AQA Syllabus focus:
'Workplace stress, including the effects of workload and control.'
Workplace stress often develops when the demands of a job feel greater than the worker’s ability to manage them. For AQA, the two key workplace sources are workload and control.
Workplace stress as a source of stress
Workplace stress refers to stress that arises from conditions within a job. In many occupations, pressure does not come from one dramatic event, but from repeated demands built into daily work. Two of the most important are how much work must be done and how much influence the worker has over it.
Workload
Workload: The amount and difficulty of work a person is expected to complete, usually within a limited period of time.
Psychologists usually distinguish between quantitative workload and qualitative workload. Quantitative workload means having too much to do in too little time, such as heavy caseloads, long shifts, or constant deadlines. Qualitative workload means the work is too difficult, too complex, or emotionally demanding for the person’s skills and resources.
Effects of high workload
High workload can create stress because the worker feels under continuous pressure. Time urgency may prevent rest breaks, reduce concentration, and increase the chance of errors. Over time, this can produce fatigue, irritability, lower job satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion. In jobs where the pace is externally controlled, such as machine-paced or target-driven work, high workload is often especially stressful because workers cannot slow down when demands rise.
High workload can also reduce a sense of achievement. If tasks keep accumulating, employees may feel that no amount of effort is enough. This produces frustration and a feeling of being unable to “catch up.” The stress is not only caused by the number of tasks, but by the mismatch between demands and available time, training, and support.
Effects of low workload
Workload does not become stressful only when it is too high. Underload can also create stress. Repetitive, monotonous, or very simple work may lead to boredom, reduced alertness, and a feeling that the job lacks meaning. This kind of stress is common in routine jobs where workers are under-stimulated rather than overloaded.
Low workload can be stressful because it produces frustration, low motivation, and a sense that time passes slowly. Monotony may also lower attention, which can increase mistakes or accidents. This shows that stress at work can result from both overload and underload.
Control in the workplace
Another major source of workplace stress is the degree of control a worker has over job demands.
Control: The extent to which a worker can influence how, when, and in what order work is carried out.
Control is sometimes called autonomy or decision latitude. A worker with high control may be able to set priorities, choose methods, take breaks, or decide the pace of work. A worker with low control may have strict supervision, machine-paced tasks, or little say in decisions that affect the job.
Effects of low control
Low control is stressful because it leaves the worker feeling powerless. Even when workload is manageable, stress can rise if the person has no influence over deadlines, pace, or procedures. The worker may feel trapped in demands that cannot be changed. This can reduce motivation and increase tension because the individual cannot use personal judgment to cope with pressure.
Low control is also linked to uncertainty. If workers do not know when tasks will change or cannot plan their day, job demands may feel less predictable. Predictability usually helps coping, so a lack of control can make pressure seem more threatening.
Effects of higher control
Higher control often reduces workplace stress because it gives the worker options. Employees who can organize tasks, vary their methods, or manage their pace are often better able to match demands to their abilities. Control can therefore act as a buffer, making difficult work more manageable.
However, control is not always completely protective. If a job involves very high responsibility but limited support, decision-making itself can become stressful. This means that control is most helpful when it is realistic, meaningful, and combined with adequate resources.
Workload and control together
The effects of workload and control are best understood together. According to Karasek’s demand-control model, the most stressful jobs are usually those with high demands and low control.
Karasek’s Job Demand–Control model shown as a 2×2 quadrant plot, with axes for job demands and job control (decision latitude). The figure highlights how high demands + low control produces “high-strain” (job strain), whereas high control can shift demanding work into a more “active” job type. Source
This combination is often called job strain. A person may cope well with heavy demands when they can set priorities and make decisions, but the same demands can become much more stressful when every aspect of the job is tightly controlled by others.
This interaction helps explain why two jobs with similar workloads may not be equally stressful. What matters is not only how much work must be done, but whether the worker has enough autonomy to respond effectively.
Research evidence
Research supports the importance of both workload and control.
Johansson et al. studied sawmill workers and found that employees doing highly repetitive, machine-paced work reported more stress and dissatisfaction than workers with greater variety and control. They also showed higher levels of stress-related physiological arousal, suggesting that demanding, low-control work can have real effects beyond self-report.
Support for the role of control also comes from Marmot et al.’s Whitehall II study of British civil servants. Workers in lower-status jobs, who generally had less control over their work, showed higher levels of stress and poorer health outcomes than higher-grade workers. This suggests that control is an important workplace variable, not just the amount of work alone.
A limitation is that not all workers experience the same level of stress in identical jobs. Training, experience, and how the person interprets demands can change the impact of workload and control. Even so, these factors remain central explanations of why some work environments are much more stressful than others.
Practice Questions
Identify two ways low control at work can increase stress. (2 marks)
Award 1 mark for each valid point, up to 2 marks:
feeling powerless or trapped
being unable to change pace, deadlines, or methods
greater uncertainty or unpredictability
reduced motivation or increased tension
Outline and explain how workload and control can affect workplace stress. (6 marks)
Award 1 mark for each accurate and relevant point, up to 6 marks:
Workload is the amount and difficulty of work expected.
High workload can create time pressure, fatigue, and overload.
Low workload can also cause stress through boredom, monotony, or under-stimulation.
Control is the amount of influence a worker has over how and when work is done.
Low control increases stress because workers feel powerless and unable to manage demands.
High control can reduce stress by allowing autonomy over pace, methods, or priorities.
The most stressful jobs often combine high workload with low control.
Credit relevant research, such as Johansson et al. or Marmot et al., as part of explanation.
FAQ
Yes. Very low workload can reduce alertness and motivation, while a moderate workload can help people stay focused and engaged.
Problems usually begin when demands are relentless, recovery time is limited, or the task difficulty is greater than the worker’s skill level. The goal is not zero workload, but a manageable and stimulating level.
Objective workload is the measurable side of the job, such as number of tasks, hours worked, or deadlines.
Perceived workload is how heavy those demands feel to the worker. Two people can have the same objective workload but judge it differently because of experience, training, confidence, or available support.
Technology can increase workload by creating constant emails, instant messages, and pressure to respond quickly. It can also make work feel endless because tasks follow employees outside normal hours.
At the same time, technology may reduce control through monitoring software, automated targets, or fixed workflows. In some jobs, though, it can increase control by allowing flexible scheduling or remote work.
Schedule control means having some say over when work is completed, including start times, breaks, or the order of tasks.
This matters because even small choices can reduce stress. When workers can plan their day, they often feel less rushed and more able to deal with unexpected demands. Lack of schedule control can make even ordinary tasks feel more pressured.
Performance monitoring can make workers feel that every action is being judged, especially when targets are strict and feedback is constant.
This can reduce perceived control because employees may feel they must work in one fixed way, at one fixed pace, with little room for personal judgment. Monitoring is most stressful when it is frequent, punitive, and not matched with useful support.
