Stress Management in the Workplace Exploratory Essay Example

In order to mitigate stress levels and improve employees’ mental health, the Singapore government has recommended organizations to adopt iWorkHealth, a confidential online self-administered psychosocial health assessment tool that helps companies identify common workplace stressors (MOM, 2020; Abdin et al., 2019). This tool allows staff to fill up an online survey comprising 71 questions regarding “job demands, job control, job recognition, organization culture, and relationship with supervisors and co-workers” (iWorkHealth, 2022). Upon completion of the survey, companies will receive a report revealing the key factors causing workplace stress, the intensity of workplace stress, and the mental well-being state of their staff. The Singapore government encourages firms to review the results from the report and make amendments to their policies, such as reducing workers’ exposure to stressors (MOM, 2020). According to Abdin et al. (2019), iWorkHealth is a “reliable and valid instrument” because it is comprehensive, easy to navigate and practical. However, one limitation of this tool is that questions of the survey are written in English, indicating that some employees who do not understand English might be left out. Using iWorkHealth, it may be deduced that high job demand is linked with stress and anxiety while high job control, caring culture and support from management are associated with job satisfaction and contentment.

An improved measure that could further alleviate workplace stress is to have a 4-day work week for employees (Peters, 2018; Nova, 2021; Paul, 2019). Peters (2018) states that Perpetual Guardian, a firm in New Zealand, reported that job stress was potentially reduced from “45% to 38%”, work-life balance grew from “54% to 78%”, and staffs’ commitment to work significantly rose from “68% to 88%”. She suggests that workers in the firm may experience increased productivity, heightened job satisfaction, and lowered stress levels after implementing a 4-day work week. Similarly, Nova (2021) claims that implementing a 4-day work week could allow workers to have more personal time and may minimize the probability of them feeling burnout and overwhelmed due to work. She indicates that employees might have better well-being, greater work-life balance, and higher productivity when working 4-days a week. Additionally, Microsoft Japan mentioned that productivity surged by “40%” when the 4-day work week was introduced (Paul, 2019). She implies that employees may become happier and more efficient without compromising the quality and productivity of their work when they work 4-days per week. Having a 4-day work week might bring benefits such as reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, happier workers, and improved mental well-being for staff.

This essay has described how overworking may have brought negative impacts to companies and the health of employees in Singapore. Overworking might have resulted in high quitting rates for companies and caused some workers to suffer from nervous breakdown, anxiety, weariness, and stress. The essay has also evaluated and shown that iWorkHealth might be a practical tool in identifying factors contributing to workplace stress, and the proposed 4-day work week could reduce the instances of staff feeling overworked and improve their productivity as well as their overall well-being. Drawing on the points discussed, it can be concluded that overworking may be detrimental to the mental and physical wellness of workers, and measures should be implemented to reduce the adverse effects of overworking.