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Positive impact of job stress on the performance of employees of Uva Wellassa

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International Journal of Academic Management Science Research (IJAMSR)
ISSN: 2643-900X
Vol. 7 Issue 1, January - 2023, Pages: 1-4

Positive impact of job stress on the performance of employees of

Uva Wellassa University
M.F Hibathul Careem
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
[email protected]
Abstract: Job stress has become a major buzzword and legitimate concern of the times. It is usually thought of in negative terms but
it has positive side also. Stress is the wear and tear of our bodies as we adjust to our continually changing environment. Most studies
and research in this field has centered on work generated distress. Therefore, this study was scheduled to identify a set of factors
related with the job content and job context which causes positive stress in a working setting. This study is being carried out at the
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka among the non-academic staff members of the university. A pre-tested questionnaire contains
the questions related to the job content and job context were personally given to the randomly selected persons and obtained the
views of the employees on the aspects related to the study. The variables and factors were measured on a 7 point Likert Scale and
descriptive analysis were also carried out to identify the mean, standard deviations. In addition, the significant variable that explains
employees’ perceived state of positive stressfulness in order of their importance based on the mean values. It was identified that the
positive stress in principally caused by factors related with job content which has the higher mean rating of 4.66 with the standard
deviation of 1.61. The overall evaluation of the major variables reveals that the job content plays an important role in associating
with positive stress. A keen focus of attention may be induced by introducing better new systems and management changes. Positive
stressfulness leads to creativity and innovation at all levels in organizations.
Keywords: Job stress, Positive stress, Job content

INTRODUCTION
Job stress has become a major buzzword and legitimate concern of the times. It has become a popular topic of both discussion and
research over the past few years. Jeffrey R. Edward (1983) defined job stress as a discrepancy between an employee’s perceived
state and desired state provided that the presence of this discrepancy is considered important by the employee. Stephen P. Robbins
(1992) also describes that a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity constrain or demand related
to what he or she desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important. A person’s ability or alertness
can obviously be affected by stress and most individuals are affected at some time. Stress related health problems cost business and
society a ton of money.

According to these definitions, stress is more typically associated with constraints and demands. However, the most recent and
widely accepted definition which is given by Fred Luthans (1995) in the Organizational Behaviour is that the stress is an adoptive
response to an external situation that results in physical, Psychological and / or behavioural deviations from organizational
participants. Job stress usually thought in negative terms and it is viewed as a disturbing condition for higher individuals as well as
organizational performance. Increased amount of individual job stress considered as on the negative hygiene factors creeping more
and more into the present working world.

Stress affects a person’s ability, judgement and alertness and it is estimated that at least three-quarters of all industrial accidents are
by the inability of employee to cope with emotional distress. Based on the general stress literature, organizational researchers have
conducted studies designed to demonstrate relations between the job stress and its causes. (Paul E. Spector, Daniel J. Dwyer and
Steve M.Jex 1988, Debra L.Nelson and James C. Quick 1985)

But, there is also a positive, pleasant side of stress. Positive stress brings about desirable effects on both the individual and the
organization. This kind of stress may even be welcomed in organization as it provides a keen focus of attention on improving
performance. A life without stress is a life without challenge, stimulation or change. Many exciting events in the work place and
even in the life create positive type of stress. However, there is a gap between theoretical and empirical organizational research,
which severely hinders the accumulation of knowledge in this important area of investigation.
This study is intended to focus on this positive stress. Stress has positive as well as negative sides. Unfortunately, most research in
this field has centered on work-generated distress. Hence, the positive side tends to be overshadowed by concern with the negative.
Stress is not necessarily bad in and of itself. While stress is typically discussed in negative context, it also has positive value. It is an
opportunity when it offers potential gain. This type of stress may arise from a number of sources. The study attempts to recognize
these sources in working setting.

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International Journal of Academic Management Science Research (IJAMSR)
ISSN: 2643-900X
Vol. 7 Issue 1, January - 2023, Pages: 1-4
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study is to identify a set of factors related with the job content and the job context, which causes positive stress
to employees in a working setting.

METHODOLOGY
The methods used to analyze the date included averaging and variance techniques. Two sets of factors viz.: job content and job
context, related with stress were considered for the study. This study is intended to focus on the employees working at the Uva
Wellassa University of Sri Lanka in the capacity of non-academic staff. A structured questionnaire was distributed among the non-
academic staff members of the university and 118 employees have responded.
The data were collected adopting the following methods.
a. Drawing from texts and other relevant literatures
b. Drawing from the questionnaire survey among the non-academic staff of the university
c. Drawing from other empirical evidence and actual experience.

A questionnaire, which contained the questions, related to the job content and job context were personally given to the non-academic
staff members of the university and obtained their views of the employees on the aspects related to the study. The key factors
classified under each variable provided the basis for developing the questionnaire with the questions related with general
demographic profile of employees. It was intended to assess the employees; judgment of the relative importance of factors in causing
positive stress.
The variables and factors were measured on a 7 - point Likert type scale where respondents indicated the extent of importance of
each factors in causing positive stress to them.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Two important variables were identified as influencing positive stress in employees. These variables were derived from a careful
review of the stress literature where these variables are controllable by the management of an organization.
a. Job Content: It is defined as the intrinsic value of a job and is associated with Psychological growth of employees. It is
concerned with the employees’ psychological feelings about the elements of motivation and enrichment in the job.

b. Job Context: It is defined as the surrounding aspects of a job. Particularly it is concerned with the employees’ satisfaction about
the condition of a job.

Data related to independent variables.

The job content is considered as independent variable. This is associated with the psychological feelings of the employee. The
following factors such as increasing accountability, high Standards, challenging work, more authority, recognition of achievement,
opportunity for advancement, identity of job status, innovativeness in job, increasing job freedom, personal power in job, were
considered as job content. The analyzed data related to the independent variables are presented in Table 2.

Data related to dependent variables.

The job context is considered as dependent variable. This is associated with the surrounding aspects of the job. The following factors
such as introducing new technology into Job, having too much free time, ensuring job security, continuous performance feedback,
reporting to more than one boss, competing job with colleagues, introducing merit pay and / performance related pay, job rotation,
removing close supervision, working with new superior and peers were considered as job context. The analyzed data related to the
dependent variables are presented in Table 3.

Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of the Sample

Description n Percentage
Age 21 – 25 29 24.6
26 – 35 69 58.5
36 – 45 16 13.6
46 – 55 4 3.4
>55 0 0.0
Sex Male 53 44.9
Female 65 55.1
Marital Status Single 64 54.2

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International Journal of Academic Management Science Research (IJAMSR)
ISSN: 2643-900X
Vol. 7 Issue 1, January - 2023, Pages: 1-4
Married 54 45.9
Level of Education GCE (O/L) 7 5.9
GCE (A/L) 66 55.9
Diploma 33 28.0
Degree 12 10.2
Level of Experience 0–3 82 69.5
4 – 10 23 19.5
11 – 19 10 8.5
20 – 30 3 2.5
>30 0 0.0
Overall Satisfaction level Very dissatisfied 2 1.7
of the employees Dissatisfied 11 9.3
Satisfied 78 66.1
Very Satisfied 27 22.9

The sample characteristics indicate that the mean age range of employee is 26 - 35 with the percentage of 58.5 and thus represents
more middle - aged employees. With greater number of female employees, the sample consisted of 64 unmarried (single) people
(54.2 Percentage). It is also revealed that most of the employees (66) are G.C.E Advanced Level qualified while 33 are Diploma
holders. Only 12 persons have the university degree level qualification that is 10.2 percentage of the total responded employees.
However, 69.5 percentage of the employees have less than three years of experience, it is very interesting to note that 11.0 percentage
of the employees either very dissatisfied or dissatisfied with their employment.

To determine the relative importance of factors causing positive stress, employees’ ratings wear analyzed with mean and standard
deviation values. The scores given by the employees to the individual factors were taken in to consideration and a mean score with
standard deviation was calculated for each such individual item. These are shown in Table - 2 and Table - 3 below:

Table 2. Mean values for Variable of Job Content.

Variables Mean Standard Deviation
Increasing accountability 4.932 1.3696
High Standards 5.093 1.4141
Challenging Work 5.373 1.3824
More Authority 3.941 1.5705
Recognition of Achievement 4.559 1.8189
Opportunity for Advancement 4.619 1.6115
Identity of job Status 5.068 1.4484
Innovativeness in Job 4.949 1.1756
Increasing job Freedom 4.458 1.6153
Personal Power in Job 3.602 1.7401

Table 3. Mean values for variable of Job Context.

Variables Mean Standard Deviation
Introducing new technology into job 5.339 1.6806
Having too much free time 3.280 1.7729
Ensuring job security 5.144 1.5759
Continues performance feedback 4.720 1.5072
Reporting to more than one boss 4.229 1.7217
Competing job with colleagues 4.746 1.5645
Introducing merit pay or performance related pay 4.653 1.7560
Job rotation 4.119 1.7887
Removing close supervision 4.186 1.4438

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International Journal of Academic Management Science Research (IJAMSR)
ISSN: 2643-900X
Vol. 7 Issue 1, January - 2023, Pages: 1-4
Working with new superior and peers 5.525 1.3569

Findings from the factor analysis presented in Table - 2 & 3 show the average ratings by employees. The mean ratings of the factors
suggest that employees considered some factors important in causing positive stress. As a general rule, a factor which has a mean
value of greater than or equal to 4.50 is considered acceptable and a good indication of the importance of it.

Job content includes factors, which are related with the intrinsic value and motivation of a job. Under this category, the factors such
as challenging work, high standards, identity of job status, innovativeness in job, increasing accountability, and opportunity for
advancement are placed high values by the employees. These elements in job content give employees a pleasant excitement and thus
create positive stress in employees.

Job context includes factors, which are related with the external surrounding aspects of a job. Working with new superiors and peers,
introducing new technology into job, ensuring job security, competing job with colleagues, continues performance feedback, and
introducing merit pay or performance related pay were considered important by the employees with respect to positive stress.

Table - 4 below presents the results of the importance of two major variables based on the overall judgment by the employees. In
order to determine the most important variable causing positive stress, these two variables, i.e.; job content and job context were
ranked according to their overall mean values. The mean scores for the individual factors under each variable were summed up and
another mean was obtained for major variables. Variance was also calculated by summing the squared deviations of each individual
factor in that category.

Table 4. Relative Importance of Major Variables

Variables Mean ± SD
Job content 4.66 ± 1.61
Job context 4.59 ± 1.74

The significant variable that explains employees’ perceived state of positive stressfulness is shown in order of their importance based
on the mean values. The higher the mean value, the more importance of the variable in causing positive stress. Results reveal that
positive stress is principally caused by factors related with job content, which has the highest mean rating of 4.66 with the standard
deviation of 1.61. This is supporting the study hypothesis.
Therefore, the hypothesis which asserts that factors related with job content lead to much positive stress than factors related with job
context is acceptable.

CONCLUSION
The overall evaluation of the major variables reveals that the job content plays an important role in associating with positive stress.
However, the findings also suggest that the positive stressors in job context were above the average, (above 4 on a scale of 1 to 7)
and thus are considered meaningful for interpreting positive stress. Nevertheless, the overall mean factor ratings indicate that both
variables, i.e.; job content and job context have been seen by the employees as moderate in causing positive stress. Employees could
be motivated in their jobs and hence better productivity could be achieved. A keen focus of attention may be induced by introducing
better new systems and management changes. Positive stressfulness leads to creativity and innovation at all levels in organizations.
REFERENCES
Edwards, Jeffrey R. (1992), “A Cybernetic Theory of Stress: Coping and Wellbeing in Organizations.” Academy of Management
Review, Pg. 238 - 247
Jackson, S.E (1983) “Participation in Decision Marking as a Strategy for Reducing Job Related Strain”. Journal of Applied
Psychology, Pg. 3 - 19
Jones, John W., Bruce N. Barge and Brain D. Steffy, (1988), “Stress and Medical Mal Practice: Organizational Risk Assessment
and Intervention” Journal of Applied Psychology, Pg. 727 - 735
Kirmeyer, Sandra L. (1988), “Coping with competing demands: Interruption and the Type A Pattern” Journal of Applied Psychology,
Pg. 621 - 629
Luthans, Fred, (1995), Organizational Behaviour. Seventh Edition. McGraw - Hill International Edition.
Nelson, Debra L., and James C. Quick (1995), “Professional Women: Are Distress and Disease Inevitable? Academy of Management
Review, Pg. 206- 218
Peters, Ruanne K., and Herbert Benson, (1987), “Time out from Tension” Harvard Business Review, Pg. 120 - 124
Robbins, Stephen P. (1992) Organizational Behaviour: Concepts, Controversies and Applications Sixth Edition - 195
Spector, Paul E. Daniel J. Dwyer and Steve M. Jex, (1988), “Relation of Job Stressors to Affective, Health and Performance
Outcomes: A Comparison of Multiple Date Sources Journal of Applied Psychology, Pg. 11-19

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