Preview

The Effect of Work Related Stress and Its Impact on the Productivity of Both the Organisation and the Employee. Essay Example

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1779 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Effect of Work Related Stress and Its Impact on the Productivity of Both the Organisation and the Employee. Essay Example
The Effect of Work Related Stress and its Impact on the Productivity of Both the Organisation and the Employee.

ABSTRACT

Abstract
This study explored the effect of work related stress on the individual. The results of work stress then affecting the organisation financially and the individual personally. It has been suggested that due to pressure of economic rationalism, workforce numbers have been cut back but the amount of work has remained the same and as a result workers in full time positions are experiencing job intensification, increased work pressure and longer hours, all of which contribute to work stress. This study participant was a 40 year old male full time worker in a high responsibility position with the Information Technology department of an organisation. The hypothesis that employees with high work stress that did affect productivity was being adversely affected was supported, with the participant expressing a desire to produce better work than was being allowed due to the time constraint, unrealistic deadline and lack of communication in the organisation. It was concluded that effective communication and acknowledgement of expertise was a possible solution to decrease work stressor and thereby increase productivity.

Work related stress is fast becoming the norm in many organisations. “Nearly two-thirds of Australian employees say they are under extreme stress at work.” (McShane & Travaglione 2005 p224) Workplace stress is defined as the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there is a poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources or needs of the worker. This is often caused by poor work conditions, poor communication between colleagues, harassment, unreasonable work expectations, impossible deadlines, lack of autonomy and management bullying to name a few. The workplace has changed significantly in the recent decade and technology has allowed for new means of communication and ways to

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Bsb115 Unit 1 Assignment

    • 755 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Deakin University,. (2014). Reducing Work Related Stress A Guide for Managers. Retrieved 17 August 2014, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/228652/managers-guide2.pdf…

    • 755 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    References: Barling, E., Kelloway, K., Frone, M.R. (2005). Handbook of Work Stress. New York: Sage Publications.…

    • 3579 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The strength of this study is that it has practical applications (ecological validity) as many employers consider stress to be a very serious. This allows them to introduce stress management programmes for their employees to reduce the negative effects of workplace stress.…

    • 514 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ilm M3.15

    • 2291 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Work-related stress is a major cause of occupational ill health, poor productivity and human error. It can result in sickness absence, high staff turnover and poor performance and could increase the potential of a rise in accidents.…

    • 2291 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The world of business has seen many examples of successful and unsuccessful companies approach their business activities in a different way and modeled different parts of the organizational structure. However, the most important element of any company, not depending on its size, profile of activity or type, is its labor force – the number of employees constitutes the driving element of any company and provides its efficiency. Any company owner directs efforts on its increased performance, the main indicator of the company’s profitability and sustainability. The topic of the paper is to deal with the ways to improve organizational performance through the influence on employees, increasing their motivation and dealing with stress at the workplace, which is likely to become the dominant barrier to the achievement of the stipulated goal.…

    • 1342 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    A research for workplace stress was conducted by both Marmot and Johnson and Hall. Marmot researched effects for low control and whether it was linked to more stress. Johnson and Hall researched high workload to stress. Marmot conducted an investigation with participants from London – based government civil servants, and the studies are therefore referred to as the Whitehall studies. Civil employees in London were asked to volunteer to take part in the study. High grade employees were compared to Low grade civil servants. Marmot found that workers with less control were four times likely to die of heart attack than their colleagues with more control. In addition they were more likely to suffer from other stress related illnesses such as cancers, ulcers, stomach disorders and strokes.…

    • 624 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Strategies or standard approaches to address the issue of Work related Stress in the Workplace…

    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    How each individual chooses to relieve their level of stress is a purely personal matter. Stress is reported to cost employers production and money. Certain levels of stress are beneficial to society and individuals, this allows for positive growth; although long term exposure to stress can cause ill-effects to one’s well-being. Work place stress, otherwise known as occupational stress is said by the United Nations’ International Labor Organization to be a global occurrence. It is estimated that occupational stress causes US employers a loss of up to $200 billion a year. This includes low productivity, workers’ compensation claims, staff turnover, and absenteeism. Understanding the effects of stress and techniques to offset its effects is key to being successful. The effects of stress are difficult to pinpoint because stress affects each individual differently. “Things that are distressful for some individuals can be pleasurable for others” ("Effects of Stress", n.d.). Some of the signs are:…

    • 907 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The increased uncertainty about the future, the global competition, lower living standards, the spreading disorganization and absence of leadership are just some of the causes that concur to generate organizational stress. Lazarus (as cited in Selart & Johansen, 2011) defined stress as the physiological and psychological reaction of any individual against external factors called stressors. Several studies were conducted to evaluate how these factors negatively affect the physical and mental health of both workers and managers. For instance research conducted by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in 2003, highlighted that the stress is the second cause of health problems at work (Mitut, 2010).…

    • 1648 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    A vast amount of information about work-related stress is readily available. After doing a preliminary search of keywords “work related stress,” I found that the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Oxford University’s medical department, the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health all maintain sites which will be useful as sources for me. All of these sites are administered by well-known and legitimate organizations and would be excellent sources of accurate and reliable information. They also include the results of professionally conducted clinical research studies. Additionally, the same keyword search conducted in the University of Phoenix library resulted in 330 sources available for research utilization. By focusing on these numerous sources, I will find relevant and unbiased studies and material directly specific to work-related stress.…

    • 842 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To manage stress in the workplace, an organization must determine what stress is and identify its causes. Stress is "a state of tension experienced by individuals facing extraordinary demands, constraints, or opportunities" (John R. Schermerhorn, James G. Hunt, Richard N. Osborn, 2008). Stress can be work related and also life related. Work related stress may be caused by employer task demands, role conflicts, physical settings, interpersonal problems, and from ethical dilemmas amongst other causes. When an organization realizes their contribution responsibility of stress in the workplace, diligent and applicable management must be implemented. Though life stressors are not directly stemmed from the workplace, life stressors can spill-over into the workplace and must also be taken into consideration when implementing stress management recourse. Because family events and other personal…

    • 370 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    People spend a lot of time at work, whether it is to do the normal day-to-day work, overtime, or just spending some extra time just to catch up. The time that is spent at work is not normally care-free or easy, but can cause some work anxiety which in turn can cause stress. Stress can be mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression. Though stress is generally know as a bad condition, stress is important in giving signs that a person may be overexerting themselves and may be causing a medically condition, but without stress, people would not know when they are causing aversive or disruption…

    • 2888 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Psychology Essay

    • 564 Words
    • 2 Pages

    There have been studies which have took place which look into the stress caused within the working environment including Marmot et al. (1997) and Johansson et al. (1978).…

    • 564 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    stress at work, some of which include the demand of a job, the control staff and how they do…

    • 1808 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    When an organisation’s employees suffer from stress, a number of effects such as high levels of absenteeism and lower productivity are likely. Overall, the costs to the organisation are likely to be substantial. It is therefore in the interests of the senior management to set about reducing the overall levels of stress for individuals so that the organisation as a whole can function properly.…

    • 484 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays