The word “Stress” raises the alarm in the mind of a normal human being as soon as it is mentioned. However, stress may sometimes be good for the human being if tackled correctly. If the stress level is within the comfort zone of a person, it may even be constructive and help him focus on the job more. It is when the stress exceeds the bounds of the comfort zone that it becomes disturbing (Helpguide.org, n.d.).
Workplace stress is one of the most common types of stress known to the humankind. Induced by events such as economic and financial troubles at work, downsizing, layoff, mergers, and bankruptcies; eventually leading to the risk of losing their job, the average worker falls prey to workplace stress. Apart from the risk of losing the job, workplace stress may also be caused by new bosses, tight surveillance of the workplace, diminishing health and retirement benefits, the need for working overtime to cater their financial needs, working under tight deadlines, excessive physical exertion, emotional stress due to bosses, and many other factors that the average worker is prone to in the everyday life at work (American Psychological Association, n.d.).
Stress comes into play when one feels helpless in a situation and thinks that there is nothing that could be done to change it. Most of the times, these types of situations develop due to a combination of excessive responsibility and little authority. Lack of interest in the work that we do is also one of the major reasons of workplace stress. There is a definite feeling of dissatisfaction associated with the kind of work that we do, mainly because we are not interested. This kind of situation is described by a well-known proverb which goes as “Square peg in a round hole”.
Workplace stress has its toll on the mental, physical, and emotional state of a person. It may have implications ranging from stress-induced aches, pains, and anxiety to severe conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, alcoholism, and mental illness (Blanding, 2015).
Workplace stress causes health problems in the United States which leads to an amount of up to 190 billion US Dollars in healthcare costs. Companies like General Motors have spent more on healthcare in recent years than many other sectors. Companies spend a fortune trying to keep their workers in a healthy state and away from stress, however, it may only be fruitful when these companies refrain from stress-inducing management practices.
Workplace stress is a serious issue and should dealt with equally seriously. It could be countered by taking a few initiatives. The first and most important initiative is creating positive relationships at the workplace and sharing the happiness and pain with them. Exercise is another step that helps in countering stress and should be introduced in the daily routine. Diet also has an impact on reducing stress provided that care is exercised in deciding what to eat. An ample amount of sleep also reduces the stress levels dramatically. These are the main steps that must be taken along with other steps in order to counter the workplace stress. Workplace stress is a reality and it cannot be eliminated completely, however, it may be mitigated by adopting certain countermeasures.
References
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Stress in the Workplace. Retrieved January 29, 2017, from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/workplace-stress.aspx
Blanding, M. (2015, January). Workplace Stress Responsible For Up To $190B In Annual U.S. Healthcare Costs. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2015/01/26/workplace-stress-responsible-for-up-to-190-billion-in-annual-u-s-heathcare-costs/#6e0b1e5d4333
Helpguide.org. (n.d.). Stress in the Workplace. Retrieved January 29, 2017, from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-at-work.htm
