Stress in the Workplace, Its Signs; the Key Areas of Employee Stress Essay

Stress in the Workplace, Its Signs; the Key Areas of Employee Stress in the Workplace and Work-Life Balance - Essay Example This essay explores the several causes of stress in the workplace that may result in poor performance and other negative impacts in the workplace. These may include employees facing conditions of overwork, low levels of job satisfaction, job insecurity, and lack of autonomy and/or harassment in the course of work. Workplace stress has detrimental effects on the well-being of employees as well as an effect on health. Work-life balance refers to the policies that aim at achieving a greater complementary and equality or balance between work and various home responsibilities. The policies apply to all workers whether parenting or not. Lack of these policies would result in different forms of stress in the working environment. Failure to meet the work-life balance may result to stress in employees and may affect organizational performance. Individuals and organizations should be able to identify the stressors in workplace and design amicable solution to combat the issue. If there is an ea rly address on potential stressors, individuals and organizations may be able to alleviate the negative effects associated with stress. To handle the menace well, employees need to identify signs and possible stressors. On the other hand, managers need awareness on the effects of stress on employees and general performance of the company in terms of output. It is necessary for an individual to learn how to keep away from stress as it is necessary too for employers. A person who is subject to stress may show various signs. These signs may be inward or outward depending on the different people. Inward signs may consist of immediate body changes such as the change in heart rate, nausea, or vomiting. Other internal signs may include a feeling of anger, protest, frustration, guilt, embarrassment, memory loss, prolonged sleeplessness, and strange dreams. These indicate stress and require attention before affecting work and personal life. Outward signs are noticeable by colleagues and thos e in the managerial sector. They include increased smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug taking. Reduced performance, irritability, absenteeism, complaints about ill health and deteriorating relationship with colleagues may indicate stress.