(Dis)ability Stress in the Workplace

In the world of comic books and graphic novels, stories contain crime-fighting heroes

who use their superpowers to defeat the tyranny of maniacal villains. In the place of

employment, not only do employees contain incredible skills/aptitudes to satisfy the

customer's needs, but also benefit the reputations of well- established organizations.

 

However,both crime-fighters and workers are not always perfect because there are

 

weaknesses in every existing person. The most common weakness they both share daily

 

is stress. The Kryptonite may drain Superman's multiple powers, but it is not as severe

 

as those with difficult working conditions. Employees are greatly subdued by stress

 

because of the two factors: disability and ability. This essay will address the causes,

 

the effects and the solutions of  (dis)ability stress in the workplace.

First, the aptitudes of employees are deliberately observed by the qualities

 

of their skills from both customers and employers. In many workplace scenarios,

 

stress can affect the individual's performance, due to physical/mental conditions one

 

cannot overcome and the lack of experience or required skills for a position. Thus, one

 

is capriciously and internally caused to be in distress by the changing of such

 

conditions. For instance, a mildly autistic worker's service is terminated due to curt,

 

unpleasant behaviors with outbursts and complaints toward neurotypical customers and

 

colleagues. Significantly, it is often claimed that the lack of interaction or social skills is

 

the main cause, which resulted in one's inappropriate social attitude; commonly,

 

individuals with autism do not acquire enough experiences to recognize social procedures

 

displayed in workplaces. The second cause of stress is the limit of one's ability. In a

workplace, some employees would have conditions which are specifically limited from

 

performing tasks that are personally considered difficult. This also happens in fiction. For

example, J.K Rowling's Harry Potter, in Lupin's class, practices to conjure the Patronus

 

charm to shield himself from a dummy Dementor, but suddenly falls unconscious.

 

As a result, he first failed to overcome the haunting creature, that is darkness to the

 

thunder bolt-scarred boy. According to Costley, Santana-Melgoza and Todd (1994),

 

it is suggested that individuals have personal barriers that prevent them from subduing

concerns/issues, "result[ing] from an inaccurate estimate of physical/mental abilities"

 

(p.533). In the novel, we see a similar case. In the young wizard's case, his witnessing

 

of death causes him to faint in front of the Dementor before conjuring the charm.

 

Therefore, it is his personal barrier from experience. Lupin's solution for Harry is

 

to reminisce or contemplate serene/content memories, whether it be of his parents

 

or his friends.

 

 

The second factor of this essay discusses the effects of stress and how it gradually

diminishes one's skill by a choice of action or weakness, such as the inability to

interact and the consumption of multitasking. The first effect, an awkwardly,

passive employee may have the skills to organize the products and clean the store.

However, the skill he does not naturally and greatly possess is the most important

skill to have when associating with his fellow peers or customers: interpersonal

interactions. Compared to the autistic case, it is subtle that they lack the craft to

"connect with people" (Isaacson, July/Aug 2003) and is because they do not

recognize the social protocols displayed in the work setting. Furthermore, they

would be confused by the situation that is occurring in person. For that outcome,

they will unintentionally behave inappropriately in public by an outburst or a shout

(as previously mentioned in the essay). Meanwhile, an individual may commit to

participate in many clubs or perform tasks all in one year. However, if one takes on a

tremendous amount of work, it may affect the person's energy by over-occupying the

time schedule in the calendar. This is called multitasking; the more the person agrees to

assist, the more the person will become inefficient and create more errors

(Jayson, Apr. 8, 2013). Everyone has the tendency to multitask by overcommitting to

too many roles in order to successfully achieve their goals. Their personal philosophy

is to mentally state to themselves "I finally did something right!"



Every crime fighter has the power to end world domination from villainous antagonists,

even to serve for justice. but heroes also need improvement in their strength and power,

so they can repress their imperfections with control. Individually, a worker contains a

condition, let it be Aspergers or an alcohol addiction. When in great distress, one needs

assistance not only to rid themselves either the addiction or barrier, but also improve

in their skills and abilities to simply gain advice or enter into a stress management

program. For the mentally ill, it is possible that those with mental illness alienate

themselves from peers, as autistics cannot attain permanent social relationships.

Depressingly, autistic adults are often terminated from their service because they are

 destitute in the art of interactions with customers and co-workers. In addition, they do

not comprehend propriety or social cues. However, if a demonstration in the

workplace is done by role-play, the supervisor can scrutinize every facial expression and

social signals acted upon the student. Furthermore, the worker is encouraged to ascertain

its meanings. But more depressingly, they are plaintively isolated from normal peers;

often, when others with mental disability contemplate that colleagues or mates they

acknowledge are blindly, or with purpose, elusive not to associate with the autistics,

as if they are perceived cretins for their stupefying, sulky traits. Notwithstanding the

emotional pain and the yearning for a companion to trust, autistic individuals allow

that they are desolate of a true friend, but act on their own. To maintain a permanent

relationship or understand the autistic culture, one should participate to assist "the

walking wounded...recognize and then connect their specific 'pain' to action"

(Earl, 2003) by self-encouragement to engage with the mentally handicapped and

then form a concrete, concord bond; they seek for peer support, similar to a caregiver,

but not acting as a parent nor guardian. In addition, in order to remain in good health,

people should participate or be amenable to physical activity, such as workout or sports.

To continue one's productivity daily, any form of exercise helps diminish stress trapped

in the human perspiration, such as drained energy in the human body

(Hinkson, Mar.19,2013). For that outcome, the body will be calmly mended from aching

pain and bad posture.



Overall, superheroes and employees are ordinary human beings with extraordinary

powers and skills; they both witness the challenges of daily stress while saving their

beloved cities and meeting the customer’s expectation. Containing unique skills for

justice or service, every living person exists to inherit or develop physical/mental

conditions and weaknesses, whether it be the underdeveloped art of interpersonal

communication or the limit of individual barriers. Human beings suffer daily from

social isolation and the overconsumption of multitasking until the life force capsules

(the human body) have been drained out for a day. In the eyes of a hero(ine),

one does not always portray an image of a good role model with confidence.

Sometimes, there are fighters of justice who would pivot themselves to the dark

side, just as Luke Skywalker transformed into the wicked Dark Vader. Unless one can

suppress the wicked thoughts of destruction or world domination, the curious

 protagonist can train the power possessed by plying the abilities as strong and controlled

as one can manage. Furthermore, as Yoda would convey wise words to Skywalker,

one must always seek advice from a friend for encouragement, while leading an active

life for good health. Super humans and ordinary workers are regular folks, experiencing

the daily suffering of stress, physically and emotionally.

 

　　References

 Chadsey, J. & Beyer, S. (2001). Social Relationships In The Workplace. Mental Retardation

And Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews 7:128-133 (p.129), Champagne, IL,

Wiley-Liss, Inc.


Costley .D, Santana-Melgoza .C  & Todd .R (1993) Frustration and Stress Management.

Human Relations in Organizations 5E West Publishing Company


 Earle, R. (2003, May 3) Drain the Workplace Stress Swamp. Health Safety:

Stress Management. Canadian HR Reporter 17, 9; CBCA Complete


Hinkson, K. (2013, Mar.19) 5 ways to overcome workplace stress. Canadian Points of View

Reference Centre


Issacson, K. (2003, July/Aug). Stress doesn’t have to distressing. Canadian Points of View

Reference Centre


Jayson, S. (2013, Apr.8) Is Work Killing You? 'How Downsizing is Upsizing Stress".

Canadian Points of View Reference Centre