Stress in the Workplace

Stress in the workplace has reached epidemic proportions. According to a new study by the federal government's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (2002), more than half the working people in the U.S. view job stress as a major problem in their lives. That's more than double the percentage in similar studies a decade ago. According to Stephen Minter (2003) NIOSH defines job stress as "the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the …

…cause--burnout, mental health problems, absenteeism--cost American business more than $300 billion a year. We can no longer consider stress "A part of the job". We must strive to identify the problem and design ways to reduce it. References Daniels, Cora. (2002). The Last Taboo. Fortune, 146(8), 136 Minter, Stephen G. (2003). Easing the Stress. Occupational Hazards, 65(4), 45-46 St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, (1992). American workers under pressure technical report. St. Paul, MN: St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company