Workplace stress has emerged as a major concern among employees in various occupations. In the modern work environment, people are often pressured to manage professional responsibilities, meet deadlines, and maintain a balance between work and personal life. Although a moderate amount of stress may enhance performance and motivation, continuous or excessive stress can have harmful effects on both mental and physical well-being.
Effects of work stress:
Work stress can influence workplace performance by reducing motivation, increasing absenteeism, lowering job satisfaction, and causing burnout. In severe cases, it may contribute to serious mental health disorders and chronic diseases.
Managing work stress is essential for maintaining health and improving productivity.
Assessment of stress
Various tools and questionnaires are used to assess workplace stress among employees. One such tool is TAWS-16 (Tool to Assess and Classify Work Stress), which helps identify stress levels and associated workplace factors. This tool is of importance because it was developed specifically for the Indian work environment.
TAWS-16 involves two sets of 16 questions each. Based on their response, individuals are categorised into three colour-coded risk categories (red, yellow, and green) that will aid the workplace in helping their employees.
Items in Section A investigate the work-stressor experience of employees over the past 6 months of employment and categorize their work-stress levels. Subjects scoring >48 points in Section A are classified as having work stress, with different cut-off scores for mild, moderate, and severe stress.
Items in Section B investigate commonly reported psychosomatic symptoms suggestive of work stress. Employees experiencing symptoms are asked further about their frequency.
Benefits of TAWS-16:
- Common work-stressors faced especially by Indians are identified and listed.
- It takes into account all the factors related to work-stress—exposure to stressors, frequency of exposure, ability to cope, work-stress level, and symptoms.
- Simple and easy to use tool, and takes only 6 to 12 minutes.
- Available in both online and offline forms.
- The results are provided immediately.
[An organisation or individual wishing to use TAWS-16 can contact 080-26995868 and obtain permission from NIMHANS]
Have you ever had work-related stress? How do you overcome it? Do comment below
MBH/PS