Summary of:
Latha, G., “Workplace stress and type of company: Is there a link?” (2019). Journal of The Gujarat Research Society. 177-180.
Background & Theory:
Unmanaged stress in the workplace can lead to employees deviating from their normal functioning and health. Stressors that can negatively affect employees include role overload, role ambiguity, role conflict, unreasonable group pressure, peer relations, and unprofitability among other things.
Question(s):
Research was completed to answer the following questions:
- Among software companies, do different company types (state, national, multinational) have different levels of employee stress?
- Are individual stressors more prominent in different company types?
Methods:
Data was collected from 349 software professionals in state, national, and multinational companies in Chennai, India. The data was then analyzed to address the differences of stress level and individual stressors per company type.
Results:
Research results indicate that stress levels are not significantly different in state, national, and multinational software companies. Similarly, individual stressors were not different per company type except for one stressor.
Unprofitability was the only stressor that was differentiated among company types. This research identified that unprofitably was a significant stressor on the state-level but not on the national nor multinational levels. This is likely due to the average salary differences between state and national/international companies.
What We Can Learn:
Looking over this research, we can take away this key insight:
- This research affirms the fact that stress does not discriminate based on company type. At least in the software industry, stress is commonly experienced among all employees at a similar level. Not only this, but workplace stressors are generally the same across company type with the exception of one stressor. This suggests that implementing stress management practices could be highly beneficial to any company looking to improve quality of work and employee health.
Final Takeaways
For Consultants: A conflictual work environment can create substantial stress for employees, affecting their work experience and health. Offering ways to manage conflict in the workplace could be an indirect method of addressing employee stress.
For Everyone: Considering that stress is experienced across company types, familiarizing yourself with stress-management practices will likely help mitigate stressors and foster a healthier and more positive work environment.
