title: Changes of subjective stress and stress-related symptoms after a merger announcement: a longitudinal study in a merger-planning company in Japan.
abstract: To investigate the influences of a merger on employees in a Japanese company, changes of subjective stress and stress-related symptoms after a merger announcement in a major Japanese financial company were explored using longitudinal study surveys. Seventy-one participants responded to the first and second questionnaires, consisting of stress and symptoms, personal characteristics, lifestyle, medical examination, and work-related factors. After the merger announcement, the prevalence of subjective stress, anxiety, and impatience increased significantly from 46.5% to 78.9%, 18.3% to 40.8%, and 15.9% to 29.0%, respectively. The study suggests that subjective stress and stress-related symptoms may increase after a merger announcement. To reduce the negative impact of mergers, employers are expected to provide mental health-promotion programs in a merger-planning company.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibumachi, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Haruyama
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muto
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ichimura
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014041:Tokyo