This paper will examine the common organizational stressor known as work overload. To begin, the stressor will first be defined and explained in terms of its causes. The paper will then focus on how to deal with the stressor by suggesting a variety of organizational approaches. Individuals who have specialized training in the field of work overload will then be introduced. Unique approaches designed by these professionals as a method of dealing with work overload will be examined. The paper will conclude by describing how scientific literature and research might be of assistance to the specialists.
Having too much to do with too little time to do it is a common perception in the workplace. This problem, often referred to as work or role overload, can be caused by a variety of factors. Things such as unrealistic deadlines, lack of appropriate break periods, and increasingly heightened expectations are common causes of work-related stress that exist throughout a wide variety of occupations (Shimazu & Kosugi, 2003). Other harmful factors that are related to work overload include rapid change, disordered multitasking, uncertainty, and interruptions during work. While it is possible for many hours of concentration on a well-defined job to have a positive effect on a person’s mental state, it is also possible for less than an hour of chaos in the workplace to have a hazardous effect on a person’s health (Zohar, 1999).
People who serve as managers and supervisors are most susceptible to work overload. One potential explanation for this is the open-ended nature of the managerial job (Johns & Saks, 2001). The difficulties encountered when trying to juggle the demands of superiors with the needs of subordinates has the potential to provoke a lot of stress. Different personality types can also result in different ways of handling a heavy workload. For example, research indicates that introverts have notably different coping mechanisms for stress than extroverts (Dormann & Zapf, 2002). These mechanisms can vary in effectiveness when handling organizational stressors such as work overload. Another factor that relates to how people are influenced by heavy workloads is sex. For males, work stress is more strongly related to concerns about roles in the power structure of an organization, whereas female employees experience more severe stress when a conflict exists between job requirements and family relationships (Vagg, Spielberger, & Wasala, 2002).
Early warning signs of work overload include headaches, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, short temper, upset stomach, and low job satisfaction (Dormann & Zapf, 2002).
workloads, work hours, burnout, and the many state forms that workers have to use which are
Long working hours and irregular sleeping patterns for a long period of time result in chronic sleep loss and a deprivation in concentration. Irregular working schedules also cause a slower response rate, which results in more mistakes during work (Martens, Nijhuis, Boxtel & Knottnerus, 1990; Wickens, Lee, Liu & Becker, 2014). In a work environment such as a hospital, concentration and fast reaction is needed to make the right life depending decisions. Thus, the effects of sleep loss, stress, and cognitive deficits not only harm those who experience it but also their productivity and
In the recent years, organizations have paid extra attention to employee stress and its effect on job performance. Burnout, an outcome of stress is known to cause individual, family and organizational problems and health conditions such as insomnia and hypertension. The question many ask is where does it originate from? And, how supported are the employees by the organization? Researchers have attempted to link stress and burnout and its effect on job performance. This research analysis includes different scholarly studies done and that found many contributing factors such as job satisfaction, work and family demands, work environment, and culture.
A high workload has negative implications for nurses as well. Consequences of heavy workload include stress, burnout, and dissatisfaction, thus affecting motivation for quality patient care. Furthermore, nursing overload was also associated with increased absenteeism (as cited in Fasoli & Haddock, 2010, p. 2).
Work-related or occupational stress is defined as “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demands placed on them at work,” (Burke, 2013). Nurses are exposed to high levels of occupational stress as a result of heavy workloads, extended working hours and high levels of time pressure (Tsai & Liu, 2012). Demanding work environments place a great deal of pressure on nurses to get their tasks done without allowing them sufficient control and support to manage those demands. According to one study, lack of decision-making authority and a deficit of social support from supervisors is directly associated with the development of stress-related symptoms (Tsai & Liu, 2012). Such a work environment causes a...
You often think that everything boils down to deadlines. If only the tick of the clock is much slower and if deadlines don’t exist, everything would be much easier. Sometimes you blame your failures to somebody or to a circumstance where in fact, the real problem is just the way you perceive stress.
The potential ramifications for the employer can be costly when employees succumb to internal and external stressors. To effectively combat job stress and develop a comprehensive stress management program, organizations must be cognizant of several areas that may be contributing factors to an employee’s stress level. Internally, organizations should review the employee’s workload and ensure that they have the necessary skills to complete the tasks they are expected to complete (Ornelas & Kleiner, 2003). They must also work to “motivate, challenge and take full advantage of the employee’s skills and abilities” (Ornelas & Kleiner, 2003). Employee’s job stress can also be decreased by allowing them take an active part in decisions, creating an atmosphere that facilitates a support network, and offering flexibility in their schedules that allows them to address responsibilities outside the workplace (Ornelas & Kleiner, 2003).
Occupational stress is an expensive problem and is prevalent in work places nowadays since a third of employees are reported to have high levels of stress; three fourths believe that there are more on the job stress than previous generations while the other one fourth see their job as a cause of stress in their life. The article highlights some of the symptoms of on-job stress as increased isolation with others, suicidal thoughts, loss of interest in work, anxiety, workaholic tendencies, impatience among other things.
The presence of accumulated stress and heavy work load on the brain automatically bring about the student or the employee inability to multitask; knowing fully well that multitasking is one essential key to excellence.
As the world becomes more and more developed, stress gradually becomes an unavoidable feature of modern society. “Stress is a dynamic condition is which an individual is confronted with an opportunity, demand, or resource related to what the individual desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important”. Stress occurs in a lot of events in our everyday life such as everyday events (suddenly sees a red light), exciting events (having a baby), scary events (watching a horror movie) and many more. Among the different types of stress, job stressors has been generally accepted as an universal phenomenon. Job stressors trigger problems for people both physiologically and psychologically. However, individual differences when they face a particular event to be a job stressors. Culture difference is one major factor that causes the individual differences. America, England, China and Japan are used for analyzing the different types of stress in western and eastern culture and their unique ways of coping the stress. Just like western culture, eastern culture also has a lot of stress among employees. China is one of most representative countries in eastern culture. While China becomes more and more universalized, China still contains its own Confucian culture. Since China has a special environment and culture, it causes unique types of stress compare to western culture. Those types of stress are mainly work demand stress and family demand stress. Work demands are psychological stress at the workplace, such as overloading of work; time shifts; complexity of work; and having conflict demands. Due to these work demand of stress, it damages employees’ both physical and psychological states (e.g., tension and anxiety...
Human beings are at times lazy, they always look for the easy way to everything, so they use shortcuts in all parts of their life including their professional one. But, when employees take shortcuts while accomplishing their tasks, especially when working with chemicals or complex machinery, often they put themselves at risk of being injured or dying. Further, a worker’s personal and professional life are linked, so if he or she is stressed, it might affect their ability to concentrate, which causes
Matthews, G., & Campbell, S. (2009). Sustained performance under overload: personality and individual differences in stress and coping. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, 10(5), 417-422. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Late 1980's: work stress received increasing attention in I/O research, theory, and practice Balancing work and family lives received increasing attention.
Everyday, there are workers who come home from their jobs with a high amount of health issues. Headaches, aching muscles, exhaustion, and many more health issues have workers wondering why this is happening. All of these symptoms can be linked to stress in the workplace. Job stress has become more of a problem than ever before. Numerous studies show that job stress is the major source of stress for American adults and that it has escalated progressively over the past few decades (“Workplace Stress,” 2004).
Long – term stress can even require the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety, and depression; it can be a main cause of moodiness and frustration. Many of us are aware of the physical symptoms of stress-muscle pain, rapid breathing or an increased pulse. At the same time, they also suffer from emotional of stress which can be like roller coaster of highs or lows. emotional effects rang from emotional overeating to a feeling of being overwhelmed and pressure. stress impact many other components, which leads to difficulties in making decisions, loss sense humor, poorer concentration, negative thinking. As can be seen, stress nearly brings serious effects to people. Apart from the effects above, it can be the main reason which creates your decreased productivity at work. stress makes people less control their pace work, which leads to dissatisfaction. about 40% employees said that they are burned out because of work-related stress and loss $300 billion each year in the workplace . In addition, your relationship with people around also become worsens because of your stress. In fact, stress makes people puzzled and their life can undergo a considerable