Workplace Stress – General

Can "workplace stress" be defined?

• context We hear a lot about stress, but what is it? As stated by the Canadian Mental Health Association:
• context “Stress is a reaction to a situation – it isn't about the actual situation. We usually feel stressed when we think that the demands of the situation are greater than our resources to deal with that situation. For example, someone who feels comfortable speaking in public may not worry about giving a presentation, while someone who isn't confident in their skills may feel a lot of stress about an upcoming presentation. Common sources of stress may include major life events, like moving or changing jobs. Long-term worries, like a long-term illness or parenting, can also feel stressful. Even daily hassles like dealing with traffic can be a source of stress.”
• context From: “Stress”, Canadian Mental Health Association, 2016
• context Workplace stress is the combination of harmful physical and emotional responses that can happen when there is a conflict between job demands on the worker and the amount of control a worker has over meeting these demands. In general, the combination of high demands in a job and a low amount of control over the situation can lead to stress.
• context Stress in the workplace can have many origins or come from one single event. It can impact both workers and employers. It is generally believed that some stress is okay (sometimes referred to as “challenge” or “positive stress”), but when stress occurs in amounts that you cannot handle, both mental and physical changes may occur.

I have heard stress can be both good and bad. Is this true?

• context Stress is the body's response to real or perceived threats. Today, most of our problems cannot be solved with a fight or flight response. We have to work through our problems and find constructive solutions.
• context Stress is about reactions people have to the situations they face. These reactions are not the same from person to person. Some stress is expected and can be a positive force in our lives. In fact, it is often what provides us with the energy and motivation to meet our daily challenges both at home and at the workplace. This type of stress response is what helps you “rise” to a challenge and meet your goals such as deadlines, sales or production targets, or finding new clients. Some people would not consider this challenge a type of stress because, having met the challenge, they are satisfied and happy.
• context Feelings of negative stress usually increase when people believe the demands of a situation are greater than their ability to deal with them. Stress may prevent them from being productive. In some cases, people avoid dealing with a problem entirely, which may make the situation worse and increase stress for them and others around them.
• context When under a lot of stress, some may find it hard to concentrate, make decisions, and feel confident. Many people experience physical sensations like sweating, a racing heart, or tense muscles.
• context Stress can also have a long-term impact on physical health. Headaches and fatigue are common symptoms of stress. People who are under stress are also more likely to get sick or experience a decline in their health.

What causes stress in the workplace?

There is no one cause of stress in the workplace. Every worker is an individual with their professional and personal lives bringing different factors that may influence their reactions to conditions in the workplace. However, there are factors within workplaces that have been shown to influence feelings of stress in the workplace. Some examples include:

• context Task Design — Examples of Sources of Stress: workload (overload and underload)
• context Task Design — Examples of Sources of Stress: pace / variety / meaningfulness of work
• context Task Design — Examples of Sources of Stress: adequate time to complete a task
• context Task Design — Examples of Sources of Stress: autonomy (e.g., the ability to make your own decisions about your own job or about specific tasks)
• context Task Design — Examples of Sources of Stress: shiftwork / hours of work
• context Task Design — Examples of Sources of Stress: skills / abilities do not match job demands
• context Task Design — Examples of Sources of Stress: lack of training and/or preparation (technical and social)
• context Task Design — Examples of Sources of Stress: lack of appreciation
• context Task Design — Examples of Sources of Stress: isolation at the workplace (emotional or working alone)
• context Role in the organization — Examples of Sources of Stress: role conflict (conflicting job demands, too many roles, multiple supervisors or managers)
• context Role in the organization — Examples of Sources of Stress: uncertain job expectations / role ambiguity (lack of clarity about responsibilities, expectations, etc.)
• context Role in the organization — Examples of Sources of Stress: level of responsibility
• context Career development — Examples of Sources of Stress: under/over-promotion
• context Career development — Examples of Sources of Stress: job security/insecurity (fear of redundancy either from the economy, or a lack of tasks or work to do)
• context Career development — Examples of Sources of Stress: lack of career development opportunities, growth, or advancement
• context Career development — Examples of Sources of Stress: overall job satisfaction
• context Relationships at work (Interpersonal) — Examples of Sources of Stress: supervisors / managers (conflicts or lack of support)
• context Relationships at work (Interpersonal) — Examples of Sources of Stress: coworkers (conflicts or lack of support)
• context Relationships at work (Interpersonal) — Examples of Sources of Stress: threat of violence, harassment, etc. (threats to personal safety)
• context Relationships at work (Interpersonal) — Examples of Sources of Stress: lack of trust
• context Relationships at work (Interpersonal) — Examples of Sources of Stress: lack of available systems to report and deal with unacceptable behaviour
• context Relationships at work (Interpersonal) — Examples of Sources of Stress: prejudice or discrimination
• context Organizational structure / climate / management style — Examples of Sources of Stress: participation (or non-participation) in decision-making
• context Organizational structure / climate / management style — Examples of Sources of Stress: communication patterns (poor communication / information flow)
• context Organizational structure / climate / management style — Examples of Sources of Stress: little recognition for good job performance
• context Organizational structure / climate / management style — Examples of Sources of Stress: lack of systems available to respond to concerns
• context Organizational structure / climate / management style — Examples of Sources of Stress: not engaging workers when undergoing organizational change
• context Organizational structure / climate / management style — Examples of Sources of Stress: lack of perceived fairness (who gets what when, and the processes through which decisions are made). Feelings of unfairness magnify the effects of perceived stress on health
• context Organizational structure / climate / management style — Examples of Sources of Stress: lack of support (such as family-friendly policies, employee assistance programs, etc.)
• context Work-Life Balance — Examples of Sources of Stress: role or responsibility conflicts
• context Work-Life Balance — Examples of Sources of Stress: family exposed to work-related hazards
• context Work-Life Balance — Examples of Sources of Stress: inability to disconnect from work
• context Workplace Conditions / Concerns — Examples of Sources of Stress: exposure to unpleasant conditions (such as crowding, smells, etc.)
• context Workplace Conditions / Concerns — Examples of Sources of Stress: exposure to hazards (such as ergonomics, chemical, noise, air quality, temperature, etc.)

Can stress negatively affect our health and safety?

Yes, stress can impact your overall health. Our bodies are designed, pre-programmed if you wish, with a set of automatic responses to deal with stress. The problem is that our bodies deal with all types of stress in the same way. Experiencing stress for long periods of time (such as lower-level but constant stressors at work) will activate this system, but it doesn't get the chance to "turn off." Common effects of stress on the body include: Stress can also affect your mood or thinking by: Stress can contribute to incidents because people often: When people engage in these behaviours or are in these emotional states, they are more likely to: Untreated long-term (chronic) stress has been reported to be associated with health conditions such as:

• context headache
• context muscle tension or pain
• context chest pains
• context increased heart rate and blood pressure
• context weakened immune system
• context fatigue or insomnia
• context stomach and digestive issues
• context high blood sugar
• context increased cholesterol and fatty acids in blood for energy production systems
• context increasing forgetfulness, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, defensiveness, mood swings, hypersensitivity, anger, etc.
• context decreasing ability to think clearly or focus
• context sleep poorly
• context self- or over-medicate themselves
• context feel depressed
• context feel anxious, jittery, and nervous
• context become angry and reckless (often due to a sense of unfairness or injustice)
• context become momentarily (but dangerously) distracted
• context feel withdrawn or isolated from others
• context have outbursts, etc.
• context neglect responsibilities
• context make errors in judgment
• context put their bodies under physical stress, increasing the potential for strains and sprains
• context react poorly in normal activities that require hand-eye or foot-eye coordination
• context anxiety
• context insomnia
• context muscle pain
• context high blood pressure
• context weakened immune system
• context heart disease
• context depression
• context obesity

What can employers do to address stress in their workplace?

Many strategies can help control stress and reduce its impact on a person or the workplace. Since the causes of workplace stress vary greatly, so do the strategies to reduce or prevent it. Where stress in the workplace is caused, for example, by a physical agent, it is best to control it at its source. If the workplace is too loud, control measures to deal with the noise should be implemented wherever possible. If you are experiencing pain from repetitive strain, workstations can be re-designed to reduce repetitive and strenuous movements. More detailed information and suggestions are located in the many other documents in OSH Answers (such as noise, ergonomics, and violence and harassment in the workplace) or by asking the Inquiries Service. Job design is also an important factor. Good job design accommodates a worker's mental and physical abilities. In general, the following job design guidelines will help minimize or control workplace stress: Employers should assess the workplace for the risk of stress. Look for: Determine what can be done to prevent the pressures from becoming negative stressors. Employers can address stress in many ways. DO DO NOT

• context The job should be reasonably demanding (but not based on "sheer endurance") and provide the worker with at least a minimum of variety in job tasks.
• context The worker should be able to learn on the job and be allowed to continue to learn as their career progresses.
• context The job should comprise some area of decision-making that the individual can call his or her own.
• context There should be some degree of social support and recognition in the workplace.
• context The worker should feel that the job leads to some sort of desirable future.
• context pressures at work which could cause high and/or long-lasting levels of stress, and
• context who may be harmed by these pressures.
• context Treat all workers in a fair and respectful manner.
• context Take stress seriously and be understanding to staff under too much pressure.
• context Be aware of the signs and symptoms that a person may be having trouble coping with stress.
• context Involve workers in decision-making and allow for their input directly or through committees, etc.
• context Encourage managers to have an understanding attitude.
• context Be proactive by looking for signs of stress among their staff.
• context Provide workplace health and wellness programs that target the true source of the stress. The source of stress at work can be from any number of causes – safety, ergonomics, job demands, etc. Survey the workers and ask them to help identify the root cause(s).
• context Incorporate stress prevention or positive mental health promotion in policies or your corporate mission statement.
• context Make sure staff has the training, skills and resources they need to be successful in their positions.
• context Design jobs to allow for a balanced workload. Give workers as much control over the tasks they do as possible.
• context Value and recognize individuals' results and skills.
• context Provide support.
• context Be clear about job expectations.
• context Make sure job demands are reasonable by providing manageable deadlines, hours of work, clear duties, and work that is interesting and varied.
• context Provide access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) for those who wish to attend.
• context Do not tolerate bullying or harassment in any form.
• context Do not ignore signs that workers are under pressure or feeling stressed.
• context Do not forget that elements of the workplace itself can cause stress. Stress management training and counselling services can be helpful to individuals but do not forget to look for the root causes of the stress and to address these causes as quickly as possible.

Is there anything I can do to help myself deal with the stress I am experiencing at work?

• context There are many ways to be proactive when dealing with stress. Mental fitness, self-help, taking healthy steps, stress management training, and counselling services can be helpful to individuals but do not forget to look for the root cause(s) of the stress and take steps to address them.
• context However, in some cases, the origin of the stress cannot be changed immediately. Therefore, finding ways to help maintain good mental health is also essential.
• context Please see the OSH Answers on Mental Health – Dealing with Stress in the Workplace for more information.

Are there organizations that can help?*

Yes, there are many. Your family doctor can often recommend a professional for you. Other examples include the Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) or associations such as the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) or the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) to name just a few. (*We have mentioned these organizations as a means of providing a potentially useful referral. You should contact the organization(s) directly for more information about their services. Please note that mention of these organizations does not represent a recommendation or endorsement by CCOHS of these organizations over others of which you may be aware.) For more information on mental health and workplace health, see the OSH Answers:

• context EAP programs are confidential, short-term, counselling services for workers with problems that affect their work performance. The services of EAP providers are often purchased by your company. Check with your human resources department (or equivalent) for contact information.
• context CMHA's programs are meant to ensure that people who require assistance with their mental health will find the help they need to manage with crisis, regain confidence, and return to community, family, and job.
• context The CCSA promotes informed debate on substance use and addiction issues, disseminates information of that nature, and assists organizations involved in substance abuse treatment, prevention and educational programming.
• context Mental Health - Introduction
• context Mental Health - Psychosocial Risk Factors in the Workplace
• context Mental Health - How to Address and Support
• context Mental Health - Dealing with Stress in the Workplace
• context Workplace Health and Well-being - Comprehensive Workplace Health and Safety Program
• context Mental Health - Having Courageous Conversations
• context Mental Health - Addressing Conflicts
• context Mental Health - Job Burnout
• context Mental Health - Recognizing and Addressing Stigma at Work