Work Stress and Its Potential Impact on Employee Health

This essay reviews the impact of work stress on employee health, including its potential to cause chronic ailments like cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure, diabetes, and hypertension. The Demand-Control Model and Effort-Reward Imbalance Model are discussed to explain the relationship between job stress and its impact on employee well-being.

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Work stress is a potential Killer- Discuss
Introduction
Employees are spending long hours at work, thereby a lot of focus is being paid to work
stress along with psychosocial work environment (Kivimaki & Kawachi, 2015). Work stress
combined with other elements like finance, relationships, and change needs to be managed by
individuals. Combination of these factors makes today's life very stressful and comes at the
cost of physical and mental health (Cohen, 2001). Work-related stress has been increasing
significantly over time globally (Jian & Siegrist, 2016). Hoven and Siegrist (2013) suggested
that employment and work conditions play a critical role in promoting adverse health effects
on people. There has been an ongoing debate amongst the researchers on whether the work
stress poses a potential risk factor and is a cause of some chronic ailments like cardiovascular
diseases, blood pressure, diabetes and hypertension (Kivimaki et al., 2015). This essay aims
to review and study various findings regarding work stress and its effect on the life and health
of individuals. This essay will also discuss the Demand-Control Model and Effort-Reward
Imbalance Model to explain the relationship between job stress and its impact on employee
well-being.
Blood Pressure and Work Stress
Gilbert, Trudel, Brisson, Milot, and Vezina (2014), conducted a meta-analysis review based
on studies have done linking Blood Pressure (BP) to work stress. To assess the effect that
work-related stress had on BP, Demand Control Support (DCS) and Effort-Reward
Imbalance (ERI) models were used (Gilbert et al., 2014). High blood pressure (BP) is a
significant threat to lives as it is the leading risk factor for causing cardiovascular diseases
(CVD) (Gilbert-Quimet et al., 2014). Cardiovascular diseases being the leading cause of
death worldwide. Demand control support (DCS) model states that working adults that
experience high psychological demands and have no autonomy over job are very likely to
suffer stress-related issues in health (Gilbert-Quimet et al., 2014). Also, the lack of peer
support and the inability to develop skills adds on to the psychological stress factors amongst
the employees is the other element DCS Model focusses on (Gilbert-Quimet et al., 2014).
The ERI model determines the degree of imbalance between effort and the corresponding
rewards (Siegrist & Li, 2016). When evaluating the ERI models for working individuals, an
imbalance is an evidence showing that the excessive efforts done by them aren't being
rewarded adequately. This emotion leads to negative emotions and stress, leading to ill-health
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in employees (Siegrist & Li, 2016). The model states that work stress happens due to lack of
appreciation, rewards, and jobs with high demands and low returns. Also, the lack of job
security is another factor that increases the stress amongst employees (Siegrist et al.1990;
Siegrist 1996)
Based on the review and findings of their studies, Gilbert-Quimet et al. (2014) suggested that
that psychosocial work factors lead to the elevation of BP. Constant exposure to high BP and
hypertension due to work amplify over time, and that triggers cardiovascular events. The
elevation of BP can successively lead to hypertension, stroke and arterial stiffness (Gilbert-
Quimet et al., 2014). The adverse effects of psychosocial stressors occur due to the
cumulative impact of prolonged or multiple exposures. The sympathetic nervous system,
which is the primary mediator of the stress response is one of the pathways that activate the
renin-angiotensin system (Gilbert-Quimet et al., 2014). Therefore, stress can stimulate the
secretion of rennin as well as increased plasma levels of angiotensin II that has a vital effect
on blood vessel walls. This study establishes a link between work stress and elevated BP,
which in turn could lead to CVD (Gilbert-Quimet et al., 2014). Thereby the researchers
suggested that the psychosocial elements of work mentioned in the ERI and DCS models
contributed to the elevation in BP and could lead to CVD (Gilbert-Quimet et al., 2014).
According to Netterstorm (2013), in his research suggested that the fundamental cause for
high blood pressure could be the cause of work-related stress or working conditions.
Siegrist & Li (2016), suggested that people who were over-committed to their jobs also were
at high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and other symptoms like BP, atherogenic
lipids, increase in glucose levels and fibrinogen also building up towards CVD. The reduction
in natural killer cells compromised the immune system. The need to overcommit was linked
to the ERI model of (Siegrist et al. 1990 & Siegrist 1996), wherein individuals
overcommitted and overworked to get approval and receive recognition. This study helped in
suggesting a connection between the ERI model, health and the intrinsic component of the
model. Individuals who are exposed to more extended working hours are exposed to stressful
working conditions, and that causes the emergence of health complications (Lancet, 2015).
Employees that perceive that they are not treated fairly by their employers are more prone to
stress-linked diseases (Elovaino et al., 2010).
Coronary Heart Disease and Work Stress
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Work-related stress is also able to increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD),
suggested in a study done by (Chandola, Britton, Brunner, Hemmingway, Malik, Kumari,
Badrick, Kivimaki & Marmot, 2007). Chandola et al. (2007) conducted a study in London
among civil servants with the aim of understanding the correlation between coronary heart
disease and work stress. The research established that work-related stress could be a
significant determinant of coronary heart disease (CHD), especially among working
populations. Today, strain in the workplace is related to increased heart complication risks
(Chandola et al., 2008). Further, Chandola et al. (2008) argue that work-related stress may
cause coronary heart disease via direct activation of responses in the neuroendocrine or
indirectly through the unhealthy tendencies that may increase CHD risk. Additionally, it has
been established that work stress can cause alterations of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal
axis that is correlated with circadian rhythm alterations and the development of metabolic
syndrome (Chandola et al., 2008). Further, stress accumulation has related to a higher risk of
obesity and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, cumulative work stress is considered a risk
factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) as well as neuroendocrine stress responses as
suggested by Chandola et al. (2008).
Cardiovascular disease and Work Stress
Cardiovascular disease is one of the significant risk factors caused by work-related stress
(Fishta and Backe, 2015). Work-related mental pressure and stress are one of the critical
factors that can cause Cardiovascular issues (CVD), along with high blood pressure (BP)
(Chandola et al. 2008; Steptoe and Kivimaki, 2012). CVD is defined as disease that is caused
by work stress in combination with other factors (European Commission, 2013). Job stress
adds on to an increase in risk factors which could potentially lead to CVD by leading to bad
habits such as smoking, dietary fat intake, and inactivity or lack of exercise and this harms
overall long-term health (Hellerstedt and Jeffrey, 1997). Acute or short-term stress might
cause CV events, especially among individuals with advanced atherosclerosis (Steptoe and
Kivimaki, 2012). Additionally, Fishta and Backe (2015) argue that long-term stress in the
workplace increased the risk of recurrent CHD and predicted CV mortality and morbidity.
Many studies continue to link work-related stress short and long-term with heart
complications. A worker who is confronted with everyday stressors in the workplace is likely
to develop heart complications or risk a recurrence (Jian, Adrian, Hans & Peter, 2016). CVDs
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especially CHD is considered one of the leading causes for early deaths globally as per WHO
(2011) reports. Fisthta et al. (2015), pointed out that CVD is considered as one of the leading
causes of loss in productivity amongst employees in all parts of the world. Jian et al. (2016),
argued that many employees did not return to their roles after an episode of CVD, because of
low job satisfaction and high work-related stress. A study done on four point nine million
individuals confirmed that individual that retire due to CVD related disabilities were facing a
higher risk of an increase in mortality rates (Jian et al. 2016). Therefore, Fishta and Backe
(2015) suggested that governments need to regulate the working conditions and declare
psychosocial stress as a hazardous entity that causes cardiovascular diseases.
Hypertension and Work Stress
In a study done by Babu, Jotheeswaran, Mahapatra, Mahapatra, Kumar, Detels, and Pearce
(2013), they aimed at assessing the relationship between employment strain and hypertension
among adults in work environment settings. Babu et al. (2013) argued that globally there is
an increase in the rate of people suffering from hypertension. There is a projected increase of
500 million individuals being impacted by this disease by the year 2025 (Babu et al., 2013).
The pooled estimate from most of the studies was successful in showing a positive
relationship between job strain and hypertension. As per Babu et al. (2013), there is a strong
correlation between hypertension and Coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, transient
ischaemic attack and heart failures. The considerable size of the working population and the
relatively high impact that stress has on many adults today are more reasons for the need to
research work-related stress and evaluate its implications on employee health (Babu et al.,
2013)
Limitations and Conclusion
Based on all the research studies it can be suggested that work stress can cause diseases like
CVD, CHD, BP, and hypertension amongst employees. The DCS and ERI models were used
by Gilbert-Quimet et al. 2014 and Fishta et al. (2015) to conduct the meta-review to
understand if work stress caused BP and CVD. But all the researchers did conclude that their
studies had limitations and further review and research was needed in these areas. Babu et al.
(2014) suggested that work stress leads to hypertension. But also said that the paper had
limitations. One of the was not based on randomized research work, and some clarifications
couldn't be obtained from authors due to language barriers (Babu et al., 2014). Gilbert-
Quimet et al. 2014, suggested that one of their limitations was some of their research papers
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were restricted only to the specific working class and did not represent the entire working
class. Another potential bias was that only French and English papers were used for the
review (Gilbert et al., 2014). One of the limitations Fishta et al., (2015) confirmed that they
depended on only to two databases to get their research papers. Even though all the research
papers had biases and limitations, all of them did suggest that work stress caused health
issues amongst employees and needed to be addressed and curtailed. To conclude focussing
on reducing work stress would have a positive implication on employee’s health globally
(Kiwamaki et al., 2015).
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