Beyond Your Control and Causing You Stress

Work organization plays a very important role in work stress. People usually experience work- related stress when their job demands and pressures do not match their knowledge and abilities, and they have a low amount of control over meeting these demands.

Stress is made worse when employees feel they do not have support from supervisors and coworkers. Some pressure at work is unavoidable and may even keep workers alert and motivated. However, when that pressure becomes excessive or unmanageable it leads to too much stress, which can harm workers' health and the performance of the organization.

The more control workers have over their work and the way they do it, and the more they participate in decisions that concern their jobs, the less likely they are to experience work stress.

Most of the causes of work stress are related to the way jobs are designed and the way organizations are managed. Because these aspects of work can potentially cause harm, they are called 'stress-related hazards'.

Stress-related hazards:

•“Job content: lack of variety; monotonous, meaningless and/or unpleasant tasks.
•Workload and work pace: having too much or too little to do; working under time pressures.
•Working hours: unpredictable, strict or inflexible working schedules; shift work.
•Participation and control: lack of participation in decision-making; no control over work methods, pace, environment, and working hours.
•Career development, status and pay: job insecurity, under-promotion or over-promotion; unclear or unfair performance evaluation systems; skill level not matched to the job.
•Role in the organization: unclear role or conflicting job demands; level of responsibility; continuously dealing with other people and their problems.
•Interpersonal relationships: poor or unsupportive supervision; poor relationships with coworkers/subordinates; bullying, harassment and violence; solitary work; no procedures for dealing with complaints.
•Organizational culture: poor communication and leadership; unclear organizational objectives.
•Home/work interface: conflicting demands of work and home, and lack of support for domestic problems at work - and for work problems at home.”

Effects of work stress

Work stress can have a number of consequences to individuals, organizations, and for society. It can harm workers' psychological and physical health, as well as the organizations' effectiveness.

Employees affected by stress can have difficulty concentrating and making decisions, become increasingly distressed and irritable, do not enjoy their job and feel less committed to it.

Employees may also feel tired, depressed, and have difficulty sleeping. Stress can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, digestive system disorders, headaches, musculoskeletal disorders (such as low back pain) and increases in blood pressure.

Workers who are stressed may find it difficult to maintain a healthy balance between work and non- work life and may engage in unhealthy activities, such as smoking, drinking and abusing drugs.

If key staff or a large number of workers are affected by stress, the organization may experience increased absenteeism and staff turn- over and the associated costs of recruiting and training new employees.

Stress also affects productivity and efficiency.  Stress also causes an increase in unsafe work practices and accident rates, and increased liability to legal claims and actions by stressed workers. Unhealthy organizations do not get the best from their workers and are likely to be unsuccessful in a competitive market

What employers can do to help

“Employers should assess the workplace for the risk of stress. They should look for pressures at work which could cause high and long lasting levels of stress, and determine who could be harmed by these pressures, and what can be done to prevent them. Good management and good work organization are effective forms of work stress prevention.”

Well-designed work should include:

•“Clear organizational structure and practices. Employees should be provided with clear information about the structure, purpose and practices of the organization.
•Appropriate selection, training and staff development. Employees' skills, knowledge and abilities should be matched as much as possible to the job requirements, and suitable training should be provided. Effective supervision and guidance can help protect staff from stress.
•Job descriptions on the purpose and organization of work and how performance will be measured. Employees' managers and other key staff must be aware of the relevant details of the job and ensure that demands are appropriate.
•Communication. Managers should talk with and listen to their staff. Work expectations should be easy for the employee to understand, clearly communicated and consistent with the job description.
•Social environment. Teamwork and a reasonable level of socializing can help increase commitment to work and to the work team.
•Organizational culture. This is a key factor in determining how successful an organization will manage work stress, and recognize and solve problems. It can affect which situations are experienced as stressful, how that experience translates into health difficulties, how stress and health are reported, and how the organization responds to such reports.”

Employers should not only identify stress problems and deal with them, but also promote a healthy workplace and reduce harmful aspects of work. 

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Posted by: suhujitha on 2009-05-12 16:39:47

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