Workplace Stress

This is the time of year when we all may feel a little more stress due to the demands of the holidays. Unfortunately, stress at work can be a year-round issue further bitter during these months.
Work organization and job stress are topics of growing concern in the job-related safety and health field. The expressions "work organization" or "organization of work" refer to the nature of the work process and to the organizational practices that influence the design of jobs.
Job stress results when there is a poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or needs of workers. Stress-related disorders include a broad range of conditions, including psychological disorders and other types of emotional behaviors, and injury. In turn, these conditions may lead to poor work performance or even injury. Job stress is also associated with various biological reactions that may lead in the end to compromised health.
Stress is a common and costly problem in today's workplace. About one-third of workers report high levels of stress, and high levels of stress are associated with important increases in health service use. Additionally, periods of disability due to job stress tend to be much longer than disability periods for other occupational injuries and illnesses. Facts also suggest that stress is the major cause of turnover in organizations.
Attention to stress at work has came in the wake of wide changes in the organization of work. Organizational & reform, dependence on temporary and contractor-supplied labor, and agreement of lean production practices are examples of recent trends that may adversely power aspects of job design that are associated with the risk of job stress.

By Hania Rana