Factors Affecting Occupational Stress Essay

How each individual chooses to relieve their level of stress is a purely personal matter. Stress is reported to cost employers production and money. Certain levels of stress are beneficial to society and individuals, this allows for positive growth; although long term exposure to stress can cause ill-effects to one’s well-being. Work place stress, otherwise known as occupational stress is said by the United Nations’ International Labor Organization to be a global occurrence. It is estimated that occupational stress causes US employers a loss of up to $200 billion a year. This includes low productivity, workers’

In defining the concept of stress, occupational stress and role stress are examined based on the fact that people's lives are characterized with stressors that contribute to numerous threats to their well-being. Since the concept of role stress, which is related to occupational stress, is not found in the dictionary, the starting point in the definition and analysis of stress is the use of the term stress (Riahi, 2011, p.722). While stress was initially described as the experience of some form of strain by any living organisms, the description has been expanded to a phenomenon that contributes to severe and distressing experience,

There are numerous challenges that organizations are faced with in order for them to survive and grow. These challenges are mainly faced by people who are tasked with making decisions on a daily basis within the organizations because a majority of the challenges are human based. The employees working in an organization are likely to suffer from occupational stress depending on their work. Occupational stress comes along when an employee is faced with demands within the workplace, and they are not able to complete or carry out these demands. The failure to complete the demands placed upon them would cause the employee mental and physical strain as their body would have a physiological reaction. According to research there are various factors that contribute to stress in the workplace. These factors include isolation, extensive working hours, negative workloads, unhealthy working environments, harassment, bullying by management, and lack of motivation or advancement opportunities. The factors mentioned are not exhaustive as there might be other causes to occupational stress depending on the individual or employees.

This proposal examines the problems, effects, and solutions to workplace stress. In addition, I will explain risk assessment, management, and prevention. Finally, I will review coping strategies for workplace stress.

In today’s world Stress has become a ubiquitous word. It doesn’t matter if you are working in a highly competitive environment like at Wall Street or in a quiet neighbourhood like in country side or in any tier 2 or tier 3 cities; some amount of stress is inevitable. Stress is a highly serious problem in today world having repercussions on the physical and mental health of individuals. This negative effect can be disastrous for the organizations also. Due to stress the wellbeing of the employee falls and as a result organization itself becomes unwell. The organization sustainability falls as its productivity reduces. Stress can originate from many sources, like relationship problems, obligations and promises to family, friends

Many believe that stress is a simple problem, however it is often misunderstood and more complex than they believe (p. 181, Griffin & Moorhead, 2014). Stress is the physiological and psychological response to excessive and usually unpleasant stimulation as well as threatening events in the environment (p. 284, Schultz and Schultz, 2010). Stress appears in silent and subtle ways but this negative response affects millions of employees in all levels of all types of jobs (p. 284, Schultz and Schultz, 2010). If identified

The topic, occupational stress and scientific monitoring has been chosen because work stress is a major health hazard in modern workplaces and accounts for a lot of physical and emotional stress, family problems and substance abuse that come from those undertaking both blue and white collar jobs. Occupational stress is also a major cause for reduction in workplace productivity and increased workplace accidents that lead to hefty insurance compensation.

This author believes Hayes & Weathington (2007) given a great definition of stress which states “stress is any circumstance that places special physical or psychological anxiety on a person such that requires an infrequent or extraordinary response occurs.” Based on this definition it can be said stress from a job will overlap into one’s private life which only will complicate issues more. The effect of stress can leave individual with the mindset that they are trapped in this situation and will not be able to acclimate to the situation.

There are so many reasons to be stressed in the workplace because there are constant demands, physical, and psychological, that are being put on you.

This thesis explores the area of occupational stress at a well-known construction company in Sweden, by interviewing employees about their views and perceptions of causes and effects of job stress and what areas that calls for improvement. To get a broader picture of the employee perceptions, an employee survey was sent out to a larger group of employees working in the Gothenburg area. It is clear that construction personnel suffer from a high level of occupational stress. A difference was spotted between those who work on site, compared to those working at the office. Site managers and supervisors working on site were the ones that experienced the highest level of stress. By working in projects, they have both tight deadlines and budgets to

In broad biological terms, work-related 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 (Hudzik, 2005). Thus, the hurtful physical and enthusiastic reactions may be the reason for individuals ' degenerate conduct that may lead them to have conflict in their work place or even in affiliation. Stress at work can be conceptualized as an

either at work or at home. When it builds up these may be even more

My reaction to the situation with France Telecom is that it is a tragedy, no organization should be ok with any of their employees being stressed to the point of wanting to kill themselves. Which reminded me of our previous discussion about job satisfaction. I don’t think any job is worth the stress that the employees of France Telecom had to endure, no matter how much money the employees are making. I also thought, this is an important public/global health issue that needs to be addressed.

Work related stress has been emerging as one of the main causes of adverse symptoms of mental health in today’s industrial societies. The direct result of excessive pressures and/or demands placed on individuals at work, work-related stress has caused some people to develop symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other adverse mental health effects. While it might be possible that other co-factors contribute to the development of anxiety and depression in some population groups, evidence suggests that pressure from works is more likely to trigger adverse reactions in some people. In fact, positive correlations have been established between symptoms of work stress and mental health problems. That is, it is not uncommon to witness loss of

To try to understand stress better, we need to consider the psychological factors involved - emotional and cognitive (thinking) factors. Research has suggested that major stressors in our lives are life changes, for example, moving house, marriage or relationship breakdown. Work-related factors, including unemployment and boredom, are also common causes of stress. Differences in personality may also play a part.