Managing Job Stress

What Causes Job Stress?

Most of the time, it's the major sources of stress that lead to job burnout and health problems. Job stress can affect your home life too. Here are some common sources of major job stress, with examples of each:

• Lack of control. Feeling as if you have no control over your work or job duties is the biggest cause of job stress. People who feel like they have no control at work are most likely to get stress-related illnesses. Here's an example:
  • Shelly is responsible for putting together a report that her boss must deliver at a 4 p.m. meeting. She's been waiting all day for the notes and numbers she needs. Shelly finally gets the notes from her boss at 3:15 and rushes to prepare the report and charts and to make copies in time. She gets it done, but she feels mad and resentful. This is the third time this week that this has happened.
• Increased responsibility. Taking on extra duties in your job is stressful. You can get more stressed if you have too much work to do and you can't say no to new tasks.
  • John volunteers for every new project, because he heard that's the best way to get promoted. But the tasks are starting to pile up, and he's feeling overwhelmed. He knows he can't really manage one more thing. But this morning, John's boss asked him to take on another project, and John agreed. Now he's more worried than ever about getting everything done.
• Job satisfaction and performance. Do you take pride in your job? If your job isn't meaningful, you may find it stressful. Are you worried about doing well at work? Feeling insecure about job performance is a major source of stress for many people.
  • Raoul has worked in his new job for 8 months. He thinks he is doing well. But his boss doesn't say much, so Raoul isn't sure. He wonders if he's on the right track, but he's afraid to ask.
• Uncertainty about work roles. Being unsure about your duties, how your job might be changing, or the goals of your department or company can lead to stress. If you report to more than one boss, juggling the demands of different managers can also be stressful.
  • Rosa's old manager was promoted. Now Rosa is working for someone new. She's heard that the new boss plans to "shake things up" in her department. The new boss just hired Emily, whose job seems to be the same as Rosa's. Rosa worries about what this means for her.
• Poor communication. Tension on the job often comes from poor communication. Being unable to talk about your needs, concerns, and frustrations can create stress.
  • A new job with more responsibility and better pay just opened up in Jill's department. Jill knows she can do this job. And she's been with the company longer than anyone else on her team. She waits for her manager to ask if she is interested. But after several weeks, a coworker is promoted to the new job. Jill feels hurt and angry, but she doesn't say anything.
• Lack of support. Lack of support from your boss or coworkers makes it harder to solve other problems at work that are causing stress for you.
  • Jeff works in a busy office answering customer complaint calls all day. It would be easier to handle all the calls if he could at least trade tips with his coworkers. But everyone else is busy too. His coworkers never make it out of their cubicles during the day, even to let off a little steam.
• Poor working conditions. Unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions, such as crowding, noise, or ergonomic problems, can cause stress.
  • Sonya is exposed to constant noise at work. She wears earplugs, but at the end of her shift her ears are ringing. She often comes home with a headache.

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Author:	Jeannette Curtis	Last Updated: April 22, 2009
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry
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