Cost of Stress (Facts and Figure).

INTRODUCTION

In human terms any sitution that is seen as burdensome , threating ,ambogous , or boring is likely to induce stress. The potential for stress exists when environment pressure is of such a magnitude as to threaten the individuals ability to cope with it in conditions where successful coping is a rewarding experience.

COST OF STRESS ( FACTS AND FIGURE )

In financisal terms occupationsl stress is said to cosat 10% of gross national product each year in the usa. The CBI in the uk put the annual cost of stress related absenteeism and staff turnover alone at 1.3 billion pound. The figure in the mid 1990s was stated as 4-9 billion pound 0r 2-3% of the uk’s gross domestic product. By impairing the physocological and physical well- being of an emplyee , stress also affects the employees family. A survey conducted by the industrial society in 1995 revealed that stress in the workplace is now a problem in nine out of ten orginazations.

Burnout

People suffering from burnout lack energy , are fatigued , feel nothing they do is rewarded or encouraged , lack adequate control of their work life ,feel helpless, and have pessimistic views about life generally. The consequences of burnout are absences from work , low commitment and problems with relating to colleagues and others.

FACTORS CAUSING STRESS AT WORK

STRESS FROM WITHIN THE ORG.

ROLE OVERLOAD- too much work can give rise to a number of symptoms of stress such as, escapist drinking, low motivation to work reaching up to absenteeism from work. Working at ...

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Burnout

FACTORS CAUSING STRESS AT WORK

STRESS FROM WITHIN THE ORG.

ROLE OVERLOAD- too much work can give rise to a number of symptoms of stress such as, escapist drinking, low motivation to work reaching up to absenteeism from work. Working at more than two jobs that required an excessive number of working hours (60 plus per week) can lead to greater stress and might force the employees to take legal actions against the employer. Eg a former junior hospital doctor sued his employers –‘Bloomsbury health authority’, in London for stress arising from working excessive hours (almost 100 hrs a week). He claimed that he was exhausted and depressed and endangered health of his patients. Eventually he reached the point of total exhaustion and had car accident.

ROLE AMBIGUITY- there are a number of circumstances in an organization, when the requirements of a job are unclear and different from the objectives laid down; as a result, colleagues are not altogether clear about what the job entails. This results in number of undesirable consequences consisting of dissatisfaction from life, leading to a depressed mood and ending with an intention to quit the job.

ROLE CONFLICT- occurs when a job is arranged in such a way that the individual performing the tasks connected with the job is confused by conflicting demands for e.g. if the employee is sandwiched between two employers who have different expectations from his or her work. As conflict develops a lower job satisfaction is experience which leads to stumpy self-confidence and self-esteem in employees.

BEAURATIC STRUCTURE AND CONTROL- Stress can vary depending upon the organizational level at which the employee is operating. Senior managers in a firm experience less stress and strain compared to middle managers and junior staff. This is because the lower level employees are given lesser scope for decision-making and freedom for use of discretion t work. In a study conducted it was found that the blue-collar workers compared to the white-collar workers experience less job control, which leads to greater stress. The blue-collar workers in the process and production department are helpless as they are unable to avoid unpleasant working conditions, industrial hazards and their working time. Blue-collar workers are also unable to modify their task because their work is a well-defined process integrated to the entire production process in a systematic way. The only option for the blue-collar workers is to put up with these conditions or leave their job, which would be impractical as it is tough to find another job in the market due to their constant lowered income. Thus the feasible option for the blue-collar worker is to get lumbered by stress.

STRESSS FROM WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL & OUTSIDE