GLS
Consulting, Inc.
One striking aspect of the results is that men reported experiences similar to those of women, though they expressed them a bit less emphatically. Men with children in particular responded very similarly to women regarding the valuable characteristics of their workplaces, and the features of their workplaces that create distress and negatively impact their lives. Overall, respondents said that the most valuable job characteristics are:
· satisfaction in accomplishments (cited as important by 89% of the sample);
· the ability to learn and grow quickly (cited as important by 81%);
· having skilled and knowledgeable co-workers (cited as important by 80%);
· autonomy and independence (cited as important by 77%);
· collaboration and teamwork (cited as important by 74%); and
· the freedom to be creative (cited as important by 71% of the sample).
The characteristics of the workplace that were identified as creating difficulty and distress for respondents were:
· poor planning and communication (62% of respondents cited this as important);
· uncertainty about the future (56% cited this as important);
· poor infrastructure and support (54% cited this as important);
· lack of recognition (52% cited this as important);
· inexperienced leadership (49% cited this as important);
· stress and deadline pressure (46% cited this as important); and
· turbulent environment (46% of respondents cited this as important).
Nearly 60% of respondents said that workplace stress negatively impacts their lives, as they do not have enough emotional strength and energy left for life outside of work. They reported workplace stress as having an impact on various aspects of their lives, e.g.:
· 56% of respondents reported not having the time and energy to pay attention to themselves
· 46% reported not having the time and energy for friends or community activities
· 44% reported no time and energy for social life/dating and
· 40% reported a strain on their marriage or significant relationships.
Thus respondents reported that their jobs have left them with insufficient energy for their social lives outside of work; more than half reported adverse effects on their ability to focus on themselves, and a smaller subset reported adverse effects on their significant relationships.
The survey also addressed the strategies men and women typically use to cope with work stress. Many of the respondents reported that they use strategies that allow them to rely on themselves rather than others:
· 65% of respondents reported relying on their own competence;
· 62% said they rely on their judgment and self-confidence;
· 61% said they rely on their humor; and
· 50% said they seek to enhance their skills through constant learning.
Only 23% reported using the help of mentors to cope with job stress, and only 33% reported confronting the source of stress with co-workers and supervisors. 50% reported seeking the company of others who understand and support them, but from the other strategies reported it is unlikely that this support was found in supervisors or management.
Despite the high level of stress reported, 67% of respondents reported seldom thinking about leaving their jobs. Perhaps many people are responding to the stress in their lives by readjusting their expectations, and hunkering down in their organizations. The reasons people most frequently gave for staying at their jobs were related to positive job characteristics rather than to their positions on the corporate ladder. 62% reported staying in part because their job offered the opportunity to increase skills and experience, 61% because their job offered exciting and challenging work, and 56% because of flexibility in schedule and place of work. Only 23% reported that they stayed in their job because of advancement opportunities.
Over 30% of the people in the sample, however, did report that they were either searching for a new job or thinking frequently of leaving. People who think about looking elsewhere seemed focused on advancement opportunities rather than job characteristics. When asked to rate various specific characteristics that tempt them to leave, 63% of people reported financial considerations, and 47% reported advancement possibilities. A subset of respondents said they were looking for less stressful jobs: 37% reported being tempted by the hope for greater stability and less stress, and 24% hoped to escape the 24/7 lifestyle. Respondents’ answers to these specifically worded survey questions, however, are only part of the story about the reasons people frequently consider leaving their companies. Other relevant findings are reported in connection with a broader discussion of work stress.
Commonalities and differences among men and women
Our analysis of the results of the 2000 survey of women led us to suggest that the experiences of women at that time might be a harbinger for what both men and women in new economy companies would experience in the future. What surprised us in the 2002 survey is how similarly women and men did respond (particularly the men with children). Men tended to respond somewhat less emphatically than women, but answered the survey questions in essentially the same way. Both men and women reported high levels of stress, and described similar positive and negative job characteristics; they both reported having little time or emotional energy for life outside of work.
Women were significantly more likely than men to report that gender-related obstacles have been a source of stress in their current jobs. Women were more likely than men to seek out those in the workplace that understood and supported them. Men were more likely than women to cite rapid advancement and workplace flexibility as positive characteristics of their current jobs. Other differences between men and women emerged, but many of these differences disappeared for men with children.
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