FREE ESSAY ON JOB STRESS: THE EFFECT ON EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS

JOB STRESS: THE EFFECT ON EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS

Job Stress:
The Effect on Employees and Employers
Job stress poses a significant threat to employee health and consequently to the health
of an organization. This report will provide information on the causes of stress, the
resulting symptoms, the consequences to employers, and the programs employers can
implement to reduce the adverse effects of stress in the workplace.
It is important for both employees and employers to recognize and understand stress and
its causes. Often times employers confuse job challenges and job stressors. Most
employees view a job challenge as a motivating factor, which enables them to grow within
their positions. This motivation has the potential to produce positive results for both
employees and employers. However, when challenges become demands, employees often resort
to the fight or flight response of our primal ancestors. At the sight of a dangerous
encounter, the hypothalamus sends a message to the adrenal glands and within seconds the
heart is pumping at two or three times the normal speed, sending blood to the major
muscle groups with soaring blood pressure. In most cases, the employee does not have the
opportunity to fight or flee, and as a result the increased energy is internalized and
over time manifests itself as stress. Stress is not an illness, however prolonged
exposure to stressful conditions can increase the risk of injury or disease. According to
the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (??NIOSH??), 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 employee. For
instance, management style, interpersonal relationships, work roles, career concerns,
work-life issues, sociocultural atmosphere, and environmental conditions may all be
considered stressors. 
The following illustrations represent extreme cases, but a common thread between all of
the examples is lack of communication, lack of resources, and lack of control. Typically,
people are affected by an assortment of these stressors and at a variety of levels.
Management Style 
Many employees suffer from stress caused by managers who expect results without
establishing clear goals. An example would be an office head that is responsible for
increasing profitability and decreasing overhead, without receiving a budget from the
home office. At the end of the year, the office head's performance cannot be considered
objectively. Consequently, his or her incentive compensation becomes subjective.
Interpersonal Relationships In many organizations, workers have little decision-making
power. For example, a customer service representative is responsible for fielding
incoming calls. Inevitably, the calls are primarily from angry customers concerned about
a late shipment. The representative has no control over the shipping department and in
fact has virtually no communication with that department. After listening to the
customer's complaints over a period of time, the representative has several suggestions
which management could implement in the shipping department that may improve customer
satisfaction. Unfortunately, management is not interested in the ideas of a customer
service representative. And as a result, the representative is attacked daily by angry
customers whose concerns could have been prevented.
Work Roles Some employees suffer from stress caused by excess responsibility and a
shortage of time. An example of which might be a salesperson who has a broad scope of
responsibilities with little support and a full travel schedule. In many instances, the
salesperson is unable to meet unrealistic reporting deadlines because of excessive
travel.
Career Concerns Other employees may stress about an impending reorganization and its
potential consequences. For example, management hires a consulting firm to evaluate
departmental effectiveness and profitability. The employees may feel that management
views their work as substandard and is formulating a reduction in forces plan which could
ultimately affect their jobs. 
Work-Life Issues Often workplace stress is caused by balancing personal and professional
responsibilities. For example, a nurse who also has to care for an aging, dependant
parent.
Sociocultural Atmosphere Some employees are subjected to an atmosphere of gender bias
and/or sexual harassment. For example, a woman works as a real estate broker, which is a
male-dominated field. She is constantly subjected to sexual innuendo. She is even made to
look incompetent in client meetings by her male counterparts who ask ridiculous and
irrelevant questions. 
Environmental Conditions Employees are required to perform in adverse working conditions
which often cause signs of stress. For instance, a mill worker is subjected to the
constant humming of machines.
Repeated exposure to stressful situations such as those mentioned above often cause
symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, irritability, and boredom.
Other warning signs may include upset stomach, job dissatisfaction, muscle tension, and
low morale. Studies have shown that stress in the workplace has been linked to some of
the leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, workplace
accidents, cirrhosis, and suicide. According to the Encyclopedia of Occupational Safety
and Health, studies suggest that psychologically demanding jobs which allow employees
little control over work process increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is also
widely believed that job stress produces an increased risk of back and upper extremity
musculoskeletal disorders. Furthermore, several studies suggest that a variety of mental
health problems, from burnout to depression, have been linked to job stress. Although
more studies are needed, it has become a mounting concern that on-the-job injuries are on
the rise due to job related stress. 
According to the Journal of Occupations and Environmental Medicine, healthcare
expenditures are nearly 50% greater for workers who report high levels of stress.
Furthermore, the American Institute of Stress estimates that more than 75% of all doctor
visits are for stress-related complaints or disorders. People also spent nearly $11
billion last year on stress management programs, products and services.
Although stress poses a variety of health concerns to individuals, organizations also
suffer its consequences. According to the National Safety Council, it is estimated that
one million workers are absent on an average workday because of stress related
complaints. Furthermore, to the American Institute of Stress reports that 40 percent of
employee turnover is related to job tension. A study published in the Journal of Group
Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, found that when workers are under stress, they
tend to lose their group perspective and focus on their own personal goals to the
detriment of their colleagues. In a study of 100 naval personnel, each three-member group
was subjected to a decision-making task simulation under varying stressful conditions. As
expected, those operating under the highest level of stress performed worse than those
operating under normal circumstances. Furthermore, the study indicated that the higher
the stress level, the subject acted from a more individual perspective, which ultimately
deteriorated team performance. In addition, the 1995 Workers Compensation Yearbook
reports:
In 1960, a Michigan court upheld a compensation claim by an automotive assembly-line
worker who had difficulty keeping up with the pressures of the production line. To avoid
falling behind, he tried to work on several assemblies at the same time and often got
parts mixed up. As a result, he was subjected to repeated criticism from the foreman.
Eventually, he suffered psychological breakdown.
By 1995, nearly one-half of the States allowed worker compensation claims for emotional
disorders and disability due to stress on the job [note, however, that courts are
reluctant to uphold claims for what can be considered ordinary working conditions or just
hard work] (NIOSH).
Given that job stress is estimated to cost U. S. industry $300 billion annually as
assessed by absenteeism, diminished productivity, employee turnover, and consequently
legal fees and insurance premiums, it is important for employers to implement programs
that promote a low stress atmosphere in the workplace. The American Psychologists
Association recommends the following organizational changes to help prevent job stress:
"Y Ensure that the workload is in line with the worker's capabilities and resources.
"Y Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers to use
their skills.
"Y Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.
"Y Give worker's opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their
jobs.
"Y Improve communications ?V reduce uncertainty about career development and future
employment prospect.
"Y Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers.
"Y Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities outside
the job.
Other elements of a healthy company include open communication, employee involvement,
health-enhancing work environments, community responsibility, and institutional fairness.
Many companies have taken a variety steps to promote this type of atmosphere. For
example, Harley-Davidson, the Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer, implemented the
use of work groups in its Capital Drive plant in 1995. Since then, there has been a
steady decline in worker's compensation claims which resulted in higher profits for the
company. According to John Gillard, president of PACE Local 7-0209, workers feel they
have more control over their jobs because they have a voice in day-to-day operations.
Honeywell offers employee assistance counselors and stress management classes. The Leo
Burnett advertising agency in Chicago, has a on-site massage therapist once a week, while
National Semiconductor of Santa Clara, California provides an on-site fitness center that
offers yoga and karate among other things. 
While some companies suffer the consequences of stress in the workplace, others like
Massachusetts based WFD, Inc. (WFD), profit from it. WFD offers innovative services that
assist employers in facilitating the needs of their employees thereby producing
measurable business results such as customer loyalty and satisfaction, revenues and
profits and shareholder value. WFD's services include employee commitment audits,
work-life strategy consulting, community investment and dependent care strategy
consulting, and workplace flexibility consulting.
The bottom line is that job-related stress is costing both employees and employers a
tremendous amount of money, not to mention health.