It is important for everyone to know what is work-related stress and what are the six possible causes of stress at the workplace? Any environment can cause stress, but one of the most common is the environment we are all familiar with, which is the workplace. Tension can overwork your body, cause stress, and make you unable to get things done.
To understand the six possible causes of stress at the workplace, you first need to learn what is work-related stress?
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Work-related stress is a growing psychological problem around the world, affecting not only employees’ health and well-being, but also decreases productivity. Work stress occurs when different types and combinations of work demands exceed a person’s ability and coping ability.
Work-related stress is Australia’s second most compensated illness after (MSD) musculoskeletal disorders.
It is significant to learn all six possible causes of stress at the workplace.
If your work demands more than you can handle, you may be suffering from work-related stress (Schwartz & McCarthy, 2014). According to the American Psychological Association (2018), “People who are working at some point felt the pressure of work-related stress.”
Stress at the workplace can be easily defined as being constantly annoyed by work and personal life and unable to relax. People who suffer from stress are often worried and may not be able to sleep at night due to constant pressure and demand.
Studies show that the percentage of Americans who are stressed at work is high and rising. According to a survey of more than 2,000 full-time US workers aged 18 to 79, more than half of the workers find themselves stressed at least 60% in their weekly work hours.
Too much stress at work can be overwhelming and inevitable.
Six Possible Causes of stress at the workplace
Whether a person experiences work-related stress or not completely depends on the work, the person’s mental state, and other factors. Here I am explaining six possible causes of stress at the workplace.
1. Long working hours
Long working hours or extreme overtime work is one of the six possible causes of stress at the workplace. Going to work is a compulsory thing that almost everyone in the universe has to deal with in their adult part of life. Working for a long period can be a cause of work-related stress. There is like a monotony of working from 9 am to 5 pm which is itself a very long period. For this, you have to wake up at 7 to get ready for your job and you reach home at 7 or 8 in the night which is almost the full day.
This load of the working period can cause restlessness, fatigue, headaches, and tiredness. There are many workplace issues that are always under discussion but stress at the workplace is the least they all talk about.
An analysis in 2020 by Perkbox has found that almost 79% of UK employees experience work-related stress.
That’s why it is very important for the organization to think about fostering a positive work environment for their employees.
A little stress is good as it can motivate the workers to fulfill their tasks and meet the deadlines but unrealistic goals can make them mentally unhealthy.
It is important for the employees and workers to take care of their sleep time and their mental health, in order to keep themselves safe from high functioning anxiety. They need to learn how to deal with stress and how to be emotionally strong.
2. Excessive work demand
Another six possible causes of stress at the workplace is the quantity of workload you have. An imbalance amount of workload may be one of the key motives that give you work-related stress. Excessive work demand can also contribute to stress. That’s why it is important for working people to learn How to be more productive in your work as it is one of the most in-demand soft skills in the workplace. Whether it’s a series of meetings or a deadline, everyone can become overwhelmed by the amount of work to be done.
Manager’s quality to manage everything is the most important factor in employee involvement as it is one of the qualities of a successful and strong businessman. Dealing with unreasonable and unrealistic demands can be very stressful, even for the most resilient employees.
It is important to know that “burnout” was included in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Classification of Diseases in 2019. And it clearly occupies its position as one of the top 10 causes of stress in the workplace.
It’s not just discouraged employees who are suffering from burnout -although 87% of the experts surveyed, people said they are passionate about their current job, According to Deloitte’s survey of workplace burnout, 64% say they are stressed frequently, breaking the myth that passionate employees are immune to stress and burnout.
If the workload is heavy and the time is short, the balance will be lost. When the work is overwhelming and unmanageable, employees can experience sustained and debilitating levels of stress.
3. Harassment in the workplace
Workplace harassment occurs when one or more employees feel disrespected or threatened by a group of colleagues. Harassment is one of the six possible causes of stress at the workplace. In other words, unwanted physical or verbal behavior based on color, religion, race, gender, intellectual disability, or country of origin constitutes harassment at work. In addition, acts of insult, blasphemy, intimidation, obstruction of work, etc. also fall under workplace harassment.
Did you know that about 52% of women face inappropriate behavior in the workplace?
The most common examples of workplace harassment are groping dirty jokes and sexual assault. It is important to learn how to deal with toxic people at work.
According to experts, the main motive of harassers is to make victims feel uncomfortable and dangerous. Unfortunately, most incidents have not been reported and this is because the components of harassment in the workplace and their associated rights are unknown. Victims are not always afraid of consequences.
It is important to learn how to make someone feel comfortable at workplace and learn how to stop feeling left out at work. Bullying adversely affects a person’s psychological well-being.
According to a workplace bullying survey conducted by the UK Trades Union Congress (TUC), 29% of people said that they are being bullied at work and 72% are being bullied by their bosses.
Victims of bullying often feel despised and placed on the basis of personal, professional, or both. Impairing the psychological well-being of victims often results in a knock-on effect, affecting their physical health, and social and work life. If you are socially introverted or shy then read my article on how to stop being socially awkward and shy. Also, learn to improve social interactions and socialize.
4. Low salary issues
Financial compensation or low salary issues can also be a major source of stress and one of the six possible causes of stress at the workplace. As you progress through your career, your expectations for salary may differ. This can result from different reasons like your standard of living, comparison with peers, past performance, and evaluation. Or the value you bring to your organization’s table mismatches between your salary expectations and compensation can lead to stress in the workplace which also manifests itself as a lack of commitment at work.
Workplace anxiety and stress is an emotion that causes professionals to question their goals, relationships, and performance in the workplace.
These anxieties are usually temporary and professionals can experience them at various points in their careers. Understanding the six possible causes of stress at the workplace can help you find ways to effectively deal with it. Overcoming work anxiety helps you to be confident in your abilities, understand the value of your work, and maintain high self-esteem.
Stress can be very dangerous to people and those around them if not properly managed. It can be incredibly frustrating and stressful, especially when you are looking for a company to stay and grow but they are giving you very low salaries. It can also be challenging if your job is fairly simple, or if you want to make more money later.
5. Poor communication
Another major stress factor and one of the possible causes of stress at the workplace is the lack of communication between employees. Every employee has their own priorities and motives and that’s why people need to understand what are effective communication skills. This can happen due to being alone in the workplace and that’s why it is necessary to learn ways to beat loneliness in the workplace.
Unclear instructions or feedback, or lack of structure can contribute to the six possible causes of stress at the workplace. Ambiguity, poor communication quality, and confusion can cause indescribable problems in the workplace. That’s why it is mandatory to learn how to improve focus and concertation so that you can focus on your work.
A PerkBox study found “lack of communication between departments” as the second leading cause of workplace stress.
Good communication with others is very important for the majority of workers and professionals. Therefore, it is necessary to teach employees the Importance of communication skills in the workplace. Unfortunately, almost every workplace has team members who are inherently poorly communicative.
Inadequate communication can obscure project goals, the company may lose projects, and in the end, you may require more work to get back on track. As you can imagine, the more work you do, the more stress you get.
It’s best to communicate directly with everyone you work with and make sure everyone is on the same page for daily, weekly, and monthly goals and tasks. With constant communication, team members feels that help is there for them when they need it. This reduces Alienation in the workplace.
6. Conflict among coworkers
Sometimes your efforts are not recognized by your coworkers and that is one of the signs that your coworkers don’t like you. Lack of appreciation from managers and colleagues can disappoint you, especially when we spend a lot of time and effort getting things done. Conflict among coworkers is also one of the six possible causes of stress at the workplace.
A personal issue that is more difficult to actually deal with than fear of being fired is a conflict between colleagues and bosses. Conflicts range from simple questions about who sits where during a meeting to larger problems that can be exacerbated by a lack of communication.
Learn the best ways to handle conflict at work by reading my article. The best way to manage conflicts is to resolve communication issues. Personal contact between team leaders and team members can help reduce conflict and the resulting stress. Remember: All conflicts are temporary! When things get stuck, it’s easy to blame a particular person. But solving problems and getting the job done together will greatly facilitate your work and relationships.
Employees are hired based on skill, not personality. And inevitably there can be friction between colleagues. Many workplaces can be supportive environments, but this is not always the case. Teamwork skills are necessary as they are one of the workplace readiness skills.
Colleagues are prone to jealousy and unhealthy competition and it is included in the six possible causes of stress at the workplace. If left unchecked, it can turn into bullying, intimidation, gossip, or insidious behavior. It’s overwhelmingly stressful when you enter a workplace where the actions of your colleagues are weakening you.
FAQ’s
Here I am sharing some most searched questions on google about the six possible causes of stress at the workplace.
Q: Why do people get stressed at work?
In today’s hectic world, the workplace often feels like riding an emotional roller coaster. With long deadlines and always increasing demands, you can become anxious, exhausted, and overwhelmed. And when stress exceeds your coping capacity, it becomes useless and begins to hurt your mind and body. You can’t control everything in your work environment and that’s why people get stressed at work. When workplace stress affects your work performance, health, or personal life, it’s time to take action.
Q: What are the workplace factors associated with stress and health risks?
Some of the six possible causes of stress at the workplace are long hours, heavy workloads, and conflicts with colleagues and bosses. Symptoms include poor work performance, depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. It is important for employers to recognize work-related stress as a serious health and safety issue. Workplace stress is associated with a variety of adverse physical and mental health effects. It includes cardiovascular disease, insomnia, muscular disorders, depression, and anxiety.
Q: What are the effects of workplace stress on employees?
In general, it’s easy to see how stressful you are. However, the most common effects of work-related stress are anxiety, nervousness, hypersensitivity, fury, frustration, feeling overwhelmed, and an uneven mood. It also causes loneliness, obsessive-compulsive perfectionism, self-pity, self-sabotaging behavior, shame, and low self-esteem. Maybe you look stiff or you just look tired. Your aura no longer radiates positive. All of these can be signs of stress, but there are also emotional signs of workplace stress on employees.
Final Words
Workplace pressure is inevitable and unavoidable due to the demands of the modern working environment. However, stress occurs when the pressure becomes excessive or out of control. Stress can adversely affect employee health and performance. I hope after reading my article you understand the most prominent six possible causes of stress at the workplace and good luck for your future.
