Workplace Stress

1873 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Methodology of stress management

Three out of every four American workers describe their work as stressful. According to the Holmes-Rahe Life Events Scale, which rates levels of stress, many of the most stressful events in life are related to the workplace. Some examples are firings, business readjustments and changes in financial status, altered responsibilities, a switch to a different line of work, trouble with the boss, changes in work hours or conditions, retirement and vacations. Workplace stress costs American employers an estimated $200 billion per year in lower productivity, absenteeism, staff turnover, workers' compensation, medical insurance and other stress-related expenses. However, stress may not always be a bad thing. It can stimulate creativity and productivity. The natural pattern of human behavior is to experience a stress-causing event or situation, react to it with increased tension and then return to a normal, relaxed state. The problem occurs when stress is so overwhelming or constant that this pattern is broken. This overwhelming feeling is usually caused by some lack of communication.

Everyone has a breaking point and the fact that some people may be able to handle certain job types more than others does not excuse employers from having a duty to the health and welfare of their employees.

An article that was written by Bill Wilkerson, CEO of Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health, conducted a survey to find the top ten workplace stressors. In a report submitted to the Industrial Accident Prevention Association, Wilkerson listed the following ten reasons for workplace stress and after each one is an brief explanation of how better communication could remedy the situation.

"The treadmill ...

... middle of paper ...

...hedule a group discussion or even an off site meeting so that the employees feel that they are in a more comfortable environment.

Humor has become one of the most popular tools for stress relief. Positive effects of laughter include reduced muscle tension, controlled anxiety, the ability to handle unexpected events, and simply the joy of humor. It is important for managers to allow employees to have fun. We spend the majority of our lives at work and we need to enjoy the experience.

References:

Braham, Barbara J. Calm Down: How to Manage Stress at Work. Glenview: Scott, Foresman & Co., 1990.

"Stress - America's #1 Health Problem." http://www.stress.org/problem.htm.

The American Institute of Stress - http://www.stress.org/

Job Stress Help - http://www.jobstresshelp.com/

Center for Anxiety and Stress Treatment - http://stressrelease.com/

Show More
Related

  • Power of Laughter in One Flew Over the Cuckoo´s Nest by Randle McMurphy

    536 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although modern science has allowed us to develop many complex medicines, laughter is still the strongest one available in the real world and in the book. Laughter proves to be a strong medicine in more ways than one and is completely free, allowing anyone to use it at anytime. It allows us to connect socially with people, it can be used as a way of overthrowing power, and it is good for your health. As Randle McMurphy showed in the novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, laughter can lighten the mood in the darkest situations.

    Read More

  • Home First Program in Markham Stouffville Hospital

    1111 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shuttleworth, A., (2004). Managing workplace stress: how training can help. Industrial and Commercial Training, 36 (2), 61 – 65.

    Read More

  • The Approximate Size Of My Favorite Tumor Summary

    532 Words  | 2 Pages

    Humor helps a person to dissolve stressful emotions, it’s a creative way to mentally solve a problem without being depress about the circumstances. Humor encourages a person to realize that there is a problem and something needs to be done about the situation, than a person is not in serious or stressful mode. Sharing your problems with other people helps to ease the pain and with humor added into the problem, helps a person to talk about their feelings and the person who is listening can relax too, because there is somewhat of sense of humor in the problem that does not put the listener in a discomfort position. With this humor mechanism a person can actually realize they have problem and that they have to solve it, instead being depress about the

    Read More

  • Suicide Contagion: Suicide In The Veterinary Profession

    688 Words  | 2 Pages

    Work related stressors: Psychological ill health due to the demands of work such as long hours, work overload, pressure, and complaints.

    Read More

  • Flat structure

    574 Words  | 2 Pages

    Improve Communication: By increasing employee involvement in decision making processes, through group meetings with employees to discuss how things are functioning in the workplace and about how to improve work performance or the job environment itself.

    Read More

  • Effects Of Laughter Essay

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    They found that laughing leaves us exhausted which triggers the release of a brain chemical that help us to manage pain and promote feelings of well-being known as protective endorphins.

    Read More

  • Humor and Group Development

    1156 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...d more enjoyable place to work. Studies have shown that people who have fun in the workplace, work harder and are more efficient in his or her work (Terrion & Ashforth, 2002, p.58). It has helped others to understand why people joke and how groups are developed through communicating with humor. While there are some limitations where humor can negatively impact the workplace, these circumstances are rare (Terrion & Ashforth, 2002, p.83-84). Further research might concern itself with the important of humor at work, the relationship between the culture and workplace humor (Plester and Sayers, 2005). This is another research question that could lead to further research and studies. Workplace humor examination may identify suggestions for handling staff effectively to avoid conflict, lawsuits and to ensure a pleasant, productive work environment (Plester & Sayers, 2005).

    Read More

  • Occupational Stress

    1266 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... middle of paper ... ... Negative outcomes of occupational stress can lead to Organisational Costs such as; decrease in performance/productivity (nosis of added value to the product and administration), high trade requirements in association with employee turnover (increase in cost of recruitment, training and retraining), increased sick pay, higher grievance and litigation/compensation costs, etc. These will influence numerous budgetary issues among employees (Vokic 2007).

    Read More

  • Workplace Stress and Burnout

    1565 Words  | 4 Pages

    Workplace stress and burnout is one of the leading problems in healthcare workers today. Stress is a mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Healthcare leaders today have to meet so many demanding needs and responsibilities. We ask why does stress and burnout play such an important role in today’s society. There are many reasons why it plays an important role in our everyday work and life. There have been studies on ways to detect, prevent, and decrease stress and burnout.

    Read More

  • Stress Management Reflection Paper

    1165 Words  | 3 Pages

    During this course I learned many stress management techniques. One of the first stress management techniques I learned was creating a list of things to do in order of importance. Before using this technique I left things to do all at once. This technique helped me by equaling out my work load. Another technique for stress I learned was yoga. Yoga helps me by relaxing my entire body. This technique helps me forget about the things that cause my stress. I use this technique when I have something on my mind that is

    Read More

  • The Causes Of Stress In Modern Life

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    Long – term stress can even require the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety, and depression; it can be a main cause of moodiness and frustration. Many of us are aware of the physical symptoms of stress-muscle pain, rapid breathing or an increased pulse. At the same time, they also suffer from emotional of stress which can be like roller coaster of highs or lows. emotional effects rang from emotional overeating to a feeling of being overwhelmed and pressure. stress impact many other components, which leads to difficulties in making decisions, loss sense humor, poorer concentration, negative thinking. As can be seen, stress nearly brings serious effects to people. Apart from the effects above, it can be the main reason which creates your decreased productivity at work. stress makes people less control their pace work, which leads to dissatisfaction. about 40% employees said that they are burned out because of work-related stress and loss $300 billion each year in the workplace . In addition, your relationship with people around also become worsens because of your stress. In fact, stress makes people puzzled and their life can undergo a considerable

    Read More

  • Workplace Stress Essay

    666 Words  | 2 Pages

    to the environment and social life. There are different types of stress and its stressors we face in our daily lives. A huge source of stress comes from the workplace. It is caused by work and workload. Many employees become victim of the stress in the workplace both physically and mentally. This is underlying the workplace stress. This essay will discuss internal and external stress.

    Read More

  • Workplace Stress Essay

    824 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stress In Workplace affects Your Health What is Stress? Stress is the destructive source which our bodies experience as we adjust to our constantly altering surroundings. It has both physical and emotional effects on us and may result in positive and negative feelings. Stress can positive and at the same time negative. Positive Stress can help induce action and it can bring responsiveness and new ideas. Negative Stress can cause disbelieve, rejection, anger, and depression. These effects in turn can cause health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Stress is "not a bad thing, but a necessary thing," according to Parton. Like a stringed instrument, people need a certain amount of tension in order to perform. Too little stress and the instrument won't produce the right sound. Too much stress, and the string snaps. Companies need stress to drive production, however, stress can easily escalate, and left unchecked, can have a negative effect on a company's bottom line. There are so many things related to workplace stress but it’s very difficult to cater and discuss all of them, here later we bit take a glimpse of todays most common and fastest technology using in business but as an stress, yes non other than “Internet”. Workplace Stress Workplace stress may be defined as job stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. Job stress can lead to poor health and even injury." [(United States National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, 1999] Or “The emotional, cognitive, behavioral and physiological reac...

    Read More

  • Stress In The Workplace Essay

    2939 Words  | 6 Pages

    Since people are always dealing with certain changes in their lives, they are always dealing with some type of stress. One of the biggest growing issues with stress is stress in the workplace. According to Northwestern National Life, one-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives (“Stress at Work,” 1999).... ... middle of paper ...

    Read More

  • Job Stress

    1009 Words  | 3 Pages

    You haven't been at work for more then twenty minutes and already your day is going down hill. Your phone is ringing off the hook. Papers piled on your desk , and now you have to attend a meeting. Day after day it is the same thing at your job and you have become highly stressed out. In my paper I am going to explain why job stress happens and ways that you can relieve it.

    Read More

More about Workplace Stress

Open Document