Introduction
This paper aims to identify internal and external issues associated with workplace stress. Some of the internal causes of stress highlighted in the discussion are increased job demands, ineffective leadership, and reduced autonomy. The analysis identifies several external factors that influence workplace stress, including COVID-19, poverty, and the high cost of living. Organizational leaders should strive to minimize stressors within their organizations to prevent harm to employees and negative impact on overall productivity.
Description of Workplace Stress Experience
A workplace experience that has piqued my curiosity is the impact of stress on employees. I had the opportunity to experience stress as a workplace issue while undertaking a charity placement organized by the Soil Association. The association focuses on collaborating with farmers and food manufacturers to ensure that foods meet the desired standards. I had anticipated dividing my time equally between assisting in school cooking classes and working in human resources; however, I ultimately completed my placement entirely in human resources due to capacity constraints.
Capacity issues within the association significantly increase the likelihood that workers will be stressed. Individuals within the organization had to cope with increased job demands to cover staff shortages. Stress results from the body’s response to pressures, work demands, increased workload, limited control in the workplace, reduced autonomy, and ineffective leadership. This enhanced their exposure to stressful situations, which might be a motivating factor for people choosing to quit their jobs in the association.
The Importance of the Issue
Workplace-related stress has a significant impact on employee productivity and their overall quality of life. Stress in the workplace has become a significant concern due to its impact on both employees and the organization as a whole. People are said to exhibit stress as a non-specific response when confronted with repeated, unpredictable demands to adjust to changes in their environment. Internal and external factors in workers’ daily lives can both contribute to and directly cause job-related stress.
Stress in the workplace has a significant adverse impact on individuals’ ability to meet expected performance levels. Employees who are consistently exposed to high levels of workplace stress are more likely to report lower productivity. It can also contribute to them experiencing a decline in their mental health, and leave their positions earlier than was initially planned. Employees should consider having stress management techniques to minimize its impact on them.
Causes
Workload Capacity
One of the major causes of workplace stress is having to deal with a workload that exceeds what is outlined in one’s job description. Capacity issues, as it was in the case of the Soil Association, necessitate that available employees handle a heavy workload to meet desired goals. The association did not have enough workers; therefore, the available ones had to carry out the tasks.
Workers often have to handle more responsibilities than required due to the nature of their work and expectations, thereby increasing the risk of high stress levels. This can lead one to work longer hours or to abandon some personal responsibilities. An increased workload contributes to stress, particularly when workers feel overwhelmed and unable to complete their work on time. Employees who have yet to complete their tasks by the set deadline face constant pressure, which increases the likelihood of stress. The increased workload within the association exceeded available resources and the employees’ ability to cope.
Demanding Job and Lack of Skills
Employees having to meet job demands that exceed their knowledge and skills is another factor that increases the likelihood of stress. This is supported by the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, which suggests that the job demands and resources to which workers are exposed influence their well-being. Employees who are exposed to high job demands are at an increased risk of experiencing stress. Due to a lack of available staff, the Soil Association had to rely on its existing employees to complete all the work, regardless of their qualifications.
Work-related difficulties in the workplace can exacerbate the development of stress. The fact that workers had to fulfill obligations for which they lacked the necessary skills increased the likelihood that they would become stressed. This was because they had the impression that they would be unable to meet their desired expectations, which consequently decreased their chances of success in the workplace.
Lack of Control
Workplace stress has also been associated with workers’ perception that they lack control over their environment. When an employee feels they lack control over decisions at work, the workflow, or their performance goals, they are more likely to experience stress. It is possible that this was the situation at the Soil Association, as workers were not allowed to exercise control or participate in decision-making regarding their employment. Even if the tasks assigned to an employee are complex, they are required to complete them.
Employees who have control over their work are exposed to minimal stressors and increased learning opportunities. Changes in the work environment can also lead to stress, especially when employees lack knowledge about them. Because they are in a position where they do not know what to do, workers subjected to such conditions are likely to become stressed.
Insufficient Level of Autonomy
Reduced autonomy in the workplace also increases the likelihood that workers will become stressed. This occurs when employees feel that they lack the freedom and independence to achieve their desired goals and objectives. This was the case with the Soil Association, where I initially intended to work 50% of my time in schools to support cooking classes and 50% in human resources. Still, I ultimately spent the entire period in the HR department.
Reduced autonomy limits employees’ ability to identify measures to address stressful situations and job demands in their work environment. Dettmers et al. suggest that employees with low autonomy have limited coping strategies to deal with the stressors they are exposed to. Reduced autonomy also makes it difficult for workers to cope with the adverse effects of increased job demands. This indicates that enhancing employee autonomy would have helped reduce the stress levels of the Soil Association’s workers.
Inadequate Leadership
Ineffective leaders in the workplace can also significantly contribute to workplace stress. When leaders fulfill their responsibilities with ineffective tactics, they increase the risk that their followers will become emotionally exhausted and experience job-related stress. Leaders who implement such techniques will likely encourage actions such as harassment, emotional abuse, bullying, and employee exploitation. Dishonesty, fraudulent behavior, and hypocrisy are behaviors that hurt overall mental well-being and that ineffective leaders may engage in, thereby contributing to employees’ stress levels. This suggests that leaders need to implement successful tactics that enable employees to feel included in the workplace and that their contributions are valued, allowing them to perform their jobs effectively.
High Accommodation Costs
Exposure to a high cost of living is another factor that can contribute to increased stress levels in employees. It makes it challenging for employees, even those who make a respectable salary, to make ends meet. Financial stress resulting from this may be detrimental to one’s overall well-being and mental health. Employees may struggle to find affordable accommodation if the cost of living is high in a given area. This might result in long commutes and other logistical difficulties, leading to increased stress and fatigue.
Exposure to a high cost of living makes it difficult for workers to save for retirement and emergencies, thereby increasing stress levels. A high cost of living creates an opportunity for employers to offer uncompetitive salaries, making workers feel unvalued or underappreciated. Stress and burnout may result from this, leading to a sense of discontent and disengagement.
Crisis Uncertainty and Fear
The spread of COVID-19 has also been linked with an increase in stress levels among employees. Stress arose from the uncertainty of what was to happen and the security of their jobs. This aligns with the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, proposed by Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman. The model suggests that stress is triggered by an individual’s appraisal of a situation and their capacity to cope with it. The pandemic has been associated with various stressors that have hurt employees’ mental health.
One of the main stressors to which workers were exposed was the perceived safety from contagion. This resulted from continued media and health professional reports on the pandemic’s risks. People were stressed by their health and that of their family members.
Financial losses and job insecurity, driven by the spread of the virus, also contributed to increased stress among employees. Many people feared being laid off due to the pandemic, while others received pay cuts to cope with its effects. Employees were exposed to challenging situations during the pandemic, which significantly increased their stress levels.
Financial Insecurity
Coming from a poor background is also a factor that has a significant influence on stress levels in the workforce. Such individuals constantly experience financial insecurity and uncertainty, which pose a threat to their future. The insecurity and uncertainty that can result from living in poverty can be a source of stress for workers.
When employees struggle to pay their bills or meet basic needs, they may worry about making ends meet, which can lead to anxiety and stress. The fear of losing one’s job is a common source of stress and anxiety for workers who struggle to meet their financial obligations. Poverty enhances the likelihood of a person being exposed to challenging life events, which contribute to high stress levels.
Stress, Burnout, and Turnover
Workplace stress increases the risk of employee turnover, as people seek opportunities that will not negatively impact their well-being. It is far more likely that employees will experience emotional fatigue when subjected to workplace stressors. This state is directly linked to employees’ intentions to leave their jobs. A person can develop emotional exhaustion as a result of being subjected to an increasing workload. Emotional weariness is defined as the sensation of being depleted.
Workers who are emotionally exhausted by their obligations have a substantial risk of burnout and, as a result, are more likely to leave their employment. This is because burnout leads to decreased engagement in one’s work. The capacity issues being experienced by the Soil Association may have resulted from employees quitting their jobs after being exposed to increased workplace stressors. In this case, the association’s leaders should consider minimizing workplace stressors to enhance the likelihood of retaining employees for an extended period.
Conclusion
In summary, leaders ought to reduce organizational stressors to prevent adverse effects on both employees and overall productivity. Increased exposure to workplace stressors contributes to reduced productivity and a decline in employee well-being. This can be achieved by implementing effective leadership strategies, as ineffective ones can harm employees’ productivity and morale. Stress is also increased by increased workload, reduced autonomy, and continued exposure to external factors such as COVID-19 and poverty.
