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