human, social and economic development in any country most especially in Nigeria. The educational sector is a fast-paced, dynamic and highly stimulating environment which brings a large number of benefits and opportunities to those who work within it. The ever-changing demands of the world of education can increase levels of stress, especially for those who are consistently working under pressure such as lecturers, professors etc. Whilst pressure has its positive side in raising performance, if such pressure becomes excessive it can lead to stress which has negative consequences (Issa, et al. 2009; Al-khasawneh and Futa, 2013; Santiago, 2003).
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 6th Edition, stress could among other things, refer to pressure, tension or worries arising from problematic situations in an individual’s life. Where the incidence of such stress is traceable to a job or work situation, it is known as job stress (Narayanan et al 1999). As Narayanan et al (1999) further observed that job stress could in fact be identified with almost any aspect of a job or work situation such as extremes of heat, noise and light, or too much or too little responsibility etc. According to Irene (2005) job stress is a pattern of reactions that occurs when workers are presented with work demands that are not matched to their knowledge, skills or abilities, and which challenge their ability to cope. It is evident from this Irene’s definition that job stress is mostly associated with under-employment.
Lassa (1998), opined that the teacher is the key man in the entire educational program, the first of the educational process and the custodian of whatever ideals and values the society expects their children to learn in schools. Stress at work is a relatively new phenomenon of modern lifestyles. According to Beheshtifar and Nazarian (2013), it is an unavoidable consequence of modern living. The nature of work has gone through drastic changes over the last century and it is still changing at whirlwind speed. They have touched almost all professions, starting not just from the teacher but also from an artist to a surgeon, or from a commercial pilot to a sales executive. With change comes stress, inevitably. In most cases, job stress is attributable to negative situations such as a formal reprimand by one’s superior for poor performance.
Beheshtifar and Nazarian (2013) submit that stress is much more common in employees at lower levels of workplace hierarchies because they have less control over their work situation. However, pleasant circumstances could also bring about job stress, such as job promotion and transfer to another location. Job stress has attracted considerable attention in recent times especially within the context or organisational behaviour (Kazmi et al 2008; Shahu and Gole 2008; Nilufar et. al. 2009).
According to Robbins and Sanghi (2006) “A dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity, constraints, or demand related to what he or she desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important.” stress is an increasing problem in organizations and often cause adverse effects on performance. According to Kahn and Quinn (1970) “stress is the outcome of facet of the assigned work role that caused harmful effect for individual. Occupational stress is considered as harmful factor of the work environment.” It also has unpleasant effects on health of an individual as David (1998) contributed “it can also be labeled as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs
Job stress can lead to poor health and even injury.” According to ILO (1986)“It is recognized world-wide as a major challenge to individual mental and physical health, and organizational health.” Although stress includes both good and bad aspects but it is not necessarily bad. Robbins and sanghi (2006) also contributed “stress is typically discussed in a negative context, it also has a positive value. It is an opportunity when offers a potential gain.” Rubina et at., (2008) contributed the same “Stress is not always negative or harmful and indeed, the absence of stress is death.” But it still has destructive impact on employee performance. Most research findings suggest that when an individual comes under stress, his cognitive performance and decision-making may be adversely affected. Kazmi et al (2008) investigated the effect of job stress on job performance and found that there is a negative relationship between job stress and job performance. Shahu and Gole (2008) inquired if there was any relationship between job performance, job satisfaction and job stress and found that higher stress levels are related to lower performance.
Sabir and Helge (2003) note that the major changes that have been implemented in the financial sector have caused major negative effects on workers’ working and personal lives. Santiago (2003) examined the negative effects of internal stress on police performance and found that the negative stress that often results from organisational settings through poor management can be debilitating.
According to Usman and ismail (2010)“One of the affected outcomes of stress is on job performance.” so it needs to be studied. Therefore there is the need to examine critically, the nature and effect of stress on lecturers’ academic performance before suggesting ways by which the management could deal with it and this is the main thing this study is addressing.
1.2 Statement of the Problem:
The stress among lecturers in higher institutions of learning has been hovering for many years. But management did not take it up seriously and considered the solution as soft. In recent times, it has become a common phenomenon to read, hear or witness incidents of stress on lecturers. The training of undergraduates is carried out by lecturers. Therefore, these training processes should be efficiently and effectively done so as to avoid sending in quacks into the society and of course, occupational stress has a significant impact on students’ learning and thereby on the contribution that such institution can make to society. Such impact may affect organizational performance by reducing productivity and efficiency which affects the organization negatively.
The current turbulent Nigerian educational sector requires lecturers and managements to reexamine their practices. Teaching is an inherently stressful profession with long working hours and schedules, serious competition, ethical dilemmas, regulatory bottlenecks and difficult students. Sharma, et al. (2010) opine that people in human service profession, such as teaching, are often required to spend considerable time in intense involvement with other people and when students’ problems are not solved immediately, the situation may become more ambiguous and frustrating for lecturers.
In light of the overall challenges of stress on the lecturers in Colleges of Education and other tertiary institution this study is set out to examine the effects of stress on the Academic Performance of Lecturers in Federal College of Education Pankshin.
1.3 Purpose of the Study:
The main purpose of the study is to examine the effect of stress on the academic performance of lecturers in Federal College of Education Pankshin, Plateau state Nigeria.
Specifically, this study will seek to:
i. Assess the factors responsible for stress among lecturers of Federal College of Education Pankshin.
ii. Find out the effects and nature of stress among lecturers of Federal College of Education Pankshin.
iii. Find out what measures can remove stress among lecturers of Federal College of Education Pankshin.
1.4 Research Questions:
The study will answer the following questions:
i. What are the factors responsible of stress among lecturers of Federal College of Education Pankshin.
ii. What are the effects and nature of stress among lecturers of Federal College of Education Pankshin.
iii. What measures can be taken to remove stress among lecturers of Federal College of Education Pankshin.
1.5 Research Hypotheses:
The following hypotheses will be tested in this study:
H0: Stressful workload does not have a significant negative impact on lecturer’s academic performance.
H1: Job stress does not have a significant negative impact on lecturer’s academic performance.
H2: Provision of medical services does not have a significant negative impact on lecturer’s performance.
1.6 Significance of the Study:
This study when completed will be of great benefits to the following: Lecturers, the management of the institution, human resource management, students and other researchers.
1. Lecturers: In regards to lecturers/teachers standard control, standard condition, standard performance and scheduling or action plan, this study will provide them with platform for discussion on the concept of the effect of stress on their academic performance as lecturers.
2. The Management of the institution: The management of Federal college of education Pankshin, will find it very relevant since it will establish the direct relationship between stress and lecturers academic performance.
3. Human resource management, such as Federal and State Ministries of Education, State teachers Board (STB), Primary Education Commission Board and other stakeholders in the education industry. All these will find the research work useful and which will be relevant as a tool for effectiveness and efficiency for lecturers and teachers’ productivity.
4. The Students: As it will expose them to knowing the effect of stress on their performance even as students or undergraduates.
5. Researchers: It would be a source for further research. Hence the study will add to existing store of knowledge where findings will add to studies that have been done so that people all over the world may appreciate the problem. It will also provide suggestions on how to reduce the effects of stress on lecturers productivity.

1.7 Scope of the Study
This study is limited to the effect of stress on the academic performance of lecturers in Federal College of Education Pankshin, Plateau state, Nigeria. The college is made up of seven schools and 23 departments the total number of lecturers from their various departments is estimated to be about 365.
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms
• Effect: Anything produced by an agency, cause results or consequences.
• Stress: It is simply a reaction to a stimulus that disturbs our physical or mental equilibrium status.
• Performance: The accomplishment of a given task measured against present known standards of accuracy, completeness, cost and speed.
• Institution of Learning: An institution dedicated for learning in various disciplines.
• Agent of Social Transformation: An individual who brings about a large scale social change as in cultural reforms or transformation.
• Economic Growth and Development: A country’s increase in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Professionalism: This is the conduct, aims or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person.
• Professional Training: is learning to earn or maintain professional credentials such as academic degree to formal course work, conferences and informal opportunities situated in practice.
• Productivity: This refers to an increase in efficiency and effectiveness and the rate at which duties, assignments, works or daily routines are performed in an organization.
• Human Resource Management: A process or planning, organizing, directing and controlling or the procurement, development and training, compensation, integration, maintaining and separation of human resources to the end that individuals or organizational and social objectives are accomplished.
• Teacher education: it is the aspect of education that undertakes the training development and production of professional teachers.
• Efficiency: It is the ability to utilize scarce resources to the maximum satisfaction of human wants from the limited available resources.
• Quality Assurance and Control: It involves inspection, analysis and action to bring about the required change in an organization.