How do workplace stressors affect employee well-being?

Abstract

The working life is changing rapidly nowadays, demanding continuous readiness from employees to adapt to the evolving work environment. These work-related changes, in turn, have made the uncertainty that characterizes the job market more visible, significantly impacting individual well-being. Repeated time pressure, the need for work efficiency, and the mental strain of work challenge both the individual and the adaptability of the work community. These changes in the job market are reflected in employees' experiences of how work is perceived. The key factors related to work well-being are quite diverse. For this reason, it is important to examine which factors have a proven impact on an individual's work well-being. A well-being employee is also a more productive employee. Workplace well-being is a key factor when considering employee efficiency, work results, job sustainability, and, therefore, the overall operation and productivity of a workplace.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and describe how workplace stressors affect employee well-being, which factors might potentially weaken employees’ workplace well-being and additionally, which factors promote employees’ workplace well-being and how it affects to job performance. The thesis is carried out as a descriptive literature review with both a narrative and an integrative approach. The literature review examines and presents a total of 32 different studies that aim to answer the formulated research questions.

From the research findings of this thesis, it can be stated that the changes in working life and the pressures it creates affect in many ways the ability of employees to work. A well-being employee is usually more motivated and committed to their work, in which case he is also a more productive and profitable employee for the employer. A physically healthy person often also has more psychological resources at his disposal, and these resources often show themselves as good productivity at work. This thesis found that several work-related stressors, such as high job demands, unpredictability, and excessive workload, affect employees' psychological and physical well-being. Employee well-being supports organizational success: sufficient resources enhance job satisfaction and commitment, while high job demands can lead to burnout. Employee well-being supports productivity, but improving it also requires actions at the supervisor and organizational levels. Performance-based pay can increase anxiety and depression during high work-related stress, while it can also enhance motivation when employers set clear goals and provide feedback.

In conclusion this thesis found that individual well-being is connected to work productivity. Supporting an individual's well-being at work is the responsibility of both the individual and the employer