It has been a long known and proven fact that taking a long overdue break can have a large impact on job stress and burnout. For most Americans a vacation from work is a relaxing break from the daily stress of life. The vacation they choose depends on time off work and their personal preferences. According to the research in this study I believe that any break from work would serve to lessen job stressors and burnout. The break that most chose was active army reserve service. The researchers hypothesized that the importance of a respite lies in the change or break from the work routine. They also stated that a traditional vacation may not be the best respite from ones job. During reserve service the individual is almost completely detached from their everyday life. Not only by geographical means but also by psychological aspects all well. Though the daily routines of reserve service may very well be stressful in themselves, they still serve as a change from those of work and home. Fax machines, email, laptop computers, and cell phones
This research directly relates to the subject of stress discussed in class. The topic of stress alleviation was also mentioned in class and was the major concentration of this study. The subject of stress and burnout has long been a problem in the workforce. As new types of work are evolving new problem will always arise. One aspect of the industry that may have increasing amounts of stress and burnout are those relating to auto manufacturing. The introduction of lean production practices into the industry may give new importance to this research, as some critics have described lean production as “management by stress.” The study was very interesting and provided me with a new outlook on the effects of respite on job stress and burnout. The article was very easy to understand and follow. I found the tables and graphs to be fairly simple and after reading the accompanying text they became crystal clear.
The findings of this study are consistent with the researchers hypothesis. The study was conducted on 81 matched pairs of employees at a large engine