Workplace Stress

RESEARCH ON WORKPLACE STRESS

• Workload and Control
• job-strain model of workplace stress was investigated.
• Proposes that workplaces create stress and illness in two ways:
• (1) high workload
• (2) low job control
• In civil service higher grade employees would experience high workload yet low-grade civil servants would experience low job contol.
• Both grades are likely to experience high levels of stress.
• 7372 civil servants in london answered a questionnaire on workload. job control and amount of social support and being checked for cardiovascular diseases.
• An independent aseessment of workload and control by checking job spec and role responsibilities with personnel management- 5 years later participants were reassessed.
• Workload
• ^^ study found no link between high workload and stress-related illness, not a big factor in stress.
• Other studies examined different aspects of demand or workload 
• Effects of performing repetitive jobs requiring continuous attention and some responsibility were examined.
• High risk groups have a stressful job with repetitive tasks, unrelenting pace and sense of responsibility for whole company as if they fall behind, the companys whole production is slowed down.
• High risk group had high illness rates and higher levels of adrenaline in their urine.
• High-risk group had higher levels of stress hormones on work days.
• Control
• Five years after the assessment, the people who reported low levels of job control were more likely to have…