Synopsis of the HR stress, pressure and subsequent underperformance in Public Organizations

• Author: Drumea C.
• Pages: 185-192

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 9 (58) No. 2 - 2016

Synopsis of the HR stress, pressure and subsequent

underperformance in Public Organizations

Cristina DRUMEA1

Abstract: This paper explores performance impact and professional behaviour of the human

resource in international public organizations under the new pressures of client orientation,

budgetary constraints and over-specialization of the personnel in such a milieu. The

research is empirical but it was lead by factual observations and data on HR stress,

prompted by institutional change in large public organizations. It stays mainly onto the

stress factor as both promoter and dissuader of the HR performance, while large

organizations are generally being perceived as inertial and reluctant to change. Their

employees’ stress level is increasing and is, nonetheless, a reality despite this fact.

Key-words: performance, stress factor, institutional change, international public

organizations

1. Introduction to the concept: stressors and strains

What is stress at work and why such concept needs to be observed and taken into

consideration by employers? A general definition of the concept is given by the

World Health Organization (WHO) and it is referred to as “the response people may

have when presented with work demands and pressures that are not matched to their

knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope”.

Several key-words are contained in this phrase; as they lay out, connected in

the expression, we want to emphasize the differences that exist between the notions

of: pressure, challenge and (work-related) stress.

Although the three coexist in the same definition, they do not complement

each other, but they bring out distinct facets of the complex way in which the

employee is impacted. While pressure is unavoidable at the workplace, due to

demands, schedule, deadlines and, ultimately, effort, the stress brought up by an

increased level of pressure can be avoided or, at least, reduced. The challenge is

another type of strain that can lead to stress, but again the “optional” side of its

occurrence is modifying the imminence of this factor and its impact along.

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, cristina.drumea@unitbv.ro