Cause and effect of stress at work

CAUSE AND EFFECT OF

STRESS AT WORK

OUTLINE

I Introduction

the importance of the issue

Statistics , which confirm the increasing tension of occupational stress

II . Thesis

III . Definition

definitions

differentiation between positive challenge and negative stress

IV . Causes of job stress

V . Symptoms classification

1 ) progressive classification

- mobilization of energy

- exhaustion or consuming energy

- draining energy stores

2 ) body-mind- communication classification

-physical

-emotional

-relational

3 ) typical stress-originated diseases

VI . Conclusion

The problem of work-related stress has been

brought to the foreground by the changing nature of the very concept of a job in the global world which imposes extra demands on employees . The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH ) provide the results of surveys among the US employees , which are really striking . Thus , over forty per cent of the participants report their job is very or extremely stressful and one-fourth of employees claim that their jobs are the number one stressor in their lives . At the same time the tendency to growth is getting more and more evident , as three-fourths of the questioned people believe that today 's worker has more occupational stress than it was the case a generation ago . So , there is no doubt about the relevance of the issue . In the current essay I intend to prove that the main causes of on-the-job stress are a number of conditions affecting most employees in the same way despite their individual characteristics . Besides , I would like to show that stress effect is progressive process , consisting of a few stages and including physical , mental and communicational response

NIOSH gives quite a comprehensive definition of the concept in question : 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 (Stress at work , 1998 . One should not confuse the term stress ' with what we usually call challenge at work . The latter is highly positive and essential for employee motivation , the latter being also a natural but distressing reaction of an individual to excessive demands imposed on them

At this point we approach understanding the main causes of work-related stress . Some psychologists argue that it is individual peculiarity of an employee 's mentality and temperament that influence stress response Most of the research , however , shows that there are common factors that play the role of stressors irrespective of the personality of workers All of these concern job conditions and management . Thus , UNISON Guide provides a whole list of factors , forming a stressful environment

_ long hours

_ shift work

_ too much or too little work

_ lack of control and conflicting demands (especially amongst the lower grades

_ poor management

_ bad relations with other work colleagues

_ repetitive work , boredom and lack of job satisfaction

_ working alone

_ job insecurity

_ job or organizational change

_ low pay

_ jobs with heavy emotional demands...