Stress, Wellness, and Performance Optimization

This volume examines the intertwined concepts of stress, performance, and wellness and offers insight and strategies for providing support to individuals and organizations for effective performance optimization. The book considers new constructs in the area of organizational stress and provides a comprehensive review of wellness as well as performance aspects, offering unique perspectives and empirical findings.

The book first discusses organizational constraints and summarizes the many factors within workplaces that negate effective job performance (disruptions, lack of supplies, equipment, or training, etc.). It discusses well-being interventions, giving practical examples that combine theory and practice. The moderating effect of situation-specific support is considered as is the role of family and spirituality in creating resilience in leadership and organizations in different cultural contexts. New technology, such as wearable devices and computer-based software applications, are considered, highlighting their potential to provide employers with guidance as to how they can enable their employees to self-manage their wellness and productivity.

Other topics include anxiety habit loops ―how they are formed, their debilitating impact, and various strategies that can break these dysfunctional habit loops and replace them with more functional and constructive habits, better leading to reduced anxiety, stronger mental well-being and resilience; measuring work-life balance and life satisfaction; the effects of perceived organizational justice and generational cohort on burnout and self-efficacy and the association between burnout and self-efficacy; and more.

Nilesh Thakre, PhD, is a Professor and Head of the Psychology Department at SNDT Women’s University, India, and an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist. With over 22 years of corporate, academics, research and consulting experience, he has authored books, book chapters, and articles and has edited books on management and psychology. He has delivered invited lectures at many national and international conferences. Dr. Thakre’s credentials include a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, MAs in Clinical Psychology and Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, among other qualifications.

B. Udaya Kumar Reddy, PhD, is the Director (Training and Consultancy) at Stress Management Lab Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad, India. He has over two decades of experience in the areas of stress training, research, consultancy, and counseling. He previously worked as Professor at the Dr. MCR HRD Institute, India, as well as a Stress Management Consultant (Hon.) at hte Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit at Mediciti and Care Hospital, India. An author and a presenter, Dr. Reddy founded the Indian Chapter of the International Stress Management Association. His PhD is in the area of Stress Management.