Tag Archives: Stress

This is part of an ongoing series on work-related stress. The first post in this series was Understanding Work-Related Stress, followed by Misconceptions About Work-Related Stress.

Current research shows that the following workplace conditions, either experienced individually or in combination, will lead to stress in most employees:

• Persistent overwork or lack of control over work: For example, employees may feel they have to work to the point of exhaustion to accomplish everything they have to do, or that they can’t leave their desk even to take lunch breaks. Employees may feel there is little room for flexibility or self-initiative, that their job assignments seem senseless, or that they do not effectively use their skills. Staff do not feel like they are participating in decision making or like they are subjected to micro-management without real consultation.
• Poor communication: For example, policy decisions are not communicated well or employees are not consistently trained in fundamental work procedures. Policies may be enforced erratically or inconsistently across different parts of the organization. Employees feel as if they are guessing at what is required and then are punished when they don’t “guess” correctly.
• Isolation and lack of collaboration: Employees feel they are isolated in their tasks, usually because co-workers are too busy for collaboration. Employees do not have time to socialize and network with their colleagues, even to go out to lunch.
• Unclear roles and responsibilities: Employees may have conflicting or unclear job expectations or too many hats to wear. They may be given responsibility without real authority to make decisions, or they may be loaded down with too many responsibilities. They feel constantly pressured to perform to extraordinarily high standards. It seems like everything is a priority or a crisis, or that they have to please multiple masters with conflicting needs and expectations.
• Job insecurity: Employees may feel that their job situation is unstable due to a project ending or reorganizations in the company. Any kind of rapid change can lead to feelings of insecurity. This may be exacerbated by a lack of opportunity for growth, advancement or promotion, or by a feeling that their efforts are simply not appreciated.
• The nonprofit “culture”: Employees who work for nonprofits face additional pressures. The goals they may set for themselves are so high — change the world, save lives, end poverty or disease — that they cannot do enough to help their organizations fulfill their missions. They feel guilty about taking time off or making time for themselves. They can become inseparable from the cause they are working for, losing sight of their own needs. Constant fundraising, catering to unrealistic expectations of donors, complying with burdensome reporting and documentation requirements, and chronic underfunding naturally contribute to pressure on strapped staffs.

In the next post, I’ll propose some benefits to the organization of preventing or reducing work-related stress.