Organizational Determinants of Job Stress (original) (raw)

A model of job stress that focuses on organizational and job-related stress is presented. Job stress is conceived of as a first-level outcome of the organization and job; it is a feeling of discomfort that is separate and distinct from second-level outcomes or consequences of job stress. The second-level outcomes may include varying levels of satisfaction, organizational commitment, motivation, and performance. A partial test of the model examines relationships between hypothesized stressors and experienced job stress. Survey data obtained from 367 managers of a large restaurant chain were used with the results generally supporting the model. Factor analysis supported the concept that job stress is multidimensional. Two distinct dimensions of job stress were identified: time stress and anxiety. Both job stress dimensions were significantly related to each of the model's five organizational stressor categories, but not all of the independent variables within the categories were significantly related to job stress. Moreover, the specific stressors associated with each dimension of job stress proved to be substantially different. Interest in the phenomenon of work-related stress has increased markedly during the last few years, as indicated by several reviews of the literature, a number of books, and a rash of public seminars promoting different approaches to stress control (Brief, Schuler, & Van Sell, 1981; Cooper & Marshall, 1976; Kahn, 1981; Levi, 1981; Moss, 1981). Despite this widespread interest, there have been relatively few reports of empirical investigations of stress in work organizations. The organizational literature on stress is dominated instead by concept papers with few tests of the concepts presented. Nevertheless, the available evidence and common sense suggest that job stress contributes to health-related problems among workers and to

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