Stress Management among Academics: An Insight for Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi - Nigeria

Abstract

This paper explores stress and its management among academics with an insight for the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, Nigeria. Like many other higher public and private academic institutions, the Polytechnic has over the years silently lost a substantial number of its staff to stress, while some others have become temporarily and or permanently incapacitated, particularly the academics. This paper is a theoretical, secondary and qualitative study. The data were obtained from journals articles, conference papers and other public documents within and outside the Polytechnic. The literature also explored various fields related to organizations, employees and employers, psychology and education and found that stress result in death, permanent and temporary incapacitation of many academics some of which could be avoided by reduction and proper management of stress among the academics. The study made some specific in addition to the general recommendations in order to reduce and effectively manage stress among academics of the institution, including standardization the school Medical Centre and its services, consistent and sustained medical checkup on all Polytechnic employees, job redesigning, enforced proceeding on annual leave, an extra-ordinary means productivity award, extensive and intensive enlightenment and education on stress.