Stress in the Workplace

Many employees agree one of the most common problems in the

workplace today is stress. Stress causes loss of productivity, loss of
efficiency, increased employee absenteeism, and many other problems.
Stress comes from several aspects of an employee’s life: the workplace,
social factors, and personal factors.

Many aspects of the workplace can lead to employee stress. One of the
main causes of employee stress is change. Change can come in many
forms: changes in the industry, changes in the organization’s strategies,
organizational restructuring, policy changes, changes in responsibilities,
and the addition of new equipment or technology. The work
environment itself may also be a source of stress. Working conditions,
lighting, inadequate equipment, an uncomfortable work station,
physically demanding work, and shiftwork are all sources of workplace
stress.

Budget constraints, downsizing, fear of job loss and loss of benefits,

layoffs, outsourcing, shorter work weeks, cuts in overtime, overflow of
duties from not hiring new employees to fill positions, and a slowing
economy all lead to worker insecurity and this in turn leads to worker
stress. Such downsizing, in turn, leads to stress factors such as work
overloads, hectic routines, infrequent breaks, long work hours,
increased pressure, staff shortages and personnel problems, time
pressure and deadlines.

The introduction of new technology and equipment also leads to stress.

Computer problems, e-mail overloading, incomprehensible jargon in
manuals, lack of training, learning new skills, slow processing times,
and unrealistic expectations are all stress factors introduced by the
addition of new technology and equipment into the workplace.

Dissatisfaction with the job can also lead to stress in the workplace.
Factors such as barriers to achievement, harassment, lack of control
over work, lack of feedback, lack of promotion, losing status, low pay,
high performance expectations, poor work organization, role ambiguity,
role conflict, uncertain job expectations, and unpredictable demands on
time are all stressors that lead to job dissatisfaction.
Other workplace factors that lead to workplace stress include
deregulation, international competition, management decision making,
too many meetings, unproductive meetings, urgent important tasks, job
demands, and underutilization of abilities.

Social stress factors come from our dealings with other people.
Problems with co-workers are the most common form of social stress in
the workplace. Lack of communication, handling the problems of others,
lack of support, poor social environment, social change, social conflict,
social isolation, social/sexual behavior, and worker characteristics are
all stress factors that come from dealing with coworkers. Another
common cause of social stress is dealing with management.
Discrimination, poor treatment of staff, inflexible management, poor
supervisor’s attitude, having to report to others, and conflicts with
supervisors/managers are all common stressors that are caused by
dealing with managers. Managers also face difficulties leading to stress
when dealing with subordinates. Other common forms of social
stressors in the workplace are ethical discord, organizational politics,
and teamwork.

Personal stress factors are stressors that have to do with the person
himself/herself, or his/her situation. Personal characteristics such as
lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem, and health problems all
contribute to personal stress. Situational stressors include debt/financial
assets, family problems, physical assets, and an improper work/life
balance.

It is difficult to determine who experiences more stress—corporate

workers or entrepreneurs. Corporate executives seem to be burning out
in record numbers. One of the key factors is the hectic pace of today’s
corporate environment. Many corporate executives are having difficulty
finding the right work/life balance. This hectic pace and unbalanced
lifestyle leads to many stress related illnesses such as poor health,
obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, alcohol and drug abuse,
and dysfunctional relationships.

The stressors for entrepreneurs are different. The life of the

entrepreneur tends to revolve around work leaving little time for leisure
activities. Entrepreneurs work long hours and often take work home with
then. They often do not have anyone to delegate work to and may not
have coworkers to discuss problems with. Though the sources of stress
are different, the results are not. Entrepreneurs also experience loss of
health, illnesses, and dysfunctional relationships due to stress.

Men and women do not seem to differ in the amount of stress they face
—only in their reaction to it. Women seem to be slightly more reactive to
stress and report higher amounts of stress and related illness than men.
Women tend to use more social support than men in dealing with stress,
while men tend to use more avoidance than women. Women too are
more likely to seek counseling or advice from professionals. Men and
women both report the same top sources of stress—finances, time,
worries about the future, academics, change, and personal
relationships.

Research suggests that workers under the age of 30 feel stress

because most of these workers are entering their first career related job
and must excell. Workers between the ages of 31 and 40 have job
related stress due to job dissatisfaction from lack of feedback and lack
of promotion.

Organizational change, restructuring, and downsizing are some of the

greatest job stressors. The effect is greatest on those who are left at the
organization after this occurs—the survivors. This change may leave the
survivors feeling insecure, angry, and bitter. The tighter management
tries to control the changes the greater these negative feelings will be.
Survivors may become consumed with job survival and may become
less effective as they focus less effort on their work.

Ways to deal with organizational stress include minimizing changes in

the work environment, providing adequate training, improving working
conditions, providing adequate lighting, maintaining equipment, and
using ergonomic work stations. It is also important to maintain open
communication with employees. This minimizes fears of cut backs and
layoffs and minimizes harmful gossip and rumors. Schedule frequent
breaks and try to avoid long hectic work days. Provide employees with
an onsite exercise and fitness room to help relieve stress, and for the
employees who seem to be in stress crisis, provide counseling and
other health services. Also consider providing education on time
management to help employees cope with multiple demands and
deadlines.

By Sarah Ford, InPsych feature writer

Work stress is a hot topic. More workers are making psychological stress-related
compensation claims than ever before, with the national cost of such claims
estimated to be $105.5 million in 2000-2001. Employers and the government are
grappling with how to address the problem. Adelaide-based organisational
psychologist Associate Professor Maureen Dollard has been researching and
consulting on occupational stress for over a decade. "I have never seen such a
national reaction to it as now", she says. Psychosocial risk factors in work
environments are firmly on the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission
agenda and the State-based workers' compensation bodies are running programs for
stress prevention, intervention and management.

Part of this recent action comes from the growing recognition of the human cost of
stress, but it is the financial expense that has forced a response. Recent figures show
how the nature of stress claims makes them particularly costly. Although the number
of such claims account for a minority of claims overall, stressed workers tend to stop
working for longer periods, resulting in a higher relative cost to employers. In 2001-
2002 stress accounted for over half of all long term (12 or more weeks)
compensation claims that did not involve an injury. Stress is considered to include
work pressure, harassment at work, exposure to traumatic events, lack of autonomy
and support, and exposure to workplace and occupational violence.

There are a myriad of reasons for the escalation of occupational stress. Maureen,
who is also the Director of the Work and Stress Research Group at the University of
South Australia, says that workers are facing more demands from various sources.
For example, changing government policies, such as outsourcing, downsizing,
casualising and de-institutionalisation without appropriate resources, have boosted
the workload on the human services industry and government agencies, including
community services, corrections and police. This, in turn, creates an environment
ripe for interpersonal conflict. "Workers are having to work harder and faster, and
meet new management objectives and performance criteria", Maureen says. "So
there is a lot of distress from emotional demands and the intensification of work."

Stressors vary with job type and location

Research on work stress has focussed on occupations that implicitly involve high
levels of stress, such as emergency service work. Dr Paula Brough, a lecturer in
organisational psychology at Griffith University in Brisbane, recently studied
occupational stress in fire, police and ambulance services. Her aim was to
differentiate the impact of trauma, which is unique to this work, from the daily
hassles encountered by all workers. Paula found that daily hassles contribute more to
job satisfaction levels, while trauma contributes more to psychological health,
especially in the long term. But the picture is complex, with daily hassles exerting a
greater effect in the short term, she explains. "Not all trauma affects officers in a
negative way all the time because they have training and counselling to deal with it",
Paula says. "But, the daily hassles are often not addressed (and) they build up over
time."

Policing has been heavily researched given the comparatively high levels of divorce,
suicide, and alcoholism associated with the occupation. Factors that contribute to the
pressure of policing include the occupation's negative public image, the frustration of
dealing with the legal system, and exposure to violence. However, some of these
stressors are being addressed by the increasing diversity of the police workforce,
particularly the presence of more female officers. Paula says that typically females
deal with public incidences differently to males. "They tend to talk with people and
calm them down, compared to men who are more likely to use aggression." These
benefits have lead to fire services investigating how to recruit and retain more
women.

Despite these gains, female police officers continue to face difficulties working in a
male-dominated policing culture. However, the incidence of sexual harassment, for
example, is declining. Some police services have set up mentoring schemes for
female officers to encourage them to stay in the service, and to show them how to
achieve promotion. Paula says there is evidence that this improves retention rates,
opportunities for promotion, and overall acceptance of these officers.

As well as the stress associated with particular jobs, there are occupational stressors
that are unique to job locations. Maureen at the University of South Australia has
been researching strains faced by rural workers. She has found that isolation
presents particular difficulties for professionals in rural areas, including a lack of
access to professional training, development and support. Further, these workers
regularly encounter dual relationship problems, in which their role as a professional
conflicts with that of being a community member in small towns. Farmers also face
unique work pressures. Uncontrollable variables, such as the weather, market prices,
and globalisation can make farming anxiety-provoking work; little research has been
conducted on the strains experienced in owner-operated type businesses such as
farming.

Individual factors in occupational stress

Individual differences also affect how people cope with work stress. Two people
doing the same job can react in opposite ways to a shared occupational stressor. Dr
Peter Cotton, a specialist in workplace mental health with Comcare, the
Commonwealth workers' compensation authority, says individual personality factors
impact on psychological injuries (a preferred term for stress claims). He says that
psychologists working in the area are increasingly assessing the role of personality,
an issue that has been neglected in the past. Of the five recognised personality
factors - openness, agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness and neuroticism
(aka emotionality) - the latter two play a significant role in compensation claims.
Peter says that people who are high on conscientiousness are over represented in
musculoskeletal and occupational injuries. They are inclined to exhibit somatic
symptoms and, because they experience increased peripheral muscle tension, they
are prone to more wear and tear from repetitive movements, Peter says. "That's
often why, for example, you can have ten people doing the same job, but only one
will get the overuse syndrome." These individuals are likely to submit claims when
the damage is done, so interventions include trying to identify them before reaching
this point, and increasing their awareness of potential risks.

Emotionality is the other personality factor that is over represented in individuals

seeking psychological injury compensation, especially for long-term claims.
Individuals with high levels of trait emotionality tend to experience negative
emotions in response to life events, and think more negatively about themselves and
the world, Peter says. "In response to the same sort of stressors, people with higher
trait emotionality are likely to become more distressed, more anxious or more
depressed". Individuals with this trait are also more likely to carry personal stressors
into the workplace and vice versa.

Peter says occupational psychologists are also increasingly focusing on individual

levels of morale, a term used for resilience in the workplace. "What we are finding is
that people with low trait morale tend to be most vulnerable to developing distress
responses that may eventually lead to a psychological injury." He says there is
growing evidence that a supportive leadership style, and a positive and engaging
work team climate, are key to boosting morale and reducing claims. "People will
submit a claim stating they had a traumatic event, but often when you scratch the
surface it isn't so much the incident, it's more the feeling that their leader didn't
support them. Perceptions of support are a critical driver in the workplace."
Prevention work is about trying to build supportive leadership and improve the
quality of the work team climate as a way of boosting morale, Peter says. "When
people have higher morale they cope much more effectively... and there is less
negative impact on them."

Interventions for occupational stress

Interventions for work stress range from organisational to individual-based
approaches. At the organisational level, there is a trend towards risk management
aimed at preventing stress. In its simplest form, this involves identifying potential
hazards in the workplace, and the harms associated with these. Efforts are made to
control the hazards, and these initiatives are then evaluated. Maureen says effective
risk management takes a bottom-up approach, involving active participation from
workers and supervisors, who try to develop new ideas for interventions. Issues can
also be raised at a higher level in the organisation, such as at an occupational health
and safety committee meeting. Ideally, it should involve top management support,
participation at all levels, and the development of communication strategies so
people can identify problems and be involved in solving them.

At the other end of the scale, individual-focused approaches include distressed

workers visiting professionals to seek medication or therapy. In the middle are
interventions that combine individual and organisational approaches. For example,
employee assistance programs, provided by employers, offer staff a limited number
of confidential counselling sessions by independent consultants. Staff receive
individual help for problems, and counsellors can provide feedback on work-related
issues to the organisation to improve its work environment.

In the emergency services, interventions have developed from the growing

recognition of the impact of traumatic experiences on individuals. Some efforts have
been made to improve training, such as police recruits shadowing seasoned officers
to learn how to handle stressful events. But the focus has been on debriefing and
counselling programs, which have been increased significantly in recent years. Paula
Brough at Griffith University says this has involved the establishment of peer
debriefing systems and access to psychological support.

It's difficult to evaluate work stress interventions because there are so many other
processes going on that threaten the validity of the results. Maureen says obtaining
workers' feedback on strategies that have been implemented is one way to
continually improve processes. Support has been found for job enrichment programs,
which aim to increase both workers' involvement in decision making processes and
their variety of job tasks, so jobs are more diverse and stimulating. These programs
have been shown to increase workers' autonomy, such that they report more
positive attitudes to the work environment and more positive mental health. "A lot of
research suggests it's not so much the demands you are faced with, but your level of
autonomy and support to actually manage them that is the key issue," she says.

Future directions
Turning to the future, Maureen is planning research to examine how external factors,
such as government policies, influence work stress. For example, how the allocation
of resources to organisations affect their capacity to cope with increasing demands
from the community. "Much of psychology focuses on psychological perceptions,
coping and reactions and misses important upstream issues which in turn affect
organisational processes," she says.

Capturing a clear picture on how work stress is being addressed in Australian

workplaces is another priority. "Australians haven't developed a systematic approach
to the problem, or learnt lessons from each other about what might really work,"
Maureen says. A recent literature review of interventions in Australian workplaces
found that most were individual-level focussed, and many were not critically
evaluated or published in academic literature. Conducting a national omnibus survey
of work stress across organisations would be a step towards creating a benchmark
from which to make improvements. "Our current research is also teasing out the link
between the experience of stress at work and putting in a workers compensation
claim. Longitudinal data just to hand is showing that the link may be moderated by
(a lack of) resources on the job," she says.

But even when equipped with this information, the rapidly changing nature of work
creates a challenge for organisational psychologists and others working in the area,
Maureen says. "It's great that there's finally been an agreement among various
stakeholders that occupational stress is an issue that's not going to go away," she
says. "But even if we understand what the current key stressors are, they are going
to change because jobs are changing so rapidly that we will have to continuously
develop new mechanisms for picking up new issues and reacting to them."