What is Work-Related Stress?

In terms of occupational health and safety, stress is the misfit between a worker's needs and capabilities, and what the workplace offers and demands. Another definition is "the reaction people have to excessive demands or pressures, arising when people try to cope with tasks, responsibilities or other types of pressure connected with their jobs, but find difficulty; strain or worry in doing so". (Health and Safety Executive, UK). The forerunner to the Australian Safety and Compensation Commission, the National Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) identified stress as the most significant psychological hazard in the workplace, affecting both the mental and physical well-being of people. Stress is one of the major OHS issues confronting workers in Australian workplaces. The ACTU conducted a survey in 1997 receiving over 12,000 responses being received. The survey showed:- • One in four people took time off due to stress at work. • The most stressful conditions at work reported were management issues including lack of communication and consultation; increased workload; organisational change and restructuring; and job insecurity. • People reported a range of symptoms. More than 60 per cent reported headaches; continual tiredness; anger and sleeplessness. • Over half the respondents nominated better management, including more communication and consultation, as the solution to stress at work. Other solutions included less workload; less performance monitoring; better work organisation; more training; job security and better career opportunities. Despite this, and the fact that stress has been recognised as a major occupational hazard by unions and government OHS authorities world wide, many Australian employers do little about the issue. In fact, the view of one of the largest employer organisations, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), is that there is that "...in spite of the substantial amount of work by academics and researchers over the last 20 years or so, we are no closer to providing proof of a linkage between so called workplace stress and disease" (ACCI Press Release, January, 2002: Stress as a Community and Workplace Issue) What are the causes of stress? A 'good job' usually involves a measure of positive stimuli, which encourages the worker to perform well and gain job satisfaction as a result - this is not stress. Many jobs involve negative factors that put unwanted pressure (stress) on the worker, leading to adverse consequences. Stress is not a disease or injury in itself, but can lead to mental and physical ill health, and can also be a factor in workplace accidents. Many work factors can be identified as potential causes of stress, or stressors, and most can be divided into three areas: 1. Working conditions 2. Doing the job 3. Work relationships