Organizational Psychology: Stress in the workplace

Stress in the workplace
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The increase in the rate of work place related stress has necessitated reviews on stress and its impact on the psychological wellbeing and productivity in employees. Even as the healthcare costs related to stress keep rising most governments and employers do not have adequate measures and policies to deal with the issue. Thus, workplace related stress has economic consequences and health problems which impact negatively on organizational performance. In essence, workplace stress causes increased absenteeism as well as increase in costs. In organizational psychology, the subject of organizational stress has gained more prominence as researchers look into causality of stress in the workplace. The health consequences of stress are many including increased risk of cardio vascular diseases as there is a mismatch between work demands and low returns (Kivimäki et al., 2002).
Stress and the workplace
Organizational stress among employees may occur when there is a mismatch between the demands and pressures of the work versus the knowledge and coping mechanisms available in the workplace (Finney et al, 2013). Essentially, stress might be triggered by various reasons and in different situations, but the level of support from fellow workers or supervisors m determines the ability to cope with work related stress. However, pressure is not necessarily harmful in the workplace as employees are more likely to be alert, but when it is too much it often leads to stress. In addition, inability to affectively utilize skills and knowledge m often causes stress as workers are unable to cope. Thus, an appropriate working place is one in which the pressures match with the employee’s knowledge, abilities and support from peers and the organization.
Stress and stressors
There is no universally acceptable definition of stress, but the strain of stress occurs through exposure to stressors in demanding circumstances. The stressors could be particular events, long time events that occur on a daily basis or traumatic experiences. Workplace stress occurs through workplace stressors that put employees in a state of distress, but individual level factors might also lead to emergence of stress and may also be moderators of stress. Stress that occurs for a lengthy period of time might cause burnout which is the response to interpersonal stressors in the workplace. Burnout is in turn related to feelings of detachment, cynicism, exhaustion and low motivation in the workplace (Finney et al, 2013).
Stress and performance
Other than being detrimental to the health and mental well being of employees, stress also has a negative impact on workplace performance. Employees perform better when they align their work performance with an organization’s goals, but stressors make this objective harder to achieve. There are numerous angles through which stress affects performance. One of the ways through which stress and performance are related is through difficulty in accomplishing tasks upon the emergence of stressful events. Since there is little motivation and alertness workers are typically less keen in the workplace as they have divided attention that affects performance. In addition, stress reduces cognitive abilities as workers pay less attention in their jobs and this negatively affects the decision making process in the workplace, thus having negative impact on performance.
Stress coping mechanisms
Coping mechanisms associated with stress typically fall into two categories, one of the approaches includes identifying the origin of work place stress and seeking solutions through changes in the job design. Another approach relates to seeking intervention after identifying stress through responses (Wainwright & Calnan, 2002). However, the best way to deal with occupational stress is through integration of strategies that deal with both the individual’s needs and organizational goals. Strategies adopted by an organization are vital in minimizing distress and illnesses accompanying stress. It is also crucial for an organization to highlight on the need to use coping mechanisms when individuals experience stress
Causes
There are numerous causes of work related stress, and organizational change may cause uncertainty and anxiety for employees. Workers typically feel anxious about their role in a new workplace structure and feel apprehension on whether they will fit in the new system. In most cases, employees anticipate change and prepare themselves for new challenges, but some are apprehensive with regards to impending changes in the workplace. Consequently, rejection of these new changes causes minimal cooperation with peers, and supervisors which then leads to increased levels of stress. In essence, change in the workplace connotes instability and employees are less likely to accept changes if they do not fully understand the impact or relevance of change (Abbey, 2005).
Changes in the economic outlook in many countries have had a negative impact on the levels of stress because of increased workloads (Hancock & Szalma, 2012). Following the global financial down turn there was increased unemployment rates as organizations downsized to cut down on costs. Increased workload for employees is associated with elevated stress levels as employees have more duties and responsibilities than ever before. Thus, there is increased pressure on employees to perform and meet deadlines, but there are limited resources and time constraints that make this almost unachievable. The increased workload among workers and demand for more productivity also strains relations between supervisors and employees leading to stress as workers try to strike a balance between their constant income levels and increased workloads.
The management style and leadership in the workplace are also factors that affect workplace stress. The perceptions that employees have on leadership styles with regards to whether leaders follow ethics, fairness, justice or their openness may determine stress levels (Abbey, 2005). Essentially, workers are more likely to report increased stress levels if the leaders do not communicate properly about the organization’s vision. Leaders ought to motivate workers as leadership does not wholly dependent on the position held by leaders, but rather it connotes providing inspiration and encouraging active participation of staff following visions set by the leader. In essence, the workplace can be stressful if workers deem the leader not to be catering for the interests of the employees. Leadership does not entail aggressive control and monitoring in the workplace, but rather it is best to support workers.
Technological innovations have a positive impact on the workplace as they reduce costs, but at times balancing work and normal day activities is harder than ever before. Technological innovations typically require continuous learning which presents a dilemma as workers try to find a balance between personal matters and work related activities. There is an assumption that technology facilitates efficiency at all times and that workers out to do their works faster aided by technology, but without compromising on quality. Additionally, workers now devote more of their time at workplaces to the detriment of their personal matters, and online communication on work related matters can be disruptive as it may occur any time even on weekends. Consequently, there is a risk that workers may suffer burnout from instant communication on issues related to work.
Even though, modern workplaces require working in teams there sis less emphasis on social support. Being in groups helps to minimize stress as there is support that reduces the chances of experiencing burnout, people may be members of various groups, but if these groups do not offer much support then there may be increased levels of stress. In the workplace, the social system includes fellow workers, clients, supervisors and subordinates, but these individuals tend to offer more technical support and to a less extent social support. If the groups offer both technical and emotional support, then there is reduction of work related stress and burnout but is usually not the case in most organizations. In most cases, people work in groups because of convenience and job descriptions.
In summary, workplace stress has both positive and negative consequences for employees. On one hand, stress can motivate workers towards achieving personal goals or company’s objectives. On the other, when stress is left unchecked it has many negative implications for both the individual and the organization. The mental and health implications of stress increase the risk of illnesses leading to higher health costs and increased cases of absenteeism. Even though, there are various causes of workplace stress, the most suitable intervention strategies focus on an individual and the organization. In the 21st century, technological innovations ar...