Job stressors, stress management styles and job satisfaction among secretaries of De La Salle University

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the job stressors and stress management styles, and the relationship between job satisfaction level and stress management styles of the secretarial staff of De La Salle University. To attain the above objectives, the present study used a descriptive method of research. There were two instruments used in this study. One is the Job Satisfaction Inventory (JSI) which was used by Miguel (1981) to determine the job satisfaction of 474 MEC employees. The other instrument was called the Sources of Stress and Stress Management Style Checklist. The first part of the questionnaire, Sources of Stress, was based on the list of sources of stress made by Yates (1979). The second part was taken from the studies reviewed by the researcher on stress management styles. The respondents of the study consisted of 76 permanent secretaries at DLSU. They were within the age range of 21-55 years and their years of service range from less than five years to 25 years.For the treatment of data, frequency distribution was used to determine the job stressors and stress management styles. To determine the relationship between stress management styles and job satisfaction, chi-square test of independence was used. The findings of the study revealed that the number one job stressor of the respondents is commuting, the most frequently used management style of the respondents is relaxation, the predominant level of job satisfaction is neutral, and there is no significant relationship between job satisfaction level and stress management style of the respondents. Considering the foregoing findings, the following recommendations are presented by the researcher. Since commuting is the number one source of job stress among the secretaries at DLSU, the administration must formulate a plan to ease this source of stress, maybe by providing transportation service, especially to those in far places. Since 56 of the respondents said they are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied and 15 are dissatisfied with their jobs and since the factors contribute to this level of satisfaction are hygiene factors, the administration must work toward enhancing the motivation and hygiene factors affecting the job satisfaction of the respondents. The program of activities of the Staff Resources Development Office should include programs on stress management. A study on the job satisfaction for all the non-academic staff should be conducted to attain the total picture of the satisfaction level of the support staff at DLSU. A study on the effect of stress to job satisfaction and performance should be conducted