Workplace Stress (AQA A Level Psychology): Revision Note

Workplace stress: workload & control

• Researchers have identified two factors that cause workplace stress: workload and control

• Workload refers to the stressful demands of a job, e.g., having too many tasks to complete in a short amount of time

• Control refers to how much an employee has meaningful influence over how, when, and where work gets done, e.g., being able to complete their tasks at home or in the office

• The more control an employee has over their work, the the fewer negative effects (e.g., stress-related illness) they are likely to experience from their workload

Research which investigates the effect of workload and control

• Bosma et al. (1997) carried out a prospective study of over 10,000 civil servants who were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire measuring workload and job control

• Participants were examined for symptoms of coronary heart disease (CHD) and followed up after 5 years

• The researchers found no correlation between workload and illness, so job demands were not a significant workplace stressor

• However, participants who said they had little control over their jobs had a higher chance of developing CHD five years later

• Individual differences (such as personality type) or coping skills had no effect on the relationship between low control and CHD, and risk factors like diet, smoking, and lifestyle were taken into consideration

Evaluation of workplace stress

Strengths

• Research evidence supports the claim that high workload/demands and control contribute to stress-related illnesses

• Johansson et al.'s (1978) natural experiment on sawmill workers found that the 'finishers', who had a repetitive role over which they had no control, had a higher level of stress hormones in their urine compared to the cleaners, who had more control and less responsibility

• There were more stress-related illnesses among the finishers and absenteeism was higher, showing that both high workload and lack of control lead to stress and stress-related illnesses

Weaknesses

• The job demands-control model is oversimplified because it relies on the type of work that employees perform and how effectively they employ coping strategies

• The model lacks validity, as there are likely to be other job-related sources of stress, e.g., irritating or underperforming colleagues

• Some research shows that having too much control can be a source of workplace stress

• Employees who have low self-efficacy may feel more strain due to the choices they have, e.g., being able to make decisions, so for them, control is stressful

Issues & Debates

• Most workplace stress research uses a nomothetic method, aiming to uncover general laws by studying large groups

  • This allows broad conclusions to be drawn but ignores individual differences that could affect stress, such as personality, job satisfaction or coping style

• The job demands-control model suggests that workplace stress is determined by external factors like high workload and low control, implying that employees have little choice in how they respond

  • However, people may exercise free will by using coping strategies (e.g., time management, seeking support), showing that stress responses are not entirely pre-determined