The transactional Stress and Coping Model describes stress as an individual decision
based on one's cognitive appraisal, where demands are perceived to be stressful
according to the subjective negative appraisal of the person experiencing it. This
framework has greatly influenced organisational psychological perspectives for the
explanation of stress and wellbeing in the workplace, emphasising appraisal,
engagement, and resilience for how individuals and teams feel, behave, and react at
work. Arguably though, traditional views of stress as a linear process aimed at
'eliminating' singular threats do not generally represent workplace environments. Nor
does the notion that workplaces focus on specific stressors or strain effects. For many
leaders and teams, wellbeing is not perceived to be the absence of stress, but rather,
accepting how to 'work with' the presence of perpetuating and external stressors beyond
their control, regardless of their individual or collective cognitive appraisal/s.
Workplace turbulence impacts labour shortages, work demands and expectations, both
disrupts and reforms how work is conducted. When unaddressed, concerns related to
communication, micromanagement, fairness, work life balance and the impact on
relationships at home are reported. Three contributions are offered from a practical
perspective: understanding occupational versus organisational stress, implementation of
the tripartite model, focus on human needs. Turbulence, then, is an opportunity to
positively shift the focus towards 'new ways to work', creating engaged and resilient
teams and hybrid workforces. It is imperative that wellbeing interventions evolve to
align with the realities of how stress is truly experienced and the manifestations for
individuals at work and home.