Job Stress

From mail sorters to futures traders, from assistant managers to college presidents,workers are complaining of rising stress. Evidence turns up in the increasing incidents of workplace violence and rising levels of absenteeism and workers' compensation claims. Many observers blame corporate downsizing for the added pressure. But employee assistance professionals say the causes are many, ranging from self- inflicted ambition and the tug of family obligations to the accelerating pace of technology and bosses who demand too much. Because each person reacts to stress differently, remedies vary. At the organizational level, managers and unions are exploring redesigned hierarchies and a more flexible workweek. Individual workers, meanwhile, are trying everything from meditation to stepping off the “success” treadmill.