What causes it and how it affects both the employee and the employer
The amount of stress created in the workplace can vary between both professions and population groups. Several studies have pointed to younger workers, women, and those in lower-skilled jobs as being at higher risk for experiencing work-related stress and its attendant complications. Workplace stressors can be both physical and psychosocial. Physical stressors will include things like noise, poor lighting, and ergonomic factors, like bad postures while working, or even a poor office layout can be the cause.
Psychosocial stressors are predominantly the ones that stand out most. This category includes high job demands, inflexible working hours, poor job control, harassments, bullying, and job insecurity.
When left unchecked, this stress will turn into distress. Distress, in turn, leads to many health issues such as elevated blood pressure and anxiety, burnout, depression, anxiety disorders, poor dietary patterns, and even substance abuse, such as cigarette smoking, alcohol and drugs.
With these, the employee productivity reduces, increases in absenteeism and presenteeism, increases in healthcare costs are incurred, higher accident and injury rates as well as a higher turnover rate of employees.
Workplace stress is a silent, and oft-neglected, factor which can and quite often impairs employee health and productivity. It not only affects the workers but also contributes significantly to a decline in a company’s overall success.
Many companies recognize the need to have an employee assistance program available not just for the health and well being of their employees, but for the wellness and longevity of their business as well.