How IT project managers cope with stress

Abstract

This research examines the level of stress experienced by IT project managers and determines the types of coping strategies used to handle their stress. Sixty-four South African IT project managers completed an online questionnaire. The findings indicate that IT project managers are highly stressed and tend to utilize maladaptive coping strategies more as their stress levels increase. These strategies included self-distraction, venting, self-blame, positive reframing, behavioral disengagement, substance use and denial. This contradicts prior research where the coping strategy was emotional support. In addition, the more experienced the IT project managers were, the higher their levels of stress. These findings could assist project managers to better understand the effects of stress on their productivity and to consider more appropriate coping strategies to assist them to reduce their stress.