Potential Source of Stress Environmental, Organizational and individual

There are 3 categories of Potential Sources of Stress mentioned as follows:

1. Environmental Stress
2. Organizational Stress
3. Individual Stress

Environmental Stress

Environmental uncertainty influences stress levels among employees in an organization. Changes in the business cycle crate economic uncertainties. Political uncertainties can be stress inducing. Technological uncertainty can cause stress because new innovations can make an employee’s skills and experience obsolete in a very short period of time. Heat, Cold, Noise, Traffic, Pollution are the examples of Environmental Stress.

Types of Environmental Stressors

• Major Disturbance Stressor
  • Natural disasters
  • Major life changes
  • Tragic events
• Climate Stressors
• Chemical Stressors
• Anthropogenic Stressors
  • Crowds
  • Excess and loud noise
  • Changes to the natural environment
• Energetic Stress
  • Ionizing radiation (Ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays)
  • Non-ionizing radiation (microwaves, radio waves, visible light)
• Physical Environment Stressors
  • Too much or not enough light
  • Colors
  • The location of items in your environment
• Ergonomic Stressors
  • Poor posture from work environments
  • Heavy labor or exercise
  • Intellectual stress
• Biological Stressors
  • Pathogens
  • Allergens
  • Illness

Organizational Stress

Stress can be caused by a wide variety of things. Positive stress may result in an increase in energy, enthusiasm, and motivation. Negative stress has more serious consequences. The common causes are organizational stressors and life stressors.

Organizational Stressors

Organizational stressors may relate to task demands, physical demands, role demands, or inter-personal demands.

1. Task demands are stressors associated with the specific task or job the person is performing. Some occupations are naturally more stressful than others.
2. Physical demands are stressors associated with the job setting. Environmental temperatures, poorly designed offices, and threats to health can lead to stress.
3. Role demands are stressors associated with a particular position in a group or organization. Examples are role ambiguity and the various role conflicts that people experience in groups.
4. Inter-personal demands are stressors associated with the characteristics of the relationships that confront people in organizations. Examples are group pressure, personality style, and leadership style.

Individual Stress

Stress can adversely affect an individual. Individual stress has direct consequences for organizations. The performance level declines and withdrawal behaviours such as absenteeism and turnover may occur if there is too much stress. People may exhibit poor attitudes when they are under too much stress. This affects their mental health and wellbeing as well as their physiological well-being.

Type A and Type B Personality Profiles

Type A individuals are extremely competitive and very devoted to work. They have a strong sense of timing and urgency. They are likely to be aggressive, impatient, and very work-oriented. It is because of these personality traits that a Type A person is more likely to experience stress than a Type B person.

The Type B individuals tend to be less competitive and less devoted to their work. They have a weaker sense of timing and urgency. The Type B person is less likely to experience stress than the Type A person. Few people are either purely Type A or purely Type B.