Health and safety in employee stress

 


Introduction

The relationship between health and safety and employee stress is a critical issue in contemporary human resource management. Employee stress can have a significant impact on workplace health and safety, as it can lead to increased absenteeism, decreased productivity, and higher rates of accidents and injuries. Therefore, HR managers need to ensure that they are implementing effective strategies to prevent and manage employee stress, while also ensuring that the workplace is safe and healthy for all employees.

 

In this context, it is important to understand the nature of employee stress, its causes, and its impact on workplace health and safety. This can help HR managers develop appropriate policies and procedures to address the issue, such as employee assistance programs, stress management training, and workplace ergonomic assessments. Additionally, by promoting a culture of health and safety and providing resources to manage stress, HR managers can improve the overall well-being of employees and reduce the risk of workplace accidents and injuries.


There are several theories related to health and safety in employee stress:

  • Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Theory: This theory suggests that job demands such as high workload, time pressure, and interpersonal conflict can lead to stress, while job resources such as social support, job autonomy, and feedback can mitigate stress.
  • Transactional Model of Stress and Coping: This model proposes that stress is a result of the interaction between environmental demands and individual appraisal, coping, and adaptation. It emphasizes the role of cognitive appraisal in the stress process, as individuals interpret environmental demands and evaluate their ability to cope with them.
  • Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory: This theory suggests that individuals strive to acquire and protect valuable resources such as personal, social, and economic resources. Stress occurs when resources are threatened or lost, leading to a depletion of resources and increased vulnerability to stress.
  • Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Theory: This theory proposes that stress results from an imbalance between effort invested in work and the rewards received, such as pay, recognition, and career opportunities. An imbalance can lead to feelings of injustice and dissatisfaction, which can contribute to stress.

 

Understanding these theories can help HR managers develop effective strategies to prevent and manage employee stress, such as providing job resources, promoting a supportive work environment, and addressing issues of effort-reward balance. By implementing these strategies, HR managers can improve workplace health and safety, reduce absenteeism and turnover, and enhance overall employee well-being.



Conclusion

health and safety in employee stress is a crucial aspect of contemporary human resource management. The relationship between stress and workplace health and safety is complex and multifaceted, requiring a comprehensive approach that considers both individual and organizational factors.

 

Effective management of employee stress requires an understanding of the various theories and models that explain stress and its impact on workplace health and safety. Human resource managers can develop and implement strategies that provide employees with job resources, promote a supportive work environment, and address issues related to effort-reward balance.

 

By prioritizing employee health and safety and implementing effective stress management strategies, HR managers can create a positive work environment that benefits both employees and the organization as a whole. By reducing stress and promoting a healthy and safe workplace, HR managers can improve employee productivity, reduce absenteeism and turnover, and enhance overall organizational performance.



References 

Biron, M., Karanika-Murray, M., & Cooper, C. L. (2019). Improving organizational interventions for stress and well-being: Addressing process and context. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 24(4), 259–272. doi: 10.1037/ocp0000127

Nielsen, K., & Daniels, K. (2016). Does shared job strain help explain the association between leadership and health? Occupational Medicine, 66(2), 139–141. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqv146

Schaufeli, W. B., & Taris, T. W. (2014). A critical review of the Job Demands-Resources Model: Implications for improving work and health. In G. F. Bauer & O. Hämmig (Eds.), Bridging occupational, organizational and public health: A transdisciplinary approach (pp. 43-68). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.

Siegrist, J. (2016). Effort-reward imbalance at work and health. In D. S. Ones, N. Anderson, H. K. Sinangil, & C. Viswesvaran (Eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Industrial, Work & Organizational Psychology (2nd ed., pp. 438-458). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2015). Recovery from job stress: The stressor-detachment model as an integrative framework. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(S1), S72-S103. doi: 10.1002/job.1924

Comments

  1. Piumi VidanageApril 12, 2023 at 10:13 AM

    One of the main factors contributing to health issues at work is stress. Stress, in general, is a response to pressure or harassment at work. Stress can be caused by a number of factors including long hours and shift work; lack of control or insecurity; lack of job satisfaction, boredom, or isolation; fear of violence, bullying, or harassment; bad relations with other work colleagues;
    problems with the working environment (such as noise, temperature, overcrowding, and poor facilities); low pay. (Unison, n.d)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Charith MudaligeApril 20, 2023 at 1:42 AM

      Health and safety are essential factors in managing employee stress. Stress can have a significant impact on employee health and well-being, which can ultimately affect their productivity, performance, and overall job satisfaction. As an employer, you have a duty of care to ensure that your employees are safe and healthy in the workplace, including managing stress levels.

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