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Examples: An overloaded worker forms a group of overloaded co-
workers, consults with experts, surveys the workload of people doing
similar jobs, and then talks to the management. A person working
under poor management--micromanaging or incompetence--goes to a
higher level of management and asks for more decision-making
authority to speed things up (and to make the job more challenging
and interesting). In low paying companies employees can come
together and ask for higher pay, a system of bonuses, and/or less
required over-time. When relations are strained and distant, the
authors recommend that worker get together to discuss ways to make
it better and build team spirit. If some are over-paid and some under-
paid, workers can suggest establishing a representative task force to
devise a merit-based reward system. If unethical behavior, such as
lying or undue pressure to make a sale, is company-policy or if the
financial records are dishonest, a significant group of unhappy
employees can make a difference. Workers who are trying together to
improve conditions are less likely to burnout than workers who just
quietly grumble. Not all problems can be solved, so getting more
training and moving out may become options.
Another well-written book by Reinhold (1997) takes a similar
approach, namely, making the work environment less toxic via a
rather self-therapeutic approach she calls VITAL (Vision/values,
Intelligence, Touch/training, Attitude, and Love). Some reviewers felt
the descriptions of the problems were superior to the prescriptions of
solutions. Wyatt & Hare (1997) define "work abuse" as the flagrant
mistreatment or silent neglect of people. They deal with dehumanizing
interactions at work that destroy self-esteem--discrimination,
harassment, scapegoating, denial of fair treatment and just simply
neglecting people and treating them as if they were unimportant.
Wyatt & Hare think many of these situations can perhaps only be dealt
with by governmental/court solutions. Some have described this book
as a tool kit for union leaders.
There are books that take a change-yourself approach to problems
at work--actually there are hundreds of them if you include the stacks
and stacks of motivational/inspirational stuff in bookstores
everywhere. A book by Greene (2002) is motivational especially for
people who lack confidence or have their confidence easily shaken. He
focuses on helping you acquire the master skill of how to develop
various skills. In doing this, he encourages creativity and looking for
the resources each person has. Another book by Berglas (2001), a
clinical psychologist, concentrates on a special population, mostly well-
educated, well-paid, successful professionals hitting middle-age. He
speaks of success-induced burnout; some cut back on their workload,
some change careers, some change life-style (e.g. using drugs), some
are just unhappy and don't know what to do. Berglas seems to do a
better job analyzing the low motivation and self-handicapping
behaviors of these people than he does recommending sound solutions
to their situations. Lastly, Ravicz (1998) advocates another approach
primarily for women. She provides exercises, often making the work
situation more challenging, to convert "bad stress" into "good stress."
As mentioned in the section below on anxiety, women may
