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Unit 13 Stress Management
Unit 13 Stress Management Book Code ± MB 0022 Smita Choudhary,Alwar(Raj.) ...
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Job Stress Management:
Stress Causes & Effects; Tips for Workplace StressReduction
Workplace stress has a negative impact on the business
as well as on the individualemployee. The increase in job stress creates emotional, financial, and safety concerns for employers and managers. The bottom line: workplace stress management and stressreduction make sense.
In This Article:
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EmailPrintStress in the workplace is not a new phenomenon, but it is a greater threat to employeehealth and well-being than ever before. While technology has made aspects of many jobseasier, it has also added to the anxieties of office life through information overload,heightened pressure for productivity, and a threatening sense of impermanence in theworkplace. In 1996, the World Health Organization labeled stress a “worldwideepidemic.” Today, workplace stress is estimated to cost American companies more than$300 billion a year in poor performance, absenteeism and health costs.
What is workplace stress?
Stress—the responses our bodies and minds have to the demands placed on them—is anormal part of life and a normal part of any job. Without stress, we wouldn’t meetdeadlines, strive to hit sales or production targets, or line up new clients. Meeting the
demands and challenges of a job is part of what makes work interesting and satisfying,and it’s often what allows people to develop new skills and advance in their careers. Inthe workplace, we regularly experience stress-causing situations, react to them withheightened tension, then return to a more relaxed state when the crisis, big or small, isresolved. However, problems occur when stress is so overwhelming or constant that thetension never abates and we never get to relax.What we think of as “job stress” is what happens when:
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The challenges and demands of work become excessive.
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The pressures of the workplace surpass workers’ abilities to handle them.
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Satisfaction becomes frustration and exhaustion.When stress crosses the line from normal to excessive, it can trigger physical andemotional responses that are harmful to employees and businesses alike. Andunfortunately, for many people “stress” has become synonymous with “work.”
What causes stress in the workplace?
Some jobs are stressful by definition because they’re physically dangerous (such asfirefighting or criminal justice), involve matters of life and death (emergency functions),or are psychologically demanding (social work, teaching). But people who stamp metalor crunch numbers can also be subject to stress on the job.Workplace stress is usually the result of high demands on the job, real or perceived lack of control concerning those demands, poor day-to-day organization and communication,and an unsupportive work environment.The following chart lays out many of the factors that lead to job stress:Factors that Lead to Job Stress
Types of JobStressorsExamplesSpecific work factors
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Excessive workload.
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Tedious or meaningless tasks.
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Long hours and low pay.
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Infrequent rest breaks.
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Unreasonable performance demands.
Physical environment
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Noise and overcrowding.
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Poor air quality.
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Ergonomic problems.
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Health and safety risks (heavy equipment, toxicchemicals).
Factors that Lead to Job Stress
Organizationalpractices
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Unclear responsibilities or expectations.
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Conflicting job demands.
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Multiple supervisors.
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Lack of autonomy or participation in decision-making.
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Inefficient communication patterns.
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Lack of family-friendly policies.
Workplace change
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Fear of layoff.
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Frequent personnel turnover.
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Lack of preparation for technological changes.
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Poor chances for advancement or promotion.
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Tensions brought about by greater workplace diversity.
Interpersonalrelationships
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Distant, uncommunicative supervisors.
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Poor performance from subordinates.
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Office politics, competition, and other conflicts amongstaff.
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Bullying or harassment.
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Problems caused by excessive time away from family.
What are the health effects of job stress?
There is a clear connection between workplace stress and physical and emotional problems. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,early
warning signs of job stress include:
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Headache
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Sleep disturbance
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Upset stomach
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Difficulty concentrating
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Irritability
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Low morale
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Poor relations with family and friendsWhile these early signs are relatively easy to recognize, it may be harder to see how jobstress affects chronic health problems, since chronic conditions develop over time andmay be influenced by factors other than stress. Still, evidence suggests that workplacestress plays an important role in several types of ongoing health problems, especially:
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Cardiovascular disease
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Musculoskeletal conditions
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Psychological disorders
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Job Stress Management
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| Upload Date: | 01/31/2009 |
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