Indonesians not ready for stress of free trade: Experts
Indonesians not ready for stress of free trade: Experts
JAKARTA (JP): Psychology experts are concerned Indonesians may
not be equipped to handle pressures accompanying the free trade
era due to relatively poor competence, low competitiveness, and
an absence of business ethics.
"They easily crack under stress," psychologists said at a
seminar held on Saturday to mark the anniversary of their
organization, Himpsi. They said one of the factors linked to
their gloomy prognosis was the undue attention given to physical
development at the expense of character building.
"Indonesia pays too much attention to (aspects of) physical
development," said Shinto B. Adelar, the organizing committee
chairwoman. "We strive to improve workers' technical competence,
but we neglect the development of attitudes."
Ashar Sunyoto Munandar, a professor of industrial psychology
at the University of Indonesia, said Indonesian workers'
productivity was lower compared to workers from other countries.
Insufficient skills, low motivation, poor attitudes and low
morale were responsible for the low standards.
"Indonesian workers are easily satisfied with their
achievements," he said.
Anugerah Pekerti of Management Education and Empowerment (PPM)
reminded the seminar that competition in the free trade era would
be intense and that players would have to give their best in
order to survive. The situation, in turn, could cause stress
which would also lead to low productivity, he said.
Although most of the speakers at the seminar described the
negative impacts of stress, expert Soesmalijah Soewondo, who is
also a professor of psychology, revealed that stress can be
useful when managed properly.
At a certain level, stress could stimulate a person to
achieve, she said. "When there's only a low level of stress, a
worker will not be productive, because there is no challenge and
motivation," she said. "On the other hand, stress that is too
extreme can cripple a worker so that he or she is unable to carry
out his or her job."
She believed stress could be managed by simple relaxation
methods and suggested a program called progressive relaxation.
The activity consisted of eight to nine sets of exercises that
stretch and ease several muscle groups, enabling the individual
to differentiate between a state stress and a state of
relaxation.
"It's called progressive because we can reduce the number of
exercises gradually," she said. "After trying for a month, for
instance, we would be able to relax at the snap of a finger."
She said the method could be used not only to relieve stress,
but also to reduce fears experienced by people suffering from
phobias.(05)