Work stress and its impact on employees’ psychological strain

Abstract

Purpose: This paper aimed to determine the predictors of psychological strain and identify the multidimensional measures of psychological strain. Design/methodology: The current study involves a reviewed research articles which were gathered from Scopus and Science Direct databases. A total of 60 articles have been reviewed from the year 2015 to 2021. This study has been classified into work stress and psychological strain components, followed by its definitions and dimensions. Findings: It was observed that work stress affects various dimensions of psychological strain. The findings also reveal manifold work-related stressors, which can be classified into two main themes, which are work characteristics and psychosocial work characteristics. This paper also helps to understand the conceptual knowledge of work stress, psychological strain, and its causes and consequences in the workplace. Practical implications: Stress management workshops can be conducted in the different organizations across sectors on a regular basis which can educate employees about the sources of stress and its harmful consequences on their health and how they can reduce stress effectively. Originality/value: A total of 60 research articles on work-related stress and psychological outcomes are reviewed in this study. Further, the paper is classified based on major work stressors and dimensions of psychological strain in heterogenous occupations.