Workplace Stress Literature Review

The second part of the literature review was carried out in relating the collected basic literature to the theoretical framework. Much research attention has been focused on the issue of workplace stress, so much so that theories have emerged to explain the relations hip that exists between stress and the work environment.

Stress at workplace is a harmful phenomenon. It a combination of a physical and an emotional response from the individual if there is a mismatch job demands and the resources or capabilities available with the worker. According to the current World Health Organization 's defines occupational stress as "the response people may have when presented with work demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope." A variety of factors like lack of autonomy to work, excessive workload, extended working hours, isolation, tedious work environments, red tapism, difficult relationships among co-workers and administration, harassment at work are some indicators of the workplace stress. A concern with stress research is that studies often neglect to consider the broader organizational context that serves as a major cause of the stress. Work place stress or occupational stress often leads to the physical, social and behavioural changes in a person’s day to day life.

The rise of this nature of epidemic workplace stress can be seen over the past 20 to 30 years. Hoel, Zapf, & Cooper (2002) explain that the