Stress in the Working Environment and its Causes
Purpose: The aim of this article is to determine the impact of stress on the working environment and present the causes of its emergence. The main focus of the article is on the mental well-being of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/Methodology/Approach: The main research problem in this article was formulated as follows: What is the impact of stress on safety in the working environment, and what are the causes of its emergence? Obtaining answers to the above questions required the application of qualitative methods. For the purposes of the study, the method of analysing national and international literature, internet sources relevant to the analysed topic, as well as the analysis of research from both domestic and foreign reports, was used. Findings: In the main part of the article, the focus was on the mental well-being of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has caused numerous changes and challenges that may lead to an increase in stress levels in the workplace. The authors of this article demonstrated that stress in the working environment directly affects employees and organizations. They also drew attention to the so-called psychosocial stress factors and the poor condition of Polish employees, which necessitates the employer's attention in creating effective stress management and prevention programs. Understanding the causes of stress constitutes a crucial premise for developing an effective stress management strategy. Practical implications: Understanding the determinants of stress among employees enables employers to take actions to minimize it and create supportive programs in the workplace. Accurate identification and analysis of "trigger points" allow for the development and customization of effective stress management strategies tailored to the individual needs of the organization. Originality/Value: In addition to the internal organizational factors determining stress in the work environment, recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have been additional sources of tension and difficulties for individuals, teams, and entire organizations.