essors in organizational environments have been investigated within the context of occupational, or on the job, stress (Edwards, 1992, pp. 238 274). Two primary sources of occupational stress have been identified. The first source of these stressors is the job itself. The specific characteristics of a job are the source of what are called task related stressors (MacBride, 1984, pp. 1 24). The second source of occupational stressors is the organizational environment itself. Stressors associated with the organizational environment are referred to as context related.
Context related stressors are external to the tasks associated with a job (MacBride, 1984, pp. 1 24). Context related stressors typically develop as a result flawed organizational structures, ineffective organizational development, the inability of an individual to pursue successfully achievement goals within an organization, or some combination of all three.
Task related stressors, as indicated above, are directly related to the specific characteristics of the job itself. These stressors involve role ambiguity, conflicting task demands, work overload or work under load, inadequate resource support, no provision for meaningful participation in decision making, and insecurity, among others (Collins, 1993, pp. 29 38).
Stress outcomes associated with occupational stressors (both task and context) tend to vary widely. Workers may simply resort to daydreaming or fantasizing. Alternatively, employees may react more actively by creating interpersonal and intraorganizational conflicts involving escalating level of communication problems. Workers also may get sick or may terminate their relationship with the organization. These actions are just a few of literally dozens of stress outcomes that may result from the effects of occupational stressors. Absenteeism and substance abuse are two additional high profile and easily identifiable outcomes of occupational str...