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Effects of a High Stress Work Life

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Submitted By captainoob
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Everyone, at some point, experiences mental or emotional strain; this is known as stress. Stress is a natural part of life that can come in both negative and positive forms. While positive stress can give a person the drive and motivation necessary to succeed, negative stress can lead to severe consequences, especially in the workplace (Seidl, 2009). Work-related stress can cause serious problems for employees as well as the organizations they work for; as such, it is important to be aware of these problems and the factors which contribute to work-related stress must be addressed.
Causes of Work-Related Stress
Over the course of a day, most adults spend at least eight hours of their time in their work environment; this amounts to a third of their day, and as much as half of their waking hours. During that time, pressures that are placed on those people can lead to stress. Exploring specific factors which can lead to stress at work is necessary for us to better understand the topic.
• Lack of Control: People are unable to influence the demands or restrictions placed on them.
• Ambiguous Expectations: Employees are unclear on their job functions, or experience conflict between their roles and assignments.
• Pressure: Employees feel their work is “piling up” or there is not enough time to accomplish tasks.
• Communication: Employees feel left in the dark in regards to the organization’s goals, or their futures within the organization.
• Support: Employees are not given adequate training, or the necessary tools to accomplish tasks.
• Environment: Employees are placed in uncomfortable conditions with poor lighting, overcrowding, ergonomic strains, and noise.
(Stewart, 2007)
Employees who experience these conditions are highly susceptible to work-related stress. This susceptibility places both the employee and the organization at risk (American Psychology

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