Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or

emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. Stresses can be external
(from the environment, psychological, or social situations) or internal (illness, or
from a medical procedure). Stress can initiate the "fight or flight" response, a
complex reaction of neurologic and endocrinologic systems.

Stress at the workplace

painter Nikolas Sideris

Some simple questions and answers

What is a healthy job?
A healthy job is likely to be one where the pressures on employees are appropriate in relation to their abilities
and resources, to the amount of control they have over their work, and to the support they receive from people
who matter to them. As health is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity but a positive state of complete
physical, mental and social well-being (WHO, 1986), a healthy working environment is one in which there is not
only an absence of harmful conditions but an abundance of health-promoting ones.
These may include continuous assessment of risks to health, the provision of appropriate information and
training on health issues and the availability of health promoting organisational support practices and structures.
A healthy work environment is one in which staff have made health and health promotion a priority and part of
their working lives.
What is work-related stress?
 Work-related stress is the response people may have when presented with work demands and pressures
that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope.
 Stress occurs in a wide range of work circumstances but is often made worse when employees feel they
have little support from supervisors and colleagues, as well as little control over work processes.
 There is often confusion between pressure or challenge and stress and sometimes it is used to excuse
bad management practice.
 Pressure at the workplace is unavoidable due to the demands of the contemporary work environment. Pressure
perceived as acceptable by an individual, may even keep workers alert, motivated, able to work and learn,
depending on the available resources and personal characteristics. However, when that pressure becomes
excessive or otherwise unmanageable it leads to stress. Stress can damage an employees' health and the business
performance.
Work-related stress can be caused by poor work organisation (the way we design jobs and work systems, and the
way we manage them), by poor work design (for example, lack of control over work processes), poor
management, unsatisfactory working conditions, and lack of support from colleagues and supervisors.
Research findings show that the most stressful type of work is that which values excessive demands and
pressures that are not matched to workers’ knowledge and abilities, where there is little opportunity to exercise
any choice or control, and where there is little support from others.
Employees are less likely to experience work-related stress when - demands and pressures of work are matched
to their knowledge and abilities - control can be exercised over their work and the way they do it - support is
received from supervisors and colleagues - participation in decisions that concern their jobs is provided.
What are stress-related hazards at work?
Stress related hazards at work can be divided into work content and work context.
Work contents includes - job content (monotony, under-stimulation, meaningless of tasks, lack of variety, etc) -
work load and work pace (too much or too little to do, work under time pressure, etc.) - working hours (strict or
inflexible, long and unsocial, unpredictable, badly designed shift systems) - Participation and control (lack of
participation in decision-making, lack of control over work processes, pace, hours, methods, and the work
environment)
Work context includes - career development, status and pay (job insecurity, lack of promotion opportunities,
under- or over-promotion, work of 'low social value', piece rate payment schemes, unclear or unfair performance
evaluation systems, being over- or under-skilled for a job) - role in the organization (unclear role, conflicting
roles) - interpersonal relationships (inadequate, inconsiderate or unsupportive supervision, poor relationships
with colleagues, bullying/harassment and violence, isolated or solitary work, etc) -organizational culture (poor
communication, poor leadership, lack of behavioural rule, lack of clarity about organizational objectives,
structures and strategies) - work-life balance (conflicting demands of work and home, lack of support for
domestic problems at work, lack of support for work problems at home, lack of organizational rules and policies
to support work-life balance)
Work-related stress : scientific evidence-base of risk factors, prevention and cost
Work-related stress is still an evasive concept to many, although the topic is covered in hundreds of papers
published every year. The seminar will focus on the main evidence of risk factors extracted from existing
research, as concerns in particular work-related stress interventions and related costs. The presentation will
provide an overview of the vast amount of knowledge we already have.
 Work-related stress: scientific evidence-base of risk factors, prevention and costs
pdf, 223kb
Presentation by Professor Jean-Pierre Brun, Director Chair oon Occupational Health and Safety Management,
Université de Laval
Recognition and respect at work: a fundamental human need
Being respected and appreciated by significant others is one of the most fundamental human needs.
Consequently, people go to great pain to gain acceptance and approval. Recent research in the domain of
occupational health psychology shows that many stressful experiences are linked to being offended – for
instance, by being offended or ridiculed, by social exclusion, by social conflict, by illegitimate tasks. Such
experiences of being treated in an unfair manner constitute an “Offence to Self”, and this may have quite far
reaching consequences in terms of health and well-being. Conversely, being appreciated is one of the most
important factors that increases motivation and satisfaction as well as health and well-being. The presentation
 below covers examples from recent research and draws conclusions concerning the many ways in which
appreciation and respect (or lack thereof) can be communicated and how this knowledge can be useful for
prevention in the field of health and well-being.
 Recognition and respect at work as predictors of occupational health and well-being
pdf, 216kb

Is Stress Always A Bad Thing?

We hear that people are “stressed out”, worn out, tired out. We know the negative
effects of stress. Stress can have a number of physical and psychological effects, such
as

 Depression

 Aggression

 Anxiety

 Aches and pains

 Lack of interest in life

 Irritability

 A dread of the future

It can also have other physical effects such as –

 Asthma

 Eczema

 Diarrhoea

 Heart disease

 IBS

 Diabetes

It can also affect the functioning of our immune system. Stress increases the amount of
adrenaline pumping through our bodies, which can also be harmful to the heart.
 But is stress always bad? In the long term, stress has negative effects on us, both
physically and psychologically.  But in the short term, stress can have a positive impact
on us and our behaviour. 

Imagine you have an important presentation at work. You want to do well. You have
adrenaline pumping through you. 

This short term stress can be positive. It can –

 Make us more alert

 Heighten our senses

 Improve our memory

 Increase the effectiveness of our immune system – in the short term, stress can
actually help to protect us from infection.

 Motivate us to reach our goals

 Help us focus on daily challenges

Some people appear to thrive on a stressful environment, whilst others will find it
difficult, leading to negative effects.

Is it how we deal with our stress that affects the impact it has upon us?

Possibly. If we know how to deal with negative impacts of stress, we could hopefully use
our stress in a positive way.

Why Stress Is Both Good and

Bad
Five facts that might surprise you—plus advice on how to
cope.
Posted Jan 20, 2016

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THE BASICS

 What Is Stress?

 Find a therapist to overcome stress

Source: Thinkstock

Stress. We use that word quite a bit. And for good reason.

The American Psychological Association’s Stress in America

survey discovered that recent stress levels in the U.S. population are 4.9 on a
10-point scale, with 10 being the highest level of stress. The most common
stress sources are money, work, the economy, family responsibilities, and
health concerns.

But what exactly is stress? Why do we experience it?

Here are five interesting facts about stress that might surprise you.

1. Stress is good

Stress is actually useful. Without stress, we would not be here to talk about
stress. If our hunter-gatherer ancestors did not experience some stress when
that lion was roaming around their sleeping quarters, or when those red berries
looked good but also emitted a strange odor, they would have been eaten or
poisoned. Hence, our ancestors experienced stress and used it to their
advantage so that they could procreate, allowing us to have this discussion
today.

Even in modern society, stress is useful. If college students didn't experience

any stress over tests, they probably wouldn't study or show up for class. If
workers didn't experience stress about project deadlines, they might end up
getting fired.

So, stress keeps us accountable for our actions. It motivates us and inspires
us to be better citizens.

2. Stress is bad

Unfortunately, there are equally as many reasons why stress is bad. Whereas
mild stressors—such as what to get your spouse for his or her birthday—are
motivating, major stressors can be debilitating. For instance, caring for a loved
one who has a chronic illness is a serious stressor. Chronic or major stressors
are extremely taxing on the brain and the body, possibly leading
to depression and other mental health consequences, as well as physical
health issues.

3. Stress is contagious

Stress is intimately tied to our social world. Social stress, such as feelings
of loneliness or isolation, takes a toll on the brain and body. These forms of
stress can lead to depression, anxiety, and heart disease.

But stress does not have to affect us directly to change our brains. Stress can
also be contagious. Many of the sources of stress in our daily lives may not be
ours directly, but rather those of our loved ones, such as health problems
affecting a loved one, family responsibilities, and relationship issues. These
stressors also have mental and physical health consequences—for our loved
ones and for us.

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4. We can learn about stress from animals

Animals can teach us quite a bit about stress. For example, prairie voles are
social rodents. Scientists use them to study how the social environment
influences health, and how we can cope with stress. Like people, prairie voles
live in family groups, raise offspring cooperatively (both parents together), and
display many negative effects from changes in their social environment.

We have learned from these rodents that social stress can influence the way
that the brain communicates with the body and lead to poor functioning of the
heart, increasing the risk for heart disease. We also have learned that
exercise can be a useful strategy for reducing the effects of social stress. In
fact, my laboratory is currently using these rodents to understand how the
brain changes in response to contagious stress (stay tuned for results in a
future blog).

5. Stress is about perception

So this brings us back to the original question. What exactly is stress?

Stress is a perceived disconnect between a situation and our resources to

deal with the situation. In other words, stress is a (real or imagined) threat that
taxes our resources. The operative word here is perceived. Stress does not
always arise from an actual threat; but if we perceive it to be a threat, then it's
a threat.

Consider a ride on a roller coaster, for example. For one person, this is a fun
and fantastic thrill. For another person, it’s a scary and stress-inducing event. 

If we perceive something as stressful, our brains release hormones into the

blood. These hormones change our behavior, mental experience, and
physical functioning. If the threat is real, such as a lion that is about to eat us,
these hormones will help save our lives, for instance by helping to deliver
necessary oxygen to our legs so we can run.

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If the threat is imagined, such as thinking about a potential traffic jam each
morning that will make us late for work, these same hormones flow through
our bloodstreams. Over time, these hormones use critical energy, causing a
detriment to our body and leading to psychological and physical problems.

So what can we do to combat bad stress?

The fact that stress is a perception also means that we can do something
about it. We can train ourselves (or we can be trained by a professional, if
necessary) to change our
perspective.                                                                                                    

Remember that stress is a perceived disconnect between the situation and

our resources to handle the situation. Therefore, there are two possible ways
we can change our perspective about stress.

First, we might be able to change the situation. If traffic is a chronic source of

stress, can we take the train to work?

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Second, in situations that cannot be changed directly, we can possibly change

the way we view the situation. If we have no other option but to drive to work,
can we use that time to our advantage instead of dwelling on how slowly the
traffic is moving?

Perhaps we can use the time to mentally plan the day, so that when we arrive
to work we are ready to get started. Perhaps we can use the time to relax and
listen to some music or an audiobook. Perhaps we can engage in some mild
relaxation exercises before we leave the house, so that when we get in the
car we are equipped to cope with the traffic.

Some stress might be inevitable. But its negative effects on the brain and
body do not have to be inevitable.

By altering the way we interpret the world around us, we can gain control over
stress. By changing our perception about a situation, we can even gain the
power to see its benefits.

Angela Grippo is an associate professor of psychology at Northern Illinois

University.

References

American Psychological Association (2014). Stress in America.

http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/.  
Cacioppo S, Grippo AJ, London S, Goossens L, Cacioppo JT (2015). Loneliness: clinical
import and interventions.  Perspectives on Psychological Science 10: 238-249.  

Grippo AJ (2011). The utility of animal models in understanding links between psychosocial
processes and cardiovascular health.  Social and Personality Psychology Compass 5/4:
164-179.  

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About the Authors

 Joseph Magliano, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology and Director of the Center for
the Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literacy at Northern Illinois University.

Angela Grippo, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Northern Illinois

University.

Types of Stressors (Eustress vs. Distress)

i. Eustress
ii. Distress
iii. Examples of Eustress and Distress
iv. Work and Internal Sources of Distress

Eustress vs. Distress

 We mentioned it earlier and it bears repeating: stress is not always a bad thing. Stress is simply
the body's response to changes that create taxing demands. The previously mentioned Dr. Lazarus
(building on Dr. Selye's work) suggested that there is a difference between eustress, which is a
term for positive stress, and distress, which refers to negative stress.
 In daily life, we often use the term "stress" to describe negative situations. This leads many people
to believe that all stress is bad for you, which is not true.

Eustress

Eustress, or positive stress, has the following characteristics:

 Motivates, focuses energy.
 Is short-term.
 Is perceived as within our coping abilities.
 Feels exciting.
 Improves performance.
 
 Distress

In contrast, Distress, or negative stress, has the

following characteristics:
 Causes anxiety or concern.
 Can be short- or long-term.
 Is perceived as outside of our coping abilities.
 Feels unpleasant.
 Decreases performance.
 Can lead to mental and physical problems.
 

Examples of Eustress and Distress

It is somewhat hard to categorize stressors into objective lists of those that cause eustress and
those that cause distress, because different people will have different reactions to particular
situations. However, by generalizing, we can compile a list of stressors that are typically
experienced as negative or positive to most people, most of the time.
Examples of negative personal stressors include:

 The death of a spouse.

 Filing for divorce.
 Losing contact with loved ones.
 The death of a family member.
 Hospitalization (oneself or a family member).
 Injury or illness (oneself or a family member).
 Being abused or neglected.
 Separation from a spouse or committed relationship partner.
 Conflict in interpersonal relationships.
 Bankruptcy/Money Problems.
 Unemployment.
 Sleep problems.
 Children's problems at school.
 Legal problems.
Examples of positive personal stressors include:

 Receiving a promotion or raise at work.

 Starting a new job.
 Marriage.
 Buying a home.
 Having a child.
 Moving.
 Taking a vacation.
 Holiday seasons.
 Retiring.
 Taking educational classes or learning a new hobby.
Work and Internal Sources of Distress
Work and employment concerns such as those listed below are also frequent causes of distress:
 Excessive job demands.
 Job insecurity.
 Conflicts with teammates and supervisors.
 Inadequate authority necessary to carry out tasks.
 Lack of training necessary to do the job.
 Making presentations in front of colleagues or clients.
 Unproductive and time-consuming meetings.
 Commuting and travel schedules.
Stressors are not always limited to situations where some external situation is creating a
problem. Internal events such as feelings and thoughts and habitual behaviors can also
cause negative stress.
Common internally caused sources of distress include:
 Fears: (e.g., fears of flying, heights, public speaking, chatting with strangers at a party).
 Repetitive Thought Patterns.
 Worrying about future events (e.g., waiting for medical test results or job restructuring).
 Unrealistic, perfectionist expectations.
Habitual behavior patterns that can lead to distress include:
 Overscheduling.
 Failing to be assertive.
 Procrastination and/or failing to plan ahead.

Stress is a highly personalized phenomenon and can vary widely even in identical situations for different
reasons. One survey showed that having to complete paperwork 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.

Coping with stress at work

 Coping With Stress at Work
Everyone who has ever held a job has, at some point, felt the pressure of work-related
stress. Any job can have stressful elements, even if you love what you do. In the short-
term, you may experience pressure to meet a deadline or to fulfill a challenging
obligation. But when work stress becomes chronic, it can be overwhelming — and
harmful to both physical and emotional health.
Unfortunately, such long-term stress is all too common. In fact, APA’s annual Stress in
America survey has consistently found that work is cited as a significant source of
stress by a majority of Americans. You can't always avoid the tensions that occur on the
job. Yet you can take steps to manage work-related stress.

Common Sources of Work Stress

Certain factors tend to go hand-in-hand with work-related stress. Some common
workplace stressors are:
 Low salaries.
 Excessive workloads.
 Few opportunities for growth or advancement.
 Work that isn't engaging or challenging.
 Lack of social support.
 Not having enough control over job-related decisions.
 Conflicting demands or unclear performance expectations.

Effects of Uncontrolled Stress

Work-related stress doesn't just disappear when you head home for the day. When
stress persists, it can take a toll on your health and well-being.
A stressful work environment can contribute to problems such as headache,
stomachache, sleep disturbances, short temper and difficulty concentrating. Chronic
 stress can result in anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure and a weakened immune
system. It can also contribute to health conditions such as depression, obesity and heart
disease. Compounding the problem, people who experience excessive stress often deal
with it in unhealthy ways such as overeating, eating unhealthy foods, smoking cigarettes
or abusing drugs and alcohol.

Taking Steps to Manage Stress

 Track your stressors. Keep a journal for a week or two to identify which situations
create the most stress and how you respond to them. Record your thoughts, feelings and
information about the environment, including the people and circumstances involved, the
physical setting and how you reacted. Did you raise your voice? Get a snack from the vending
machine? Go for a walk? Taking notes can help you find patterns among your stressors and
your reactions to them.
 Develop healthy responses. Instead of attempting to fight stress with fast food or
alcohol, do your best to make healthy choices when you feel the tension rise. Exercise is a great
stress-buster. Yoga can be an excellent choice, but any form of physical activity is beneficial.
Also make time for hobbies and favorite activities. Whether it's reading a novel, going to
concerts or playing games with your family, make sure to set aside time for the things that bring
you pleasure. Getting enough good-quality sleep is also important for effective stress
management. Build healthy sleep habits by limiting your caffeine intake late in the day and
minimizing stimulating activities, such as computer and television use, at night.
 Establish boundaries. In today's digital world, it's easy to feel pressure to be available
24 hours a day. Establish some work-life boundaries for yourself. That might mean making a
rule not to check email from home in the evening, or not answering the phone during dinner.
Although people have different preferences when it comes to how much they blend their work
and home life, creating some clear boundaries between these realms can reduce the potential
for work-life conflict and the stress that goes with it.
 Take time to recharge. To avoid the negative effects of chronic stress and burnout, we
need time to replenish and return to our pre-stress level of functioning. This recovery process
requires “switching off” from work by having periods of time when you are neither engaging in
work-related activities, nor thinking about work. That's why it's critical that you disconnect from
time to time, in a way that fits your needs and preferences. Don't let your vacation days go to
waste. When possible, take time off to relax and unwind, so you come back to work feeling
reinvigorated and ready to perform at your best. When you're not able to take time off, get a
quick boost by turning off your smartphone and focusing your attention on non-work activities for
a while.
 Learn how to relax. Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises and
mindfulness (a state in which you actively observe present experiences and thoughts without
judging them) can help melt away stress. Start by taking a few minutes each day to focus on a
simple activity like breathing, walking or enjoying a meal. The skill of being able to focus
purposefully on a single activity without distraction will get stronger with practice and you'll find
that you can apply it to many different aspects of your life.
 Talk to your supervisor. Employee health has been linked to productivity at work, so
your boss has an incentive to create a work environment that promotes employee well-being.
Start by having an open conversation with your supervisor. The purpose of this isn't to lay out a
list of complaints, but rather to come up with an effective plan for managing the stressors you've
identified, so you can perform at your best on the job. While some parts of the plan may be
designed to help you improve your skills in areas such as time management, other elements
might include identifying employer-sponsored wellness resources you can tap into, clarifying
 what's expected of you, getting necessary resources or support from colleagues, enriching your
job to include more challenging or meaningful tasks, or making changes to your physical
workspace to make it more comfortable and reduce strain.
 Get some support. Accepting help from trusted friends and family members can
improve your ability to manage stress. Your employer may also have stress management
resources available through an employee assistance program (EAP), including online
information, available counseling and referral to mental health professionals, if needed. If you
continue to feel overwhelmed by work stress, you may want to talk to a psychologist, who can
help you better manage stress and change unhealthy behavior.

Workplace stress then is the harmful physical and emotional responses that can happen
when there is a conflict between job demands on the employee and the amount of
control an employee has over meeting these demands. In general, the combination of
high demands in a job and a low amount of control over the situation can lead to stress.
Stress in the workplace can have many origins or come from one single event. It can
impact on both employees and employers alike. It is generally believed that some stress
is okay (sometimes referred to as “challenge” or “positive stress”) but when stress
occurs in amounts that you cannot handle, both mental and physical changes may
occur.

Stressful experiences are a normal part of life, and the stress response is a

survival mechanism that primes us to respond to threats. Some stress is
positive: Imagine standing in front of a crowd to give a speech and hitting it
out of the park. Stressful? Certainly. But also challenging and satisfying.
But when a stressor is negative and can’t be fought off or avoided — such as
layoffs at work or a loved one’s medical crisis — or when the experience of
stress becomes chronic, our biological responses to stress can impair our
physical and mental health.
Fortunately, there are many evidence-based tools to help combat the negative
effects of stress in healthy ways. They recommend that you: