Job Conditions that May Lead to Stress
April 1, 1999 3 minutes read
Job Conditions that May Lead to Stress
• The design of tasks. Heavy workload, infrequent rest breaks, long work hours and shift work; hectic and routine tasks that have little inherent meaning, do not utilize workers’ skills, and provide little sense of control.
• Management style. Lack of participation by workers in decision making, poor communication in the organization, and lack of family-friendly policies.
• Interpersonal relationships. Poor social environment and lack of support or help from co-workers and supervisors.
• Work roles. Conflicting or uncertain job expectations, too much responsibility, and too many "hats to wear."
• Career concerns. Job insecurity and lack of opportunity for growth, advancement, or promotion; rapid changes for which workers are unprepared.
• Environmental conditions. Unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions such as crowding, noise, air pollution, or ergonomic problems.
Source: Stress . . . At Work, Cincinnati: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; 1999.
Steps Toward Prevention of Stress
1. Identify the problem. Group discussions among managers, labor representatives, and employees work well in smaller organizations. In larger organizations, these discussions can be used to help design formal surveys for gathering input.
2. Design and implement interventions. Once the sources of stress have been identified, informal discussions that helped identify problems in small organizations may also produce fruitful ideas for prevention. In large organizations, a more formal process may be needed. Frequently, a team is asked to develop recommendations based on analysis of data from Step 1 and consultation with outside experts.
3. Evaluate the interventions. This is an essential step. Short-term evaluations should be conducted quarterly, while long-term evaluations are often conducted annually as necessary. Measure employee perceptions of job conditions, stress, health, and satisfaction; include object measures; refine the intervention strategy and return to Step 1.
Source: Stress . . . At Work, Cincinnati: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; 1999.
Additional resources
The Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety, 4th ed. (ISBN 92-2-109203-8), contains a comprehensive summary of the latest scientific information about the causes and effects of job stress (see Vol. 1, Chapter 5, Mental Health; Vol. 2, Chapter 34, Psychosocial and Organizational Factors). To order a copy, contact: International Labour Office (ILO) Publications Center, P.O. Box 753, Waldorf, MD 20604. Telephone: (301) 638-3152.
• NIOSH job stress Web site (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/jobstres.html), or call NIOSH at (800) 35-NIOSH.
To locate a psychologist or consultant in your area:
• American Psychological Association (APA), 750 First St., N.E., Washington, DC 20002-4242. Telephone: (202) 336-5500.
State psychological associations maintain a listing of licensed psychologists who may be able to help with stress-related issues. Call the APA or your state psychological association for more information, or refer to the APA Web site: http://helping.apa.org/work/index.html.
• Elisburg D. "Workplace stress: Legal Developments, Economic Pressures, and Violence." In: Burton JF, ed. 1995 Workers’ Compensation Year Book. Horsham, PA: LRP Publications; 217-222.
• Sauter SL, Murphy LR, Hurrell JJ, Jr. Prevention of work-related psychological disorders. American Psychologist 45(10):1,146-1,158.
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Homepage (http://stats.bls.gov/). Tabular Data, 1992-1996: Number and percentage distribution of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, by nature of injury or illness and number of days away from work.
• Sauter S, Hurrell J, Murphy L, Levi L. "Psychosocial and Organizational Factors." In: Stellman J, ed. Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety, Vol. 1. Geneva: International Labour Office, pp. 34.1-34.77.
• Bond JT, Galinsky E, Swanberg JE. The 1997 National Study of the Changing Work Force. New York: Families and Work Institute.
• Jones JW, Barge BN, Steffy BD, et al. Stress and medical malpractice: Organizational risk assessment and intervention. Journal of Applied Psychology 73(4):727-735.
• Goetzel RZ, Anderson DR, Whitmer RW, et al, Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) Research Committee. The relationship between modifiable health risks and health care expenditures: An analysis of the multi-employer HERO health risk and cost database. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 40(10).
• Northwestern National Life (now ReliaStar Financial Corporation) Company. Employee Burnout: America’s Newest Epidemic. Minneapolis, 1991.
• Northwestern National Life Insurance Company. Employee Burnout: Causes and Cures. Minneapolis, 1992.
• Princeton Survey Research Associates. Labor Day Survey: State of Workers. Princeton, NJ, 1997.
• St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company American Workers Under Pressure Technical Report. St. Paul, MN, 1992.
• Barsade S, Wiesenfeld B, The Marlin Company. Attitudes in the American Workplace III. New Haven, CT: Yale University School of Management, 1997.
Source: Stress . . . At Work, Cincinnati: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; 1999.
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