STRESS AT WORK

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 659.

Text A

Unit 8. STRESS

Text AStress at work Text ВStress management

Job stress can be defined as the harmfulphysical and emotional re­sponses that occurwhen the requirementsof the job do not matchthe capabilities,resources, or needs of the worker. Job stress can lead to poor health and even injury.

The concept of job stress is often confused with challenge,but these concepts are not the same. Challenge energizesus psychologically and physically, and it motivates us to learn new skills and master our jobs. When a challenge is met, we feel relaxed and satisfied. Thus, challenge is an important ingredientfor healthy and productive work.

Nearly everyone agrees that job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditionsof work. Views differ, however, on the im­portance of worker characteristics versus working conditions as the pri­mary cause of job stress. These differing viewpoints are important be­cause they suggestdifferent ways to preventstress at work. Although the importance of individual differences cannot be ignored, scientific datasuggests that certain working conditions are stressful to most people.

Stress sets off an alarm in the brain, which responds by preparing the body for defensive action. The nervous system is arousedand hormones are released to sharpenthe senses, quicken the pulse, deepen respira­tion,and tense the muscles. This response is important because it helps us defend against threateningsituations. The response is prepro­grammed biologically. Everyone responds in much the same way, re­gardless of whether the stressful situation is at work or home.

Short-livedor infrequentepisodes of stress bear little risk. But when stressful situations go unresolved,the body is kept in a constantstate of activation, which increases the rate of wear and tear to biological sys­tems. The ability of the body to repair and defend itself becomes low. As a result, the risk of injury or disease escalates.

In the past 20 years, many studies have looked at the relationship be­tween job stress and a variety of ailments. Mood and sleep problems, up-