OCCUPATIONAL STRESS IN MALAYSIA: CAUSES, EFFECTS & POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

 

Muzaffar Syah Mallow

 

Dr., Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Syariah & Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), MALAYSIA, muzaffarsyah@yahoo.com

 

 

Abstract

The issue concerning occupational or work related stress can no longer be regarded as a problem which occurs occasionally or personally by individual worker within the organization. It has becoming an increasing global phenomenon affecting all categories of workers in every workplace in all countries including Malaysia. According to global workplace provider Regus's online survey conducted in 2013, 70% percent of Malaysian workers being reported for having more occupational or work related stress illnesses. The report which covered the opinions of 20,000 senior executives and business owners across 95 countries, also revealed that 48% per cent of the Malaysian respondents felt their occupational or work stress levels had risen and over 42% per cent of the respondent interviewed reported for having sleeping less due to work related worries like work burden, salary, and job security  It is crucial for us to know that when pressures in a working environment is been build up, a considerable impacts of the stress on the worker body and mind can also be developed effecting the worker personal life and eventually will produce low job satisfaction which will effect their productivity.  If the stress continues for considerable period, it will also affect the worker mental health and would put the worker in depress situation. Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has also predicts that depression will become the second form of health problem affecting those aged 50 and above after heart related disease. The Malaysian Ministry of Health has also estimate that more Malaysian will suffer from mental related illness like depression by year 2020 as the nation reach the fully develop nation status. Many studies have been done and the outcome show that stress preventions steps need to be taken to deal with the issue within the workplace. Stress prevention at the workplace has proved particularly effective in combating the issue concerning occupational or work related stress, by attacking its roots and causes, rather than merely treating its effects. The problem concerning occupational or work related stress has been extensively studied all over the world due to the negative effects it has directly on the workers as well as the organization the workers belong to. It is the object of this paper to examine the causes for occupational or work related stress, analyses the effects to the workers and the impact to organization and to find possible solutions to the problem. The occupational or work related stress problem in Malaysia is still an open question, waiting to be seriously addressed and solved instantly 

Keywords: Occupational Stress, Causes, Effects, Possible Solutions