Challenges of Work Stress and Psychological Well-Being of Workers in National Development

Abstract:

Contending with stressful situations at work in the contemporary society is a common struggle side by side the psychological well-being of workers. The review shows that although work is the essence of life because it manifests what one has externally and what one is internally; some jobs are so stressful due to either the work environment, personality disposition of the worker, or boringness and lack of prestige and security in such jobs. These reasons lead to stress which can have negative or positive implication on the well-being of the worker. This article shows that a mild degree of stress can sometimes be beneficial and compels workers to work more energetically thereby promoting sterling performance. Studies shows that it is when stress is overwhelming, poorly managed, that the negatives start to show affecting the psychological well-being of the individual. Theories also posit that bad sides of stress show when the demands that are being placed on an individual exceeds available resources as appraised by the individual. While some persons have hardy personality, which is a tendency that facilitates their abilities to adapt and deal with work place stress (allostasis), others cannot because such individuals appraise situations differently and so respond to issues in quiet different ways. However, the adaptation, or allostasis, often has a price of promoting pathophysiology- allostasis load leading to psychological and physiological issues like depression, drug abuse, draining of internal resources, hardening of the arteries and upsetting the individuals complex internal chemistry and affecting the operation of the immune system Strategies were proposed to manage the overwhelming stress issues and recommendations made among others is that organizations should establish stress level assessment centers to educate and enlighten workers on the dangers of work stress and seek solutions for a healthier psychological state of workers for national development.