At times, we come back from work feeling exhausted. This feeling may even start at the Workplace. Stress is a major problem in many organizational settings. A lot of people carry their work-related problems to their homes which can cause some issues for them. “Stress is a common feeling we get when we feel under pressure, overwhelmed or unable to cope.”
It is important to note that some jobs are by nature more stressful than others. In some organizational settings, stress cannot be avoided. This is mainly due to the structure and workload of such organization.
Six possible causes of stress at the Workplace are gotten from the types of stress in organizational settings. These are most times related to task demands, physical demands, role demands and interpersonal demands.
Six Possible Causes of Stress at the Workplace
1. Work Overload
When someone has more work to do than he or she can handle, it can lead to stress. In most cases, the person is either assigned too many tasks to handle within a short period of time or the person has too many tasks to perform.
In some organization, some individuals needs extra days like the weekend to complete unfinished work. Such extra time maybe undesirable to such a person leading to anxiety and tension. The nature of some jobs also make it difficult for some individuals to take proper care of themselves, the thought of this can lead to stress.
2. Task demand as a result of occupation
Some occupations are naturally stressful and in this case, the individual may constantly be under stress. For instance, air traffic controller, football coach jobs are more stressful than that of air plane baggage loader, and football team equipment manager.
Some occupations also poses more threat to the health of an individual than the other, this can create fear in such an individual thus leading to stress. A plant Engine operator, a toxic waste handler’s job poses physical threats to a person’s health. For someone knowing fully well that his or her job may have a negative effect on his health, may lead to stress.
3. Fear of Losing a job
Job security is another thing that heightens stress in some individuals. For someone working in an organization that easily layoff staff or there is a merger with another organization that may lead to the layoff of staff, may cause a great deal of stress. People working under such organization maybe under the fear of Losing their jobs or position.
4. Role Conflicts
Some people have a combined work pressure they are dealing with. Most of these pressure which results to stress may come from the home and workplace. A long time demanding work in addition to having so many task to perform at home can lead to stress. For instance, a woman who has children and also working long hours maybe faced with the pressure of combining the two.
5. Stress can be from the work environment
Some jobs requires that an employee works in an extreme temperature. Also, some workplaces are designed in a way that an employee may feel isolated or boredom. Some are equally designed in a way that the environment is so noisy as a result of the interaction with clients and coworkers. All these can lead to stress.
6. Stress can be as a result of group pressure from the job
Some job settings mounts pressure on an individual to be more productive in order to get a pay raise or promotion. A particular work group may be doing well in order to get such benefits. If an individual does not meet such expectation, he or she maybe under a great deal of stress to meet up if the person needs such benefits.
How to Manage Stress at the Workplace
Having known that stress in the workplace can have so many negative effects like burnout, violence, appetite disorders, depression, lack of concentration, low productivity and others. All these will not be beneficial to both the organization and the individual. I will therefore, go ahead in highlighting the various ways in which Stress at workplace can be managed.
1. To reduce the workload of workers, organizations can initiate work shift plan, work schedules should be redesigned inorder to reduce stress on the workers.
2. The organization should know how to create a balance between work and non work activities by creating enough time off or vacations for their workers.
3. The organization can create wellness programs for their workers and health promotion programs to help and enlighten their workers on the various ways to manage stress.
4. The individual can equally be of help to his or herself by having a good support system. A partner and friend can help cope with stress, keep things in perspective and take their mind off work.
Having known fully well that being under a continuous stress can have so many undesirable effects on the individual, it becomes necessary to combat stress as soon as possible. Six possible causes of stress at the will help you to identify and know how to manage stress.
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