Organizational Stress Behavior

Workplace stress and its management can have a huge effect on employee's emotions and health lifestyle in a long term cycle. In definition, workplace stress is the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there is a poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker (1). Job stress has become a common and costly problem in the American workplace, leaving few workers untouched. For example, studies report the following:

• One-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives.

-Northwestern National Life

• Three-fourths of employees believe the worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago.

-Princeton Survey Research Associates

• Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor-more so than even financial problems or family problems.

-St. Paul Fire and Marine Innsuance Co.

Fortunately, research on job stress has greatly expanded in recent years. But in spite of this attention, confusion remains about the causes, effects, and prevention of job stress. (2)

In this paper I will present the differences and similarities of workplace stress between two different companies. In addition, I will recommend solutions to improve the performance of workplace stress within these two companies. The companies that I had worked for was T.G.I. Friday's as a Server/Host/Buser/Cook, and currently I am working for Immco Diagnostics as a Cell Culture Technologist.

What is stress?

Stress is a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity, demand, or resource related to what the individual desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important. Stress is defined as a negative concept however; it also provides a positive value. Some professionals see the pressures of heavy workloads and deadlines as positive challenges that enhance the quality of their work and the satisfaction they get from their job. Researchers have argued that challenge stressors- or stressors that are associated with workload, pressure to complete tasks, and time urgency-operate quite differently from hindrance stressors-or stressors that keep you from reaching your goals (for example, office politics, confusion over job related responsibilities). Most importantly there is evidence that challenge stress improves job performance in a supportive work environment, whereas hindrance stress reduces job performance in all work environments. (1)

Researchers have clarified the conditions under which each type of stress exists.