Job Stress Management: Christian A. Gallardo, MD
Job Stress Management: Christian A. Gallardo, MD
Job Stress Management: Christian A. Gallardo, MD
Christian A. Gallardo, MD
Objectives
• To define what is job stress.
• To identify the causes of
stress at work
• To explain the effect of job
stress on human physiologic
function
• To explain the effect and
manifestation of job stress on
overall worker health
Objectives
• To Identify indications for work
stress evaluation and
management
• To discuss programming
measures that can be utilized
to prevent and/ or minimize job
stress
Why do we work? • Work provides:
– Income
– Fulfills a variety of
other needs
• Mental and
physical exercise
• Social contact
• Feeling of self
worth and
competence
Factors Influencing Work
Stress
• The drive for success
• Changing work patterns
• Working conditions
• Relationships at work
• Job Demands:
workload and work
paces
What is Job Stress?
Job Stress:
• “…the harmful physical and
emotional responses that occur
when the requirements of a job
do not match the capabilities,
resources, or needs of the
worker.”
– Outcome: poor health and
injury - NIOSH Publication No. 99 -101
Job Stress:
• “Stress is a reaction
people have to
pressure placed upon
them and occurs when
pressures exceed the
individual’s ability to
cope.”
- Health and Safety Executive
Job Stress vs. Challenge
• Job Stress vs.
Challenge
– Energizes
psychologically
– Energizes
physically
– Motivates to learn a
new skill
– Motivates mastery
of a skill or job
Causes of Job Stress
• Individual and
Situational
Characteristics/
Worker
Characteristics
– Personality
– Coping Style
– What is stressful
for one may not be
for another
Causes of Job Stress
• Work Characteristics/Working
Conditions/Organizational factor
– Exposure to stressful work conditions (job
stressor) can adversely and directly affect
health and safety
– Examples of job stress
• Example workload
• Environmental hazards
• Pressure for increased productivity
Causes of Job Stress
• Environmental Factors
– Economic Uncertainty
– Political Uncertainty
– Technological Uncertainty
Job Stressors
• 1. Task Design
– Heavy workload,
infrequent breaks,
little or job control,
long hours of work
or shift work
Job Stressors
• 2. Management Style
– Lack of worker participation in decision
making, poor communication, lack of family
friendly policies
Job Stressors
• 3. Interpersonal Relationship
– Poor Social Environment, lack of support
from co-workers or supervisors
Job Stressors
• Short Live or infrequent stressful situations
pose little risk, if any at all
• Continuous stress episodes may be
damaging
– Body is constantly on guard and activated
– Wear and tear to biological systems is faster
– Fatigue or damage results
– Repair and defense systems are
compromised
Early Warning Signs of Job Stress
• Headache
• Sleep Disturbances
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Short Temper
• Upset Stomach
• Job Dissatisfaction
• Low Morals
Manifestation of Job Stress
Job Stress Prevention
Why Prevent Job Stress?
• In the USA more than half of the 550 million
work days lost each year are stress-related.
-The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work