5 leading factors that turn eustress into distress in the workplace

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5 leading factors that turn eustress into distress in the workplace

 

Stress in the workplace can be positive for employees when it is in the form of eustress. This is in terms of associating the stressor with positivity or a challenge. Examples of eustress in a workplace can be:

  • reaching a certain milestone
  • winning a tender
  • completing a project successfully
  • steering a meeting successfully and many others.

 

These indicate that stress can indeed lead to efficiency and increased productivity when the stressor is cognitively identified by the employee positively.

Consequently, stress due to certain factors does result to eustress becoming distress in the workplace. Most of the time this occurs when the stressors pressure is perceived negatively. This can occur when the stress factors are endured for a long period of time and when it is strenuous.

In such cases, the level of distress can cause:

  • burnout
  • high turnover of staff
  • absenteeism
  • physical and psychological illness in employees.

5    key factors that turn eustress into distress in the workplace

      Unique factors pertaining to certain jobs

 

  • A great example can be seen in those who work shift jobs like doctors, nurses, pilots etc. They at times experience odd working hours which relegate them to isolation, high rates of independence and at times these compromises on issues like safety.
  • The Covid 19 pandemic has also played a key role here too. With health care workers at times being subjected to longer and more stressful shifts while helping combat the pandemic.

 

  • Significant research indicates that such employees are more prone to suffer from chronic fatigue, hypertension, heart disease, and gastrointestinal dysfunction (Salvagioni, D.et al 2017).

 

 

One’s role in an organization

  • In this case, situations where employees find themselves either having too many supervisors to report to and unclear job descriptions can end up being subject to undue stress and increased anxiety levels.

 

  • Notwithstanding, the unforeseen and necessary job cuts caused by the COVID -19 pandemic. Some employees have seen their roles redefined in ways that are not conducive for them to keep the organizations they are working in afloat.

 

     Career development

  • In this group, we find stressors being related to individual employee’s growth or lack of it within the organization. Other scenarios can include advanced technological training which requires employees to think of other ways to be creative to be deemed as useful in their organization.

 

  • These factors indeed are stressful and can affect employees in terms of job security, leading them to either feeling inadequate, overqualified, and leading to high stress levels in some individuals.

 

      Poor interpersonal relationships

  • Poor interpersonal relationships between employees and their managers or even between co-workers themselves can be disheartening. Here, issues like intimidation, public shaming and general bullying cannot be overlooked as key issues that cause distress in the workplace.

 

      The overall organizational structure and climate

  • For instance, management styles in relation to issues on communication, decision making, delegating, or micromanaging are key in this case. It is believed that employees who are given some form of autonomy in terms of decision making where policies are concerned are highly motivated and hence this leads to higher productivity due to less stress.

 

Undoubtedly, workplace distress goes a long way at affecting employees cognitive, physical, and psychological abilities and should be managed effectively to enhance sustainable and positive productivity in organizations.

Are you experiencing workplace stress? Is it too overwhelming and difficult to cope with? I urge you to take part in our 5 Day ‘WHY MINDFULNESS?’ Challenge via Video Series.   

Our 5-day challenge is a mini taster of just how impactful adopting a Mindfulness practice can be especially as one of the ways that you can use as a coping tool to daily stressors.

It is easy to access as it’s a 5-day Video Training Series Via E-mail.

This challenge can be beneficial to you if you feel like you at times struggle with:

  • Workplace or general daily stressors.
  • Unhealthy habits that help you cope with stress like alcoholism, overeating, anger management issues.
  • Constant self-sabotage.

This challenge will help you have 5 days of intentional reflection, and it will be worthwhile if you take the time to do it diligently and take out the time to participate in the action steps required of you.

Click the link to sign up for the 5 Day ‘WHY MINDFULNESS?’ Challenge Via E-mail today.

References

Costa, G. (1996). The impact of shift and night work on health. Applied Ergonomics, 27(1), 9-16.

Cryer, B., McCraty, R., and Childre, D. (2003). Pull the plug on stress. Harvard Business Review, 81(7), 102-7, 118.

Murphy, L.R. (1995). Occupational stress management: Status and future direction. Trends in Organizational Behavior, 2, 1-14.

Salvagioni, D., Melanda, F. N., Mesas, A. E., González, A. D., Gabani, F. L., & Andrade, S. M. (2017). Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: A systematic review of prospective studies. PloS one12(10), e0185781.

 

           

 

 

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