“Stress at work” can actually mean two things.
One is stress that is experienced while on the job. This stress is basically caused by pressure, deadlines, high expectations, bossy supervisor, just to name but a few.
The second meaning is actually a little sardonic. It means, stress is “at work” in you. It is influencing you in a rather unpleasant way, affecting your health and relationships. Essentially, it connotes that stress is controlling you.
The two definitions may not seem related to each other. They actually are.
When you choose to endure work-related stress, it could affect your physical health and your mental functions in a rather negative way.
It is best to find ways to understand and work on the deep-seated causes of your stress to achieve a long-lived or permanent relief.
Causes of Workplace Stress
Basically, there are several pressing causes for job-related stress. Unrealistic deadlines given to both managers and employees are just one cause of work-related stress.
Competitive and fast-paced work environment can be exciting and fun. However, when intermediate goals do not provide legitimate business ends, resentment follows.
Work Related Stress Due to Bullying
Other common stressors at work are the difficult bosses and work place bullies.
Sadly, there are a lot of difficult people at work that everybody else has to deal with. In big and small companies alike, they exist. It is even worse when you have to deal with a domineering supervisor.
Work place bullies find their ways to get into your nerves, mostly by spreading nasty rumours about you. So, instead of increasing productivity, work piles up, not to mention, you have to get through the day distressed.
Misdirected goals and unfair bosses are the top reasons given by most people as to what causes their work-related stress. Because of these reasons, they claim to have lost control over their lives.
How do you Handle Workplace Stress
The truth is that there are many employees who have or have developed good problem-solving skills.
Women, mostly mothers, in the workplace are more efficient at work.
They pretty much know how to manage time wisely, how to do multitasking and they initiate new solutions. This is basically because they practice these skills at home. At the same time, they are also efficient than most in handling disputes among individuals at odds.
Men, however, are good at handling expenditures, responding to complaints and decision-making strategies. They also perform these duties at home every day.
Key Stressors in the Workplace
The problem employees are facing is the fact that they are not given the freedom to express their opinion. They are disabled in using their thinking skills and capabilities to endorse a viable solution to a problem.
Suggestions and solutions mostly come from higher management, and employees are discouraged to rebut. This has been a dilemma to most workers. They are faced with obligations, but they are not given authority to take action. Stress sets in after some time because of this.
Basically, it is the unrealistic demand without adequate resources is often what workers are complaining about. This situation gets the individuals to the irresolvable conflict between “I must” and “I can’t”, therefore, causing stress.
These days, different organizations have already recognized this problem.
Most companies have started to take major steps to change the vicious cycle.