Ravalier PhD Theis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

43
period, the threats are sufficiently great magnitude, or there are many
small stressors that build up, strain can occur. Similarly, the JDCS
(amongst other models) states that should an individual experience a
particular set of working conditions, strain can occur. Should these
experiences last a period of time then chronic stress can lead to
subjective and objective strain outcomes.
1b) Work Stress and Health & Well-Being
The pressures felt by employees at work can be extremely
detrimental to health. For example the Japanese have a work ethic which
means people regularly work excessively long hours and, in extreme
cases, even sleep in the office. They even have a specific word, “karoshi”,
which means death through overwork (Cranwell-Ward & Abbey, 2005).
Perhaps the most compelling evidence to come out of the UK (and
perhaps anywhere in the Western world) of the adverse affects that work
stress can have on individual health is demonstrated via the Whitehall II
study (Marmot et al., 1991). These influential authors took into account
the JDC model of stress in the workplace (see Chapter II, Section 1b.1)
to investigate the effects that stress (and in particular high demands
combined with low levels of control) can have on an individual’s health
and well-being. The study of over 10,000 participants was longitudinal in
nature and found that individuals who experienced demands which are
too great in comparison to control were more likely to develop a range of
illnesses. Indeed, it was discovered that low control was particularly
important – those individuals in jobs characterised by low control had
higher rates of sickness absence, mental illness, of heart disease and
lower back musculoskeletal pain.
The Labour Force Survey estimated that for the period of 2008 to
2009 throughout the UK, 415,000 people believed they were experiencing
illness due to the level of workplace stress that they encountered. Also
data taken from General Practitioners suggests that ill-health forms almost
one third of all work-related health diagnoses, each case leading to an
average 26.8 working days lost (all HSE, 2009). These figures illustrate