The Impact of Occupational Stress on Quality of Work Life among the Staff of e-Workspace
With the advent of new technologies, factors related to
mental health in e-workspaces are taken into consideration more than
ever. Studies have revealed that one of the factors affecting the
productivity of employees in an organization is occupational stress.
Another influential factor is quality of work life which is important in
the improvement of work environment conditions and organizational
efficiency. In order to uncover the quality of work life level and to
investigate the impact of occupational stress on quality of work life
among information technology employees in Iran, a cross-sectional
study design was applied and data were gathered using a
questionnaire validated by a group of experts. The results of the study
showed that information technology staffs have average level of both
occupational stress and quality of work life. Furthermore, it was
found that occupational stress has a negative impact on quality of
work life. In addition, the same results were observed for role
ambiguity, role conflict, role under-load, work-pace, work
repetitiveness and tension toward quality of work life. No significant
relation was found between role overload and quality of work life.
Finally, directions for future research are proposed and discussed.
[1] K. G. Vivien, and T. S. H. Teo, "Occupational stress and IT personnel in
Singapore: Factorial dimensions and differential effects", International
Journal of Information Management, 19(4): 227-291, 1999.
[2] Bureau of Labour Stastistics, "Occupational employment projections to
2016", Monthly Labour Review, November, 2007.
[3] R. L. Dhar, and M. Bhagat, " Job stress, coping process and intentions
to leave", Delhi Business Review, 9 (1), 2008.
[4] T. A. Beehr, and J. E. Newman, "Job stress, employee health, and
organizational effectiveness: a facet analysis, model, and literature
review", Personnel Psychology, 31 (4): 665-699, 1978.
[5] J. Y. L Thong, and C. S. Yap, "Information systems and occupational
stress: a theoretical framework", Omega; The International Journal of
Management Science, 28(6): 681-692, 2000.
[6] V. J. Sutherland, and C. L. Cooper, "Sources of Work Stress", In:
Occupational stress. Ed. J. Hurrell, L. Murphy, S. Sauter, C. Cooper,
London: Taylor & Francis, 1988.
[7] S. J. Motowidlo, J. S. Packard, and M. R. Manning, "Occupational
stress: its causes and consequences for job performance", Journal of
Applied Psychology, 71(4): 618-629, 1986.
[8] T. T. Serey, "Choosing a Robust Quality of Work Life", Business
Forum, 27(2): 7-10, 2006.
[9] M. J. Sirgy, D. Efraty, P. Siegel, and D. J. Lee, "A new measure of
quality of work life (QWL) based on need satisfaction and spillover
theories", Social Indicators Research, 55(3): 241-259, 2001.
[10] G. Rethinam, and M. Ismail, "Constructs of quality of work life: A
perspective of information and technology professionals", European
Journal of Social Sciences, 7(1): 58-70, 2008.
[11] D. Normala, "Investigating the relationship between QWL and
organizational commitment amongst employees in Malaysian firms",
International Journal of Business and Management, 5(10): 75-82,
2010.
[12] L. Timossi, B. Pedroso, A. Francisco, and L. Pilatti, "Evaluation of
QWL: An adaptation from the Walton-s QWL model", Proceedings of
the XIV International Conference on Industrial Engineering and
Operations Management, 13-16 October 2008, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
2008.
[13] R. E. Walton, "Criteria for Quality of Working Life", In: The Quality of
Working Life. Ed. LE Davis, AB Cherns, New York: The Free Press, pp.
91-104. 1975.
[14] P. A. Lewellyn, and E. A. Wibker, "Significance of quality of life on
turnover intentions of certified public accountants", In: Quality of life
studies in marketing and management, Ed, HL Meadow, MJ Sirgy,
International Society for Quality of Life Studies, Blacksburg, VA, pp.
182-193. 1990.
[15] E. E. Kossek, and C. Ozeki, C. "Work-family conflict, policies and the
job-life satisfaction relationship: a review and direction for
organizations' behavior-human resources research", Journal of Applied
Psychology, 83: 139-49, 1998.
[16] R. D. Howell, J. B. Wilcox, D. N. Bellenger, and L. B. Chonko, "An
assessment of the role conflict and role ambiguity scales", In: AMA
Educators proceedings. Ed, Frazier, G., Ingene, C., Aaker, D., Ghosh,
A., Kinnear, T., Levy, S., Staelin, R., & Summers, J., San Francisco,
CA: American Marketing Association, pp. 314-319, 1988.
[17] J. R. Rizzo, R. J. House, and S. I. Lirtzman, "Role conflict and
ambiguity in complex organizations", Administrative Science
Quarterly, 15(2): 150-163, 1970.
[18] R. E. Kopelman, J. H. Greenhaus, and T. F. Connolly, "A model of
work, family and interrole conflict: A construct validation study",
Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 32(2): 198-215,
1983.
[19] W. Kirch "Encyclopedia of Public Health, Massachusetts", Kluwer
Academic Publishers, 2008.
[20] M. M. Harris, and A. Bladen, "Wording effects in the measurement of
role conflict and role ambiguity: A multitrait-multimethod analysis",
Journal of Management, 20(4): 887-901, 1994.
[21] J. Stranks, "Stress at Work; Management and Prevention", Oxford:
Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann Publishing, 2005.
[22] R. F. Lusch, and R. R. Serpkenci, "Personal differences, job tension, job
outcomes, and store performance: A study of retail store managers, "
The Journal of Marketing, 54(1): 85-101, 1990.
[23] R. J. House, and J.R. Rizzo, "Role conflict and ambiguity as critical
variables in a model of organizational behavior", Organizational
Behavior and Human Performance, 7(3): 467-505, 1972.
[24] A. M. Rossi, J. C. Quick, and P. L. Perrewe, "Stress and quality of
working life: the positive and the negative", North Carolina:
Information Age Publishing, 2009.
[25] M. Furlong, and J. Connor, "Quality of life and stress in wheelchairusers",
In: Handbook of Disease Burdens and Quality of Life Measures.
New York: Springer Science, 2009.
[26] E., Avis, K. W. Smith, S. McGraw, R. G. Smith, V. M. Petronis, and C.
S. Carver, "Assessing quality of life in adult cancer survivors (QLACS)
", Quality of Life Research, 14: 1007-1023, 2005.
[27] X. Yang, C. Ge, B. Hu, T. Chi, and L. Wang, "Relationship between
quality of life and occupational stress among teachers", Public Health,
123(11): 750-755, 2009.
[28] R. L. Kahn, D. M. Wolfe, R. P. Quinn, J. D. Snoek, and R. A. Rosenthal
"Organizational stress: studies in role conflict and ambiguity", New
York: Wiley, 1964.
[29] D. Olsen, and J. P. Near, "Role conflict and faculty life satisfaction",
Review of Higher Education, 17(2): 179-195, 1994.
[30] M. Van Sell, A. Brief, and R. Schuler, "Role conflict and role
ambiguity: Integration of the literature and directions for future
research", Human Relations, 34(1), 43-71, 1981.
[31] G. E. Martin, and A. MacNeil, "Define roles and resolve role conflict",
Connexions Module, v.1.5, 2007.
[32] I. Lee, and H. Wong, "Occupational stress and related factor in public
health nurses", Nursing Research 10(4): 253-260, 2002.
[33] P. Carayon, and C. Hajnal, "A diary study of computer use and worker
stress: preliminary results", In: Human-Computer Interaction:
Applications and Case Studies, (Eds.), M. J. Smith, G. Salvendy
Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1993.
[34] P. Subba, and B. A. Rao, "Quality of work life in commercial banks",
New Delhi: Discovery Publishing House, Pvt Ltd., 1998.
[35] H. A. Saad, A. J. A. Samah, and N. Juhdi, "Employees- perception on
quality work life and job satisfaction in a private higher learning
institution", International Review of Business Research Papers, 4(3):
23-34, 2008.
[36] R. T. Hise, "Conflict in the salesman-s role", University of Washington
Business Review, XXVII: 52-62, 1968.
[37] K. B. Wright, "Researching internet-based populations: advantages and
disadvantages of online survey research, online questionnaire authoring
software packages, and web survey services", Journal of Computer-
Mediated Communication, 10(3), article 11, 2005.
[38] M. P. Couper , "Web surveys: A review of issues and approaches",
Public Opinion Quarterly, 64(4): 464-94, 2000.
[1] K. G. Vivien, and T. S. H. Teo, "Occupational stress and IT personnel in
Singapore: Factorial dimensions and differential effects", International
Journal of Information Management, 19(4): 227-291, 1999.
[2] Bureau of Labour Stastistics, "Occupational employment projections to
2016", Monthly Labour Review, November, 2007.
[3] R. L. Dhar, and M. Bhagat, " Job stress, coping process and intentions
to leave", Delhi Business Review, 9 (1), 2008.
[4] T. A. Beehr, and J. E. Newman, "Job stress, employee health, and
organizational effectiveness: a facet analysis, model, and literature
review", Personnel Psychology, 31 (4): 665-699, 1978.
[5] J. Y. L Thong, and C. S. Yap, "Information systems and occupational
stress: a theoretical framework", Omega; The International Journal of
Management Science, 28(6): 681-692, 2000.
[6] V. J. Sutherland, and C. L. Cooper, "Sources of Work Stress", In:
Occupational stress. Ed. J. Hurrell, L. Murphy, S. Sauter, C. Cooper,
London: Taylor & Francis, 1988.
[7] S. J. Motowidlo, J. S. Packard, and M. R. Manning, "Occupational
stress: its causes and consequences for job performance", Journal of
Applied Psychology, 71(4): 618-629, 1986.
[8] T. T. Serey, "Choosing a Robust Quality of Work Life", Business
Forum, 27(2): 7-10, 2006.
[9] M. J. Sirgy, D. Efraty, P. Siegel, and D. J. Lee, "A new measure of
quality of work life (QWL) based on need satisfaction and spillover
theories", Social Indicators Research, 55(3): 241-259, 2001.
[10] G. Rethinam, and M. Ismail, "Constructs of quality of work life: A
perspective of information and technology professionals", European
Journal of Social Sciences, 7(1): 58-70, 2008.
[11] D. Normala, "Investigating the relationship between QWL and
organizational commitment amongst employees in Malaysian firms",
International Journal of Business and Management, 5(10): 75-82,
2010.
[12] L. Timossi, B. Pedroso, A. Francisco, and L. Pilatti, "Evaluation of
QWL: An adaptation from the Walton-s QWL model", Proceedings of
the XIV International Conference on Industrial Engineering and
Operations Management, 13-16 October 2008, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
2008.
[13] R. E. Walton, "Criteria for Quality of Working Life", In: The Quality of
Working Life. Ed. LE Davis, AB Cherns, New York: The Free Press, pp.
91-104. 1975.
[14] P. A. Lewellyn, and E. A. Wibker, "Significance of quality of life on
turnover intentions of certified public accountants", In: Quality of life
studies in marketing and management, Ed, HL Meadow, MJ Sirgy,
International Society for Quality of Life Studies, Blacksburg, VA, pp.
182-193. 1990.
[15] E. E. Kossek, and C. Ozeki, C. "Work-family conflict, policies and the
job-life satisfaction relationship: a review and direction for
organizations' behavior-human resources research", Journal of Applied
Psychology, 83: 139-49, 1998.
[16] R. D. Howell, J. B. Wilcox, D. N. Bellenger, and L. B. Chonko, "An
assessment of the role conflict and role ambiguity scales", In: AMA
Educators proceedings. Ed, Frazier, G., Ingene, C., Aaker, D., Ghosh,
A., Kinnear, T., Levy, S., Staelin, R., & Summers, J., San Francisco,
CA: American Marketing Association, pp. 314-319, 1988.
[17] J. R. Rizzo, R. J. House, and S. I. Lirtzman, "Role conflict and
ambiguity in complex organizations", Administrative Science
Quarterly, 15(2): 150-163, 1970.
[18] R. E. Kopelman, J. H. Greenhaus, and T. F. Connolly, "A model of
work, family and interrole conflict: A construct validation study",
Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 32(2): 198-215,
1983.
[19] W. Kirch "Encyclopedia of Public Health, Massachusetts", Kluwer
Academic Publishers, 2008.
[20] M. M. Harris, and A. Bladen, "Wording effects in the measurement of
role conflict and role ambiguity: A multitrait-multimethod analysis",
Journal of Management, 20(4): 887-901, 1994.
[21] J. Stranks, "Stress at Work; Management and Prevention", Oxford:
Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann Publishing, 2005.
[22] R. F. Lusch, and R. R. Serpkenci, "Personal differences, job tension, job
outcomes, and store performance: A study of retail store managers, "
The Journal of Marketing, 54(1): 85-101, 1990.
[23] R. J. House, and J.R. Rizzo, "Role conflict and ambiguity as critical
variables in a model of organizational behavior", Organizational
Behavior and Human Performance, 7(3): 467-505, 1972.
[24] A. M. Rossi, J. C. Quick, and P. L. Perrewe, "Stress and quality of
working life: the positive and the negative", North Carolina:
Information Age Publishing, 2009.
[25] M. Furlong, and J. Connor, "Quality of life and stress in wheelchairusers",
In: Handbook of Disease Burdens and Quality of Life Measures.
New York: Springer Science, 2009.
[26] E., Avis, K. W. Smith, S. McGraw, R. G. Smith, V. M. Petronis, and C.
S. Carver, "Assessing quality of life in adult cancer survivors (QLACS)
", Quality of Life Research, 14: 1007-1023, 2005.
[27] X. Yang, C. Ge, B. Hu, T. Chi, and L. Wang, "Relationship between
quality of life and occupational stress among teachers", Public Health,
123(11): 750-755, 2009.
[28] R. L. Kahn, D. M. Wolfe, R. P. Quinn, J. D. Snoek, and R. A. Rosenthal
"Organizational stress: studies in role conflict and ambiguity", New
York: Wiley, 1964.
[29] D. Olsen, and J. P. Near, "Role conflict and faculty life satisfaction",
Review of Higher Education, 17(2): 179-195, 1994.
[30] M. Van Sell, A. Brief, and R. Schuler, "Role conflict and role
ambiguity: Integration of the literature and directions for future
research", Human Relations, 34(1), 43-71, 1981.
[31] G. E. Martin, and A. MacNeil, "Define roles and resolve role conflict",
Connexions Module, v.1.5, 2007.
[32] I. Lee, and H. Wong, "Occupational stress and related factor in public
health nurses", Nursing Research 10(4): 253-260, 2002.
[33] P. Carayon, and C. Hajnal, "A diary study of computer use and worker
stress: preliminary results", In: Human-Computer Interaction:
Applications and Case Studies, (Eds.), M. J. Smith, G. Salvendy
Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1993.
[34] P. Subba, and B. A. Rao, "Quality of work life in commercial banks",
New Delhi: Discovery Publishing House, Pvt Ltd., 1998.
[35] H. A. Saad, A. J. A. Samah, and N. Juhdi, "Employees- perception on
quality work life and job satisfaction in a private higher learning
institution", International Review of Business Research Papers, 4(3):
23-34, 2008.
[36] R. T. Hise, "Conflict in the salesman-s role", University of Washington
Business Review, XXVII: 52-62, 1968.
[37] K. B. Wright, "Researching internet-based populations: advantages and
disadvantages of online survey research, online questionnaire authoring
software packages, and web survey services", Journal of Computer-
Mediated Communication, 10(3), article 11, 2005.
[38] M. P. Couper , "Web surveys: A review of issues and approaches",
Public Opinion Quarterly, 64(4): 464-94, 2000.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:63476", author = "Alireza Bolhari and Ali Rezaeean and Jafar Bolhari and Fatemeh Zare", title = "The Impact of Occupational Stress on Quality of Work Life among the Staff of e-Workspace", abstract = "With the advent of new technologies, factors related to
mental health in e-workspaces are taken into consideration more than
ever. Studies have revealed that one of the factors affecting the
productivity of employees in an organization is occupational stress.
Another influential factor is quality of work life which is important in
the improvement of work environment conditions and organizational
efficiency. In order to uncover the quality of work life level and to
investigate the impact of occupational stress on quality of work life
among information technology employees in Iran, a cross-sectional
study design was applied and data were gathered using a
questionnaire validated by a group of experts. The results of the study
showed that information technology staffs have average level of both
occupational stress and quality of work life. Furthermore, it was
found that occupational stress has a negative impact on quality of
work life. In addition, the same results were observed for role
ambiguity, role conflict, role under-load, work-pace, work
repetitiveness and tension toward quality of work life. No significant
relation was found between role overload and quality of work life.
Finally, directions for future research are proposed and discussed.", keywords = "Information Technology, e-Workspace, Healthcare,
IT Staff, Occupational Stress, Quality of Work Life", volume = "6", number = "7", pages = "1914-5", }
