Workplace Stress Work-related stress is a prevalent concern that affects both workplace performance and the overall health of workers. Workplace stress is a major source of complaint for the millions of workers experiencing the physical, emotional, and mental strain associated with job demands. Understanding the sources of job related stress involves the examination of the work environment and the individual's response to job tasks. Some regard work stress as a product of the work environment alone, while others believe it is strictly caused by internal factors specific to the worker (Furnham, 2012). Environmental sources of stress range from management's use of authority and excessive workloads, to inadequate resources needed to perform the job successfully (Walonick, 1993). Internal sources such as fear of inadequacy and guilt are considered by some to be independent of the work environment. Work stress is responsible for a range of symptoms, from gastrointestinal disorders to lack of concentration, and the manifestation of this stress impacts the worker, their families, and the parent organization.

Work stress exists as a physical or emotional state caused by external or internal tension, and is experienced by millions of workers in the workforce. In the United States, it has been reported that over half of all workers experience job stress (Walonick, 1993). Another study examined the 147 million workers in the European Union and reported 30% of workers experienced backache, 28% reported stress, 20% experienced fatigue, 17% muscle pains, and 13% reported headaches (Furnham, 2012). The growing abundance of work-related stress complaints and health problems raises more questions about the sources of jobsite stress and how the resulting stress affects workers' attitudes and behaviors.

There are two general schools of thought regarding the source of work stress: some experts explain stress as a product of the work environment, while others believe stress is a product of the individual worker's response to the environment. Workplace stressors that...

Such environmental sources of stress include excessive responsibilities, unrealistic work loads, monotony, management styles and authority conflicts, few or no opportunities for advancement, organizational structure, value conflicts, and unclear job expectations (Walonick, 1993). Job demands cover a variety of external stressors that can cause the worker physical and emotional duress, and ultimately influence worker attitude and behavior. Additional external factors such as noise, over-crowding, time stress, and high responsibility coupled with lack of control, can lead to a worker's aversion to the job, management, co-workers, and clients.
Role ambiguity is a clear example of an environmental source of stress, stemming from uncertainty in the workplace. A worker experiencing role ambiguity has to navigate their job with lack of clarity about the scope and responsibility of the job, lack of clarity about job objectives, and may have to conduct their work with inadequate tools or information. This uncertainly may reflect in the worker's behavior and demeanor due to physiological strain and job-related tension, potentially creating intentions to leave the job, lowering self-confidence, and compromising overall life satisfaction (Furnham, 2012). Role conflict is an example of stress resulting from conflicting demands; overload and under-load stress is a result of having too much or too little work to do; and an individual who has responsibility for others may experience the stress associated with heavy burdens (Furnham, 2012). Managers may experience significant amounts of stress when their workloads are overwhelmed with endless complaints from subordinates, establishing their leadership role, and having to promote cooperation while mediating disputes (Furnham, 2012). On the…