Date 24 October 2013
In the fast pace environment we live, stress is built in our daily routines. Growing evidence suggest that high level of stress adversely affect physical health, psychological well-being and many aspects of task performance. Of course a certain level of pressure in a business environment is desirable. Pressure helps to motivate people and will boost their energy and productivity levels but, when the pressure individuals are under exceeds their ability to cope, it becomes a negative rather than a positive force.
Majority of people refer to stress as an unpleasant subjective state accompanied by high levels of arousal . A more scientific definition of stress describes it as individual’s response to a strong stimulus which is called a stressor. Work related stressors fall into one of four categories: Task demands, Physical demands, Role, Interpersonal.
Some organisations, due to the nature of business create more stressful environment than others. Also, the market situation, an employee is exposed to, has a significant impact on the level of stress. Since recession, there has been a significant rise in stress in the workplace. The main factor contributing to this stress is fear. Fear for one’s job which in turn causes feelings of insecurity and vulnerability which in turn causes stress and anxiety.
Some occupations are inherently more stressful than others. An emergency room physician, fire fighter and airline pilot expose the people who hold them a high level of stress. Other such as college professor, janitor and librarian do not.
Stress can result from either role conflict or role ambiguity. Most people fulfil several roles in their lives and as a result frequently find that the demands of one role conflict with the demands of another. Perhaps, the most disturbing conflict of this type involve the conflict demands of the employee and parent roles.
Role ambiguity occurs when people are
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