PURPOSE AND APPRAISE A SOLUTION TO A WORK RELATED PROBLEM

Purpose and appraise a solution to a work related problem



Purpose and appraise a solution to a work related problem

Introduction to the problem

One of the major global threats to the employees and the organizations is stress at workplace (ILO, 1986; 1982). Employees under stress are more exposed to de-motivation, less productivity, and feeling less safe at work. Their employers are less likely to flourish in the competitive environment. Not only at workplace, but also the domestic life of an individual can be disturbed by stress. The management of the organization cannot protect the employees from stress that arises outside of the workplace, but they can definitely safeguard their staff from the stress that is expected to arise through work.

Work-related stress arises from the situation when the people are presented such demands that are beside their competency and capability to handle. The worst shape of workplace stress is the feeling of employee that they have little or no support from their supervisors or peers, when they have to deal with the demanding assignments or tasks. Pressures and demands at the workplace are inevitable because of the demands of modern work settings. If the pressure is not managed properly, it leads to the stress. Stress is harmful for the health of the individual employees as well as the performance of the organization as the whole (Sauter et. al, 1990).

Stress is the consequence of disparity between the pressures and demand on one side and the person's capability, skills, and knowledge on the other side. It is basically like challenging the employees' ability to handle the difficult task. A healthy job/task may be defined as the job that is a perfect match between the demand of task and the employees' ability to deal with these demands, their control over the work, and the facilitation and support provided by their superiors. Health is not just the absence of a disease but an affirmative situation of entire physical, psychological and societal well being (WHO, 1986); similarly a healthy workplace environment is the one where there is not only the deficiency of unsafe conditions but a profusion of health promoting conditions. For instance, continuous evaluation of hazards to health, stipulation of proper knowledge and training on health issues, and presence of organizational facilitation practices for health promotion.

Causes of Work Stress

The major cause of the work stress is the poor way of designing the jobs and the poor work systems. The way the jobs designs and working systems are managed can cause the work related stress in the organizations. Excessive pressures and work demands are the consequences of poor work designing, improper management, and substandard working conditions. Likewise, all of these things can lead towards insufficient attention and support by the supervisors towards their subordinates or inadequate control of employees over their tasks (NIOSH, 2001).

The findings of a research revealed that the most traumatic type of job task is that which is unmatched with the competency and capability of ...