Major stressors at work are numeorus.
Disregarding this notice, we pointed out the fact that the much content on the internet does not differentiate much between stressors which occur at the workplace and those that are related to the workplace.
Therefore, we got an impression and after awhile we were secure that this sends a wrong message to the reader.
We are against such an approach.
As always, we have a reason for our action.
That is beacuse a proper discussion or a lay out in this situation should always be backed up with reasonable argumentation.
The reason relates to maintaining focus on the subject itself.
For instance, if we are discussing work overload as a major stressor at work, than we are not going to broaden this subject.
Attempt like these we only see as lack of experience of those who are providing content.
Also, we see it as laziness.
Laziness consist in the fact that a proper research had not been conducted previously.
This leads to filling up the core subject with matter that does not provide added value.
Often, this matter should be even discussed in a separate article, because it represent another topic altogether.
Work overload in the workplace means exactly what is says.
It means the excessive amount of work that is given to someone on the workplace.
It does not include sleeping, eating, exercising, family and so on.
With these few notions we enter into explaining this major stressor at work.
Workload
Every job is related with the execution and fulfillment of objectives.
Also, it is connected with some responsibilities.
Basically, that is what workload is all about.
We say basically, beacuse there is much to be added and different interpretations are possible.
We want to highlight that objectives and responsibilities frame our possible workload.
In other words, workload is measured by the number of tasks, meaning quantity and difficulty as well as importance of these tasks, which means quality.
Workload boils down to the amount of work a worker is assigned with or has to perform.
Here it gets interesting.
Workload is in large part subject to a subjective perception of the workers.
That means that every worker views hers or his workload differently, due to the individual brain action and stimuli on their sensory systems.
From our experience we may claim that an ordinry worker spends a certain amount of time during the day in assessing hers or his position.
She or he regards hers or his load of work in comparison with those of his co-workers.
They also regard the time which they colleagues spent without working on the workplace.
All of this strongly influences their own perception of themselves.
Also, this may highly contribute to the assessment of the worker that she or he have been the victims of work overload.
On the other hand, workload be in reality be of such quantity and quality that it actually does represent work overload.
However, from the standpoint of work overload as a major stressor on the workplace it does not matter if it is real or just a perception.
Work overload
Under this title we are going to deal with work overload, which occures due to the real indicators in the physical world.
Due to the changes in the modern capitalist world, employees are forced to work harder and harder.
In such an environment there is always a threat that the workers will be exposed to exploitation.
Exploitation, at least on the paper, has its boundaries which relate to the rights of the worker to be absent from work when some issues, often medical occur to due to exhaustion.
However, as mentioned, this is valid only on paper.
Recent history shows that the increased absenteeism from work relates positively to the increase in laying off.
The modern capitalist world, what you already should know, tends to decrease the rights of the workers.
It does so by amending the competent laws in a way it suits the business owners and their interest.
These are often at the expense of workers.
The other way, much less troubling due to the non existence of costs related to lobbying (there are hidden costs) relates to ignoring the existing laws.
The second, easiest way is applicable then when the employer may make an assessment that a worker does not have the capabilities to strike back.
In practice, this simply means that the are no unions in that industry.
It also implies that the workers cannot afford legal help to protect their legal and legitimate interests.
In addition, employers may act in such a way when they are aware that the industry in which the company operates is very propulsive.
That means a fast-growing industry in which there are or there soon will many opportunities for employment.
In such a situation a worker that was layed off will not trouble her or himself with the process that needs to be conducted to protect his rights.
This is so while this processes may be time consuming and exhausting.
So, it is sometimes better to move on.
As you can see, the worker is on the wrong side of the line.
And…it is better for him to be on the workplace and to endure hardships that come along the way.
That also means work overload and stress that comes with it.
If that weren’t true, would there be so many adds on how to handle stress?
We do not believe so.
The gadgets, beverages, healing potions, magic and on are successfully offered due to the fact that stress on the workplace must be endured.
That is the harsh reality.
We are also aware of this.
But, not just aware, we went through that tunnel and we don’t like the darkness within.
That is why we developed our Anti-stress app, for you and ourselves. You can find yours here.
Futher discussion will lead us to observe some of the reasons that we from our experience found as the main triggers which ignite work overload.
These consist of:
- Competition
- Disability and leave
- Finacial (and staff) cuts
- Bad management
- Turnover
Competition
Over the last four decades globalisation picked up its pace in steep manner.
In relation to this, more and more companies become international.
On the global stage the conditions for success are not listed.
They are numerous and hard to achieve.
The tasks which companies to accomplish are becoming more complex and they have to be accomplised in a narrow time frame.
Any pressure that arises due to the need to handle the increased amount of work in the company or due to the obligation to obey even shorter deadlines usually falls on the back of the common worker.
But, as you may certainly know, depending on the nature of the task and objective that needs to be met, the job will often be distributed in an unequal manner.
Therefore, if this is the reason for work overload, only a part of the workers will struggle.
This is so while they will be expected to accomplish their previous regular tasks as well as the new one.
Having in mind that this new task may be completely unrelated to those that the person is used to engaging with (although we assume it is part of her or his area of expertise), the worker will need some time to adjust.
Given those circumstances and with the deadlines pending, the natural response is that of stress.
As we said, in such a situation, a worker cannot expect that there will be any understanding regarding his mental health.
In such a situation, a worker cannot even expect to be absent from work due to the pressure.
All that he may do is to endure.
If you found yourself in such a situation, an Anti-stress app will serve you as first med kit.
Disability and leave
In the quest to determine the reasons which may bring to work overload on the workplace, disability and leave have an important place.
We are going to mention some facts from practice and our experience.
That means facts from real life.
These may not be to everybody’s taste.
However, it is all in the function of explaining how workoverload may occur due to disability and leave.
Disability and leave result in the same consquence.
This consequence is mostly temporary absence from work of the disabled worker or a worker using the leave.
However, the problem arises when a greater share of workers in a certain section or deparment uses a leave or if they are disabled for any reason.
We make a presumption that the workload does not decrease when workers go on a leave or are disabled.
This matches the reality, while the operations of the company must go on.
In such a case the remaining workers on the workplace are forced to take on additional tasks.
The main problem that may occur (beside the fact that this increases the workload) is the fact that the additional tasks may require the learning of some additional skills.
This can be time consuming and may lead to disregarding the part of the tasks that this worker previously carried on regularly.
It may be argued that the companies anticipate such situation and that they are ready to instanly temporarily employ another worker to fill the spot of the worker with disability or on a leave.
We could perhaps agree with these remarks if we were in the 80’s or 90’s or even 00’s.
However, much changed after the crisis of 2007-2009 (in our country it lasted to 2015 because of the bad structure of national economy and its stiffness).
One of those changes pertains to the fact that the companies evade the employment of the missing workers and transfer the workload of the missing workers to those still on the workplace.
This is escpecially so if it it known how long the disability or leave will last or if there is a slight possibility that a disabled person or a person using the leave will return sooner than anticipated.
That actually means that companies do not anticipate that some of the workers shall be disabled or go on a leave.
They rather anticipate that there will be periods in which the workers will be burdented with work overload.
They take it for granted that there may be time when the part of the workers will be forced to work on the line of their capacity and perhaps a little beyond.
Also, it may be argued that this is wrong altogether.
But, let me tell you a story. I personally work at one public authority.
Earlier, I told you in which tasks my work consists.
Psst…there is a chance that I will soon leave this position.
But, back on the track.
The story goes like this.
I witness that a certain number of workers in our building go on a disability leave rather often.
I experience that they do that out of defiance while the paycheck of a great deal of them is rather low.
This usually happens right after they are exposed to criticism or if they endure stress on the workplace for some time.
The second reason is totally legitimate.
It has become normal that the workload of those workers falls on the back of those still in the building.
In few occasions this led to work overload of the remaining workers and in their disability.
The employer didn’t employ anyone in the meantime.
The result was that this sector was left without workers.
The employer wasn’t preprared for such a scenario.
This ended in chaos.
Another story relates to the sector of which I am the Head.
I am a superior worker to three women, who are nice persons and hard workers.
However, their paychecks are low and the opportunities to advance rather slim.
Having in mind that all of them got married and didn’t still have children, all of them in the span of a few months decided to have some.
A logical decision, when I look at it.
Maternity compensations make for the significant amount of their paychecks.
So, all of them went on maternity leave.
These are rather long due to the intention of our government to revive the demographic picture of our country.
Long story short, for almost already one year I am the only one present in the sector.
You think the employer took the opportunity to employ somebody?
A-a. Zero points.
Guess who took on all of the work.
You do not need to guess twice, I presume.
So, it can be pretty though.
But, I know how to use this position to rub the nose of my superiors and exploit this situation to my advantage.
One thing I noticed is that my fuse is a lot shorter than before.
However, among other things the Anti-stress app does a good job to keep me on the line and to endure the hard days.
Stop by and get your sample.
The same story applies to any company I know of.
The ending result of this policy is guaranteed work overload and ruining of the workers who performed the amount of work they previously had productively and successfully.
This is like leaving an open door for stress and kindly inviting it in.
Do not worry, the stress will shut the door after it enters.
Financial (and staff) cuts
We believe that you are familiar with the term cut in business language.
It bacame very popular after the crisis 2007 – 2009.
All of the sudden the companies figured out that had to rationalize their operations.
Actually, it wasn’t all of the sudden.
Shortage of money flow due to the inability to execute previous business deals and to get compenasation from the business partners who were even in worse shape, among other factors, forced them to do so.
The world economy headed back on the path of growth after this episode up to the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis in the midst of which we are know.
But, the fear that the crisis od 2007-2009 brought remained.
COVID-19 crisis saw another rationalization and a hundred thousands of lay offs.
Many already speak that the workplace lost amidst COVID-19 crisis will never be again established.
We would like to add to that by saying that these workplaces will probably not be opened again in the same industry.
But, new and now thiriving industries (especially everything that may be done remotely and online) will gain pace and new workplaces will sprout.
What is needed is just some flexibility.
Again, we shouldn’t even have to highlight that, but in the contemporary age flexibility is the key to adjustment and happiness in the work life.
But, in order that we do not get lost in this discussion, we are to concentrate on the consquences of such policies.
Our field of interest is how does this affect the conditions on the workplace.
Similar to the problems which arise due to disabilities and leave, financial (and staff) cuts have the consequence of diminishing the number of workers at the workplace.
But, in difference to the previous situation, this situation leads to the lesser number of workers permanently.
Therefore, the final result of financial (and staff) cuts is that the remaining workers will be permanently burdened with additional work of those who are not present anymore.
This turn of events again guarantees that the remaining workers sooner or later will be exposed to work overload.
However, this is not the end of the story.
Due to the possibility of the permanent work overload and the absence of hope that the new workers will come and take on the part of the work, the development of stress has a steeper trajectory.
In this situation it is even more probable to expect health problem regarding the workload burden.
In such a way, companies risk even more to lose qualified and productive workers who contributed fairly to the overall profit and regular functioning of the sector or a deparment in which they operated.
You may think something like “anyone is replaceable”.
We can agree on that.
However, we also point to the costs which are related with the time needed acquainting new workers with specific procedures in the company.
That is just one issue.
Those who spent some time in a working environment should understand the point.
By putting accent on financial (and staff) cuts the companies may put themselves in a position in which even those workers who remained think about or are forced to go on a disability leave.
Although this is highly correlated with the posibility to be layed off, most people keep their health as a number one priority.
Again, some remark can be made about the possibility to finance health insurance if a person does not work.
We can relate to that, but in most cases just not being present on the workplace may do good for the health of otherwise well functioning worker.
Being aware of the stress related health problems on the workplace due to work overload, we suggest the Anti-stress app as a fast and acceptable solution in a first instance.
Bad management
One other important factor which greatly contributes to an existence of an environement in which workers suffer under work overload is bad management.
From our view, management, superior, superordinated workers, call them whatever you like are responsible for the regular execution of daily or more strategic tasks.
But also, they should be responsible for the well being of the subordinated workers while they are on the workplace.
However, that is often not so.
Management has its own interests and goals.
In addition, they often use the monitoring powers only when the tasks aren’t performed fluently as they would like.
So, it also often slips under the radar of the management when a certain worker or a group of workers suffer under work overload.
What is even worse, such a state may last for an undefinite period of time.
In such a case, there is actually a lack of management and a lack of guidance.
Similar situation is when the management is rather incompetent, so it need to focus on the most capable and most productive subordinated workers in order to cover up their incapability.
This directly means that the best workers become the greatest victims.
This is due to the fact that the management will try to delegate the tasks they are obligated to complete themselves to those workers.
The management is aware that the responsibility for the proper execution of these tasks or objectives is still on them, no matter to whom they delegate them.
So, the management chooses wisely.
These workers will soon become aware that they have been handled the burden tough to carry.
The reason for that is that these tasks are often not similar to those the worker regularly deals with.
Also, dealing with thsese tasks usually requires access to some of the information the subordinated workers do not have access to.
This, along with the tasks already on the table can quickly become a nightmare for these workers.
This work overload leads to unbearable amounts of stress and often to unwanted consequences for their health.
One other feature that further hurts the dignity of workers is the circumstance that they won’t get any cream out of the successful accomplished tasks.
However, they will certainly hear the management if something goes wrong in the execution of such tasks.
We witnessed ourselves some of these situations and also have been the victims of them in one occasion.
We witnessed how the ability of this workers to work productively was ruined, how they suffered and how some of them were deeply hurt by such “management”.
Just to say, some of them are on a longer term disability leave.
A sad ending due to the work overload and disrespect.
We hope that you do not find yourselves in such a position, but if you would be that unfortunate, have in mind that you may always carry the Anti-stress app, in order to ease the bad moments.
Turnover
The final reason we chose to deal with in this article as a trigger for work overload is the high rate of turnover.
Previous few titles cover the lot of the main reason which lead to high rate of turnover.
Turnover in general happens becuase of the dissatisfaction of the workers with the conditions on the workplace.
Opposite to what you may think, the paycheck often isn’t the main trigger that will trigger turnover.
Especially high rate of turnover.
It is often that to the high rate of turnover usually contribute exactly the workers who were the victim to work overload and bad conduct.
See this two tables down below?
On the left sat an apprentice I took care of.
On the right sat a colleague who was subordinate to an incompetent manager from the other section.
Quite a sad, empty picture when I look at it for a while.
The colleague that sat on the left, left for Denmark. I connected him with another friend who left awhile ago.
Everyday I witnessed how our common superior gives him excessive work he is still not able to handle, while at the same time a woman who is, let me remind myself, oh yeah, a specialist for this area does not know a word of criminal law and doesn’t do anything.
Having in mind what I saw, I suggested that he leaves the country in search of a place where his intellect would be put into some proper function.
Why would a Mensa member trouble himself with foolish trivia…
He studies engineering now.
I have a feeling he will make a more than fine contribution to any community he chooses to settle himself in.
The colleague that sat on the right was a victim of his utter incompetent superior.
He got a number of the most stupid tasks that she wasn’t able to accomplish herself.
Therefore, he was always troubled with the amount of work he had to do and was constantly on the verge of breaking.
Note that we are talking about a person that does not know how to use the MS Office package, beggining with basic software for text management.
Also, she often returned him the drafts of the official documents he had to make, not becuase they were bad, but because of pure malice, just to show him his place.
Quite sick, I must say.
This situation brought this colleague to ask for a relocation to another section, which he fortunately got.
So, he is still in the building, just around the corner.
And for those superiors?
They are still trapped in their petty ambitions and irrelavant ideas.
Turnover is closest to the case of disabilities and leaves.
The company is aware that they have to keep those places occupied all the time in order to secure the minimum of efficiency.
However, in the meantime, while this places are vacant, even for the short period, the workers which are present are forced to take on additional tasks.
Therefore, in such a case work overload comes in waves, dependable upon the number of workers who leave around the same time.
With the work overload in waves, the stress also comes in waves.
If this waves are too frequent, workers suffering under the constant turnover will be exposed to stress very often with undesired consequences for their health and overall well being.
This will probably result in their desire to leave for good as well.
Work overload definition
Work overload is a situation is having to work more than the worker is capable of.
Sometimes, work overload is defined as a higher more then normal load.
We disagree with such attempts.
The word normal is subject to different explanation.
We see the basis for work overload definition in devitation from the situation in which all the workers of the same rank and in the same section are burdened by work and responsibilities in the same or similar way.
With such an explanation, work overload would imply having to work noticeably more than the other workers on the same place do.
This resembles work overload in the reality.
After reading a fair amount of literature and post on the topic, our conclusion is they predominately weren’t written by person who have much experience on the workplace.
…and we do not like to theorize.
If a certain worker or a group of workers have more job that the rest of the workers on the workplace.
Therefore, first they will notice this fact.
This will make them feel unconfortable.
It this situation persist of if it circles in waves, subjective perception of work overload occurs.
This makes things even worse, because it starts to be bad for the mental health of whe workers burdened job more than the group in average is.
Conclusion
We believe that work overload as a major stressor at work leaves deep marks on the personality of the worker who needs to endure it.
It certainly takes its toll on self-esteem, dignity and the overall feeling of worthiness.
It is often than the workers who have to suffer under this major stressor of work have severe problems with productivity, healthy social engagements on the workplace and tend to develop some mental health issues beyond stress.
We think that nobody should be put in the position in which she or he has to test their capabilities in a way it threatens to cause damage for health.
We say gooodbye now and wish you a nice day.
If you are under stress, do not hesitate to take the Anti-stress app.