Is job stress a source of frustration and conflict?

Do you have a lot of say in your job?
Do you have freedom to make decision?
Is sexual harassment at work one of your stress?
Is Anxiety of losing job a source of stress to you?

Work can bring people deep satisfaction, but it can also be a source of frustration and conflict. Stress can emerge from any corner of your life. However, many theorists suspect that the workplace is the primary source of stress in modern society. People in majority are working harder and harder than they were a decade ago, causing experts to cite overwork as a major source of job stress. In addition to long hours, common job Include lack of privacy, high noise levels, unusual hours (such as rotating shifts), the pressure of deadlines, lack of control over one’s work, inadequate resources to do a job, and perceived inequities at work. Fears of being “downsized” and concern about health care benefits (losing them or paying increasingly higher premiums) also dog workers in today’s economy. Office politics and conflict with supervisors, subordinate, and co workers also make the list of job stressors. Workers who must adapt to computers and automated offices experience “techno stress” fire fighters and coal miners face frequent threats to their physical safety. High pressure jobs such as air traffic controller and surgeon demand virtually perfect performances, as errors can have disastrous consequences. Ironically “underwork” (boring, repetitive tasks) can also be stressful.

Woman may experience certain work plan stressors, such as sex discrimination and sexual harassment, at higher rates than men. Discrimination is also a problem for gay and lesbian employees. Workers from lower socioeconomic groups typically work in more dangerous jobs than workers from higher socioeconomic status do.

According to Gwendolyn Keita and Joseph Hurrell four factors are the culprits:

• More workers are employed in service industries. Dealing with variety of customers are difficult. Workers have to swallow their frustration and anger, and this situation is stressful.
• The economy is unpredictable. Fear of job loss may lurk in the back of workers minds.
• Rapid changes in computer technology, tax workers abilities to keep up. Computers have taken over some jobs. The stress comes from rapid and ongoing advances in technology that force workers to keep pace with the changes.
• The workplace is becoming more diverse. As more women and minority group members enter the work place, individuals from all groups must learn to interact with those who are unfamiliar. Developing these skills takes time and may be stressful.

Taking a broader view, Robert Karasek contends that two key factors in occupational stress are the psychological demands made on a worker and a worker’s amount of decision control. Psychological demands are measured by asking employee’s questions such as “Is there excessive work?” And “Must you work fast (or hard)?” To measure decision control, employees are asked such question as” Do you have freedom to make decisions?”
Based on survey data, the jobs thought to be most stressful are those with heavy psychological demands and little control over decisions.

As the other forms of stress, occupational stress is associated with a host of negative effects. In the work arena itself, job stress has been linked to an increased number of industrial accidents, increased absenteeism, poor job Performance, and higher turnover rates. When job stress is temporary, as when important deadlines loom, workers usually suffer only minor and brief effects of stress, such as sleeplessness or anxiety. Prolonged high levels of stress are more problematic, as those who work in people oriented jobs such as human services, education, and health care can attest.

Symptoms of heart disease were more prevalent among men whose jobs were high in psychological demands and low in decision control. Job stress can also have a negative impact on worker’s psychological health. Occupational stress has been related to distress, anxiety, and depression as well as abuse of alcohol or drugs.

There are essentially three avenues of attack for dealing with occupational stress. The first is to intervene at the individual level by modifying worker’s ways of coping with job stress. The second is to intervene at the organizational level by redesigning the work environment itself. The third is to intervene at the individual organizational interface by improving the fit between workers and their companies.

Interventions at the individual level are the most widely used strategy for managing work stress and it usually focus on relaxation training, time management, cognitive approaches to reappraising stressful events, and other constructive coping strategies. A workplace wellness program improves employee’s physical health. It includes exercise and fitness training, health screening, nutritional education and reduction of health impairing habit, such as smoking and overeating.

Interventions at the organizational level are intended to make work environments less stressful. It could be reduced by reducing noise levels, instituting rest periods, and making surrounding more attractive and giving workers different tools.

Management and giving workers greater participation in decision making may also help reduce occupational stress. For dual earner couples and single parent, child care resource and referral services are required.

Workers who have flexible work arrangements report higher job satisfaction.