The Effects of Organizational Stress on Employee Productivity

abstract: In today's fast-paced work environment, stress is found in nearly every individual. Rising stress levels are leading to a myriad of physical and mental health problems and decreased productivity in the workplace. The aim of this study is to reveal which management techniques result in the most productive, most happy, and least stressed employees. The study focuses on service industry companies located in Arizona, USA. Most of these companies are from Phoenix, although two are headquartered in Mesa, Arizona. Given the relatively small sizes of each group, every single employee was asked to partake in the study. No employees declined to contribute. From the evidence gathered, it was apparent that stress factors, such as poor working environment, lack of communication, and a lack of employee empowerment can all lead to stress and have a negative effect on productivity. Of these three stress factors, the results indicated that a poor work environment had the greatest effect on employee stress