New research into workplace anxiety has revealed some intriguing findings:In some cases, it can help improve employee performance. The researchers looked at both the triggers of anxiety at work and the relationship with employee performance.
"If you have too much fear, and you're completely absorbed in it, it will derail your performance," said the researcher, an expert on organizational behavior. “On the other hand, moderate levels of anxiety can promote and boost performance.”
The model of workplace anxiety that the researchers developed is divided into two categories. One includes dispositional aspects, that is, those that correspond to individual character traits. For example, if someone already experiences high levels of general anxiety, their experiences of anxiety at work will be different from those that don't. The other includes situational aspects related to specific tasks. Some employees may be more bothered by job evaluations, public speaking, or other tasks that can distract them and lead to poor performance.
The study also outlines many of the triggers for anxiety at work. The most prominent are jobs that require constant expression or suppression of emotion — think “service with a smile” — as well as jobs with constantly looming deadlines or frequent organizational changes. Office politics and control over work are other important factors. Employee characteristics, including age, gender and job, can also influence the perception of anxiety in the workplace.
