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Reducing stress and burnout at the workplace

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Reducing stress and burnout at the workplace
Introduction This report contains a set of findings supporting the main ideas behind this proposal which is to help reduce the work-related stress and burnout. The information has been collected from four articles related to the matter, which has been observed and analysed in order to find out how the Human Resource department can contribute towards reducing this problem. This is a major setback within any organisation and The Schwartz Group is not an exception. Stress and burnout can lead to many different negative effects on the company’s employees and the company itself, such as depression, lack of concentration, aggression, and many others. If the stress continues, employees are likely to lose the interest or motivation that led them to take on a certain role in the first place. This is why I request that on the next board meeting there is a HR representative attending to help with taking actions and change a the way the company deals with this issue.
Defining stress and burnout

Stress is a mental and physical condition that directly and negatively affects an individual’s productivity, effectiveness, personal health and quality of work. Job stress can be conceptualized as an individual’s reactions to work environment characteristics that appear threatening to him or her. The harmful and costly consequences of stress demonstrate the need for strategies to limit stressors within the organisation (Gill at al., 2006). Burnout is a syndrome or state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion, as well as cynics towards one’s work in response to chronic organisational stressors (Gill at al., 2006). Looking from an organisation point of view it is obvious the impact would be harmful.
Sources of stress

There is number of factors that can affect worker’s levels of stress. Poor working design, management and not good enough working conditions are just a few of many. Research findings show that the most stressful type of



References: Amarjit S. Gill, Alan B.Flaschner and Mickey Shachar. (2006). Mitigating stress and burnout by implementing transformational –leadership. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitaly Management. 18.6 (1), 469-481. Kelliher, C., & Anderson, D. (2010). Doing more with less? Flexible working practices and the intensification of work. Human Relations, 63(1), 83-106 Leka et al.. (2003). Work Organization and stress. Available: http://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/en/oehstress.pdf. Last accessed 21 Apr. 2013. http://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/en/oehstress.pdf www.who.int Losyk, B. (2006). Getting a grip on stress. What HR managers must do to prevent burnout and turnover. Employment Relations Today, 33(1), 9-17 Parasuraman, S. & Alutto, J.A. (1984). Sources and Outcomes of Stress in Organizational Settings: Toward the Development of a Structural Model. Academy of Management Journal, 27(2), 330-350

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