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Stress Management Training Program Plan

Tamara Molien
AET/570
5/30/16
Gregory Dlabach

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Stress Management Training Program Plan
Over the past several years the University of Phoenix has undergone many changes.
Change is difficult and can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety. According to Spector (2013),
people react to change in many ways, their reactions can vary from passive acceptance to active
resistance. Helping employees find ways to manage feelings of stress and anxiety can help cut
down on the active resistors. The following pages will explore the purpose of the stress
management training program and will explore many facets of its creation and implementation.
Stress Management Training Program Description
The stress management training program will be a valuable resource for University of
Phoenix employees in all job roles. The following paragraphs will look at the potential impact of a
stress management program, who the program is intended to reach, and will also look at some
goals and objectives relates to the program.
Impact
Strebel (1996) explains that employees sometimes resist change become it is a violation of
a social compact. Unfortunately, change is a necessary part of keeping a company relevant and
viable. The University of Phoenix was recently acquired by a different company, so continuing
changes will be inevitable.
Providing a course on stress management will acknowledge that employees are feeling
anxious and about the current changes. This training will demonstrate that the University does
care about the feelings of its employees, and is interested in retaining them. If employees are able
to efficiently cope with stressors, such as corporate change, heavy workloads, and work life
balnce, they will be able to focus more on their work, and will be more likely to stay with the
company.
Scope and Audience

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Everyone deals with stress in their own way. This program will be rolled out on a
voluntary basis and provided in two formats, a short online video with resources and a two hour
in person training. The two formats will provide opportunities for all employees to learn stress
management techniques in the format that is most meaningful and convenient for them. For some
employees reading or watching about the techniques will be sufficient, for others the social
interaction and in person aspect of the live training will provide a better learning environment.
Goals

Provide employees with resources to positively manage stress on their own.

Encourage employee productivity by providing employees with appropriate coping

techniques.

Increase employee retention by demonstrating respect for their needs.

Learners will be able to effectively practice and apply different stress management

Objectives

techniques during their daily interactions.

Learners will be able to teach others stress management techniques when difficult
situations arise.

Learners will be able to feel more in control of their work life balance by
implementing stress management techniques when appropriate.

Needs Analysis
Prior to creating and implementing the stress management training program it is important
to assess areas that need to be covered. The relevant information can be collected through a

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variety of methods. For the purpose of this training data will be collected via questionnaires,
performance reviews, interviews, and informal interactions.
Questionnaires
Questionnaires will provide the opportunity to gather information about employee stress
levels, and stressors. It is possible that some employees have stressors at home or from various
elements of their job that can be aided by providing appropriate resources. The questionnaires
will provide the trainers with information that will help the training to be relevant and meaningful
for the learners.
Performance Reviews
Collecting performance reviews will help give a better picture of the employee as an
individual and will assist in ascertaining later if the training was able to positively impact the
performance of the participant. This data will also provide insight into areas that should be
explored as potential stressors.
Interviews
Formal interviews allow people to communicate their ideas in a more personal setting.
Conducting interviews demonstrates that the company wants to take the time to listen to their
employees ideas and concerns.
Informal Interactions
After announcements of company changes or directly after an interview or survey session
it is valuable to collect informal feedback. People sometimes feel more comfortable relaying ideas
or feeling in a conversation with a coworker or friend in a less formal environment. Although this
data is anecdotal it can provide an idea of how receptive people will be to the training, and can
provide insight into other areas that may need to be addressed.

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Collecting data from multiple sources in different formats will illustrate where the needs
are in the program. Spector (2013) suggests including employees in changes whenever possible
because it will increase their engagement and investment in the change. This principle can also be
applied to the development of a training, the more involved the employees are in the development
process, the more invested they will be in its success. When people are involved and invested they
learn better and are able to become better agents of change.
Budget
The development of the training will be handled by the in house training department. The
training will be focused on helping University of Phoenix employees develop stress management
techniques in order to better cope with stress and anxiety. There will be two versions of the
training. The first version will be an online video that outlines five stress management techniques.
The video will be housed on the on the corporate SharePoint site. Housing the video on
SharePoint will allow for easy access and will allow participants to comment on the built in
message board. This video will be short and will discuss the techniques without going into
demonstrations. The video is essentially a condensed version of the in person version of the
training.
The in person version of the training will initially be conducted as a two hour session twice
a month. Depending on the success of the program it may be offered more or less frequently. The
training will be conducted on site in an existing conference room. The following budget outlines
the expected monthly costs for the in person version of the training.
Cost Category
Personnel
Fringe Benefits
External Staff

Description
The training itself once implemented, will be offered twice
a month as a two hour workshop and will be presented by
a team of two existing trainers.
Healthy snacks and bottled water will be provided to
trainers and participants
Custodial staff will need to clean the conference room

Estimated Cost
$500
$50
$10

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Materials
Technical Support
Equipment
Travel
Facilities
Supplies
Miscellaneous
Total

Income Categories
Parent Company

Participant Fees
Donations
Miscellaneous

Total

Handout printed flyers

Not needed
Will use existing facilities: White boards, projectors,
laptops
Will use existing facilities
Will use company conference room
Markers, paper, pens
Unexpected expenses

Description
Pays the wages of employees
including trainers, also pays
custodial staff and provides
facilities, equipment and office
supplies.
Course will be free for
participants
Affiliated concierge spa willing
to provide sponsored materials
and food.
Monthly training budget can
be accessed for incidentals as
needed.

$10
0
0
0
0
$20
$50
$640

Estimated Income
$540

$0
$50
$50

$640
As demonstrated in the above figures, the largest cost will be paying the trainers. The

University of Phoenix fortunately has sufficient existing resources and facilities that the cost of the
program will not be large. The only materials that will need to be provided to the learners is a
handout detailing the stress management techniques demonstrated in the class. The information
will be able to fit on one standard sheet of paper and can be printed using the existing printers.
The University has partnerships with many local companies who will be willing to donate
refreshments and potentially, stress relief products at discounted rates or as promotional items.
Staffing Plan

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The staffing of the stress management program will utilize existing talent. Existing
trainers will help to develop and present the stress management program. The course will be
presented by a team of two trainers who share the duties of setting up and facilitating the class.
The following section will look at the specific qualifications and requirements of the program.
Required Qualifications
One trainer should have at least four years of training experience and should be able to
create and present confident PowerPoint presentations. Additionally the trainer should be
comfortable with being recorded and using email.
Time and Staffing Requirements
There will need to be two trainers available twice a month for a three hour time period.
This three hour time frame includes setting up and cleaning up the conference room as well as
presenting the material. Each training session should have 8-12 pre-registered participants. If
there are insufficient participants the session will be cancelled. However, if there is high demand
for the workshop, it may be presented more often; or at a managers request, may be able to be
scheduled for individual manager teams.
Available Internal Resources
The training department has sufficient trainers to staff this training, and the company
SharePoint site, email, calendars, conference rooms, and other resources will be available to
support the training.
Available External Resources
The information needed to conduct the training is readily available online. YouTube is an
excellent resource for videos and music that can be used to demonstrate or enhance the stress
management techniques. There are local business that are partnered with the University that can
be contacted through the concierge service if additional support is needed.

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Additional Resource Needs
If additional resources are needed trainers are encouraged to reach out the managers of
the employees or specific needs related departments.
Strategy to Fill Resource Gaps
Fortunately this training will be straightforward and will be able to utilize the wealth of
internal resources that the University has at its fingertips. If it is decided that a subject matter
expert is needed, then there will be an internal call for additional resources, before conducting an
outside search.
Staff Performance Evaluations
The staff who conduct the interview will be evaluated by their managers. Managers will
periodically observe the training and provide relevant feedback. The trainers will also do written
reflections about how each session went and will provide feedback about their co-teacher. The
day after the end of each course students will receive a confidential online survey where they can
provide feedback about the course and the instructors. This feedback will be used to coach the
instructors as needed and to make appropriate adjustments to the training.
Stakeholders and Goals
Stakeholders(minimumof
five)

Partnershipgoal

Learners(Employees)

Learnhowtomanagestress
effectivelytoincreasejob
satisfactionandproductivity.

Trainers

Effectivelyteachstress
managementtechniquesto
improveemployeeretention
andproductivity.

Waystobuildsupport
Thistrainingwillprovide
employeeswithresourcesthat
theyneedtomanagetheir
stressfromheavyworkloads,
changingworkenvironments,
andotherfactors.
Trainerswillneedtohave
clearscheduleexpectations
andwillneedtohaveaccess
toconferenceroomsthatare
wellequippedand
maintained.

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Managersshouldbeprovided
withanoverviewofmaterials
thatthetrainingwillbe
Managers
coveringandshouldtakethe
classorviewtheonline
modulewheneverpossible.
TheUniversitycandothisby
Demonstratecaringand
allowingemployeestotake
investmentinemployeesinan thetrainingaspartoftheir
TheUniversityofPhoenix
efforttoimproveemployee
paidworkdayandcanensure
retentionandproductivity.
thatthetrainingisproperly
promotedandencouraged.
Employeeswhotakethe
Receivequalitycustomer
stressmanagementtraining
Students(Customers)
serviceregardlessofany
willbebetterpreparedto
outsidecircumstances.
providequalitycustomer
servicetoalloftheirstudents.
The above chart illustrates some of the stakeholders who will be impacted by this training. The
Supportemployeesinmeeting
theirgoalsandhelp
employeestomaintain
productivityandcompany
standards

impact of giving stress management tools to the employees will positively impact people at all
levels of the organization. When employees feel able and prepared to handle their stressful
workloads they will be better prepared to provide quality customer service. Positive customer
experiences are beneficial to everyone in the organization.
Communication Plan
Promoting and encouraging the stress management will increase levels of participation and
will validate the program the following paragraphs will examine how the program will be
promoted and will include examples of promotional materials. Since this is a program developed
for and by the University, the University logo will be included on the final products.
Marketing Message
The marketing message is Are you managing your stress? Or is your stress managing
you? this message will be included on all materials used to market and promote the course. The
following is a mock-up of a promotional material that will be sent to all employees.

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This promotional material is for the in person training and includes the class size of the
training, a few examples of what stress can impact, and lets employees know it can be taken when
they are on the clock. The materials include a link to the webpage where they can sign up for
available workshops. Actual promotional materials will also include information about the online
resources that will be always available.
Benefits of the Stress Management Training Program
When employees are able to effectively manage their stress they will feel more comfortable
at work and be better able to perform their regular job functions. Offering a stress management
program demonstrates that the University cares about their employees as whole individuals. The

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stress management program will provide techniques that will measurable improve the quality of
life of employees. The Mayo Clinic (2016) explains that stress can impact moods, behaviors, and
even have physical repercussions. They explain that stress can be a cause of anxiety, depression,
headaches, fatigue, and digestive issues. People who are able to successfully manage their stress
will be better able to perform their jobs, and have a better quality of life. This training will provide
learning that can positively impact all aspects of an individuals life.
Promotional Channels and Materials
The training will be promoted on the homepage of the companys internal website.
Additionally, the training will be announced in the weekly internal email newsletters. These two
methods will provide maximum exposure for the least cost. Then, managers will receive a special
email that encourages them to promote the training to their team. This will let managers know
that this training is important and needs to be encouraged. There will be a dedicated SharePoint
page for the training where employees can access resources, and post messages. This will allow
employees to freely access information and share ideas with one another. If there are opening
available in workshops there will be periodic blast emails letting people know about openings.
This will encourage people to sign up, there will also be a link that allows disinterested parties to
remove themselves from the mailing list. Promoting the training through email and the SharePoint
site will ensure that all employees are reached and aware of the program.
Program Evaluation
The stress management training program will be evaluated by collecting data from the
participants and their managers. The facilitators of the training will work in conjunction with the
training department to analyze the data in order to validate the usefulness of the training.
Evaluation of the data will allow the training department to know what areas of the training will
need to be improved or modified. Improving the effectiveness of the training will create a more

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impactful positive impact on learners. It is essential that the training be tailored to meet the needs
of the learners and that it include relevant and current techniques. Assessment helps to ensure that
needs are being met. According to Kristiansen (2008) evaluation is largely about collecting
information about the experience of the learners in order to improve the training. The evaluation
process will be conducted utilizing a rubric, similar to the one below that focuses on principles
from the evaluation model developed by Kirkpatrick (2008). Prior to the start of the course there
will be a survey conducted to ascertain the participants current levels of stress and anxiety. The
participants managers will also be asked to provide data related to the performance of the
participant. At the end of the course the participants will be given an opportunity to demonstrate
their learning. The final data collection point will be six months after the course ends, the
participants will be given a survey to ascertain if they were able to utilize the stress management
techniques and the managers will once again be requested to provide performance data. By
collecting information at these three points the training department will be able to quantify the
changes that have occurred over the course of time.
Rubric

Reaction

Methodologies

Exceeds Expectations

Meets Expectations

Below Expectations

End of course
survey questions

Online short
answer
questionnaire

85% or more of

participants
express feeling less
stress or more
capable of coping
with stress

90% or more of
survey takers
indicate that they
feel the training
was a good use of
time

70% or more of
survey takers
indicate that they
feel the training
was a good use of
time

55% or fewer of
survey takers
indicate that they
feel the training
was a good use of
time

95% or more of

75% or more of

55% or fewer of

75% or more of

participants
express feeling less
stress or more
capable of coping
with stress

50% or fewer of
participants
express feeling less
stress or more
capable of coping
with stress

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Learning

Group
presentation on
stress management
techniques

Short answer test

on five best ways
to manage stress

Behavior

Learners will be

able to
successfully
practice stress
management
techniques on their
own

Results

Survey conducted
six months after
the course to see if
the participants
stress level has
reduced since
taking the course

participants
indicate they
would recommend
the training to a
friend
Leaners present a
coherent
presentation that
explains the
benefits of stress
management
techniques that
they can share
with their team
Learners are able
to explain five
stress management
techniques and
how they are
useful
During a stressful
situation the
learner will be able
to maintain
composure and
will utilize stress
management
techniques to help
refocus once the
situation has
ended.
When surveyed
about stress
reduction, 80% or
more of
participants
indicate reduced
feelings of stress
and anxiety

participants
indicate they
would recommend
the training to a
friend
Leaners create a

presentation that is
coherent, but
needs modification
before sharing
Learners are able
to explain three or
four stress
management
techniques and
how they are
useful

During a stressful
situation the
learner will be able
to recover
composure and
will utilize stress
management
techniques to help
refocus once the
situation has
ended.
When surveyed
about stress
reduction, 60% or
more of
participants
indicate reduced
feelings of stress
and anxiety

participants
indicate they
would recommend
the training to a
friend
Leaners are unable
to create a
coherent
presentation and
are unable to
explain benefits of
stress
management.
Learners are able
to explain at least
3 stress
management
techniques and
how they are
useful
During a stressful
situation the
learner will lose
composure and
does not utilize
stress management
techniques to help
refocus once the
situation has
ended.
When surveyed
about stress
reduction, 50% or
more of
participants
indicate no change
or increased
feelings of stress
and anxiety

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Return for
Investment

Less voluntary
turnover due to
employee burnout
Fewer sick days or
time of the phone
due to stress

95% of employees
chose to still be
with the company
Significantly
increased
productivity from
participants and
demonstrated
through time on
the phone and
other measurable
metrics

85% of employees
chose to still be
with the company
Increased
productivity from
participants and
demonstrated
through time on
the phone and
other measurable
metrics

65% of employees
chose to still be
with the company
Decreased or
stagnant
productivity from
participants and
demonstrated
through time on
the phone and
other measurable
metrics

Conclusion
Stress management is an important issue that impacts a wide variety of people. The stress
management workshop will provide resources and techniques that can help employees to be more
productive and successful. This program will effectively use existing internal resources and will
provide opportunities for existing trainers to help the University retain and leverage the skills of
the employees.

References
Kirkpatrick, D. (2008). ASTD handbook for workplace learning professionals. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/docview/896136537/fulltext/5FE13
F82D172402CPQ/1?accountid=35812
Kristiansen, N. (2008). ASTD handbook for workplace learning professionals. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/docview/896136538/fulltext/AD311
751D65F4C0CPQ/1?accountid=35812

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Mayo Clinic. (2016). Stress symptoms: Effects on your body and behavior. Retrieved from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stresssymptoms/art-20050987
Spector, B. (2013). Implementing organizational change: Theory into practice (3rd ed.). Prentice
Hall.
Strebel, P. (1996, May-June). Why do employees resist change? Harvard Business Review.
Retrieved from https://hbr.org/1996/05/why-do-employees-resist-change#