8-10 minute
Occupational stress is the negative psychological and physical effects that an employee experiences due to workplace responsibilities, environment, or other pressures.
Since each individual's ability to tolerate stress is different, its intensity is affected by the individual employee, their specific role, the company culture, etc.
If you find that your employees are constantly stressed, you should find out what kind of stress they are facing. Doing so will help you find the root cause of their stress and take action to address the situation.
Here are five common types of workplace stress:
Although the sources of occupational stress may vary from individual to individual, employees in all organizations – no matter how large or small – can be affected by occupational stress.
Some common examples of occupational stress include:
Regardless of the cause, the effects of occupational stress can be very damaging to an employee’s productivity and overall well-being – in both their professional and personal lives.
The Occupational Stress Scale, also known as the Occupational Stress Inventory , is a questionnaire used to assess the level of stress in the workplace. It measures 14 characteristics that fall into three main categories:
HR professionals can use this data to identify areas of concern and take action to reduce job-related stress, increase productivity and job satisfaction, and improve employee well-being.
Knowing the symptoms of work-related stress can help leadership address problems before they become intractable.
Employees may not feel comfortable saying they're tired, so look for these common signs :
Employees suffering from occupational stress typically display symptoms of the stress reaction.
There are three phases of the stress response :
Many people who suffer from untreated, long-term occupational stress are susceptible to a number of health problems such as viral and bacterial infections, increased hormone levels, certain illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease, and serious skin conditions. For these reasons alone, it is important to treat occupational stress.
Some degree of occupational stress is unavoidable throughout our careers, but fortunately, there are many ways employees and HR departments can treat it and prevent it from recurring.
By taking care of their basic needs, employees can set themselves up for success at work. Getting enough sleep, eating a nutritious snack, and taking exercise breaks, such as a short walk, during work can help employees stay focused and feel confident while completing their tasks.
In addition, consistently working at a reasonable pace can prevent procrastination and help employees meet their deadlines. Periodically pausing notifications and blocking time in your calendar can allow employees to meaningfully engage with messages rather than being constantly distracted throughout the day.
When things get overwhelming, relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing exercises can help calm the body and mind. It can be helpful to have a “toolbox” to use in stressful moments that can include words of self-affirmation and a journal to jot down negative thoughts.
HR departments can prevent occupational stress among employees by creating a positive and proactive workplace culture. It is important to quickly eliminate bullying, discrimination, and harassment behaviors, as well as promote an open-door policy in which individuals feel safe and comfortable reporting such behavior.
Additionally, implementing employee assistance programs (or making employees aware of existing programs) can help them effectively resolve matters such as workplace conflicts, personal issues, mental health issues, and substance abuse.
Occupational stress management is a program that both employers and employees can follow to reduce stress at work. While the program may include some of the steps mentioned above, it may also include more formal stress-relief efforts such as:
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