ABC Banking Solutions went through a merger with XYZ Home Loans and the staff in the Client Interface Department had to reapply for their positions. As a result of the merger and the staff in

the Client Interface Department who had to reapply for positions, the staff members were very

upset and demotivated, specifically those in the Client Interface Department. In addition, it added

inevitably to stress in their work context. Ms Simpson, the supervisor of the Client Interface

Department, started to apply for other positions and in the process she was not available for her

team; she lost interest in her team and was of no support at all. As a result of this, the team

members no longer worked as a team as the individual team members also started to look at their

own interests going forward. In addition, two of the client-face team members became extremely

ill due to the stress they experienced and one of them landed up in hospital with severe bronchitis

with no support from Ms Simpson, not even a phone call. Furthermore, Mr Bali, an external

consultant who is qualified as an Industrial and Organisational Psychologist (IOP), was

approached by the executive committee to advise the staff in the Client Interface Department on

individual coping strategies for stress and conflict. Mr Bali is part of a professional network of

counselling psychologists in case a referral for therapy should take place. He has become aware

that ABC Banking Solutions has their own running club.

QUESTIONS

a) Discuss the two areas of group stressors. Support your answer with suitable examples from
the case study.​