Occupational stress

File:Deaths from Karoshi.png and International Labour Organization in 2016.]]

File:Annual working time in OECD.svg countries from 1970 to 2020]]

A number of psychological theoriesCooper, C. L. (1998). Theories of organizational stress. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.{{page needed|date=August 2020}}{{cite book |last1=Mark |first1=George M. |last2=Smith |first2=Andrew P. |chapter=Stress models: a review and suggested new direction |pages=111–144 |editor1-last=Houdmont |editor1-first=J. |editor2-last=Leka |editor2-first=S |title=Occupational Health Psychology |year=2008 |publisher=Nottingham University Press |isbn=978-1-904761-82-2 |s2cid=16731683 |s2cid-access=free }} at least partly explain the occurrence of occupational stress. The theories include the demand-control-support model, the effort-reward imbalance model, the person-environment fit model, job characteristics model, the diathesis stress model, and the job-demands resources model.

The demand-control-support (DCS) model, originally the demand-control (DC) model, has been the most influential psychological theory in occupational stress research. The DC model advances the idea that the combination of low levels of work-related decision latitude (i.e., autonomy and control over the job) and high psychological workloads is harmful to the health of workers. High workloads and low levels of decision latitude either in combination or singly can lead to job strain, the term often used in the field of occupational health psychology to reflect poorer mental or physical health.{{cite journal |last1=Karasek |first1=Robert A. |title=Job Demands, Job Decision Latitude, and Mental Strain: Implications for Job Redesign |journal=Administrative Science Quarterly |date=June 1979 |volume=24 |issue=2 |pages=285–308 |doi=10.2307/2392498 |jstor=2392498 }}{{cite journal |last1=Karasek |first1=R |last2=Baker |first2=D |last3=Marxer |first3=F |last4=Ahlbom |first4=A |last5=Theorell |first5=T |title=Job decision latitude, job demands, and cardiovascular disease: a prospective study of Swedish men. |journal=American Journal of Public Health |date=July 1981 |volume=71 |issue=7 |pages=694–705 |doi=10.2105/ajph.71.7.694 |pmid=7246835 |pmc=1619770 }} The DC model has been extended to include work-related social isolation or lack of support from coworkers and supervisors to become the DCS model. Evidence indicates that high workload, low levels of decision latitude, and low levels of support either in combination or singly lead to poorer health.{{cite journal |last1=Johnson |first1=Jeffrey V |last2=Hall |first2=E M |last3=Theorell |first3=Töres |title=Combined effects of job strain and social isolation on cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality in a random sample of the Swedish male working population. |journal=Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health |date=August 1989 |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages=271–279 |doi=10.5271/sjweh.1852 |pmid=2772582 |doi-access=free }} The combination of high workload, low levels of decision latitude, and low levels of support has also been termed iso-strain.

The effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model focuses on the relationship between the worker's efforts and the work-related rewards the employee receives. The ERI model suggests that work marked by high levels of effort and low rewards leads to strain (e.g., psychological symptoms, physical health problems). The rewards of the job can be tangible like pay or intangible like appreciation and fair treatment. Another facet of the model is that overcommitment to the job can fuel imbalance.{{cite journal |last1=Siegrist |first1=Johannes |last2=Starke |first2=Dagmar |last3=Chandola |first3=Tarani |last4=Godin |first4=Isabelle |last5=Marmot |first5=Michael |last6=Niedhammer |first6=Isabelle |last7=Peter |first7=Richard |title=The measurement of effort–reward imbalance at work: European comparisons |journal=Social Science & Medicine |date=April 2004 |volume=58 |issue=8 |pages=1483–1499 |doi=10.1016/S0277-9536(03)00351-4 |pmid=14759692 |url=https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/86957/1/Elsevier_65269.pdf }}

The person–environment fit model underlines the match between a person and his/her work environment. The closeness of the match influences the individual's health. For healthy working conditions, it is necessary that employees' attitudes, skills, abilities, and resources match the demands of their job. The greater the gap or misfit (either subjective or objective) between the person and his/her work environment, the greater the strain. Strains can include mental and physical health problems. Misfit can also lead to lower productivity and other work problems. The P–E fit model was popular in the 1970s and the early 1980s; however, since the late 1980s interest in the model has waned because of difficulties representing P–E discrepancies mathematically and statistical models linking P–E fit to strain have been problematic.{{cite journal |last1=Ganster |first1=Daniel C. |last2=Schaubroeck |first2=John |s2cid=164886810 |title=Work Stress and Employee Health |journal=Journal of Management |date=June 1991 |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=235–271 |doi=10.1177/014920639101700202 }}

The job characteristics model focuses on factors such as skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. These job factors are thought to psychological states such as a sense of meaningfulness and knowledge acquisition. The theory holds that positive or negative job characteristics give rise to a number of cognitive and behavioral outcomes such as extent of worker motivation, satisfaction, and absenteeism. Hackman and Oldham (1980) developed the Job Diagnostic Survey to assess these job characteristics and help organizational leaders make decisions regarding job redesign.

The diathesis–stress model looks the individual's susceptibility to stressful life experiences, i.e., the diathesis.{{cite journal |last1=Turk |first1=Dennis C |title=A Diathesis-Stress Model of Chronic Pain and Disability following Traumatic Injury |journal=Pain Research and Management |date=2002 |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=9–19 |doi=10.1155/2002/252904 |pmid=16231063 |doi-access=free }}Hart, P.M. & Cooper, C.L. (2001). [http://www.insightsrc.com.au/portal/resources/4ee81ac98c30d.pdf Occupational Stress: Toward a More Integrated Framework]. In N. Anderson, D.S. Ones, H.K. Sinangil, & C. Viswesvaran (Eds), Handbook of Industrial, Work and Organizational Psychology (vol 2: Personnel Psychology). London: Sage.{{page needed|date=August 2015}} Individuals differ on that diathesis or vulnerability. The model suggests that the individual's diathesis is part of the context in which he or she encounters job stressors at various levels of intensity.NIOSH (1999). [https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/99-101/ Stress at Work.] U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 99-101.{{cite journal |author1=Henry, O. |author2=Evans, A.J. |name-list-style=amp | year = 2008 | title = Occupational Stress in Organizations | journal = Journal of Management Research | volume = 8 | issue = 3 | url=http://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:jmr&volume=8&issue=3&article=001 | pages = 123–135 }} If the individual has a very high tolerance (is relatively invulnerable), an intense stressor may not lead to a mental or physical problem. However, if the stressor (e.g., high workload, difficult coworker relationship) outstrips the individual's diathesis, then health problems may ensue.{{cite journal |last1=Colligan |first1=Thomas W. |last2=Higgins |first2=Eileen M. |s2cid=144918034 |title=Workplace Stress: Etiology and Consequences |journal=Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health |date=25 July 2006 |volume=21 |issue=2 |pages=89–97 |doi=10.1300/J490v21n02_07 }}

In the job demands-resources model model derives from both conservation of resources theory and the DCS model. Demands refer to the size of the workload, as in the DCS model. Resources refer to the physical (e.g., equipment), psychological (e.g., the incumbent's job-related skills and knowledge), social (e.g., supportiveness of supervisors), and organizational resources (e.g., how much task-related discretion is given the worker) that are available to satisfactorily perform the job.{{cite journal |last1=Demerouti |first1=Evangelia |last2=Bakker |first2=Arnold B. |last3=Nachreiner |first3=Friedhelm |last4=Schaufeli |first4=Wilmar B. |title=The job demands-resources model of burnout. |journal=Journal of Applied Psychology |date=2001 |volume=86 |issue=3 |pages=499–512 |doi=10.1037/0021-9010.86.3.499 |pmid=11419809 }} High workloads and low levels of resources are related job strain.

• Role conflict involves the worker facing incompatible demands.Beehr, T. A. (1995). Psychological stress in the workplace. New York, NY: Routledge.{{page needed|date=August 2020}}Katz, D., & Kahn, R. L. (1978). The social psychology of organizations 2ed. New York: Wiley.{{page needed|date=August 2020}} Workers are pulled in conflicting directions in trying to respond to those demands.{{cite book |last1=Gerber |first1=Linda M. |last2=Macionis |first2=John J. |title=Sociology |date=2010 |publisher=Pearson Canada |isbn=978-0-13-800270-1 |page=129 |edition=7th Canadian}}
• Role ambiguity refers to a lack of informational clarity with regard to the duties a worker's role in an organization requires. Like role conflict, role ambiguity is a source of strain.
• Coping refers to the individual's efforts to either prevent the occurrence of a stressor or mitigate the distress the impact of the stressor is likely to cause.{{cite journal|doi=10.1146/annurev.psych.093008.100352|pmid=19572784|title=Personality and Coping|journal=Annual Review of Psychology|volume=61|pages=679–704|year=2010|last1=Carver|first1=Charles S.|last2=Connor-Smith|first2=Jennifer|s2cid=6351970|doi-access=free}} Research on the ability of the employees to cope with the specific workplace stressors is equivocal; coping in the workplace may even be counterproductive.{{cite journal|doi=10.2307/2136379|pmid=6520361|jstor=2136379|title=Coping with Occupational Problems: The Limits of Individual Efforts|journal=Journal of Health and Social Behavior|volume=25|issue=4|pages=406–23|year=1984|last1=Menaghan|first1=Elizabeth G.|last2=Merves|first2=Esther S.}} Pearlin and Schooler{{cite journal|doi=10.2307/2136319|pmid=649936|jstor=2136319|title=The Structure of Coping|journal=Journal of Health and Social Behavior|volume=19|issue=1|pages=2–21|year=1978|last1=Pearlin|first1=Leonard I.|last2=Schooler|first2=Carmi|s2cid=33237602}} advanced the view that because work roles, unlike such personally organized roles as parent and spouse, tend to be impersonally organized, work roles are not a context conducive to successful coping. Pearlin and Schooler suggested that the impersonality of workplaces may even result in occupational coping efforts making conditions worse for the employee.
• Organizational climate refers to employees' collective or consensus appraisal of the organizational work environment.{{cite journal|doi=10.1037/h0037511|title=Organizational climate: A review of theory and research|journal=Psychological Bulletin|volume=81|issue=12|pages=1096–1112|year=1974|last1=James|first1=Lawrence R.|last2=Jones|first2=Allan P.}} Organizational climate takes into account many dimensions of the work environment (e.g., safety climate; mistreatment climate; work-family climate). The communication, management style, and extent of worker participation in decision-making are factors that contribute to one or another type of organizational climate.

Physiological reactions to stress can have consequences for health over time. Researchers have been studying how stress affects the cardiovascular system, as well as how work stress can lead to hypertension and coronary artery disease. These diseases, along with other stress-induced illnesses tend to be quite common in American work-places.{{cite journal|last1=Primm|first1=Dave|year=2005|title=What workplace stress research is telling technical communicators|url=http://openurl.ingenta.com/content?genre=article&issn=0049-3155&volume=52&issue=4&spage=449&epage=455|journal=Technical Communication|volume=52|issue=4|pages=449–455|id={{ProQuest|220963218}}}} There are a number of physiological reactions to stress including the following:{{cite web|date=6 July 2020|title=Understanding the stress response: Chronic activation of this survival mechanism impairs health|url=https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response|publisher=Harvard Medical School}}

• Blood is shunted to the brain and large muscle groups, and away from extremities and skin.
• Activity in an area near the brain stem known as the reticular activating system increases, causing a state of keen alertness as well as sharpening of hearing and vision.
• Epinephrine is released into the blood.
• The HPA axis is activated.
• There is increased activity in the sympathetic nervous system.
• Cortisol levels are elevated.
• Energy-providing compounds of glucose and fatty acids are released into the bloodstream.
• The action immune and digestive systems are temporarily reduced.

Studies have shown an association between occupational stress and "health risk behaviors". Occupational stress has shown to be linked with an increase in alcohol consumption among men and an increase in body weight.{{cite journal|last1=Siegrist|first1=Johannes|last2=Rödel|first2=Andreas|date=December 2006|title=Work stress and health risk behavior|journal=Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health|volume=32|issue=6|pages=473–481|doi=10.5271/sjweh.1052|pmid=17173203|doi-access=free}}

Occupational stress accounts for more than 10% of work-related health claims.{{cite journal|last1=Ruotsalainen|first1=Jani H|last2=Verbeek|first2=Jos H|last3=Mariné|first3=Albert|last4=Serra|first4=Consol|date=7 April 2015|title=Preventing occupational stress in healthcare workers|journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews|volume=2015|issue=4|pages=CD002892|doi=10.1002/14651858.CD002892.pub5|pmc=6718215|pmid=25847433}} Many studies suggest that psychologically demanding jobs that allow employees little control over the work process increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.Kivimäki M, Nyberg ST, Batty GD, Fransson EI, Heikkilä K, Alfredsson L, Bjorner JB, Borritz M, Burr H, Casini A, Clays E, De Bacquer D, Dragano N, Ferrie JE, Geuskens GA, Goldberg M, Hamer M, Hooftman WE, Houtman IL, Joensuu M, Jokela M, Kittel F, Knutsson A, Koskenvuo M, Koskinen A, Kouvonen A, Kumari M, Madsen IE, Marmot MG, Nielsen ML, Nordin M, Oksanen T, Pentti J, Rugulies R, Salo P, Siegrist J, Singh-Manoux A, Suominen SB, Väänänen A, Vahtera J, Virtanen M, Westerholm PJ, Westerlund H, Zins M, Steptoe A, Theorell T; IPD-Work Consortium. Job strain as a risk factor for coronary heart disease: a collaborative meta-analysis of individual participant data. Lancet. 2012; 380(9852): 1491-1497. Research indicates that job stress increases the risk for development of back and upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders.{{cite book|last1=Sauter|first1=Steven L.|title=Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety|last2=Hurrell|first2=Joseph J.|last3=Murphy|first3=Lawrence R.|last4=Levi|first4=Lennart|publisher=International Labour Office|year=1997|editor1-last=Stellman|editor1-first=J|location=Geneva, Switzerland|pages=34.1–34.77|chapter=Psychosocial and Organizational Factors|chapter-url=http://www.ilocis.org/documents/chpt34e.htm}} Stress at work can also increase the risk of acquiring an infection and the risk of accidents at work.{{cite web|last1=Roberts|first1=Rashaun|last2=Grubb|first2=Paula L.|last3=Grosch|first3=James W.|date=25 June 2012|title=Alleviating Job Stress in Nurses|url=https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/765974|work=Medscape}} A 2021 WHO study concluded that working 55+ hours a week raises the risk of stroke by 35% and the risk of dying from heart conditions by 17%, when compared to a 35-40 hour week.{{Cite journal |last1=Pega |first1=Frank |last2=Náfrádi |first2=Bálint |last3=Momen |first3=Natalie C. |last4=Ujita |first4=Yuka |last5=Streicher |first5=Kai N. |last6=Prüss-Üstün |first6=Annette M. |last7=Descatha |first7=Alexis |last8=Driscoll |first8=Tim |last9=Fischer |first9=Frida M. |last10=Godderis |first10=Lode |last11=Kiiver |first11=Hannah M. |last12=Li |first12=Jian |last13=Magnusson Hanson |first13=Linda L. |last14=Rugulies |first14=Reiner |last15=Sørensen |first15=Kathrine |date=2021-09-01 |title=Global, regional, and national burdens of ischemic heart disease and stroke attributable to exposure to long working hours for 194 countries, 2000–2016: A systematic analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury |journal=Environment International |volume=154 |pages=106595 |doi=10.1016/j.envint.2021.106595 |issn=0160-4120|doi-access=free |pmid=34011457 |pmc=8204267 |bibcode=2021EnInt.15406595P }}

Occupational stress can lead to three types of strains: behavioral (e.g., absenteeism), physical (e.g., headaches), and psychological (e.g., depressed mood).Jex, S. M. (1998). Stress and job performance: Theory, research, and implications for managerial practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.{{cite journal |last1=Burns |first1=Richard A. |last2=Butterworth |first2=Peter |last3=Anstey |first3=Kaarin J. |s2cid=25393084 |title=An examination of the long-term impact of job strain on mental health and wellbeing over a 12-year period |journal=Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology |date=May 2016 |volume=51 |issue=5 |pages=725–733 |doi=10.1007/s00127-016-1192-9 |pmid=26875152 }} Job stress has been linked to a broad array of conditions, including psychological disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder), job dissatisfaction, maladaptive behaviors (e.g., substance abuse), cardiovascular disease, and musculoskeletal disorders.{{cite journal |last1=Naghieh |first1=Ali |last2=Montgomery |first2=Paul |last3=Bonell |first3=Christopher P |last4=Thompson |first4=Marc |last5=Aber |first5=J Lawrence |title=Organisational interventions for improving wellbeing and reducing work-related stress in teachers |journal=Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |date=8 April 2015 |volume=2015 |issue=4 |pages=CD010306 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD010306.pub2 |pmid=25851427 |pmc=10993096 |s2cid=205204278 |url=https://repository.uel.ac.uk/download/832d2bf35e2a373744b7a66a6a2106c5c65767f4959d2146a8616d52d78844d2/905773/Naghieh_et_al-2015-Cochrane_Database_of_Systematic_Reviews.pdf }}{{cite web|url= https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/workorg/|title=NIOSH Work Organization and Stress Related Disorders |access-date=2007-12-01|publisher=United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health}}Schonfeld, I.S., & Chang, C.-H. (2017). Occupational health psychology: Work, stress, and health. New York: Springer Publishing Company.{{page needed|date=August 2020}}

Stressful job conditions can also lead to poor work performance, counterproductive work behavior,{{cite journal |last1=Meier |first1=Laurenz L. |last2=Spector |first2=Paul E. |title=Reciprocal effects of work stressors and counterproductive work behavior: A five-wave longitudinal study. |journal=Journal of Applied Psychology |date=2013 |volume=98 |issue=3 |pages=529–539 |doi=10.1037/a0031732 |pmid=23379915 |citeseerx=10.1.1.709.1245 }} higher absenteeism, and injury. Chronically high levels of job stress diminish a worker's quality of life and increase the cost of the health benefits the employer provides. A study of short haul truckers found that high levels of job stress were related to increased risk of occupational injury.{{cite report |last1=Dopkeen |first1=Jonathan C. |last2=DuBois |first2=Renee |date=March 2014 |title=Stress in the Workplace: A Policy Synthesis on Its Dimensions and Prevalence |publisher=University of Illinois at Chicago |hdl=10027/18751 |hdl-access=free }} Research conducted in Japan showed a more than two-fold increase in the risk of stroke among men with job strain (combination of high job demand and low job control).{{cite journal |last1=Tsutsumi |first1=Akizumi |last2=Kayaba |first2=Kazunori |last3=Kario |first3=Kazuomi |last4=Ishikawa |first4=Shizukiyo |title=Prospective Study on Occupational Stress and Risk of Stroke |journal=Archives of Internal Medicine |volume=169 |issue=1 |pages=56–61 |year=2009 |pmid=19139324 |doi=10.1001/archinternmed.2008.503 |doi-access=free }} The Japanese use the term karoshi to reflect death from overwork.

High levels of stress are associated with substantial increases in health service utilization. For example, workers who report experiencing stress at work also show excessive health care utilization. In a 1998 study of 46,000 workers, health care costs were nearly 50% greater for workers reporting high levels of stress in comparison to "low risk" workers. The increment rose to nearly 150%, an increase of more than $1,700 per person annually, for workers reporting high levels of both stress and depression.{{cite journal |last1=Goetzel |first1=Ron Z. |last2=Anderson |first2=David R. |last3=Whitmer |first3=R. William |last4=Ozminkowski |first4=Ronald J. |last5=Dunn |first5=Rodney L. |last6=Wasserman |first6=Jeffrey |title=The Relationship Between Modifiable Health Risks and Health Care Expenditures: An Analysis of the Multi-Employer HERO Health Risk and Cost Database |journal=Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine |date=October 1998 |volume=40 |issue=10 |pages=843–854 |doi=10.1097/00043764-199810000-00003 |pmid=9800168 }} Health care costs increase by 200% in those with depression and high occupational stress. Additionally, periods of disability due to job stress tend to be much longer than disability periods for other occupational injuries and illnesses.NIOSH [2001]. NIOSH Worker Health Chartbook. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pub. No. 2004-146.

Occupational stress has negative effects for organizations and employers. Occupational stress contributes to turnover{{cite journal |last1=Barthauer |first1=Luisa |last2=Kaucher |first2=Philipp |last3=Spurk |first3=Daniel |last4=Kauffeld |first4=Simone |title=Burnout and career (un)sustainability: Looking into the Blackbox of burnout triggered career turnover intentions |journal=Journal of Vocational Behavior |date=March 2020 |volume=117 |pages=103334 |doi=10.1016/j.jvb.2019.103334 |doi-access=free }} and absenteeism.{{cite journal |last1=Schouteten |first1=R. |title=Predicting absenteeism: screening for work ability or burnout |journal=Occupational Medicine |date=January 2017 |volume=67 |issue=1 |pages=52–57 |doi=10.1093/occmed/kqw161 |pmid=27834229 |doi-access=free |hdl=2066/167225 |hdl-access=free }}

In today's workplaces every individual will experience work-related stress and the level of stress varies person-to-person. Different aspects of a person's life will affect their stress levels through work. In comparing women and men, there is a higher risk for women to experience stress, anxiety and others forms of psychological stress in response to their work life than there is for men due to societal expectations of women. Such as women having more domestic responsibilities, the fact that women receive less pay for doing similar work as men and that societally women are expected to say "yes" to any requests given to them. These societal expectations added into a work environment can create a very psychologically stressful environment for women, without any added stressors from work.{{Cite news|date=2016-08-04|title=Why Women Feel More Stress at Work|work=Harvard Business Review|url=https://hbr.org/2016/08/why-women-feel-more-stress-at-work|access-date=2020-12-13|issn=0017-8012}} Desmarais and Alksnis suggest two explanations for the greater psychological distress of women. First, the genders may differ in their awareness of negative feelings, leading women to be more likely to express and report strains, whereas men more likely to deny and inhibit such feelings. Second, the demands to balance work and family result in more overall stress for women that leads to increased strain.{{cite book |last1=Desmarais |first1=S. |last2=Alksnis |first2=C. |year=2005 |chapter=Gender issues |editor1-first=J. |editor1-last=Barling |editor2-first=E. K. |editor2-last=Kelloway |editor3-first=M. R. |editor3-last=Frone |title=Handbook of work stress |pages=455–485 |location=Thousand Oaks, CA |publisher=Sage }}

Stereotype threat is a phenomenon that can have effects on everyone, it highly depends on the situation the individual is. Some of the proposed mechanisms that are involved with stereotype threat include, but are not limited to: anxiety, negative cognition (where you are focused on stereotype-thinking), lowered motivation, lowered performance expectation (where you do worse on something because the expectation is that you won't be able to do well anyways), decrease in working memory capacity, etc.{{Cite web|last1=Stroessner|first1=Steve|last2=Good|first2=Catherine|title=Stereotype Threat: An Overview |url=https://femmes-et-maths.fr/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/stereotype_threat_overview.pdf |access-date=April 24, 2024}}

Women are also more vulnerable to sexual harassment and assault than men.{{cite report |last1=Shaw |first1=Elyse |last2=Hegewisch |first2=Ariane |last3=Hess |first3=Cynthia |title=Sexual Harassment and Assault at Work: Understanding the Costs |date=2018 |url=https://iwpr.org/publications/sexual-harassment-work-cost/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219205103/https://iwpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/IWPR-sexual-harassment-brief_FINAL.pdf |archive-date=19 February 2019 }} These authors are referring to the very real "double burden" hypothesis.{{cite journal |last1=Nilsen |first1=Wendy |last2=Skipstein |first2=Anni |last3=Østby |first3=Kristian A. |last4=Mykletun |first4=Arnstein |title=Examination of the double burden hypothesis—a systematic review of work–family conflict and sickness absence |journal=European Journal of Public Health |date=June 2017 |volume=27 |issue=3 |pages=465–471 |doi=10.1093/eurpub/ckx054 |pmid=28486653 |pmc=5445721 }} In addition, women, on average, earn less than their male counterparts.{{cite web |last1=Lacarte |first1=Valerie |last2=Hayes |first2=Jeff Hayes |date=November 2019 |title=Women's median earnings as a percent of men's, 1985-2018 (full-time, year-round workers) with projections for pay equity, by race/ethnicity |publisher=Institute for Women's Policy Research |location=Washington DC |url=https://iwpr.org/publications/pay-equity-projection-race-ethnicity-2019/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213043746/https://iwpr.org/publications/pay-equity-projection-race-ethnicity-2019/ |archive-date=13 December 2019 }}

According to a recent report by the European Union (EU),Parent-Thirion, A., Biletta, I., Cabrita, J., Vargas Llave, O., Vermeylen, G., Wilczyńska, A., & Wilkens, M. (2017). Sixth European Working Conditions Survey – Overview report (2017 update). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union; Eurofund. in the EU and affiliated countries the skills gap between men and women has narrowed in the ten years preceding 2015. In the EU, when compared to men, women typically spend fewer hours in paid work but instead spend more hours in unpaid work.{{Cite web|title=The gender pay gap situation in the EU|url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/gender-equality/equal-pay/gender-pay-gap-situation-eu_en|access-date=2020-10-08|website=European Commission - European Commission|language=en}}

Both the broad categories and the specific categories of occupational stress mentioned in the following paragraph fall under different psychological theories of worker stress, which include demand-control-support model, the effort-reward imbalance model, the person-environment fit model, job characteristics model, the diathesis stress model, and the job-demands resources model.

The causes of occupational stress can be placed into a broad category of what the main occupational stressor is and a more specific category of what causes occupational stress. The broad category of occupational stressors include some of the following: bad management practices, the job content and its demands, a lack of support or autonomy and much more. The more specific causes of occupational stress includes some of the following: working long hours, having insufficient skills for the job, discrimination and harassment and much more.{{Cite web|last=Services|first=Department of Health & Human|title=Work-related stress|url=https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au:443/health/healthyliving/work-related-stress|access-date=2020-12-13|website=www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au|language=en}}

{{See also|Precarious work}}

Although the importance of individual differences cannot be ignored, scientific evidence suggests that certain working conditions are stressful to most people. Such evidence argues for a greater emphasis on working conditions as the key source of job stress, and for job redesign as a primary prevention strategy. In the ten years leading up to 2015, workers in the EU and affiliated countries have seen improvement in noise exposure but worsening in exposure to chemicals. Approximately, one-third of EU workers experience tight deadlines and must work quickly. Those in the health sector are exposed to the highest levels of work intensity. In order to meet job demands, a little more than 20% of EU workers must work during their free time. Approximately one-third of EU office-workers have some decision latitude. By contrast, about 80% of managers have significant levels of latitude.{{Cite journal |last1=Bolliger |first1=Larissa |last2=Lukan |first2=Junoš |last3=Colman |first3=Elena |last4=Boersma |first4=Leen |last5=Luštrek |first5=Mitja |last6=De Bacquer |first6=Dirk |last7=Clays |first7=Els |date=January 2022 |title=Sources of Occupational Stress among Office Workers—A Focus Group Study |journal=International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |language=en |volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=1075 |doi=10.3390/ijerph19031075 |doi-access=free |pmid=35162099 |issn=1660-4601|hdl=1854/LU-8739589 |hdl-access=free }}

General working conditions that induce occupational stress may also be aspects of the physical environment of one's job. For example, the noise level, lighting, and temperature are all components of one's working environment. If these factors are not adequate for a successful working environment, one can experience changes in mood and arousal, which in turn creates more difficulty to successfully do the job right.{{cite book |chapter=Occupational Stress |date=2002 |pages=25–39 |editor-last=Rout |editor-first=Usha R. |publisher=Springer |doi=10.1007/0-306-47649-5_3 |isbn=978-0-306-47649-5 |editor2-last=Rout |editor2-first=Jaya K. |title=Stress Management for Primary Health Care Professionals |s2cid=241202285 }}

{{Main|Workload}}

In an occupational setting, dealing with workload can be stressful and serve as a stressor for employees. There are three aspects of workload that can be stressful.

:* Quantitative workload or overload: Having more work to do than can be accomplished comfortably, like stress related with deadline or unrealistic target.

:* Qualitative workload: Having work that is too difficult.

:* Underload: Having work that fails to use a worker's skills and abilities.Katz, D., & Kahn, R. L. (1978). The social psychology of organizations 2ed. New York City: John Wiley.{{page needed|date=August 2015}}

Workload as a work demand is a major component of the demand-control model of stress. This model suggests that jobs with high demands can be stressful, especially when the individual has low control over the job. In other words, control serves as a buffer or protective factor when demands or workload is high. This model was expanded into the demand-control-support model that suggests that the combination of high control and high social support at work buffers the effects of high demands.{{cite journal |last1=Johnson |first1=J V |last2=Hall |first2=E M |title=Job strain, work place social support, and cardiovascular disease: a cross-sectional study of a random sample of the Swedish working population. |journal=American Journal of Public Health |date=October 1988 |volume=78 |issue=10 |pages=1336–1342 |doi=10.2105/ajph.78.10.1336 |pmid=3421392 |pmc=1349434 }}

As a work demand, workload is also relevant to the job demands-resources model of stress that suggests that jobs are stressful when demands (e.g., workload) exceed the individual's resources to deal with them. With the growth of industries and the emergence of modern industries, the cognitive workload has increased even more.{{Cite journal|last1= Arghami |first1=Sh |last2= Nasl Seraji |first2=J|last3= Mohammad |first3=K |last4= Farhangi |first4=A|last5= van Vuuren |first5=W|date=2005|title= Mental health in high-tech system|journal= Iranian Journal of Public Health|volume=34|issue=1|pages=31–37 }} It seems that with the stability of Industry 4, more serious problems will arise in this field.{{Cite journal|last1= Nekhoda |first1=EV |last2= Kuklina |first2=TV |date=2020|title= Occupational safety and health in digital economy: Challenges for government regulation|journal= Economic and Social Development| pages=162–172}}

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2022, 12,000,000 Americans or 8.7% of the labor force worked 41–48 hours per week. And 13,705,000 Americans or 9.8% of the labor force worked 49–59 hours per week. And approximately 9,181,000 Americans or 6.7% of the labor force worked 60 or more hours per week.{{Cite web |title=Persons at work in agriculture and nonagricultural industries by hours of work : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |url=https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat19.htm |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=www.bls.gov |language=en-us}} A meta-analysis involving more than 600,000 individuals and 25 studies indicated that, controlling for confounding factors, working long hours is related to a small but significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease and slightly higher risk of stroke.{{cite journal |last1=Kivimäki |first1=Mika |last2=Jokela |first2=Markus |last3=Nyberg |first3=Solja T|author4-link=Archana Singh-Manoux |last4=Singh-Manoux |first4=Archana |last5=Fransson |first5=Eleonor I |last6=Alfredsson |first6=Lars |last7=Bjorner |first7=Jakob B |last8=Borritz |first8=Marianne |last9=Burr |first9=Hermann |last10=Casini |first10=Annalisa |last11=Clays |first11=Els |last12=De Bacquer |first12=Dirk |last13=Dragano |first13=Nico |last14=Erbel |first14=Raimund |last15=Geuskens |first15=Goedele A |last16=Hamer |first16=Mark |last17=Hooftman |first17=Wendela E |last18=Houtman |first18=Irene L |last19=Jöckel |first19=Karl-Heinz |last20=Kittel |first20=France |last21=Knutsson |first21=Anders |last22=Koskenvuo |first22=Markku |last23=Lunau |first23=Thorsten |last24=Madsen |first24=Ida E H |last25=Nielsen |first25=Martin L |last26=Nordin |first26=Maria |last27=Oksanen |first27=Tuula |last28=Pejtersen |first28=Jan H |last29=Pentti |first29=Jaana |last30=Rugulies |first30=Reiner |last31=Salo |first31=Paula |last32=Shipley |first32=Martin J |last33=Siegrist |first33=Johannes |last34=Steptoe |first34=Andrew |last35=Suominen |first35=Sakari B |last36=Theorell |first36=Töres |last37=Vahtera |first37=Jussi |last38=Westerholm |first38=Peter J M |last39=Westerlund |first39=Hugo |last40=O'Reilly |first40=Dermot |last41=Kumari |first41=Meena |last42=Batty |first42=G David |last43=Ferrie |first43=Jane E |last44=Virtanen |first44=Marianna |title=Long working hours and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished data for 603 838 individuals |journal=The Lancet |date=October 2015 |volume=386 |issue=10005 |pages=1739–1746 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60295-1 |pmid=26298822 |doi-access=free |hdl=1854/LU-6992656 |hdl-access=free }}

A person's status in the workplace is related to occupational stress because jobs associated with lower socioeconomic status (SES) typically provide workers less control and greater insecurity than higher-SES jobs. Lower levels of job control and greater job insecurity are related to reduced mental and physical health.

The types of jobs that pay workers higher salaries tend to provide them with greater job-related autonomy. As indicated above, job-related autonomy is associated with better health. A problem in research on occupational stress is how to "unconfound" the relationship between stressful working conditions, such as low levels of autonomy, and salary.{{cite journal |last1=Sinclair |first1=Robert R. |last2=Cheung |first2=Janelle H. |title=Money Matters: Recommendations for Financial Stress Research in Occupational Health Psychology: Money matters |journal=Stress and Health |date=August 2016 |volume=32 |issue=3 |pages=181–193 |doi=10.1002/smi.2688 |pmid=27400815 }} Because higher levels of income buy resources (e.g., better insurance, higher quality food) that help to improve or maintain health, researchers need to better specify the extent to which differences in working conditions and differences in pay affect health.

{{Main|Workplace bullying}}

Workplace bullying involves the chronic mistreatment of a worker by one or more other workers or managers. Bullying involves a power imbalance in which the target has less power in the unit or the organization than the bully or bullies.{{cite book |last1=Rayner |first1=Charlotte |last2=Cooper |first2=Cary L. |year=2006 |chapter=Workplace Bullying |pages=121–146 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1WQ5DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA121 |editor1-last=Kelloway |editor1-first=E. Kevin |editor2-last=Barling |editor2-first=Julian |editor3-last=Hurrell |editor3-first=Joseph J. |title=Handbook of Workplace Violence |publisher=Sage |isbn=978-0-7619-3062-4 }} Bullying is neither a one-off episode nor is a conflict between two workers who are equals in terms of power. There has to be a power imbalance for there to be bullying. Bullying tactics include verbal abuse, psychological abuse, and even physical abuse. The adverse effects of workplace bullying include depression for the worker and lost productivity for the organization.{{cite journal |last1=McTernan |first1=Wesley P. |last2=Dollard |first2=Maureen F. |last3=LaMontagne |first3=Anthony D. |s2cid=144440980 |title=Depression in the workplace: An economic cost analysis of depression-related productivity loss attributable to job strain and bullying |journal=Work & Stress |date=October 2013 |volume=27 |issue=4 |pages=321–338 |doi=10.1080/02678373.2013.846948 }}

{{Main|Narcissism in the workplace|Psychopathy in the workplace}}

Thomas suggests that there tends to be a higher level of stress with people who work or interact with a narcissist, which in turn increases absenteeism and staff turnover.{{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=David |year=2010 |title=Narcissism: Behind the Mask |publisher=Book Guild |isbn=978-1-84624-506-0 |oclc=649804343 }}{{page needed|date=August 2020}} Boddy finds the same dynamic where there is a corporate psychopath in the organisation.{{cite book |last1=Boddy |first1=Clive |year=2011 |title=Corporate Psychopaths: Organizational Destroyers |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-0-230-30755-1 |oclc=1117201229 }}{{page needed|date=August 2020}}

{{Main|Workplace conflict}}

Interpersonal conflict among people at work has been shown to be one of the most frequently noted stressors for employees.{{cite journal |last1=Keenan |first1=A. |last2=Newton |first2=T. J. |title=Stressful events, stressors and psychological strains in young professional engineers |journal=Journal of Organizational Behavior |date=April 1985 |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=151–156 |doi=10.1002/job.4030060206 }}{{cite journal |last1=Liu |first1=Cong |last2=Spector |first2=Paul E. |last3=Shi |first3=Lin |title=Cross-national job stress: a quantitative and qualitative study |journal=Journal of Organizational Behavior |date=February 2007 |volume=28 |issue=2 |pages=209–239 |doi=10.1002/job.435 }} Conflict can be precipitated by workplace harassment.{{cite journal |last1=Bowling |first1=Nathan A. |last2=Beehr |first2=Terry A. |title=Workplace harassment from the victim's perspective: A theoretical model and meta-analysis. |journal=Journal of Applied Psychology |date=September 2006 |volume=91 |issue=5 |pages=998–1012 |doi=10.1037/0021-9010.91.5.998 |pmid=16953764 }} Workplace conflict is also associated with other stressors, such as role conflict, role ambiguity, and heavy workload. Conflict has also been linked to strains such as anxiety, depression, physical symptoms, and low levels of job satisfaction.

{{Main|Sexual harassment}}

A review of the literature indicates that sexual harassment, which principally affects women, negatively affects workers' psychological well-being.{{cite journal |last1=Gyllensten |first1=Kristina |last2=Palmer |first2=Stephen |s2cid=17157481 |title=The role of gender in workplace stress: a critical literature review |journal=Health Education Journal |date=September 2005 |volume=64 |issue=3 |pages=271–288 |doi=10.1177/001789690506400307 }} Other findings suggest that women who experience higher levels of harassment are more likely to perform poorly at work.

Sexual harassment can affect individuals of any gender, and the harasser can also be of any gender; the harasser does not need to be of the opposite sex. While a harasser may hold a higher position, this is not always the case. Harassment can occur from a co-worker, someone in a different department, or even an individual who is not an employee.{{Cite web|title=Facts About Sexual Harassment {{!}} U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission|url=https://www.eeoc.gov/publications/facts-about-sexual-harassment|access-date=2020-12-13|website=www.eeoc.gov}}

Sexual harassment includes but is not limited to:

• sexual assault
• nonconsensual contact
• rape
• attempted rape
• forcing the victim to perform sexual acts on the attacker
• sending sexually explicit photos or messages to someone else
• exposing oneself to another
• performing sexual acts on self
• verbal harassment
• includes jokes referencing sexual acts
• discussing sexual relations, sexual stories or sexual fantasies{{Cite web|title=Sexual Harassment {{!}} RAINN|url=https://www.rainn.org/articles/sexual-harassment?gclid=Cj0KCQiA8dH-BRD_ARIsAC24umbhNZEsLM6BzA4GiXRFVELhMd7QmJeOGue4bhkJjnR8Eg1LD7ENdiUaAphJEALw_wcB|access-date=2020-12-13|website=www.rainn.org}}

{{em|Work–life balance}} refers to the extent to which there is equilibrium between work demands and one's personal life outside of work. Workers face increasing challenges to meeting workplace demands and fulfilling their family roles as well as other roles outside of work.{{cite journal |last1=Kossek |first1=Ellen Ernst |last2=Pichler |first2=Shaun |last3=Bodner |first3=Todd |last4=Hammer |first4=Leslie B. |title=Workplace Social Support and Work-Family Conflict: A Meta-Analysis Clarifying the Influence of General and Work-Family-Specific Supervisor and Organizational Support |journal=Personnel Psychology |date=June 2011 |volume=64 |issue=2 |pages=289–313 |doi=10.1111/j.1744-6570.2011.01211.x |pmid=21691415 |pmc=3116443 }}

Lower status occupational groups are at higher risk of work-related ill health than higher occupational groups. This is in part due to adverse work and employment conditions. Furthermore, such conditions have greater effects on ill-health to those in lower socio-economic positions.{{cite web |first1=Johannes |last1=Siegrist |first2=Diego |last2=Montano |first3=Hanno |last3=Hoven |date=September 2014 |title=Working conditions and health inequalities, evidence and policy implications |url=https://eurohealthnet.eu/sites/eurohealthnet.eu/files/health-gradient/DRIVERS_WP3_Fair_Employment_Final_Report.pdf }}

A combination of organizational change and stress management can be a useful approach for alleviating or preventing stress at work. Both organizations and employees can employ strategies at organizational and individual levels. Generally, organizational level strategies include job procedure modification and employee assistance programs (EAP). A meta-analysis of experimental studies found that cognitive-behavioral interventions, in comparison to relaxation and organizational interventions, provided the largest effect with regard to improving workers' symptoms of psychological distress.{{cite journal |last1=Richardson |first1=Katherine M. |last2=Rothstein |first2=Hannah R. |title=Effects of occupational stress management intervention programs: A meta-analysis. |journal=Journal of Occupational Health Psychology |date=2008 |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=69–93 |doi=10.1037/1076-8998.13.1.69 |pmid=18211170 }} A systematic review of stress-reduction techniques among healthcare workers found that cognitive behavioral training lowered emotional exhaustion and feelings of lack of personal accomplishment.{{cite journal |last1=Ruotsalainen |first1=Jani |last2=Serra |first2=Consol |last3=Marine |first3=Albert |last4=Verbeek |first4=Jos |title=Systematic review of interventions for reducing occupational stress in health care workers |journal=Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health |date=June 2008 |volume=34 |issue=3 |pages=169–178 |doi=10.5271/sjweh.1240 |pmid=18728906 |doi-access=free }}

An occupational stressor that needs to be addressed is the problem of an imbalance between work and life outside of work. The Work, Family, and Health Study{{cite journal |last1=Hammer |first1=Leslie B. |last2=Johnson |first2=Ryan C. |last3=Crain |first3=Tori L. |last4=Bodner |first4=Todd |last5=Kossek |first5=Ellen Ernst |last6=Davis |first6=Kelly |last7=Kelly |first7=Erin L. |last8=Buxton |first8=Orfeu M. |last9=Karuntzos |first9=Georgia |last10=Chosewood |first10=L. Casey |last11=Berkman |first11=Lisa |title=Intervention Effects on Safety Compliance and Citizenship Behaviors: Evidence from the Work, Family, and Health Study |journal=The Journal of Applied Psychology |date=2016 |volume=101 |issue=2 |pages=190–208 |doi=10.1037/apl0000047 |pmid=26348479 |pmc=4564872 }} was a large-scale intervention study, the purpose of which was to help insure that employees achieve a measure of work–life balance. The intervention strategies included training supervisors to engage in more family-supportive behaviors. Another study component provided employees with increased control over when and where they work. The intervention led to improved home life, better sleep quality, and better safety compliance, mainly for the lowest paid employees.

Many organizations manage occupational stressors associated with health and safety in a fragmented way; for example, one department may house an employee assistance program and another department manages exposures to toxic chemicals.{{cite journal |last1=Schill |first1=Anita L. |last2=Chosewood |first2=Lewis Casey |s2cid=205718232 |title=The NIOSH Total Worker Health™ Program: An Overview |journal=Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine |date=December 2013 |volume=55 |issue=12 Suppl |pages=S8–S11 |doi=10.1097/JOM.0000000000000037 |pmid=24284752 |doi-access=free }} The Total Worker Health (TWH) idea, which was initiated by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), provides a strategy in which different levels of worker health promotion activity are programmatically integrated.{{cite journal |last1=Anger |first1=W. Kent |last2=Elliot |first2=Diane L. |last3=Bodner |first3=Todd |last4=Olson |first4=Ryan |last5=Rohlman |first5=Diane S. |last6=Truxillo |first6=Donald M. |last7=Kuehl |first7=Kerry S. |last8=Hammer |first8=Leslie B. |last9=Montgomery |first9=Dede |s2cid=12730368 |title=Effectiveness of Total Worker Health interventions. |journal=Journal of Occupational Health Psychology |date=April 2015 |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=226–247 |doi=10.1037/a0038340 |pmid=25528687 }} TWH-type interventions integrate health protection and health promotion components. Health protection components are ordinarily unit- or organization-wide, for example, reducing exposures to aerosols. Health promotion components are more individually oriented, in other words, oriented toward the wellness and/or well-being of individual workers, for example, smoking cessation programs. A review of 17 TWH-type interventions, i.e., interventions that integrate organizational-level occupational safety/health components and individual employee health promotion components, indicated that integrated programs can improve worker health and safety.

Experts from NIOSHNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (undated). Stress...At Work. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed October 17, 2021. [https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/99-101/#What%20Can%20Be%20Done%20About%20Job%20Stress?] recommended a number of practical ways to reduce occupational stress. These include the following:

• Ensure that the workload is in line with workers' capabilities and resources.
• Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers to use their skills.
• Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.
• To reduce workplace stress, managers may monitor the workload given out to the employees. Also while they are being trained they should let employees understand and be notified of stress awareness.{{cite news |title=Workplace Stress: Show your commitment |work=Employee Benefits |date=June 2008 |page=S.13 |id={{ProQuest|224697345}} }}
• Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their jobs.
• Improve communications-reduce uncertainty about career development and future employment prospects.
• Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers.
• Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities outside the job.
• Combat workplace discrimination (based on race, gender, national origin, religion or language).
• Bringing in an objective outsider such as a consultant to suggest a fresh approach to persistent problems.Bittel, Lester R. Management Skills for Success. Alexander Hamilton Institute Incorporated, 1984. Print.{{page needed|date=August 2015}}
• Introducing a participative leadership style to involve as many people as possible to resolve stress-producing problems.
• Encourage work–life balance through family-friendly benefits and policies

An insurance company conducted several studies on the effects of stress prevention programs in hospital settings. Program activities included (1) employee and management education on job stress, (2) changes in hospital policies and procedures to reduce organizational sources of stress, and (3) the establishment of employee assistance programs. In one study, the frequency of medication errors declined by 50% after prevention activities were implemented in a 700-bed hospital. In a second study, there was a 70% reduction in malpractice claims in 22 hospitals that implemented stress prevention activities. In contrast, there was no reduction in claims in a matched group of 22 hospitals that did not implement stress prevention activities.Darling, E. J., & Whitty, S. J. (2020). A model of projects as a source of stress at work: A case for scenario-based education and training. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 13(2), 426-451. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-01-2019-0003

There is evidence that remote work could reduce job stress.{{cite journal |last1=Gajendran |first1=Ravi |last2=Harrison |first2=David |title=Telecommuting Win-Win For Employees And Employers |journal=Journal of Applied Psychology |volume=92 |issue=6 |year=2008 |pages=1524–41 |doi=10.1037/0021-9010.92.6.1524|pmid=18020794 |citeseerx=10.1.1.335.257 |s2cid=6030172 }} One reason is that it provides employees more control over how they complete their work. Remote workers reported more job satisfaction and less desire to find a new job, less stress, improved work/life balance and higher performance rating by their managers.

One study modeled scenario-based training as a means to reduce occupational stress by providing simulated experience prior to performing a task.{{Cite journal|last=Darling|first=E.|date=2019|title=A model of projects as a source of stress at work|journal=International Journal of Managing Projects in Business |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=426–451 |doi=10.1108/IJMPB-01-2019-0003 |s2cid=199144446 |url=https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-01-2019-0003|url-access=subscription }}

Signs and symptoms of excessive job and workplace stress include:{{Cite web|url=http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-at-work.htm|title=Stress at Work: Tips to Reduce and Manage Job and Workplace Stress|website=www.helpguide.org|access-date=2015-10-29}}

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, occupational health psychology (OHP) has made occupational stress a major research focus. Occupational health psychologists seek to reduce occupational stress by working with individuals and changing the workplace to make it less stressful.{{cite journal |last1=Beehr |first1=Terry A. |s2cid=73447781 |title=Interventions in occupational health psychology. |journal=Journal of Occupational Health Psychology |date=February 2019 |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=1–3 |doi=10.1037/ocp0000140 |pmid=30714810 }} Industrial and organizational psychologists also have skills that bear on occupational stress (e.g., job design), they can also contribute to alleviating job stress.{{cite journal |last1=Fox |first1=Heather Roberts |last2=Spector |first2=Paul E. |title=Occupational Health Psychology: I-O Psychologists Meet with Interdisciplinary Colleagues to Discuss This Emerging Field |journal=The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist |date=April 2002 |volume=39 |issue=4 |pages=139–142 |doi=10.1037/e576932011-016 |s2cid=146813265 |s2cid-access=free }}{{cite book |last1=Hayes |first1=Nicky |year=2010 |title=Understand Applied Psychology: Teach Yourself |publisher=John Murray Press |isbn=978-1-4441-3104-8 |page=114 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8t05AgAAQBAJ&pg=PT114 }} Other subdisciplines within psychology had been largely absent from research on occupational stress.{{cite web |last1=Spector |first1=Paul E. |title=What Is Occupational Health Psychology |url=http://paulspector.com/organizational-behavior/employee-mental-and-physical-health/what-is-occupational-health-psychology/ |date=30 December 2019 }}

The CDC states that "many psychologists have argued that the psychology field needs to take a more active role in research and practice to prevent occupational stress, illness, and injury," which is what the relatively new field of occupational health psychology is "all about".Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Accessed December, 2019). Occupational Health Psychology (OHP). Atlanta: Author. [https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ohp/default.html]{{cite journal |last1=Quick |first1=James |last2=Henderson |first2=Demetria |title=Occupational Stress: Preventing Suffering, Enhancing Wellbeing |journal=International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |date=29 April 2016 |volume=13 |issue=5 |pages=459 |doi=10.3390/ijerph13050459 |pmid=27136575 |pmc=4881084 |doi-access=free }}

An estimated 440,000 people in the UK say they experience work-related stress, resulting in nearly 9.9 million lost work days from 2014 to 2015.{{Cite journal |last1=Bhui |first1=Kamaldeep |last2=Dinos |first2=Sokratis |last3=Galant-Miecznikowska |first3=Magdalena |last4=de Jongh |first4=Bertine |last5=Stansfeld |first5=Stephen |date=December 2016 |title=Perceptions of work stress causes and effective interventions in employees working in public, private and non-governmental organisations: a qualitative study |journal=BJPsych Bulletin |volume=40 |issue=6 |pages=318–325 |doi=10.1192/pb.bp.115.050823 |issn=2056-4694 |pmc=5353523 |pmid=28377811}} This makes it one of the most important causes of lost working-days in the UK.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=4 November 2020 |title=Work-related stress, anxiety or depression statistics in Great Britain, 2020 |url=https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress.pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date= |website=Health and Safety Executive}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Working days lost in Great Britain |url=https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/dayslost.htm |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date= |website=Health and Safety Executive}} To reduce the prevalence of occupational stress, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published the Management Standards, which is used by workplaces to assess the risk of work-related stress.{{Cite web |title=What are the Management Standards? - Stress - HSE |url=https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/ |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=www.hse.gov.uk}} Other methods used by the HSE to reduce occupational stress in the UK include "maintaining and enhancing the enforcement profile on work-related ill health to highlight the consequences of failure, and to hold those responsible to account".{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=What HSE will do |url=https://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/strategiesandplans/health-and-work-strategy/health-and-work-strategy.pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date= |website=Health and Safety Executive}}

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress, with 65% of US workers reporting that work was a "very significant or somewhat significant source of stress in each year from 2019-2021."{{Cite web |title=Workplace Stress - Overview {{!}} Occupational Safety and Health Administration |url=https://www.osha.gov/workplace-stress |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=www.osha.gov}} An estimated 120,000 deaths per year are caused by occupational stress in the United States.{{Cite journal |last1=Goh |first1=Joel |last2=Pfeffer |first2=Jeffrey |last3=Zenios |first3=Stefanos A. |date=February 2016 |title=The Relationship Between Workplace Stressors and Mortality and Health Costs in the United States |url=http://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/mnsc.2014.2115 |journal=Management Science |language=en |volume=62 |issue=2 |pages=608–628 |doi=10.1287/mnsc.2014.2115 |issn=0025-1909|url-access=subscription }} A number of programs to research and implement interventions to reduce occupational stress have been established by US government agencies, such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and OSHA, including the Healthy Work Design and Well-being Cross-Sector program.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-20 |title=Stress at Work {{!}} NIOSH {{!}} CDC |url=https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/stress/default.html |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=www.cdc.gov |language=en-us}}

Across 12 industries, 10.2 - 27.6% of Japanese employees have demonstrated severe levels of occupational stress.{{Cite journal |last1=Piao |first1=Xiangdan |last2=Xie |first2=Jun |last3=Managi |first3=Shunsuke |date=2022-05-18 |title=Occupational stress: evidence from industries affected by COVID-19 in Japan |journal=BMC Public Health |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=1005 |doi=10.1186/s12889-022-13257-y |issn=1471-2458 |pmc=9116494 |pmid=35585530 |doi-access=free }} The high prevalence of severe occupational stress among workers in Japan leads to hundreds of thousands in human capital loss per employee throughout their careers.{{Cite journal |last1=Piao |first1=Xiangdan |last2=Managi |first2=Shunsuke |date=2022-03-01 |title=Evaluation of employee occupational stress by estimating the loss of human capital in Japan |journal=BMC Public Health |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=411 |doi=10.1186/s12889-022-12751-7 |issn=1471-2458 |pmc=8887011 |pmid=35232422 |doi-access=free }} The Japanese term "Karoshi" refers to "overwork death", a case in which a sudden death is caused by a factor related to ones occupation, such as occupational stress. Concerns regarding occupational stress in Japan have grown over the years, due to societal factors such as long working hours.{{Cite journal |last=Uehata |first=Tetsunojo |date=1991 |title=Long Working Hours and Occupational Stress-Related Cardiovascular Attacks Among Middle-Aged Workers in Japan |url=https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jhe1972/20/2/20_2_147/_article/-char/ja/ |journal=Journal of Human Ergology |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=147–153 |doi=10.11183/jhe1972.20.147|pmid=1842961 }} These concerns are being addressed through a number of national programs such as the government-mandated Stress Check Program, which requires all companies with more than 50 employees to assess the stress of its employees at least once a year.{{Cite journal |last1=Kawakami |first1=Norito |last2=Tsutsumi |first2=Akizumi |date=January 2016 |title=The Stress Check Program: a new national policy for monitoring and screening psychosocial stress in the workplace in Japan |journal=Journal of Occupational Health |volume=58 |issue=1 |pages=1–6 |doi=10.1539/joh.15-0001-er |pmid=26607455 |s2cid=22306803 |issn=1341-9145|doi-access=free }}

In South Africa, over 40% of all work-related illness is caused by occupational stress, resulting in billions of rands in lost production annually.{{Cite book |url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-33-6397-7 |title=Occupational Stress in South African Work Culture |series=SpringerBriefs in Psychology |date=2020 |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-981-33-6397-7|isbn=978-981-33-6396-0 |s2cid=234923179 |last1=Carrim |first1=Nasima MH |last2=Nel |first2=J. Alewyn |last3=Schoeman |first3=Riana }} While occupational stress is rising globally, Sub-Saharan African countries have been among the worst affected regions in the world.{{Cite journal |last1=Agyemang |first1=George |last2=Bema |first2=Yaa |last3=Eturu |first3=Deborah Aba |last4=Bawontuo |first4=Vitalis |last5=Kuupiel |first5=Desmond |date=2023-03-08 |title=Occupational stress and burnout experience among healthcare workers compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a scoping review protocol |journal=Systematic Reviews |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=34 |doi=10.1186/s13643-023-02200-w |issn=2046-4053 |pmc=9994393 |pmid=36890593 |doi-access=free }} The Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993 established legal policy to encourage worker health in South Africa, but included few measures to manage stress among South African workers.{{Cite web |title=Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 {{!}} South African Government |url=https://www.gov.za/documents/occupational-health-and-safety-act |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=www.gov.za}} Long working hours and inability to control work situations contribute to high rates of occupational stress among the many South Africans working in construction and labor professions.{{Cite journal |last1=Bowen |first1=Paul |last2=Edwards |first2=Peter |last3=Lingard |first3=Helen |date=April 2013 |title=Workplace Stress Experienced by Construction Professionals in South Africa |url=https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%28ASCE%29CO.1943-7862.0000625 |journal=Journal of Construction Engineering and Management |language=en |volume=139 |issue=4 |pages=393–403 |doi=10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000625 |issn=0733-9364|url-access=subscription }}

{{Reflist|2}}

• Barling, J., Kelloway, E. K., & Frone, M. R. (Eds.) (2005). Handbook of work stress. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• {{cite journal|doi=10.1037/a0014114|pmid=19331475|title=Individual reactions to high involvement work processes: Investigating the role of empowerment and perceived organizational support|journal=Journal of Occupational Health Psychology|volume=14|issue=2|pages=122–136|year=2009|last1=Butts|first1=Marcus M.|last2=Vandenberg|first2=Robert J.|last3=Dejoy|first3=David M.|last4=Schaffer|first4=Bryan S.|last5=Wilson|first5=Mark G.|s2cid=6338160}}
• Cooper, C. L. (1998). [https://books.google.com/books?id=ahfJ16b-BdUC&dq=%22Theories+of+organizational+stress%22+cooper&pg=PR14 Theories of organizational stress]. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
• Cooper, C. L., Dewe, P. J. & O'Driscoll, M. P. (2001) [https://books.google.com/books?id=HTM5DQAAQBAJ&dq=%22Organizational+stress%3A+A+review+and+critique+of+theory%2C+research%2C+and+applications%22&pg=PP1 Organizational stress: A review and critique of theory, research, and applications]. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
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• Pilkington, A. and others. (2000). Sudbury: HSE Books. (Contract Research Report No. 322/2000.) [http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_pdf/2001/crr01322.pdf Baseline measurements for the evaluation of work-related stress campaign.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026212117/http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_pdf/2001/crr01322.pdf |date=2021-10-26 }} by
• Saxby, C. (June 2008). Barriers to Communication. Evansville Business Journal. 1–2.
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• {{cite news |last1=Temple |first1=Hollee Schwartz |last2=Gillespie |first2=Becky Beaupre |title=Taking Charge of Work and Life |url=https://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/taking_charge_of_work_and_life |work=ABA Journal |date=2 February 2009 }}
• {{cite journal | last1 = Zohar | first1 = Dov | year = 1999 | title = When Things Go Wrong: The Effect of Daily Work Hassles on Effort, Exertion and Negative Mood | journal = Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology | volume = 72 | issue = 3| pages = 265–283 | doi=10.1348/096317999166671| citeseerx = 10.1.1.92.7984 }}

{{Aspects of occupations}}

{{Critique of work}}

{{Employment}}

{{Workplace}}

{{Organized labor}}

{{Occupational safety and health}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Psychological stress

Category:Occupational stress

Category:Occupational health psychology

Category:Industrial and organizational psychology

Category:Workplace