fect all employees. These stressors are unique to management positions and can involve lacking necessary authority to complete tasks for which the manager is responsible, failure of others to meet goals which affects the manager's own performance, and having more responsibility than can be effectively managed by a single person (Marino, 1997, p. 14).
Still others note that managers have access to more information than line employees, and that information may cause stress in and of itself. Prior knowledge of upcoming mergers or layoffs can cause stress for managers who are not able to share potentially devastating news with employees. Similarly, managers are in the often uncomfortable position of having to evaluate their subordinates, a situation which can be stressful for both parties, but one which can be particularly difficult for the manager sitting in judgment (Colvin, 1998, p. 243).
According to Alexander, one of the most significant stressors for managers and nonmanagers alike is the need to balance work life with home life. Telecommuting, child care, and flexible schedules have all been developed to help workers balance home and work, and all have been successful in some situations. However, just as these approaches to innovative work environments have been successful, they have also brought additional stress to bear on managers. Telecommuters, for example, cannot be managed in the same way as employees who are in the office every day. Managers must also find room in the budget to equip telecommuters with the necessary equipment (computers, phone lines, pagers and similar devices). Other workers may be resentful if their jobs (or managers) will not permit telecommuting (help desks, for example, often require their employees to remain on-site) (Alexander, 1997,
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