Subjective And Objective Methodology In Stress Management
An opening statement
Objective and subjective stress measures can be used to measure stress in occupational healthcare settings. Perrewe, Zellars, Frese, Zapf, and Schaubroeck (1998) disagreed, saying that subjective measures are better than objective measures. They also said it would be unrealistic, costly, and time-consuming to take into account subjective responses, which objective measurements can cover. I’d like to point out that subjective and objectivity are two important measures, which complement each other and shouldn’t be viewed in isolation (Frese & Zapf, 1999).
Objective measures are unable to provide a narrative or context for the raw data. Subjective measures can. I will argue that subjective methodology provides a context in which to understand the raw data and to develop new theories, but that subjective and objective measures are intended to be complementary of one another, with an emphasis on subjectivity measures providing insightful, practical information for which Industrial-Organisational psychologists can implement interventions on. Transactional Model Lazarus, in 1968, created a new model that was based upon the idea stress wasn’t strictly associated with a person or their environment. Instead, it occurs when a particular situation or setting is transacted between an individual and the environment.
This would be my interpretation of this idea: stress is an outcome that occurs when an environment, an objective variable and the perception of an individual are combined. Perrewe (1999) acknowledged the importance objective measures have in assessing stress at work, but also stated that subjective measures such a personal assessment of the situation or stressor and appraisals were crucial for determining a coping strategy. Workspaces have evolved. As workplaces become more open with hot-desking, the elimination of cubicles and a promotion of agile working environments, it is important to take into account the perspectives of employees to ensure the changes are beneficial to the people who work there. Agile working is becoming more popular, from the increasing number of mobile workspaces to the increasing types of workplaces (Keeling Clements Croome & Roesch (2015).
Keeling (2015) and his colleagues found that agile workplaces improved employee information control. Also, mobile employees showed a preference for privacy over those in office environments. Data collection can be expanded to include employee perceptions, which allows for a more in-depth understanding of the impact of office density on employees. Jegen and Chevret (2017, Jegen and Chevret) conducted surveys which found that open-plan workplaces were uncomfortable due to the lack or privacy and noise. If a company is looking out for its employees, it would be wise to listen to their opinions, not just cold empirical statistics about employee turnover or productivity.
Subjectivity has a complex nature. Schaubroeck (1999), for example, concluded that the subject measures were overly complex and overemphasized certain transitory state or particular events. Objective data is therefore best for long-term research. This assumes that stressors are universally perceived by all people. But how can you measure discrimination in the workplace? The perceptions of minority group employees could give valuable insights into the work culture and experience that might otherwise be missed when looking at the big picture. Should we measure discrimination objectively? I think the subjective nature of measures makes them valuable. We spend most of our time at work, so we want a workplace and company that values our uniqueness as individuals, including our emotions and our ability to navigate the environment. Daldy Bridget Poot Jacques Roskruge (2013, p. 3) investigated self reported discrimination in workplace based on interviews with New Zealanders.
ConclusionWithout subjective data, the story behind objective data and personal opinions is lost. I argue that subjective and objective measurements methods both provide unique perspectives in I-O research. I highlight that research must include both to get a comprehensive picture. But for the research to produce a complete picture, both are required. Subjectivity is used to color in the template of objectivity.
