A New Understanding of Workplace Stress: The Five Theories of Workplace Stress You Need to Know

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Many employers have initiatives in an attempt to address employee stress. But I bet few employers can identify and explain the particular theory of stress upon which their initiative is built.

Currently there are five theories of stress which have been identified as underlying the causes of stress in the workplace. Each of the theories has been widely researched and has its own base of research results or evidence supporting its existence.

To understand stress in the workplace, one should understand the five theories and how they might be playing out in the workplace. The five theories are:

1. Demands — Control Theory
2. Demand — Control — Resources Theory
3. Effort — Reward Imbalance Theory
4. Conservation of Resources Theory
5. Person — Environment Fit Theory

A simple description of each theory follows:

The Demands — Control Theory suggests that the stress response is triggered when there is a mismatch between the demands of a job and the level of control that an individual has over their work. Jobs that are high in demands and low in control are likely to be the most stressful.

The Demands — Control — Resources Theory adds the concept of resources to the demands — control theory. This model proposes that high job demands combined with low job control and low job resources can lead to job strain, which can cause physical and mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and burnout. On the other hand, high job resources can buffer the negative effects of job demands and lead to positive outcomes such as job satisfaction, engagement, and motivation.

The Effort — Reward Imbalance Theory suggests that the stress response is triggered when there is an imbalance between the effort that an individual puts into their work and the rewards they receive in return. If the effort is high and the rewards are low, individuals may experience stress.

The Conservation of Resources Theory proposes that the stress response is triggered when individuals perceive that they are losing important resources (such as time, money, or social support) faster than they can replenish them. This can occur when individuals are faced with high job demands, conflict between work and personal life, or other stressors.

The Person — Environment Fit Theory suggests that the stress is triggered when there is a poor fit between the characteristics of an individual and the demands of their work environment. For example, an introverted person may experience stress in a highly social work environment. Research on this theory has included: Person — Job Fit, Person — Organization Fit and Person — Group Fit. The Person — Environment Fit Theory has also been applied to understanding the impact of organizational change and job transitions on employee wellbeing.

Understanding these five key theories of workplace stress generates a key question I ponder: If all five theories of workplace stress are supported by research results, then might not stress in the workplace be the result of all five theories in combination?

A yes answer to this key question means that an employer must address each of these theories when developing and implementing a stress related initiative. This then raises the challenge for employers as to which stress related questions they should be asking of themselves?

The questions related to each theory might include:

For the Demands — Control Theory:

1. Are our employees experiencing high levels of stress due to a lack of control over their work tasks and decisions?
2. Do our employees have the necessary control to effectively manage the demands of their job?
3. Are job demands causing employees to experience burnout or mental health problems?
4. Do our managers provide opportunities for employees to have a say in how their work is organized and carried out?
5. Are we providing sufficient training and support to help employees cope with high job demands?
6. Do we monitor job demands and adjust workloads when necessary to prevent stress and burnout?
7. Are there aspects of the work environment that limit employees’ ability to control their work tasks and schedules?
8. Do employees have access to decision-making authority and information that enables them to make informed decisions?
9. Are there opportunities for employees to participate in decision-making processes that impact their work?
10. Are we providing our employees with the necessary resources (e.g., equipment, time, support) to effectively manage job demands and maintain a healthy work-life balance?

For the Demands — Control — Resources Theory:

1. Are our employees experiencing high levels of stress due to a lack of resources to manage job demands?
2. Do we provide adequate support and resources to help employees manage work-related stress?
3. Are we regularly assessing job demands and ensuring that employees have the necessary resources to manage them?
4. Are employees provided with opportunities to participate in decision-making processes that impact their work, which may increase their sense of control?
5. Do we provide opportunities for employees to develop their skills and abilities, which may increase their job resources and reduce stress?
6. Are employees provided with social support, such as opportunities to build relationships with colleagues and access to employee assistance programs?
7. Are we monitoring workload and work schedule to ensure employees have sufficient time to complete their work and maintain a healthy work-life balance?
8. Are we providing our employees with adequate feedback and recognition for their work, which may increase job resources and reduce stress?
9. Are there any organizational barriers that prevent employees from accessing necessary resources, such as budget constraints or lack of equipment?
10. Are we regularly evaluating and adjusting our policies and practices to ensure that employees have the necessary resources to manage job demands and maintain their well-being?

For the Efforts — Rewards Imbalance Theory:

1. Are employees experiencing high levels of stress due to an imbalance between the effort they put into their work and the rewards they receive in return?
2. Do we provide employees with appropriate compensation, benefits, and recognition for their work efforts?
3. Are we providing employees with sufficient opportunities for career development and advancement, which may increase the rewards associated with their work?
4. Are employees experiencing job dissatisfaction or burnout due to a lack of recognition for their efforts?
5. Do we regularly evaluate and adjust our performance appraisal and feedback systems to ensure that they are fair and effective?
6. Are we providing employees with opportunities to provide input on work-related decisions and to have a say in their work environment, which may increase their sense of reward?
7. Are we monitoring workloads and ensuring that employees have sufficient time to complete their work and receive the rewards associated with a job well done?
8. Are there organizational barriers preventing employees from receiving appropriate rewards, such as budget constraints or lack of opportunities for career advancement?
9. Are we providing employees with opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge, which may increase the intrinsic rewards associated with their work?
10. Are we regularly evaluating and adjusting our policies and practices to ensure that employees are receiving appropriate rewards for their work efforts?

For the Conservation of Resources Theory:

1. Are employees experiencing high levels of stress due to a lack of resources necessary to effectively perform their job duties?
2. Are there organizational barriers preventing employees from accessing the resources they need, such as a lack of funding or outdated equipment?
3. Are employees experiencing work-life conflict, which may result in a depletion of personal resources and increased stress?
4. Are we providing employees with opportunities to take breaks and recharge during the workday, which may help to conserve personal resources and reduce stress?
5. Are we monitoring workload and work schedule to ensure that employees have sufficient time to replenish their resources and maintain a healthy work-life balance?
6. Are we providing employees with social support, such as opportunities to build relationships with colleagues, which may help to replenish personal resources and reduce stress?
7. Are there organizational practices, such as excessive bureaucracy or red tape, that may deplete employee resources and increase stress?
8. Are we providing employees with opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge, which may increase their personal resources and resilience to stress?
9. Are we regularly evaluating and adjusting our policies and practices to ensure that they are resource-enhancing and reduce the risk of employee burnout?
10. Are there any factors, such as high job demands or lack of social support, that may cause employees to experience a loss of resources faster than they can be replenished, leading to increased stress and burnout?

For the Person — Environment Fit Theory:

1. Are employees experiencing high levels of stress due to a lack of fit between their individual traits and characteristics and the demands of their work environment?
2. Are there aspects of our work environment, such as the level of autonomy or the degree of social interaction, that may be causing stress for certain employees?
3. Are we providing employees with opportunities to work in roles that align with their skills, abilities, and interests, which may increase job satisfaction and reduce stress?
4. Are we providing employees with a clear understanding of the expectations and requirements of their job, which may help to reduce role ambiguity and stress?
5. Are we providing employees with opportunities to work in a supportive and inclusive work environment, which may increase social fit and reduce stress?
6. Are there opportunities for employees to provide input on work-related decisions and to have a say in their work environment, which may increase their sense of control and reduce stress?
7. Are we providing employees with opportunities to learn and develop new skills, which may increase their fit with the job and reduce stress
8. Are there organizational practices, such as rigid rules or procedures, that may be creating a poor fit between employees and the work environment?
9. Are we regularly evaluating and adjusting our policies and practices to ensure that they are creating a good fit between employees and the work environment?
10. Are there any factors, such as personality traits or cultural background, that may be affecting employee fit with the work environment and contributing to stress?

The financial services firm Capital One is fond of asking: What’s in your wallet?

My belief it is time for employers and workplace wellbeing practitioners to become fond of asking: Which theory of workplace stress best explains the stress in our workplace and which theory of workplace stress undergirds our organizational efforts to address stress in the workplace?