Management Control Systems and Perceived Stress in a Public Service Organization

Abstract: A popular notion is that an employee that experiences low control together with high demand is more likely to perceive stress. Management control has been intensified in public service organizations after New Public Management reforms, which is presumed to come at the expense of employee control. This study examined how management control systems, as a package and as specific components, are related to perceived stress. 130 subordinates in a Swedish public service organization completed self-report measures. A multiple regression analysis gave support for the hypotheses that work demand is positively and feedback from superior is negatively related to stress. No support was found for the hypotheses that employee control, feedback from the information system and formality by performance evaluation should be negatively related to stress. It is suggested that management control systems can serve as support for the employees´ efforts of coping with the demands.