How Workplace Stress, Building Conditions, and Employee Health Are Intertwined ‒ Literature Review

Commerce, the force that drives the United States economy. Work-related stress has a large impact on affecting employee health and well-being. The purpose of this narrative literature review paper is to detail how stress experienced in the workplace not only harms an employee but also can have impacts to a business’s reputation and finances. This review aims to show the connection between work stress, the affects it can have on employee health and well-being, how ill employees can reduce the productivity in the workplace, and how employee ill health and reduced business/organization productivity can lead to increased medical care costs and possibly have impacts on the economy as a whole. Evidence suggests that work stress contributes to the health of employees negatively. Chronic work-related stress can lead to physical conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, compromised immune systems, loss if sleep and fatigue, and can contribute to mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. These health impacts reduce employees’ quality of life and can also have negative impacts for businesses. The negative impacts can include increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, increased risk of workplace injury, and higher healthcare cost, all which affect an organization’s bottom line. Additionally, high stress levels can cause employee burnout and lead to turnover, further causing an impact to businesses operations and finances. Without healthy employees, businesses potentially take a hit due to lower productivity. After reviewing the literature that is available on the topic of work stress, employee health, and the results it may cause on a business, it is imperative that work stress be addressed properly by business owners and leaders so that a healthier workforce is created and maintained so that employee satisfaction is improved and to have organizational success.