One more note of distress in women managers women

Photo Dominic Scali
The phd student Salima Hamouche has been an executive with Danone and Bombardier.

Dominique Scali

Tuesday, 3 October 2017 21:32

UPDATE
Tuesday, 3 October 2017 21:32

Look at this article

Women in executive positions are more at risk of experiencing psychological distress than men, especially because they sometimes have to prove more to rise in the hierarchy, reveals a study.

“Women need to provide a lot more effort in to these positions [of management],” says Salima Hamouche, a phd student in industrial relations at the University of Montreal.

For example, they may have a tendency to bring work home or to hide their emotions and to show ” stronger in order to prove that they are capable of managing like a man “, shows-t-it.

Stress and sleep

The preliminary results of her doctoral thesis show that, for a woman, the fact of occupying a position significantly increases the risk of suffering from psychological distress.

This distress is manifested by, for example, sleep disorders, stress, feeling irritated or withdrawing into oneself. It is, in fact, symptoms that often precede a depression or a burnout, ” says Ms. Hamouche.

The men are still the majority in the business world, a trend that is reflected in his sample. On the 307 executives, who have participated, less than 100 were women.

In addition, the reconciliation of work and family, young children, and pregnancy. The search for balance between private life and the job may therefore be more present in women.

Alcohol and drugs

In total, one frame out of five to be suffering from psychological distress or consumes alcohol excessively, all sexes combined.

In addition, the results of this research indicate that 12% of the respondents were consuming psychotropic drugs, such as antidepressants, sleeping pills or tranquilizers.

“Some authors speak of doping, when these medicines are not taken for medical reasons, but to deal with the stress of everyday life,” explains Ms. Hamouche.

Sometimes it is more difficult for executives to get help for the employees, for fear of tarnishing their image, she said.

Also, it is expected that they will be able to manage a high level of stress. Often, when one is concerned with the well-being of the people in an organization, it is first of all to the employees.

“It is as if we tend to take for granted that the executives were immunized. As if they were super heroes. “

Gold, ” a framework stressed brings an organization under stress. It is contagious, ” illustrates the researcher.

Among the respondents were top executives, branch managers or department supervisors.

It is often the middle managers and first-level who find themselves ” in the position sandwich “, that is to say they must sometimes communicate and enforce the decisions that they have not chosen to employees, ” explains the researcher.