Challenges Impacting Effective Work-Stress Management in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry

Work-related stress in the Nigerian petroleum industry is a major challenge which impacts severely on worker’s health and productivity. Despite measures put in place by the organizations and supervisors to effectively manage work-related stress, challenges still abound, which results is severe impacts on the workers. This study was conducted to uncover the challenges affecting effective work-stress management in the Nigerian petroleum industry. Grounded on the Person–Environment fit theory,the study adopted a multiplecase study design to enhance triangulation of data from several sources. The population for the study was supervisors in petroleum companies in the Nigeria Niger Delta region who have successfully applied strategies to reduce work- related stress. Purposive sampling technique was adopted to samplesixsupervisors from three companies to participate in the study. The instrument for data collection as a structured interview guide and company document analysis. Results of the study showed the major challenges encountered which hinders effective work-stress management are urgent requests by clients that adversely impact effective planning, inadequate resources to achieve worker-pay match, and inability to adapt stress management strategy to meet individual worker’s need. The study also identified that effective work-related stress management requires a synergy of all stakeholders within the petroleum industry. Such an approach requires collaboration among the workers, supervisors, organizational leaders, and clients or customers. With an all-stakeholders approach, availability of resources to enable worker–pay fit, and adaptation of stress management strategy to meet individual worker’s need, work-related stress in the petroleum industry of the Niger Delta can be effectively managed to enhance workers’ health, work-life and work-family balance, and increased organizational profitability with positive socio-economic impacts on the oil producing communities and Nigerian government revenue.