Introduction
Stress is a feeling that is created when human beings react to certain events (Thomas and Eileen 90). Normally, stress is an automatic body response to unusual situations (tough) and it makes individuals feel pressured to perform certain functions/duties. Whenever we are overloaded with issues that are too much to handle, we as human beings become stressed up (Thomas and Eileen 90). This paper will look at some work-related stress based on survey/feedback from two employees working in different work settings. The two employees are Steve who is a waiter and Ruth a marketing executive.
Interview question1: What stressors do you experience at the workplace?
As a waiter, Steve encounters the following stressors. He encounters a noisy and busy work environment as a result of dealing with multiple clients. Secondly, at a time when clients are many especially during peak hours, Steve is forced to work for long hours. He also says that his work demands a lot of concentration, especially when picking customers’ orders and this comes with a lot of pressure. Attending to multiple customers is even more “stressing” according to Steve. Generally, Steve admits that sometimes he finds it difficult to listen, talk and have all the orders taken and delivered to various customers.
On the other hand, Miss Ruth, a marketing executive experiences several stressors in her work environment. First, Ruth’s office is just next to the highway and therefore she has to tolerate loud noise from hooting cars. In addition, some of her clients are nagging and she must sacrifice a lot to make them familiar with new products. This makes her lose self-control. Moreover, as a sales executive, one is expected to meet a certain target. As such, Ruth faces role strain as she is under pressure to meet a certain target every week.
Interview question 2: How do you manage stress in the workplace?
As a waiter, Steve tries to manage his attitude by being friendly to clients. Additionally, he tries to keep communication open and friendly with all coworkers. This helps in building teamwork and good relationship, which are necessary tools in such a busy work environment (Primm 453). Ruth says that managing time enables her to do things moderately without any pressure. In addition, she tries to improve her communication skills so that she can efficiently communicate with clients. To avoid noise-related stress, Ruth handles her job with a positive attitude and this makes it easy to enjoy work.
Interview question 3: How does the manager/organizer help manage stress in your occupation?
Work-related stress does not only affect employees but also affects a company’s productivity. To ensure productivity, employers should help employees manage all work-related stress (Primm 452). Steve’s boss encourages social activities on weekends, does not tolerate harassment, and always values his employees by listening to complaints and responding appropriately. For Ruth, her employer offers rewards and incentives to motivate employees. He also provides a realistic deadline and he is always ready to listen to employees.
In conclusion, work-related stress is a major cause of poor performance by employees due to pressure to meet deadlines and customers’ needs among other reasons. However, some forms of stress can make employees more productive. For instance, pressure to perform can enable employees to perform effectively in different tasks (Primm 452). With improved communication skills, a positive attitude, teamwork, and a friendly work environment, employees can minimize stress and hence improve their performance. In addition to this, employers should create a conducive working environment to minimize work-related stress.
Works Cited
Primm, Dave. What Workplace Stress Research is Telling Technical Communication. Technical Communication, 52.1 (2005): 449-455. Print.
Thomas, Colligan, and Eileen Higgins. Workplace Stress. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 21.1 (2006): 89–97. Print.