What’s Stressin’ You at Work? 3 Causes of Workplace Stress

On-the-job stress costs American businesses and corporations billions of dollars. Yet each year as the costs grow so does the amount of stress. Stress by definition is the normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or out of balance in some way. It happens when our body’s physical & emotional reaction to circumstances or events frighten, confuse, endanger, or excite and place demands on the body. With that definition in mind, it’s helpful to note that stress can only begin by our response or reaction to the source of the stress…NOT the stressor itself. Here are 3 common causes of workplace stress:

Career Concerns: In today’s economic climate uncertainty about the status of one’s employment regardless to the industry seems to be top of mind. Worry and anxiety creep up and add to the existing stress.

Work Roles: In addition to the economy being uncertain it has also increased the workloads for many workers. What took an entire department two years ago, is only staffed by two people now. Playing more than one role is not only stressful but exhausting.

Interpersonal Relationships: When the work environment consists of low morale, lack of team work and lack of support from management, just the THOUGHT of coming in to work can begin to wear one down.

So you ask, how do you handle these stress sources? Instead of snapping…Begin by changing your perception in order to decrease your stress. If career uncertainty is your problem, start to think about what is certain in your life or how you were able to successfully navigate other unstable periods on your life. If your workload is unrealistic, tell yourself that you are doing all you can and the best you can given the situation. Many an individual has allowed workload to consume them and in turn their health has suffered the consequences. And lastly, if difficult work relationships have been the main causes of your stress, a fresh change in your perspective of your team or co-workers may reduce daily frustration.

How do you handle workplace stressors??? I’d love to hear your thoughts!