|
As part of its mandate, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) is directed by the U.S. Congress to study the psychological
aspects of occupational safety and health, including stress at work. NIOSH
works in collaboration with industry, labor and universities to better
understand the stress of modern work, the effects of stress on worker safety
and health, and ways to reduce stress in the workplace.
Job stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that
occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources
or needs of the worker. Job stress can lead to poor health and even injury. No
standardized approaches or simple how-to manuals exist for developing a stress
prevention program.
The first steps in the process of controlling job stress is identifying the
critical factors leading to stress and providing some of the organizational
changes that need to be made to reduce this stress. Program design and
appropriate solutions will be influenced by several factors, including the size
and complexity of the organization, available resources and the unique types of
stress problems faced by the organization.
Although it is not possible to give a universal prescription for preventing
stress at work, it is possible to offer guidelines on the process of stress
prevention in organizations. Such guidelines, which are derived from NIOSH
studies, are provided below.
Factors in the work environment that may lead to job stress:
-
The design of tasks — heavy workloads, infrequent rest breaks, long work hours,
shiftwork, and hectic and routine tasks that have little inherent meaning, do
not utilize a worker’s skills, and provide little sense of control.
-
Management style — lack of participation by workers in decision-making, poor
communication in the organization, and lack of family-friendly policies.
-
Interpersonal relationships — poor social environments and lack of support or
help from coworkers and supervisors.
-
Work roles — conflicting or uncertain job expectations and too much
responsibility.
-
Career concerns — job insecurity; lack of opportunity for growth, advancement
or promotion; and rapid changes for which workers are unprepared.
-
Environmental conditions — unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions, such as
crowding, noise, air pollution or ergonomic problems.
Recommendations for an organization to control job stress:
-
Ensure that the workload is in line with workers' capabilities and resources.
-
Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation and opportunities for workers to
use their skills.
-
Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.
-
Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting
their jobs.
-
Improve communications - reduce uncertainty about career development and future
employment prospects.
-
Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers.
-
Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities
outside the job.
COPYRIGHT ©2003, ISO Services Properties, Inc.
|