Job Stress
Numerous surveys and studies confirm that occupational pressures and fears are far and away the leading source of stress for American adults and that these have steadily increased over the past few decades.
The Workplace Stress Scale™
Copyright © The Marlin Company, North Haven, CT,
and the American Institute of Stress, Yonkers, NY
Thinking about your current job, how often does each of the following statements describe how you feel?
Never Rarely Sometimes Often Very Often A. Conditions at work are unpleasant or sometimes even unsafe. 1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5 B. I feel that my job is negatively affecting my
physical or emotional well being. 1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5 C. I have too much work to do and/or too
many unreasonable deadlines. 1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5 D. I find it difficult to express my opinions or feelings
about my job conditions to my superiors. 1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5 E. I feel that job pressures interfere with my family or personal life. 1 2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5 F. I have adequate control or input over my work duties. 5 4 3 2 1
5 4 3 2 1 G. I receive appropriate recognition or rewards for good performance. 5 4 3 2 1
4 3 2 1 H. I am able to utilize my skills and talents to the
fullest extent at work. 5 4 3 2 1
5 4 3 2 1 To get your score, add the numbers you answered to all of the eight questions and see how you compare.
Interpreting Workplace Stress Scale™ scores
Total score of 15 or lower (33% of us are in this category): Chilled out and relatively calm. Stress isn’t much of an issue.
Total score 16 to 20 (35%): Fairly low. Coping should be a breeze, but you probably have a tough day now and then. Still, count your blessings.
Total score 21-25 (21%): Moderate stress. Some things about your job are likely to be pretty stressful, but probably not much more than most people experience and are able to cope with. Concentrate on seeing what can be done to reduce items with the worst scores.
Total score 26-30 (9%): Severe. You may still be able to cope, but life at work can sometimes be miserable. Several of your scores are probably extreme. You could be in the wrong job, or even in the right job but at the wrong time, and might benefit from counseling.
Total score 31- 40 (2%): Stress level is potentially dangerous – the more so the higher your score. You should seek professional assistance, especially if you feel your health is affected, or you might need to consider a job change.
Workplace Stress Scale™ scores by demographic:
Overall: 18.4.......Men: 18.6.......Women: 18.1
Ages 18-34: 17.6.......Ages 35-49: 19.2.......Ages 50+: 18.4
Los Angeles Business Journal 12/12/1998
KILLER JOBS - The Fast Lane Takes A Toll On Workers' Bodies, Minds
A 27 year old accountant with chest pains, a political spin doctor with a bleeding ulcer, a commuter who has a heart attack in early morning traffic, an investment banker with dangerously high blood pressure - all are examples of the toll that long hours and stressful conditions can take on body and mind.
Experts say that executives who continually work 80 to 90 hours a week with little sleep, a poor diet, lack of exercise and chronic stress may be at risk of suffering a multitude of health problems. "Our society endorses the position that people should just keep going and going until they drive themselves into the ground," said Dr. Karen Wolfe, manager of work-site wellness at Health Net in Woodland Hills. "Working long hours, traveling and commuting in excess can all contribute to a weakening of the immune system. And our immune system determines whether we get sick or not."...
"The toll it takes is well known," said Art Pammenter, a psychologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego, who specializes in the relationship between work and stress. "Stress can lead to a wellness breakdown. The stress gets worse and worse and finally people just burn out. It can end up being very painful for the person, especially if the person has derived most of their self-esteem from their job"....
Experts say executives sometimes relieve their stress in the worst possible ways, by abusing alcohol and drugs rather than exercising and eating a healthy diet. "(People) never think the substance they are using to reduce their work stress will only cause them more stress," said Jeanne Obert, director of outpatient services at Matrix-UCLA Alcoholism and Addiction Medicine Service. "It is a lot easier to have a drink. People respond to stress in a not very reasonable way. (They) look for immediate relief."....
Stressing Statistics - Stress has been called America's number 1 health problem, spawning an avalanche of research studies. Here are some of the findings:
- 75 - 90 percent of visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems.
- The National Safety Council estimates that 1 million employees are absent on an average workday because of stress related problems.
- 78 percent of Americans describe their job as stressful The vast majority say their jobs have become more stressful over the past ten years.
- Job stress is estimated to cost American industry $200 billion to $300 billion annually, as assessed by absenteeism, diminished productivity, employee turnover, accidents, direct medical, legal and insurance fees.
- 89 percent of adults describe experiencing "high levels of stress." Over half complained of this at least once or twice a week, and more than four says it occurs on a daily basis.
- The World Health Organization has described job stress as a "world wide epidemic" and said the workplace is far and away the leading source of stress for adult Americans.
Executive Stress Statistics
The NIOSH report is an excellent resource that cites the following:
•40% of workers reported their job was very or extremely stressful;
40% of workers reported their job was very or extremely stressful;•25% view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives;
25% view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives;•Three fourths of employees believe that workers have more on-the-job stress than a generation ago;
Three fourths of employees believe that workers have more on-the-job stress than a generation ago;•29% of workers felt quite a bit or extremely stressed at work;
29% of workers felt quite a bit or extremely stressed at work;•26 percent of workers said they were "often or very often burned out or stressed by their work";
26 percent of workers said they were "often or very often burned out or stressed by their work";•Job stress is more strongly associated with health complaints than financial or family problems.
Job stress is more strongly associated with health complaints than financial or family problems.•80% of workers feel stress on the job, nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress and 42% say their coworkers need such help;
80% of workers feel stress on the job, nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress and 42% say their coworkers need such help; •14% of respondents had felt like striking a coworker in the past year, but didn't;
14% of respondents had felt like striking a coworker in the past year, but didn't; •25% have felt like screaming or shouting because of job stress, 10% are concerned about an individual at work they fear could become violent;
25% have felt like screaming or shouting because of job stress, 10% are concerned about an individual at work they fear could become violent; •9% are aware of an assault or violent act in their workplace and 18% had experienced some sort of threat or verbal intimidation in the past year.
9% are aware of an assault or violent act in their workplace and 18% had experienced some sort of threat or verbal intimidation in the past year. A subsequent 2000 Integra Survey similarly reported that:
•65% of workers said that workplace stress had caused difficulties and more than 10 percent described these as having major effects;
65% of workers said that workplace stress had caused difficulties and more than 10 percent described these as having major effects; •10% said they work in an atmosphere where physical violence has occurred because of job stress and in this group, 42% report that yelling and other verbal abuse is common;
10% said they work in an atmosphere where physical violence has occurred because of job stress and in this group, 42% report that yelling and other verbal abuse is common; •29% had yelled at co-workers because of workplace stress, 14% said they work where machinery or equipment has been damaged because of workplace rage and 2% admitted that they had actually personally struck someone;
29% had yelled at co-workers because of workplace stress, 14% said they work where machinery or equipment has been damaged because of workplace rage and 2% admitted that they had actually personally struck someone; •19% or almost one in five respondents had quit a previous position because of job stress and nearly one in four have been driven to tears because of workplace stress;
19% or almost one in five respondents had quit a previous position because of job stress and nearly one in four have been driven to tears because of workplace stress; •62% routinely find that they end the day with work-related neck pain, 44% reported stressed-out eyes, 38% complained of hurting hands and 34% reported difficulty in sleeping because they were too stressed-out;
62% routinely find that they end the day with work-related neck pain, 44% reported stressed-out eyes, 38% complained of hurting hands and 34% reported difficulty in sleeping because they were too stressed-out; •12% had called in sick because of job stress;
12% had called in sick because of job stress; •Over half said they often spend 12-hour days on work related duties and an equal number frequently skip lunch because of the stress of job demands.
Over half said they often spend 12-hour days on work related duties and an equal number frequently skip lunch because of the stress of job demands. Violence has become an increasingly serious problem
According to two studies the United States has the dubious distinction of having the highest violent crime rate of any industrialized nation. An average of 20 workers are murdered each week in the U. S. making homicide the second highest cause of workplace deaths and the leading one for females. 18,000 non-fatal violent crimes such as sexual and other assaults also occur each week while the victim is working, or about a million a year. The figures are probably higher since many are not reported. Certain dangerous occupations like police officers and cab drivers understandably have higher rates of homicide and non-fatal assaults. Nevertheless, postal workers who work in a safe environment have experienced so many fatalities due to job stress that "going postal" has crept into our language. "Desk rage" and "phone rage" have also become increasingly common terms.
Americans are working longer and harder
A 1999 government report found that the number of hours worked increased 8% in one generation to an average 47 hrs/week with 20% working 49 hrs/week. U.S. workers put in more hours on the job than the labor force of any other industrial nation, where the trend has been just the opposite. According to an International Labor Organization study, Americans put in the equivalent of an extra 40-hour work week in 2000 compared to ten years previously. Japan had the record until around 1995 but Americans now work almost a month more than the Japanese and three months more than Germans. We are also working harder. In a 2001 survey, nearly 40% of workers described their office environment as "most like a real life survivor program."
Absenteeism due to job stress has escalated
According to a survey of 800,000 workers in over 300 companies, the number of employees calling in sick because of stress tripled from 1996 to 2000. An estimated 1 million workers are absent every day due to stress. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work reported that over half of the 550 million working days lost annually in the U.S. from absenteeism are stress related and that one in five of all last minute no-shows are due to job stress. If this occurs in key employees it can have a domino effect that spreads down the line to disrupt scheduled operations. Unanticipated absenteeism is estimated to cost American companies $602.00/worker/year and the price tag for large employers could approach $3.5 million annually. A 1997 three year study conducted by one large corporation found that 60% of employee absences could be traced to psychological problems that were due to job stress.
Stress due to job insecurity has skyrocketed
A 1999 government study reported that more jobs had been lost in the previous year than any other year in the last half century, and that the number of workers fearful of losing their jobs had more than doubled over the past decade. That was several years ago and the problem has worsened considerably since then. A February 2000 poll found that almost 50 percent of employees were concerned about retaining their job and with good reason. There were massive layoffs due to down-sizing and bankruptcies including the collapse of over 200 dot.com companies. The unemployment rate by the end of the year was the highest it had been in 16 months. Nor have things improved since then. A report released on September 10, 2001 stated that "more than 1 million Americans lost their jobs this year, 83% higher than last year's total." That was a day before the Twin Towers disaster, which added to the problems of job stress and insecurity for many workers.
Since then we have witnessed the collapse of Enron and its tidal wave of repercussions on other companies and their employees. There are fears that this may be just the tip of the iceberg as accounting irregularities of a similar nature may augur the downfall of other large organizations widely assumed to be on a solid financial footing.
Nor is the problem limited to the U.S. A 1992 United Nations Report labeled job stress "The 20th Century Disease" and a few years later the World Health Organization said it had become a "World Wide Epidemic." A 1998 study reported that rapid changes in the workforce had resulted in a staggering unemployment rate of 10% in the European Union and higher rates of job stress complaints. Japan had a similar problem as a result of a major and prolonged recession.
A subsequent European Commission survey found that:
•more than half of the 147 million workers in the European Union complained of having to work at a very high speed and under tight deadlines;
more than half of the 147 million workers in the European Union complained of having to work at a very high speed and under tight deadlines; •approximately half reported having monotonous or short, repetitive tasks and no opportunity to rotate tasks.
approximately half reported having monotonous or short, repetitive tasks and no opportunity to rotate tasks. Occupational pressures are believed responsible for:
•30% of workers suffering from back pain;
30% of workers suffering from back pain; •28% complaining of "stress";
28% complaining of "stress"; •20% feeling fatigued;
20% feeling fatigued; •13% with headaches.
13% with headaches. Job stress is also very costly with the price tag for U.S. industry estimated at over $300 billion annually as a result of:
* Accidents
* Absenteeism
* Employee turnover
* Diminished productivity
* Direct medical, legal, and insurance costs
* Workers' compensation awards as well as tort and FELA judgments
Consider the following statistics:
•40% of job turnover is due to stress.
40% of job turnover is due to stress. •Xerox estimated that it cost them $1 to $1.5 million to replace a top executive and that was two decades ago
Xerox estimated that it cost them $1 to $1.5 million to replace a top executive and that was two decades ago •Replacing an average employee today costs between $3,000 and $13,000.
Replacing an average employee today costs between $3,000 and $13,000. •60 to 80% of accidents on the job are stress related and some, like the Three Mile Island and Exxon Valdez disasters, can affect untold thousands many miles away.
60 to 80% of accidents on the job are stress related and some, like the Three Mile Island and Exxon Valdez disasters, can affect untold thousands many miles away. •In California, the number of Workers' compensation claims for mental stress increased by almost 700 percent over eight years and ninety percent were successful with an average award of $15,000 compared to a national average of $3,420.
In California, the number of Workers' compensation claims for mental stress increased by almost 700 percent over eight years and ninety percent were successful with an average award of $15,000 compared to a national average of $3,420. •In 1987, California shelled out almost $1,000,000,000 for medical and legal fees alone, which is more than most states spend on actual awards.
In 1987, California shelled out almost $1,000,000,000 for medical and legal fees alone, which is more than most states spend on actual awards. •Double digit increases in Workers' compensation premiums every year as a result of mental stress claims threaten to bankrupt the system in several states.
Double digit increases in Workers' compensation premiums every year as a result of mental stress claims threaten to bankrupt the system in several states. •A jury in New York awarded nearly $6 million in 1996 to three women for repetitive stress injury allegedly due to faulty computer keyboards.
A jury in New York awarded nearly $6 million in 1996 to three women for repetitive stress injury allegedly due to faulty computer keyboards. •Repetitive musculoskeletal injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome have become the nation's leading workplace health cost and account for almost a third of all Workers' compensation awards.
Repetitive musculoskeletal injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome have become the nation's leading workplace health cost and account for almost a third of all Workers' compensation awards. •Studies show that keyboard entry operators who are under stress (because they are uncertain as to whether their activities are being monitored for performance evaluation), have a significantly higher incidence of such complaints and injuries.
Studies show that keyboard entry operators who are under stress (because they are uncertain as to whether their activities are being monitored for performance evaluation), have a significantly higher incidence of such complaints and injuries. Although we are often asked to construct lists of the "most" and "least" stressful occupations, such rankings have little importance for several reasons. It is not the job but the person-environment fit that matters. Some individuals thrive in the time urgent pressure cooker of life in the fast lane, having to perform several duties at the same time and a list of things to do that would overwhelm most of us — provided they perceive that they are in control. They would be severely stressed by dull, dead end assembly line work enjoyed by others who shun responsibility and simply want to perform a task that is well within their capabilities.
The stresses that a policeman or high school teacher working in an inner city ghetto are subjected to are quite different than those experienced by their counterparts in rural Iowa. It is necessary to keep this in mind when sweeping statements are made about the degree of stress in teachers, police personnel, physicians and other occupations. Stress levels can vary widely even in identical situations for different reasons.
Stress is a highly personalized phenomenon and can vary widely even in identical situations for different reasons. One survey showed that having to complete paper work was more stressful for many police officers than the dangers associated with pursuing criminals. The severity of job stress depends on the magnitude of the demands that are being made and the individual's sense of control or decision-making latitude he or she has in dealing with them. Scientific studies based on this model confirm that workers who perceive they are subjected to high demands but have little control are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
