JOB STRESS AMONG STAFF IN POLYTECHNIC LIBRARIES OF NORTH-CENTRAL NIGERIA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Page               –           –           –           –           –           i

Title Page     –           –           –           –           –           –           –           ii

Approval Page                 –           –           –           –           –           –           iii

Certification Page               –           –           –           –           –           –           iv

Dedication          –           –           –           –           –           –           v

Acknowledgment      –           –           –           –           –           –           vi

Table of Contents         –           –           –           –           –           –           vii

List of Tables              –           –           –           –           –           –           ix

Abstracts     –           –           –           –           –           –           –           x

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION    –           –           –           –           1

Background of the Study  –           –           –           –           –           1

Statement of the Problem       –           –           –           –           –           9

Purpose of the Study              –           –           –           –           –           10

Research Questions        –           –           –           –           –           –           10

Significance of the Study      –           –           –           –           –           11

Scope of the Study          –           –           –           –           –           11

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW Of RELATED LITERATURE   –   13

Conceptual Framework             –           –           –           –           –           13

Overview of Stress, Job Stress, Librarians, and Polytechnic Libraries        –           –           13       

   Categories of Job Stress      –           –           –           –           –           16

   Causes of Job Stress      –           –           –           –           –           –           18

   Consequences of Job Stress  –           –           –           –           –           21

   Extent of effect of Job Stress     –           –           –           –           –           23

   Strategies for the control of Job Stress            –           –           –           –           26

Review of Related Empirical Studies      –           –           –           –           30

Summary of the Review         –           –           –           –           –           34

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD     –           –           –           35

Design of the study             –           –           –           –           35

Area of the Study          –           –           –           –           –           35

Population of the Study      –           –           –           –           –           36

Sample and Sampling Technique     –           –           –           –           –           36

Instrument for Data Collection               –           –           –           –           36

Validation of the Instrument                –           –           –           –           37

Method of Data Collection            –           –           –           –           37

Method of Data Analysis          –           –           –           –           38

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS         –           —          –           –           39

Research Question One             –           –           –           –           –           38

Research Question Two               –           –           –           –           –           40

Research Question Three    –           –           –           –           –           –           40

Research Question Four                –           –           –           –           –           41

Research Question Five    –           –           –           –           –           43

Summary of the Major Findings    –           –           –           –           –           43

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION     45

Discussion of Findings                      –           –           –           –           –           45

Implications of Findings              –           –           –           –           –           47

Recommendations       –           –           –           –           –           48

Suggestions for Further Studies     –           –           –           –           –           48

Limitations of the Study          –           –           –           –           –           49

Conclusion                 –           –           –           –           –           50

References         –           –           –           –           –           51

Appendix A:   Population of the Study          –           –           –           55

Appendix B:   Sampled Population               –           –           –           –           55   Appendix C:            Data Collection Instruments   –                   –           56

Appendix D:   Validated Instrument                   –           –           –           61

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1:           Responses on Categories of Job Stress      –           39

Table 2:           Responses on Causes of Job Stress           –           –           40       

Table 3:           Responses on Consequences of Job Stress   –           41

Table 4:           Responses on Extent of Effect of Job Stress  – –           42

Table 5:           Responses on Strategies for the control of Job Stress   43                                                                                                                                                                                                       

ABSTRACT

The study is aimed at assessing job stress among library staff in selected polytechnic libraries of North-Central Nigeria. Specifically, five purposes and research questions guided the study. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The populations of the study were made up of five hundred and thirty two (532) library staff of twelve polytechnic libraries in the zone. The study used purposive sampling technique to select three polytechnic libraries with one hundred and thirty eighty (138) library staff that was used in the study. The study also used structured questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. One hundred and thirty eighty (138) copies of questionnaire were distributed to the respondent and one hundred and twenty four (124) of them returned. This represented a return rate of ninety percent (90%). The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics of: frequency tables and mean scores. And the decision rule in the analysis was based on the value of the criterion mean of 2.5; where an item mean score above or equal to the criterion mean wee accepted and otherwise rejected. In addition, the findings of the study revealed that: psychological, emotional, technological, physiological, situational and accidental stresses were the constituents of job stress among the staff; work overload, environmental hazard, lack of social support, poor communication and leadership style, job insecurity, lack of control and role ambiguity together with health related factor were the major causes of job stress among them; job stress had the following consequences on the polytechnic library staff in the zone: hard work, skill development, high productivity and turnover, increase in work pay and promotion, absenteeism, presenteeism, sleeplessness health deterioration, depression and tardiness, functional inconsistency and job dissatisfaction; the extent to which job stress had affected the polytechnic library staff in the zone had resulted in prolonged headache and pains, constant breakdown of rules and regulations, intermittent impairment of vision, repetitive strain injuries, loss of attention, musculoskeletal diseases, negative social status, and lowered productivity and strategies as: building of strong human relationship; provision of resourceful working environment, seeking for advice aid  counseling; engaging in leisure activities, planning of job schedule; delegation of job to subordinate staff, balancing of work and home life; provision of equitable shifting system were appropriate for controlling job stress.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study:

            In the quest for an increased turn-out of middle level manpower that will necessitate the industrial and technological development of the country through learning, teaching, and research of the host polytechnic; a library is established. Consequently, a polytechnic library according to Glossary of Education (2012) is part of an academic library- which is libraries that forms part of, or associated with, institutions of higher education. It further emphasized that such libraries support teaching, learning, research, and public services of their parent institutions. Specifically, as a form of academic libraries; they perform the following functions: provision of material for undergraduate instruction, term papers, and project as well as complementary reading; provision of material in support for postgraduate research; provision of expensive standard work especially in the specialized discipline; provision of material support for faculty and collaborated research; provision of material for personal self development; provision of special information on the region within which the institution is located; co-operation with other academic libraries with a view to developing a network of academic libraries resources that is at the disposal of all scholars (Ifidion and Okoli, 2002: 24).

Subsequently, polytechnic libraries while performing the above functions expose their staff to undue stress. Hence, library staff in polytechnic libraries is not left out from those employees that experiences these stress. In this regards, who are library staff? They include the professional staff who are professional with at least a degree certificate (bachelor) in library science and / or library and information science from institution of higher learning; especially the universities; paraprofessional staff who are staff with diploma certificate in librarianship; and non-professional staff who are those staff without any certificate in librarianship but works in the libraries (Education For Librarianship, 2007). This is to say that, they are information professional often regarded as the “custodian of knowledge”; who are saddled with the organization, acquisition, storage and dissemination of information in an information centre (eg. libraries). The table below shows the classification of these library staff with their qualifications.

Source: Eziubochi (2011)

Hence library staff irrespective of class and status experiences stress while performing their functions. Stress simply put means a complex, dynamic process of interaction between a person and his or her life (Lehnert, 2002). It can as well be referred to as a lively circumstance in which people face constraints, opportunities, or loss of something they desire and for which the consequences is both unpredictable as well as crucial. Thus, he further posited that stress is the response to the unreasonable/excessive pressure. In this regard, stress related disorders encompass a broad spectrum of conditions, including psychological disorder (eg. Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder); and cognitive impairment (eg.., concentration and memory problems); and other types of emotional strains (eg.., dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc) as well as maladaptive behaviour (eg.., aggression, and substance abuse). In turn, these condition leads to poor work performance or even injury; as such stress is associated with various biological reaction that may lead ultimately to compromised health such as cardiovascular disease and in extreme cases, death (Occupational Safety and Health, 2007). Hence, stress is a prevalent and costly problem in today’s workplace. Similarly, psychologically demanding jobs that allow employees little control over the work process increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Basically, the research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and many other organization shows that job stress increases the risk for the development of back and upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders. They equally reported that physiologically stress have consequences for health over time.

            Thus, job stress is a growing concern for organizations today which libraries and indeed library staff are not exceptions. Specifically, job stress is not always negative; for it may as well bring out the best in individuals at times. Consequently, library staff working in Polytechnic libraries experience stress while performing their duties. At this juncture, one of the emerging issue and challenge in modern day practice of librarianship is stress management. As a form of hardship, it poses both psychological, physiological, and philosophical, musculoskeletal as well as cardiovascular disorders to library staff and indeed every other information worker.

            For instances, as was reported by Ajala (2010) library staff specifically the academic librarians in an attempt to tackle the emerging challenges in their profession during this information age are bound to face new expectation from their employers and patrons. Similarly, the constantly changing role of library staff due to the dynamic nature of information and its delivery in the polytechnic systems coupled with the emergence of ICT in the library and the funding problems culminated in the growth of stress among staff. More so, insufficient human and material resources, conflict of roles or ambiguity of roles equally tremendously increases the stress rate of polytechnic library staff.

            Significantly, polytechnic library staff while performing their statutory role of administrative, academic, research, technical cum readers’ service, and community related function; is mostly likely to be exposed to some degree of stress. Subsequently, Ferkol  (1998) assets that the level of stress experienced by information workers increases geometrically  while management understanding of stress increases arithmetically; and if urgent step are not taken, efficient services of the libraries will be jeopardized. This means that there is no equity between the rate at which stress occurs among staff and the rate at which management understands stress at work place.

Stresses among employees according to Skillsoft (2006) are caused by some tangible factors such as: organizational, individual, job concerning and extra-organizational factors. Organizationally, they stated that with growth in organizational stress and complexity, there is a corresponding increase in organizational factors as:

discrimination in pay/salary structure; strike rules and regulation; ineffective coronation; peer pleasure; goals conflicts/ambiguity; more of centralized and formal organizational structures; Less promotional opportunity; lack of employees participation in decision making; and excessive control of employees. P.1

Individually, they buttressed that there are various expectations which the family members, peer group, superior and subordinates have from employees. And failure to understand such expectation or to convey such expectation leads to role ambiguity/role conflicts; which in turn cause stress. Other individual factors causing stress are inherent personality traits, such as; being impatient, aggressive, rigid, feeling time pressure always as well as family financial problems, and sudden change of career.

Furthermore, job concerning factors relates to job which cause stress among employee he stated. Such factors as: monotonous nature of the job, unsafe and unhealthy working condition; lack of confidentialities; and overcrowding are eminent in polytechnic libraries and indeed every academic library. Also, he concluded that extra-organizational factors relating to issues outside the organization similarly lead to stress among library staff. Such factors as technological change, inflation, social responsibilities, and rapid social changes are some of the extra-organizational factors that increases stress among library staff.

            Interestingly, Occupational Safety and Health (2007) described Information Technology (IT) related job stress as the first of the world top ten most stressful phenomenon often referred to as “diseases of the information age”; which all info-workers suffers. In closely related fashion, Rontray and Satpathy (2007) described the type of stress in digital library environment and broadly divided them into: technological, physical, mental and situational. Technologically, stress was described as the stress due to the development and application of IT among library staff. Due to rapid changes in computer hardware and software, obsolescence of existing hardware and software is a common phenomenon in all most all libraries. Thus, to keep pace with the changing technologies; which due to financial, time or technological constraints is difficult to do, poses a threat to library staff.

Physically, stresses are described in terms of the negative effect of physical energy on the physical health of library personnel on their job. Once more, mental stress is traced to a person’s mental state of mind; which involves expectations, fears, regrets, etc. And finally, the situational stress which relates to the interaction with outer world. For example, stress due to: a role as library manager; a new position or changing role; interaction with co-worker, managers or patrons; etc.

            In addition, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (2004) revealed that although employee stress seems to be negative; it may induce an individual to discover innovative and smatter ways of doing things. They referred this positive dimension of stress as “enstress”. But usually the term stress has a negative implication and this negative aspect of stress is formed “distress”. For example, when a subordinate is harassed or warned by his superior unhappiness of unsuitable job, etc. We therefore say that stress causes some workers to break, and others to break records. As such, they outlined some symptoms of stress on librarian/workers in a work place/office to include:

absenteeism, escaping from work responsibilities, arriving late, leaving early, etc; Deterioration in work performance, more of error prone work, memory loss, e.t.c; cribbing, over-reacting, arguing, getting irritated, anxiety; e.t.c; Deteriorating health, more of accident, etc; improper eating habits (over eating or under eating), excessive smoking and drinking, sleeplessness, etc. P.4

In a nut shell, they concluded by inferring that job stress generally relates to ways employees react physically, mentally and emotionally to the various conditions, changes and demand of life in and outside the work place/offices.

            Consequently, job stress in all it’s ramification had endangered the qualities of services rendered by library personnel most especially the polytechnic library staff. In the first place, apart from the primary causes of job stress and their features discussed above, it is evident that other factors like the state of work environment; personal or internal factors; home-work interface; professional and/or academic demand; job security; job satisfaction; and management problems equally introduce Job stress among staff (Skillsoft, 2006). Most importantly, job stresses as had been observed were not just introduced into work places, especially libraries by nothing. In relation to this; Ajala (2010) reported that job stress emanates from the following within the library environment: in adequacies of library building, sitting arrangement, offices and their equipments; personal differences  among the personnel, managements and their parent bodies; heavy workload per individual personnel; tight academic and/or professional demands. Moreover, job security and fear of dismissal/layoff; inconsistency of salary structure; and home-work interface/family responsibilities as well as job satisfaction. Thus, potentially, managers/administrators of libraries also plan, communicate, controls and govern their subjects inefficiently; thereby inducing a stressful atmosphere within their establishment (Eze, 2008).

            Categorically, job stress had been divided into a number of forms. Such forms as was revealed by Dave (2005) includes: Stress due to absenteeism; managerial motivated stress; self engineered stress; job insecurity stress, financially motivated stress and technological as well as task/duty fueled stress. Furthermore, some stress experienced by library staff are partly due to the type of management style adopted by the managers/administrators (i.e. politically motivated stress). In the same vane, Dave equally stated that some common causes of excessive job stress in offices/work places are: fear of being laid off; more overtime due to staff cutback; pressure to perform to meet rising expectations but with no increase in job satisfactions; and pressure to work at optimum level all time. However, observation from previous studies shows that drastic measures can be taken to ameliorate the growth of job stress among library personnel in our Polytechnics. In relation to this Dave (2005) asserted that a preventive measure be put in place to avoid an identified job stress in organization/libraries as much as possible. This is because it is better to avoid difficult and stressful colleague if possible, while it is far better to avoid negative ergonomic equipment (equipment that introduces mental health – A disease of the info-age) if there are alternatives. As a result, he opined that: organization/Libraries/Institution can play a major role in reducing, removing, or avoiding workplace stress for librarians and other information professionals. Such roles includes: role characteristics (ie development of well defined job responsibilities, functions and job description); job characteristics (development of strategies for the design of the Job, Job redesigning, efficiency/effectiveness improvement, redefinition or restructuring of the Job etc); Interpersonal relationship (definition of employee quality, strengthening of relationship with co-workers/workgroup, developing trust between management and workers, workers and workers, setting rift, counseling, human relation training and social support services); organizational structure and climate (granting employee more control of their duties, cultures, beliefs and expectation of the organization shared by all, implementation of a non-bias atmosphere); human resource management systems (installing a human resource management system that evolved from the old personnel functions, encouragement of training, compensation and rewards as well as benefits for personnel). Hence, all these strategies put together under organizational will definitely lead to a tremendous decrease in the job stress rate among library staff and indeed all info-personnel.

            Furthermore, Hart (2010) observed that job stress manifest itself in increased absence through sickness, premature labour turnover and premature retirement due to ill health, lost of production quality and value, and employee litigation against the institution. Subsequently, the cost of stress related illness and absenteeism to the library could be huge. Therefore job stress among personnel need be addressed to avert the irreparable damage that it will pose on the services and functions of the libraries generally. Strategically, stresses experienced by library staff in their job have negative impact on their health, performance and their behaviour in the libraries. Thus stress need to be managed effectively so as to set off these harmful effects. In view of this, Reskin (2011) explained that strategies for managing stress are categorized under organizational and individual strategies. Organizationally, she posited that: more of organizational communication with the employee to be encouraged so that there is no role conflicts (that  is effective communication); Employee participation in decision making should be highly encouraged (this reduces role stress); Employee should be granted more/greater independence, meaningful and truly feedback, and greater responsibility; The organizational role should be realistic, stimulating and particular; Decentralization should be encouraged; Fair and just distribution of incentives and salary structure be implemented; Job rotation and Job enrichment should be promoted; A Just and safe working atmosphere be created; effective hiring and orientation procedure should be in place; and an employee on accomplishing and over-exceeding their targets be appreciated.

Individually, she also pointed that: Employees should make a to-do” list daily, prioritize the acts in the lists and plan the acts accordingly; Employees be hard working, strive to achieve goals but not to harm family, health or peer; They should indulge in physical exercise; Healthy lifestyle to be encouraged by the employees; They should have optimistic approach about their work; They should have emotional intelligence at workplace/offices; They should build social support; They should counsel themselves so as to overcome employee stress; They should inculcate fun via joking, playing tennis, golf, etc; Employee should never remained pre-occupied by themselves, always help others.

Forthrightly, it is only when these strategies are strictly adhered to that a stress free atmosphere and/or environment can be obtainable in our libraries. Moreover, it should be noted that there are processes cum procedures of delivering these strategies. Such processes are: stressor identification, stressor evaluation; and stressor management (Ajala, 2010). Moreover, there are a variety of steps to be taken to reduce the overall stress levels and the stresses experienced at offices. Those steps according to Robinson (2011) are: taking responsibility for improving the physical and emotional well-being); avoiding pitfalls (by identifying knee Jerk habits and negative attitudes that add to the stress experienced at work); and learning better communication skill (to ease and improve relationship with management and co-workers).

            Institutionally, the study selected three polytechnic libraries in north-central Nigeria. Ideally, north central Nigeria is composed of Kogi, Benue, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau states of the federation as well Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. And the polytechnic libraries selected are situated at Kogi, Abuja, and Benue State respectively. Such polytechnic libraries are: The Library: The Federal Polytechnic Idah; The Library: Benue State Polytechnic Ugbokolo; and The Library: Dorban Polytechnic Abuja. Historically, The Federal Polytechnic Idah was established in 1978 together with her library (Student Handbook, 2010/2011) and the Benue State Polytechnic Ugbokolo was established in 1977 with her library to support the institution in teaching, learning and research (Student Information Handbook, 2010/2011) whereas The Library: Dorban Polytechnic Abuja was established in 2008 (Student Handbook, 2010/2011) .

            Subsequently, having discussed the concept of polytechnic libraries (her attribute and functions); concepts of job stress (its categories, causes, consequences, extent effect and strategies for their control); as well as the brief history of the selected polytechnic libraries under study.  This study deems it necessary to assess job stress among library staff of the three selected polytechnic libraries in north central Nigeria.