Stress at Workplace

In todays world, the work places have become a cause of stress. What actually is Stress?   Stress  is a physiological and psychological responses to events in the environment. However there are 2 types of stress:

Eustress: good stress

Distress: bad stress

What's Job Stress?

Job stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. Job stress can lead to poor health and even injury.

Where does stress come from?

1. Major life events?
2. Daily hassles: frequency, intensity, duration
3. Job satisfaction and stress – those who enjoy work suffer less impact from stressful events.

Causes of Stress in the Workplace

• Work overload
• Quantitative: too much to do in too short a time
• Qualitative: work that is too difficult
• Quantitative has increased in recent years due to downsizing
• Work underload – work that is too simple or insufficient to fill one’s time
• Both of these impact stress and health, appears that a moderate amount of stress is optimal
• Organizational Change – if not hardy, change causes stress in individuals.  Can be reduced by including employees in planning.
• Role Ambiguity – unstructured or poorly defined job responsibilities (expected standards, methods, schedules)
• Role Conflict – conflict between job demands and employee’s personal standards
• Management Style. Lack of participation by workers in decision making, Poor communication in the organization, lack of family friendly policies.Example: Their needs to get the boss’s approval for everything, and the company is insensitive to her family needs.
• Interpersonal Relationships. Poor social environment and lack of support or help from coworkers and supervisors.
• Career Concerns. Job insecurity and lack of opportunity for growth, advancement, or promotion; rapid changes for which workers are unprepared.
• Environmental Conditions. Unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions such as crowding, noise, air pollution, or ergonomic problems.