Work-related stress: a brief review

Abstract

Work-related stress is a serious and growing problem in the UK and as such, is regarded as a significant health and safety issue. It is vital that this issue is addressed and that action is taken to address the problems that this may create both for individuals and the organisations in which individuals work. This paper reviews the concept of work-related stress showing how its deleterious impact may exert both direct and indirect effects on the workforce thus affecting both individual and organisational effective ness. It also shows how individual and organisational factors may contribute to the development of occupa tional stress. However, since not all the stress which affects people at work is caused by the workplace, the home/work interface is also considered. The paper concludes by considering how work-related stress may be managed.