Work Stress: Work Anxiety May Lower Job Performance

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting roughly 40 million adults age 18 and up. Though highly treatable, only about one-third of those suffering from the problem actually never receive treatment and they're often caused by a complex set of factors, ranging from genetics and brain chemistry to personality and life events.

New findings published in the Journal of Applied Psychology reveal that workplace anxiety could lead to lower job performance.

Researchers at the University of Toronto found that the effect of workplace anxiety on job performance is closely connected to the quality of relationships between employees, coworkers and bosses. Furthermore, researchers found that high levels of stress that result from workplace anxiety could directly lead to lower work performance.

In this recent study, the researchers collected and analyzed data from 267 Royal Canadian Mount Police (RCMP) officers across Canada.

Findings revealed that the quality of relationships officers had with their peers and supervisors, alike, helped to reduce potentially harmful effects of workplace anxiety.

"Our findings highlight the importance of programs that allow employees to recover, build resilience and develop strong social support networks in the workplace," work environment, researcher Julie McCarthy, said in a news release.

Researchers are hopeful that the findings may highlight the the need for strong social support networks in the workplace, particularly high-stress occupations.

Furthermore, statistics show just how common stressful work environments can be, with one survey even suggesting that 41 percent of employees from a range of industries report high levels of anxiety in the workplace.

"Organizations like the RCMP have taken great strides in developing techniques to buffer the effects of anxiety among their officers," McCarthy explained. "Our hope is that this research will trigger conversations among other organizations about the debilitating effects of a stressed-out workplace and the importance of developing strategies to help workers cope with workplace anxiety."

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