Work stressors: types, classification and examples

What is work stress and in what types can it be expressed? We must begin this article by noting that it will be impossible to list each and every one of the causes that can cause a worker to feel stress, so, necessarily, it will be necessary to group them and, therefore, simplify the problem.

It is also essential to draw a line between what are punctual stress levels and those sustained over time. It is normal to experience some stress from time to time; It helps us get the job done. Here we will talk about situations of sustained stress, those that exceed the worker's ability to feel control over the task, over the work environment or over their own emotions.

• Related article: "Stress and its influence on lifestyle diseases"

The appearance of work stress

Roughly speaking, a worker will feel work stress when he perceives that there is a lack of adaptation between his resources and the demands of the environment. Ideally, there should be an adjustment between the two, person and environment, but when this adjustment does not occur, stressful situations are generated. Rather, stress will occur when the person is aware that there is no such adjustment because either the demands or the working conditions exceed his ability to resist.

Excessive workload, lack of control over work, inadequate reward, role ambiguity, a toxic boss, fussy colleagues, crazy schedules, boredom, the feeling of injustice, the feeling of stagnation or lack of professional development, tasks with impossible deadlines, the emotional demands of the position, their own capabilities...

The list can be endless and each worker may have circumstances that are a source of stress. Sometimes he won't even be able to specifically identify them. Where do we start then?

Types of job stressors

A first way to identify stressors can be to classify them into three groups: those referring to the specific job position, those referring to the organization and the person himself. Other factors can also be included, perhaps more remote, that have more to do with the political/economic/legal/cultural framework of labor dynamics.

This "magma" on which the organizations and the workers themselves are based is undergoing slow but profound changes that condition many of the "precipitating" factors of stress.

Referred to the organization (bad work design or inadequate environment)

In this first category of work stressors we find, fundamentally, the following problems.

1. Role conflict and/or ambiguity

In office workers it is one of the main stress factors associated with the position. It occurs when the worker does not really know what is expected of him or is not clear about his objectives or responsibilities. He receives conflicting orders, doesn't know where the task limits are or what his work is judged on. Is about a typical problem in large and loosely structured organizations.

2. role overload

It is also given by a bad distribution of work. The worker is entrusted with more responsibilities than he can assume, be it due to time, training or hierarchy. There is also the “role underload”, when the capabilities of the worker are underestimated and are assigned jobs that are not commensurate with their training or skills.

3. Communication problems and interdepartmental conflicts

Conflict between departments due to conflicting objectives between them, an imbalance of power between them or a poor type of communication.

4. Insufficient career and development plans

People aspire to improve and expect their companies to help them do so through training and professional development. If the company is not able to meet career expectations It can produce a deep dissatisfaction in the worker. The problem can be aggravated if the company had previously raised these expectations.

5. Organizational structure

If the company or organization is highly hierarchical, it is likely that decisions will not reach lower levels and Poor top-down communication. This is a source of dissatisfaction and stress.

6. Working environment

Tension within the organization, excessive control over workers and conflicting relationships increase stress among employees. workers and, ultimately, can lead to extreme situations of aggression (mobbing or workplace harassment) or emotional exhaustion (burnout). Both have a lot to do with organizational climate and culture., although in the case of mobbing, the assistance of an aggressor or "bully" is also necessary.

• You may be interested in: "How to identify mobbing or workplace harassment"

7. The location of the company itself and its design or the services it offers the worker

For example, a job that is far from home or the lack of services such as parking, cafeteria, etc. It can lead to lengthening the working day or having to invest free time to alleviate some of these deficiencies.

Associated with the job

In this category we find the following types of work stressors.

1. job insecurity

Precarious and temporary work is focus of pressure and stress.

2. Mental load required to perform the task

Whether the task requires sustained attention or mental effort.

3. control over the task

It is one of the variables most associated with work stress in many of the studies carried out. Occurs when the worker You have no control over the tasks you must perform and/or you cannot organize your agenda or work content as it depends on third parties or on situations beyond your ability to maneuver.

4. Variety and complexity of the task

If the task is too monotonous or too complex, it will cause stress.

5. Identity and coherence of the task within the organization

The worker must know what their individual impact is -or group- within the context of the organization. If the worker has the feeling that her work is useless, is not visible or is expendable will experience frustration.

6. intradepartmental relations

Just like interdepartmental ones, poor relationships with close coworkers will cause stress and can lead to other more acute problems.

7. Physical conditions of the workplace

Factors such as low lighting, excessive noise, temperature, humidity, pollution, etc. would enter here.

8. Material conditions of the workplace

Not having the right material (computers that are too slow, machinery that does not work correctly, etc.) can also generate moments of continuous stress.

9. The physical risks of the workplace

This would include all those that can cause musculoskeletal damage; long days standing and without the possibility of moving or sitting down, carrying weight, forced postures, handling of dangerous and/or toxic materials, rigid positions when using the computer, physical and visual fatigue, etc

10. Shift shifts and night shifts

They carry a significant impact and disorder on a physical and psychological level.

11. Remuneration of work linked to objectives

If the objectives are very high, they can cause either stress or neglect (if you are not able to achieve them).

12. Hours, breaks and vacations

Very long working hours and/or accumulation of long working hours for weeks, not taking breaks between tasks, etc.

Related to the person

We said at the beginning that stress occurred when the person felt a mismatch between the demands of the environment and her own abilities. Therefore, the personality of the worker plays an important role when assessing the threat. Some personality traits can fuel or reduce feelings of stress and influence our coping strategies.

1. emotional control

There are people who manage to maintain great control over their emotions and are able to adapt them to the moment and situation. Both positive and negative emotions are part of life and work. It is important to face them properly and maintain a balanceneither overreacting to negative emotions nor denying them.

2. emotional empathy

In the same way that you have to know how to manage your own emotions, it is important to recognize the emotions of others and know how to empathize with them. This will facilitate good relations with colleagues and will make the person have "social support" within the organization. Social support has been consistently linked to a lower experience of stress.

3. Self-motivation capacity

It is achieved through intrinsic motivation, the feeling that one's own work has "sense", the perception of self-efficacy in the assigned task and the recognition of third parties. Motivation is also a stress buffer.

4. The degree of tenacity

Understood as the ability to take responsibility for oneself, reliability, tackle tasks systematically and orderly has been consistently associated with job satisfaction and lower stress levels. However, perfectionism and the degree of self-demand towards oneself are personality traits strongly associated with experiencing stress.

5. emotional stability

The emotional stability of the worker will greatly influence his mood and his perception of stress. If the worker is going through unstable vital moments in other aspects of his life, this will also affect his level of stress at work.

6. Diet, sleep and exercise

Leading healthy lifestyle habits increases the chances of stress management.

• Related article: "10 basic principles for good sleep hygiene"

Factors related to the political and social framework

Few human realities have changed as much since the dawn of time as labor relations. Change is the norm and the scale of change in this area has been colossal. Not long ago, a stable job for life was aspired to. Today this is more of a rare exception, more linked to the administration than to private companies. The massive incorporation of women that began in the middle of the last century, the strength of the economies in development, mainly Asian, which have profoundly modified the industrial fabric on a global scale, etc

In the last twenty years other trends are having a strong impact on how we relate to our work and to the companies that employ us. We can point out some of them:

• Jobs have become insecure and temporary contract types are imposed.
• Overtime has progressively increased. Normally without financial compensation.
• Variables linked to productivity and ratios have been introduced that demand better results from workers year after year.
• The workers of medium and high cadres in the companies, whose jobs were relatively more stable at the end of the SXX, are experiencing more job insecurity.
• The global crisis that began in 2007 has contributed to the destruction of many jobs and the precariousness of others.
• Social networks (extended family, social coverage), traditionally protective of the worker, are disappearing.
• Individualism, labor mobility and the lifestyle of big cities make the worker more isolated.
• Some types of work are changing profoundly as a result of the introduction of new technologies.

Definitely, jobs have become more insecure while workers are more vulnerable. The level of demand has risen and social support tends to decrease. These circumstances may explain why in some industrialized countries stress has replaced muscle problems as the leading cause of sick leave.