Assessment of Stressors and Response to Stress in the Electronic Workplace :

1
Assessment of Stressors and Response to Stress in
the Electronic Workplace Testing the Validity
and Reliability of a Questionnaire Bharatan, R.,
Harman, K., Putnam, C., Rehman, L., Fenety, A.,
Schools of Physiotherapy Health and Human
Performance, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova
Scotia, B3H 3J5.
INTRODUCTION
DATA ANALYSIS
eJSWQ STRUCTURE
Research in the traditional office environment
has revealed negative health outcomes associated
with work-related stress 3. The two main
theories of work stress describe a need for a
balance between demand and control, or effort and
reward to create a healthy environment46.
Existing tools based on these theories do not
measure stressors unique to the modern electronic
office15. The electronic work place we are
particularly interested in are the call
centers. To study the link between stress and
health in the electronic workplace, a new work
stress-health outcome tool based on the theories
of job stress was developed. This research is
important because understanding the work
stress-health relationship can inform workplace
policy development to alleviate the detrimental
effects of stress on the worker and the
organization.

• The data from the focus groups were recorded and
  notes from the participants were used for
  questionnaire revision.
• Hypothesis testing
• Principal component analysis (varimax rotation)
  was used to determine stable factors (validity
  and reliability) describing work stressors.
• Test -retest reliability of stable factors was
  determined using the intra class correlation
  coefficient internal consistency tested using
  Cronbachs alpha.
• Test re-test reliability was also examined for
  each questionnaire item.
• To study the relationship between stress at work
  and health outcomes, Pearson Product Correlation
  Coefficient was used between stable factors and
  representative health outcome scores.
• SPSS was used for all statistical analyses.

• This is a 150 item questionnaire divided into 3
  sections.
• Demographic Section
• Job Stressors Section
• Health Outcomes Section.
• The questionnaire is scored using a Likhert scale
  and satisfaction/distress scale (see below).

SUMMARY
DEMOGRAPHIC SECTION
Hypothesis 1 eJSWQ is a valid tool. Content
validity Factor analysis revealed 6 factors in
the stressors section Three of these met the
criteria of internal consistency. Hypothesis 2
eJSWQ is a reliable tool. Two of the three
factors were test retest reliable. The test
retest reliability of all the items showed 12
items unreliable and 138 items reliable.
Hypothesis 3 eJSWQ can be used to study the
relationship between stress at work and health
outcomes. Performance Monitoring - significant
low negative correlation with anxiety and coping
with stress. Emotional factor - significant
moderate positive correlation with being sad at
work. Significant low positive correlation -
other health items (except for the general sense
of well being and the use of over the counter
prescription drugs). The results showed to
correspond with the literature12456 on
stressors on call center workers and the
effects of these stressors on their health.
Consists of 20 questions that address issues such
as age, number of children or dependents, level
of education, citizenship status, gender, ethnic
background. The purpose of job specific section
is to capture the working conditions of the
employee. Example questions 1.Usually how many
hours do you work at this job in a typical
week? 2.How long is a typical shift for you?
RESULTS
Principal Component Analysis

• Six factors were revealed, their themes were
• Physical
• Performance Monitoring
• Emotional

JOB STRESSORS SECTION

• Environment
• Control
• Respect and Accomplishment

Consists of 80 items. Combining best elements
of both theories that suit the electronic work
place, questions were constructed around ten
constructs of stress. The idea is that there
needs to be a balance between the stressors to
maintain a healthy work environment.
Reliability of the six factors
Correlation analyses
Questionnaire Response Scale
In addition to the above hypothesis testing, we
examined the correlation between scores on the
two response scales for an individual item. The
analyses revealed interesting results with items
that did not form stable factors. 1.Environment
(air quality, lighting noise level) 2.Respect
and accomplishment (respect from supervisors,
coworkers, accomplishment) 3.Control (unreliable
systems breaks) For example when the items
that formed the control factor were correlated
with the distress scale. Dealing with unreliable
equipment was not seen frequently but it caused
distress among the call center employees.
PURPOSE
Test Re-Test Reliability
The purpose of this study was to validate and
test the reliability of the e-job Stressors and
Wellness Questionnaire (e-JSWQ).
Only three factors were reliable F1, F2 and F3
reliable (Alphagt0.05) Test retest of all the
items in the questionnaire 138/150 reliable
(Alphagt0.05) 12 items unreliable.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
The development of eJSWQ is still not complete.
The correlation analyses between scores on the
two response scales informed us of items that did
not form a factor as stressors in electronic
workplace. We will re-examine the items that did
not contribute towards factor, and add or
re-write questions to enhance our ability to
probe regarding particular job stressors. Addition
al analyses can be conducted between stable
factors and demographic and health items. We
believe that this questionnaire will be useful
for employees and employers to identify
stressors that may contribute to employee
illness, absenteeism, decreased productivity and
unnecessary turnover.
HEALTH OUTCOMES SECTION
HYPOTHESES

• There are 40 items covering health concerns such
  as general health, changes in daily activities
  (e.g., eating, sleeping problems, level of
  exercise), mental health (e.g., depression,
  anxiety, work related stress, job satisfaction)
  musculoskeletal health and pain.
• Sample questions
• The number of cigarettes I smoke per day.
• During the last four weeks I have noticed a
  change in amount of regular exercise I engage
  in.
• I have felt extremely anxious
• Questions from this section were adapted from
  Canadian National Population Health Survey and
  Nordic Pain Survey

Sample of Correlation Analyses between Stable
Factors and Health Outcomes

• To test if the e-job Stressors and Wellness
  Questionnaire (eJSWQ)
• is a reliable and valid tool, and
• can be used to study the relationship between
  stress at work and health outcomes among workers
  in electronic work place.

METHODOLOGY
REFERENCES 1 Fenety, A., Putnam, C., Loppie.C
(1999). Self reported health determinants in
female call center tele-operators A qualitative
analysis. Advances in Occupational Ergonomics and
Safety.11 219-224. 2 Hochschild, A.R. (1979).
Emotion work, feeling rules and social structure.
American Journal of Sociology 85(3) 551-575. 3
Huang, D., G., Feuerstein, M., Sauter, L., S.
(2002) Occupational stress and work related upper
extremity disorders Concepts and models.
American Journal of Industrial Medicine 41
298-314 4 Karasek, R., Brisson, C., Kawakami,
N., Houtman, I., Bongers, P., Amick, B. (1998).
The job content questionnaire (JCQ) An
instrument for comparative assessments of
psychosocial job characteristics. Journal of
Occupational Health Psychology. 3(4) 322-355. 5
Putnam, C., Fenety, A., Loppie, C. (2000).
Who's on the line? Women in call centers talk
about their work and its impact on their health
and well-being. In, Maritime Centre of Excellence
for Women's Health (Ed.). A Portrait of Women's
Health in Atlantic Canada. 6 Siegrist, J.
(1996). Adverse health effects of
high-effort/low-reward conditions. Journal of
Occupational Health Psychology, 1(1) 27-41.
Design
This is a mixed methods study conducted in three
phases. Phase I Both men and women currently
employed in local call centers were recruited for
two focus groups. They were recruited by word of
mouth and posters. The two focus groups (n7)
examined the questionnaire for content, clarity,
presentation and readability. Phase II
Modifications were made to the questionnaire and
the final version was used for field testing.
Phase III The questionnaire was administered on
site at two call centers to 240 call center
operators twice in an interval of two weeks using
a test-retest design. The inclusion criteria was
to be employed at their current job for at least
6 months.
DATA SET
Phase I Results from the first focus group
(n3) were used to modify the questionnaire and
was further tested in the second focus group
(n4). Phase II The final version was used for
field testing. Phase III Questionnaire testing
was conducted from December 2002 to March
2003. A sample of 240 was used for the
questionnaire testing
Acknowledgements This research was supported by
the Social Sciences Humanities Research Council.