Is your job stressful, or is it you?
According to a recent employment survey, a majority of workers surprisingly said they are content in their jobs. They responded that it’s especially true when they feel their job presents them with new challenges. This positive response seems to contrast the reality that many individuals are dissatisfied with their work. Yet, what we’ve discovered is that, while some 90% of the population is content with their employment, they are tremendously stressed.
Why are people stressed at work? Let’s take a closer look at some of the problems people are talking about.
Are you or is someone you know “the boss’ pet?” This is a common slang term for those who attempt to be extra attentive to their superiors. People who are given this title generate unnecessary stress among their coworkers. Coworkers not only become envious of such individuals, but they also become concerned that their own contributions to the business will be unrewarded. This anxiety is a real issue for some. Their degree of teamwork and cooperation can deteriorate, causing dissension and a potential scenario of leaving the job.
Sabotaging the organization is another reason for stress in the workplace. This may happen in a variety of ways, so let’s look at an example. Imagine a hotel’s senior chef being offered a better employment opportunity elsewhere. He accepts and during his final weeks at the hotel, he gives his junior cooks more opportunity and urges them to leave as well. They follow suit and join him at his new job. While the cooks who moved on are pleased, the actions of one individual essentially disrupted the first hotel food business. Workers often stress about concerns which can arise when a fellow staff member leaves the job unexpectedly. How will we get everything done? Who will do their work? Will we like the replacement?
Competition is another source of stress. When taken to an extreme, one’s competitors can be difficult in any area of life. Let’s take two close friends who worked at the same legal firm. As newbies, they wanted to impress their superiors. A rivalry began as they fought for cases. Each case was meticulously analyzed, properly researched, and brilliantly articulated to their superiors. While the law firm partners were impressed with their performances, the young lawyers lost their friendship along the way. A healthy competition is a step toward success, but it can also be quite stressful if it gets out of hand. The consequences can be illness, sabotage, fighting and job separation.
A final common source of stress at work is when a colleague betrays another. This occurs frequently and can result in a great deal of tension for both the person who is being stabbed in the back and the one who did the dirty deed. Now, the first individual may be worried and unable to trust fellow employees. On the other hand, the backstabber might be anxious because he is afraid someone else will do the same to him or that, if colleagues see his conduct, they will shun and ignore him. Hatred, resentment, and jealousy are common motivations for people to betray others at work.
Job stress is a common problem and it’s not always our fault. We can’t control other people’s actions or attitudes. We can only control our response to them.
Learn to identify workplace stress (it may be one of the above). Begin solving the problem by being honest with coworkers and managers. Respectfully look for opportunities to talk about the issues and clearly state your hopes and expectations. Exercise your choice to not let things get to you. Breathe, take your breaks, and leave work at work. Don’t take it home with you.
Too often, stress at work doesn’t get addressed in a timely fashion. Before you know it, you’re suffering from symptoms which can make your job increasingly difficult to enjoy.
Hopefully, you are not the cause of stress at work. More importantly, you can make yourself part of the solution.
