Stress management practices and employees’ performance at the University of Cape Coast

Abstract

The study sought to examine the effect of stress management practices on employee performance at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. The specific objectives that guided the study were; to assess the various stress management practices; to assess employee performance; and to examine the effect of stress management practices on employee performance. The study employed a quantitative approach and adopted a descriptive research design. The population of the study was 923 administrative staff and the sample size of 269. However, 257 questionnaires were valid and considered for the study representing a response rate of 95.5%. The main instrument used for this study was a structured questionnaire with statistical tools including; mean, standard deviation (SD), frequencies, percentages and linear regression analysis. The study adopted a simple random technique. The study findings first indicated that psychological support, training and development, job redesign and employee welfare programmes were the various stress management practices at the University of Cape Coast. However, of the many practices of managing stress at the University of Cape Coast, employee welfare programmes should be given much attention since it has the greatest potential to influence the performance of the employees. The study also revealed that there is a significant and strong positive relationship between stress management practices and employee performance. The study recommended that management of the University should practice a combination of all the practices of stress management discovered in this study in combating stress.