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Work stress reduces job performance

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Canadians with stressful jobs might get plenty of work done while they’re under pressure, but eventually, their productivity declines. A recent study analysed 2002 data regarding job strain, a major source of work stress, and the findings confirm what many employees and employers know first-hand: stress has considerable consequences.

Job strain is found among workers who have high psychological demands—they need to think at a high pace and intensity, use high levels of skills and must try hard to keep up with colleagues—but have little control over what to do and when to do it.

Over a two-year period, those with high job strain showed reduced work activities; that is, they were limited in the kind or amount of activity they could do at work. They were twice as likely to show reduced work activities as those with low-strain jobs.

Workers with high-strain jobs were also much more likely to take a disability day in the two weeks before being surveyed, meaning that they were in hospital or stayed in bed all day, cut down on normal activities or found their daily activities more difficult because of illness or injury.

Physically stressful jobs can take a toll as well. Workers in physically demanding jobs were twice as likely as those in non-physical jobs to be absent from work. They were also around 1.6 times more likely to have reduced work activities two years later.

The study found some good news, however: a supportive environment both at home and at work and positive coping mechanisms (such as getting more exercise, talking with others and doing enjoyable things to relax) can all but eliminate the chances of having reduced work activities over time.