Stress and the workplace

Categories for stressors Environment; heating, lighting, arrangement of workplace etc Home-work interface; balancing the demands of home (children,family etc) and work – concept of ‘work life balance’ Control in the workplace – how much control a worker has in their job and what they do Workload – how much or little work is placed on the individual Interpersonal factors – how well you get on or work with other employees, boss etc

Marmot et al (1997) Assessed how workload and job control contribute to stress levels. Marmot suggested that in the civil service high grade employees will experience high workload whereas low grade civil servants will experience low job control.

He used a sample of 7372 civil servants who answered a questionnaire on workload/ job control/ amount of social support. The PP’s were checked for signs of cardiovascular disease and were re- assessed after 5 years.

Findings Workload: found no link with stress- related illness and so concluded that job demand is not a significant factor in stress Control: PP’s in high grades developed fewer cardiovascular problems than those in lower grades. Therefore: high grade civil servants have high job control and more social support so lower stress- related illness cases. Low grade civil servants have low hob control and less social support so higher stress- related illness cases.

EVALUATION G – although a large sample has been used, the study is gender bias and has only been carried out with civil servants. Also mediating factors haven’t been accounted for. E.g. Vulnerability to illness R – repeatable, however as it is a longitudinal study it would be time consuming. V - self-report questionnaire – could provoke demand characteristics.

Johannson et al (1978) Examined different aspects of demand and workload Looked at the effects of performing repetitive jobs that require continuous attention and some responsibility. Sawyers in Swedish sawmills (high risk group) have a stressful job with repetitive tasks and a sense of responsibility; if they fall behind with production then the entire company suffers.

Findings The high risk groups were found to have higher illness rates and higher levels of adrenaline in their urine then low risk groups. High risk groups also had higher levels of stress hormones on work days than on rest days. Low risk groups = maintenance workers who had less monotonous jobs.

Evaluation G – study only includes the role of sawyers. Also all PP’s were men therefore could be seen as gender – bias. R – Repeatable so could be seen as reliable. V - high ecological validity - self – report which may provoke demand characteristics

Other studies to consider Role conflict: Pomaki et al (2007): 226 hospital doctors showed role conflict directly associated with emotional exhaustion and depression. Fox et al (1993) found a combination of low control and high demands was related to high blood pressure in nurses.

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