with a person's internal experience, the intensity of reaction to stress is subjective.
In work settings, stress can be experienced on the organizational level, the group level, and the individual level. Experts have found that organizational policies and procedures can be stress producing, particularly where employees do not feel that they are being adequately rewarded for good performance. Group level activity can be a source of stress when roles are poorly defined, leadership conflict is present, or discord exists among group members. Stress at the individual level occurs under many circumstances, especially where the conditions of employment are plagued by uncertainty.
The Response of the Individual to Stress
The three distinct stages by which an individual adapts to stress are: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. The alarm stage is a person's first exposure to stress. The muscles tense, blood pressure increases, and the pulse rate quickens. During the second stage, the person attempts to resist the stressor. Bodily functions exhibit anxiety, tension, and fatigue. As the person focuses on resisting the stressor, attention to other elements of life diminishes. This lack of attention often contributes to increased accidents, deteriorated health, or faulty decision making. The final stage in the general adaptation syndrome of stress is exhaustion: "Frequent stressful activities may make a person much more prone to accidents, disease, disruptive behavior, and other consequences that may adversely affect organizational performance."
The Effect of Stress on Job Performance
Stress can have varying effects on job performance depending on the intensity and the duration of the stressor. When stress is low or nonexistent, employees are motivated to continue their present levels of performance. Low to moderate stress levels generally motivate employees to improve their performance. High levels of stress cause...