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The relationship between diverse demographic variables and the occupational stress indicator subscales (Cooper et al., 1988) were examined among several hundred UK senior police officers. Officers who prior to their promotion to superintendent had spent most of their time within the criminal detective branch displayed the highest Type A behaviour (aggressive, dominant and assertive), and traffic officers the worst subjective reports of psychological and physical health. Superintendents whose present role is in the CID displayed the highest level of job satisfaction. There was some indication that women senior police officers used stress‐coping techniques ‐ particularly task strategies and home‐work ‐ more frequently than did men; otherwise no gender differences were found in terms of the other scales of job stress and satisfaction. Marital status was related to Type A behaviour and coping techniques, and parenthood with job‐related pressure and job satisfaction. More specifically, parents reported less stress in the home‐work interface than non‐parents, and were more likely to report more satisfaction in the organisational structure of the police service. The impact of tenure on “controllability” and Type A was moderated by police rank, that is, ambitiousness was significantly negatively correlated with tenure for superintendents but not so for chief‐superintendents. Finally, educational qualifications/ level was related to job satisfaction. Overall job satisfaction (especially satisfaction with personal relationships at work as well as satisfaction with the organisational structure) was lowest for the most highly educated personnel (recipients of a higher degree).

This major review of organisational stress and its consequences provides a background to assess the policies and principles that need to be developed to counter the problems emerging.

Causes and effects of occupational stress have received research attention for several decades although increasing focus has been paid to it during the 1990s as organisations and individual workers attempt to adapt to accelerating rates of change. Previous research has proposed three hypotheses to explain the work‐family relationship: spillover, compensation and independence. Drawing on qualitative research with retail managers from a variety of UK major retailers, this article attempts to uncover the relationship between work demands and home life. The results of the research found that family boundaries are more permeable than work boundaries. Although spillover behaviour was evident, there was no evidence to suggest that the retail managers adopt compensatory or independent models of behaviour. To alleviate some of the pressures experienced by the retail managers, calls for a reassessment of working practices. The introduction of more flexible working arrangements, providing quality time off from work, and a realistic assessment of the retail manager’s job are some of the recommendations provided.

One of the most perplexing problems in human resource management is how to satisfy and motivate employees who originally joined an organisation with hopes of becoming “stars”, but who discover with time that their aspirations are unlikely to be matched by opportunities. The conventional pyramidal organisational structure guarantees that these opportunities will diminish as employees ascend the hierarchy and that therefore “stuckness” is a problem increasingly to be found the longer is employees' tenure or the higher their level. Faulkner's case studies of an ice hockey team and a symphony orchestra provide vivid examples of this process and its problematic consequences. They also serve as a useful analogue of what may be found in many business organisations.

Industrial psychologists are increasingly being asked to consult with organisations on the management of change. This article describes a case and the implications for professional practice in this area of managerial psychology.

Despite an overwhelming body of empirical evidence which questions both the reliability and validity of interviews as a form of predictive device, (see, for instance, the meta‐analysis by Hunter and Hunter, and reviews by Schmitt and Arvey and Campion) interviews, either with or without supplementary information, continue to be widely used in making decisions on selection, placement, appraisal and promotion (Anstey, Fletcher and Walker, Randell, Carlson, Thayer, Mayfield and Peterson and Ulrich and Trumbo).

Reports research by interview and questionnaire survey designed to identify major sources of stress among site managers, to examine their physical and psychological well‐being, and to identify high risk groups and predictors of stressor outcomes. A high level of anxiety was found, independent of grade; this was predicted by role insecurity, work overload and other extrinsic factors (particularly travel). Identifies lack of management training in this industry as contributing to these stresses. Recommends stress audits and stress management workshops.

Decision making is inherently stressful since the decision maker must choose between potentially conflicting alternatives with unique hazards and uncertain outcomes. Whereas decision aids such as decision support systems (DSS) can be beneficial in stressful scenarios, decision makers sometimes misuse them during decision making, leading to suboptimal outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between stress, decision making and decision aid use.

The authors conduct an extensive multi-disciplinary review of decision making and DSS use through the lens of stress and examine how stress, as perceived by decision makers, impacts their use or misuse of DSS even when such aids can improve decision quality. Research questions examine underlying sources of stress in managerial decision making that influence decision quality, relationships between a decision maker’s perception of stress, DSS use/misuse, and decision quality, and implications for research and practice on DSS design and capabilities.

The study presents a conceptual model that provides an integrative behavioral view of the impact of a decision maker’s perceived stress on their use of a DSS and the quality of their decisions. The authors identify critical knowledge gaps and propose a research agenda to improve decision quality and use of DSS by considering a decision maker’s perceived stress.

This study provides a previously unexplored view of DSS use and misuse as shaped by the decision and job stress experienced by decision makers. Through the application of four theories, the review and its findings highlight key design principles that can mitigate the negative effects of stressors on DSS use.

There is evidence that those working within the construction industry are exposed to a number of stressors which potentially negatively impact well‐being, namely; long working hours, high workload, poor work‐life balance, low sense of professional worth and lack of job security. Additionally there is some evidence architects may also be vulnerable to an erosion of professional status, low pay and limited scope to use their creative skills. This paper aims to explore the job satisfaction of architects who are currently employed within the UK.

A questionnaire is used to elicit data from 110 practising architects on their occupational well‐being and work‐life balance.

The results reveal that between 20 and 40 percent of respondents are dissatisfied with their rate of pay, practice management, promotion prospects, working hours and opportunity to use their abilities. Additionally the majority of respondents report some work‐life balance difficulties and approximately one‐third were considering leaving their current employer. The causes of poor well‐being are associated with organisational factors rather than factors intrinsic to the work of an architect. Further analysis demonstrates that those who are self employed may experience better occupational well‐being.

The small sample size means that any generalisations to the entire architectural profession should be treated with caution. A cross‐sectional approach can only highlight the existence of relationships between variables; it cannot comment on their exact nature.

The implications for the profession are discussed and tentative recommendations put forward as to how the profession may address the situation.