The relationship of job characteristics to employee stress

Job-related stress is a costly, pervasive phenomenon in work organizations. Though many aspects of stress have been studied thoroughly, there have been few rigorous studies which examined the relationship between job characteristics and stress outcomes across jobs. This study hypothesized that job characteristics would predict stress outcomes across jobs within an organization. The study further hypothesized that this type of relationship would occur even when controlling for the effects of moderators (e.g., individual differences, job dissatisfaction, interpersonal relationships at work and recent life stress). The study was conducted in a large southwestern police department. Results supported the hypotheses. In correlational and regression analyses, job characteristics were related to stress outcomes, even when moderator effects were controlled. Those job characteristics which were most frequently related to stress outcomes (whether or not moderator effects were controlled) were using physical skills, community relations, interrogating suspects and investigative vigilance.