Skip to content

ACCA Applied Knowledge · Business and Technology · Personal effectiveness

An employee, Tomas, works long hours, has a very high workload, and has little control over how he completes tasks or the order in which he does them. His manager gives him no support. Which model of workplace stress best explains why Tomas is at high risk of stress?

Karasek's job demand-control model best explains it. Strain is greatest when an employee faces high job demands but has low control over how work is done, and lack of managerial support makes it worse. The other models relate to motivation or team roles.

  1. AHerzberg's two-factor model, because of hygiene factors
  2. BKarasek's job demand-control model, because of high demands combined with low controlCorrect
  3. CMaslow's hierarchy, because his esteem needs are unmet
  4. DBelbin's team roles, because his role is unclear

Explanation

Karasek's demand-control model says that high job demands combined with low control over work produce the greatest strain, and lack of support adds to it. Herzberg and Maslow concern motivation, and Belbin concerns team roles, so none directly models stress from demand and control.

Did you get it right without looking?

One question tells you little. A timed set on Personal effectiveness shows your real accuracy, how long you take and where you lose marks.

Practise Personal effectivenessFree diagnostic mock

More Personal effectiveness questions