Stress at work: Impacts and Solutions

Occupational stress is identified by experts as one of the top three concerns in the workplace and is defined as a set of harmful physical and emotional reactions that occur when job requirements do not match the abilities, resources or needs of workers. Scientists such as Cartwright and Cooper (2002); Slocum & Hellriegel (2008) in their studies have pointed out seven basic sources of stress in working environment including: (1) workload, (2) working conditions (salary, benefits and sources of stress related to the nature of work), (3) job security, (4) career development, (5) interpersonal relationship, (6) conflict in working environment and (7) conflict between work roles and family roles.

Occupational stress negatively affects workers through reduced productivity, work performance, reduced physical capacity and daily activities, decreased ability to engage with work and decreased communication and interact with colleagues. Occupational stress increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders of the back and upper extremities, and a number of mental health problems (such as depression and burnout) among workers. In addition, stressful working conditions will also affect job safety and cause unwanted injuries in the workplace. Many studies also show an association between stressful working conditions and a number of health problems such as suicide, cancer, ulcers and impaired immune function.

The results of a survey to assess the mental health status of 200 female workers in the textile and garment sector conducted by the Vietnam National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (VNNIOSH) in 2022 showed that 28% of workers had signs of occupational stress at average level and 18.5% of workers had depression at different levels. In which, the most notable was that 8.5% of workers had moderate depression and especially 1.5% of workers had severe depression. Among workers with symptoms of depression, up to 8% of workers intended to harm themselves; 49.5% of workers often felt bored at work.

Another study of VNNIOSH on mental health status among 425 footwear workers in the South showed that the percentage of workers with symptoms of mental and behavioral disorders accounted for 20.3% of which 9.9% had symptoms of depression and 7.3% had symptoms of stress. The results of the study’s statistical analysis also showed that there was a relationship between exposure to high temperatures and organic solvent vapors, causing the risk of psychiatric symptoms in footwear workers. In which, the group exposed to risk factors of organic solvents and high temperature had higher stress symptoms than the group did not expose with OR = 1.34 (1-1.78).

The reduction of occupational stress, in addition to ensuring the physical and mental health of employees, also creates favorable conditions for them to perform their jobs well, helping to improve labor productivity and contribute to the development of enterprise. In order to eliminate workplace stress, it is essential to involve both employers and employees. First, it is necessary to identify the causes of stress in the workplace, from which to propose and implement mitigation solutions to eliminate the causes. Employers can conduct discussions or use surveys to collect information, assess working conditions, warning signs of stress, health and satisfaction of employees so that the exact causes of stress can be identified. Besides, after designing and implementing solutions, it is necessary to control and re-evaluate to determine whether the solutions have the desired effect of completely eliminating workplace stress for employees and whether change is needed.

Some solutions to improve working conditions and reduce stress for employees that organizations and employers need to implement include:

– Ensure the workload is suitable with the ability and resources of the employees.

– Design suitable jobs, stimulate and create opportunities for employees to make good use of their skills in job performance.

– Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of employees.

– Provide opportunities for employees to participate in decision-marking and actions that affect their work.

– Improve communication.

– Create opportunities for social interaction among workers.

– Set up a work schedule that is compatible with job needs and responsibilities.

For workers, in order to reduce stress in the workplace, in addition to participating in identifying causes, helping employers identify a list of stressors, they can implement solutions to eliminate stress for themselves as follows:

– Enhance communication with colleagues, establish good relationships with those around to eliminate worries and create a friendly atmosphere.

– Form the habit of taking short breaks in daily work schedule, to relax mind and re-energize.

– Make a to-do list for the day, noting the important tasks and priorities.

– Implement a healthy diet, exercise regularly to improve physical strength and clear mind to well perform assigned tasks.

Workplace stress is undesirable; however, with the pressures of work and today’s life, it is difficult for workers to avoid the harmful health effects that stress causes. Building an environment with good, appropriate, and friendly working conditions is the key solution to eliminate occupational stress factors, help employees enthusiastically perform their work and contribute to increase productivity.

Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang

Branch of National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in the Central Vietnam

(Source: Vnniosh.vn)