American workers are working longer and harder than every before…and their stress levels show it. Virtually every employee is affected by job stress at some point.

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.”  Like any other type of stress, job stress can lead to poor health and even injury.

A report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) shows:

Another report from The Marlin Company, entitled “Attitudes in the American Workplace VII” found:

• 80% of workers feel stress on the job, nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress, and 42% say their coworkers need such help

• 25% have felt like screaming or shouting because of job stress, 10% are concerned about an individual at work they fear could become violent

• 14% of respondents had felt like striking a coworker in the past year, but didn’t

• 9% are aware of an assault or violent act in their workplace and 18% had experienced some sort of threat or verbal intimidation in the past year

More than a third of workers (35%) say their jobs are harming their physical or emotional health and 42% say job pressures are interfering with their personal relationships; half say they have a more demanding workload this year than last.  

When asked what causes the majority of stress in your life, 28% stated workplace demands, 21% stated family or personal demands, and 42% said both equally. 

Work is stressful.  Employers should be aware of this and monitor workloads and workplace conflict.  30% of survey respondents disagreed (8% of them strongly) with the statement that the management where they work is sufficiently sensitive to the needs, conflicts, or other problems that are stressful for employees.

Another cause of the stress in the workplace is bullying.  This doesn’t just happen in schools.  The Marlin Company survey revealed that:

• 19% say that in the past year, they have witnessed or been aware of bullying – that is, physical or verbal bullying – in their workplace.

• Those who reported lower job satisfaction levels, higher anger levels, higher stress levels, and more demanding workloads were more likely to say they were aware of bullying.

“A bully poisons the well of the entire workplace,” said Frank Kenna, III, President of The Marlin Company. “Where bullying exists, workers report higher stress and anger levels, lower job satisfaction, and more negative attitudes. The lesson for managers is that if you have a bully, deal with him or her right away. Develop standards on acceptable – and unacceptable – behavior, and create a nonthreatening method of reporting abusive behavior. It’s too easy to rationalize and to think, ‘I need this person. I’m going to hope this goes away.’”

Workplace stress will always be around, but it’s important for employers to do their part in reducing stress in the workplace.  Some tips include:

• Set clear goals for your employees
• Encourage mindfulness with your team
• Offer a flexible work environment
• Encourage employees to move their bodies
• Engage and recognize employees
• Balance workloads
• Ensure effective communication channels
• Address conflict
• Provide proper training

It’s important to have a proper support and cooperation among managers and employees. There are many benefits to reducing stress in the workplace.

Additional ASE Resources
Dealing with Stress - This ASE training course teaches how to become more effective in handling everyday pressures. It will assist participants in gaining insights and developing strategies to cope with stress factors at work and home.  The next class is Tuesday, June 25, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. in Livonia.  Register here.

Sources: harishsaras.com, stress.org, cdc.gov/niosh