Most people would have learned by now that working is not necessarily a pleasant experience. Of course, this is not the case for some people. Plenty of people enjoy what they do and even become successful at it.

But every job, in general, can be stressful at some point. Any job would require people to exert mental and physical effort to some extent. And this is more than enough reason for people to view work as the opposite of leisure and relaxation.

This is not entirely wrong. It can be hard to relax when you have several tasks to attend to. Stress is a normal response when dealing with work-related activities.

But stress can be a source of motivation to get some work done. While some level of stress is beneficial, too much stress is never good. And some jobs can be so stressful that it causes people to experience anxiety triggered by work.

Work Anxiety: A Growing Problem

Work anxiety is the constant feeling of worry when dealing with anything work-related. This feeling of worry might be related to one’s tasks, the people they work with, or the nature of their work. Again, this anxiety is normal and can even be beneficial in their productivity.

But some working conditions may not be ideal. Some can induce too much stress that it creates an adverse experience for employees. This can then heighten their risks of developing chronic anxiety.

Too much stress and anxiety can lead to several adverse outcomes. That includes negative effects on one’s physical health and professional growth. Of course, this is never a good thing.

Negative Health Outcomes

Work anxiety is essentially built on the stress that people experience during work. This can severely impact their physical health. For one, too much stress and anxiety can cause breathing problems and dizziness. That can even affect one’s heart health, as anxiety increases one’s chances of developing heart disease.

Hair loss can also be related to too much stress; it may affect one’s confidence. It may be common among men, given that male pattern baldness can come into play. But stress can cause hair loss in women, too. Of course, there is always treatment for women’s hair loss. They can go through these treatments while they try to address their anxiety.

Negative Outcomes on Work-Life

Of course, this anxiety can also affect their overall work life. Being constantly worried at work can cause them to lose focus on their tasks. This can affect their productivity.

Apart from that, this anxiety can be a contributor to their dissatisfaction with their jobs. They cannot enjoy their work, and their experience while working can be adverse. It can eventually lead to unhappiness in the workplace.

Identifying the Cause

In most cases, work anxiety is caused by a specific factor that only occurs in the workplace. There are plenty of stressors that surround one’s work. Knowing these stressors is the first step towards addressing the anxiety.

New to the Job

Starting a new job is always a scary experience. Everything is new, and every situation is still uncertain. This may cause some temporary anxiety to employees.

With that, employers should ensure a good onboarding experience for their new employees. It helps them set expectations about their position. It would also help to foster a welcoming and friendly environment to help ease their transition.

Too Much Responsibility

It is possible for people to feel anxious about the tasks that are handed to them. Of course, they can be mildly stressful. But when too many are given to only one person, this may cause them to exert more effort. It can ultimately lead to higher stress levels.

Apart from that, too much responsibility can also cause job burnout. Too many tasks can significantly affect their resting habits. Less time for rest means they cannot recharge fully.

Untrained for the Job

Work anxiety can also come from the belief that they are not trained to do the job. They are afraid that they might make errors in their tasks. This can be understandable because errors in tasks can have grave consequences. These consequences only feed their anxiety.

Of course, this can be remedied by several things. For one, employers can provide the right amount of training to help workers learn the inner workings of their responsibilities. Apart from that, they can provide adequate feedback and mentoring to ensure that the employee is learning.

Helping employees learn can ease their anxiety about their job. It helps them navigate their tasks better and lets them perform their responsibilities well. It ultimately improves their overall productivity and satisfaction.

Work anxiety is not easy to deal with. But it can be addressed with the proper methods. We should always recognize work anxiety to ensure that we make the most out of our professional lives.