Managers in Suits and Managers in Uniforms: Sources and Outcomes of Occupational Stress

Sources and outcomes of occupational stress among police managers are examined on a sample of 267 senior police officers in one of the Central European countries, using the Occupational Stress Indicator 2 (OSI 2), the Work Locus of Control Scale, the Hofstede\u27s Scale of Work-Related Values, as well as several demographic variables. The results are then contrasted with those of 232 managers in private industry in the same country. Managers in the private sector work longer hours, report higher impatience (one component of a Type A behaviour pattern), are more internal in locus of control, rely less on social support as a means of coping with stress, and perceive more masculinity, less uncertainty avoidance, and less long-term orientation in their culture than do their police counterparts. Police managers, on the other hand, perceive more pressures related to their workload, relationships, work hassles, recognition and organisational climate. As a consequence, they are less satisfied with the job itself and with their organisation, and more frequently consider an option of quitting their job. At the same time, police managers report better physical wellbeing and higher mental contentment than their colleagues in private industry. The results are discussed in terms of their practical value for police administrators