When one’s knowledge and abilities can not match his work demands, the stress ma

Occupational stress is stress involving work. According to the current World Health Organization’s (WHO)definition, occupational or work-related stress is "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. "
    Distress is a prevalent and costly problem in today’s workplace. About one-third of workers report high levels of stress. One-quarter of employees view their jobs as the number one stress in their lives. Three-quarters of employees believe the worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago. Evidence also suggests that distress is the major cause of turn over in organizations. With continued distress at the workplace, workers will develop psychological and physiological dysfunctions and decreased motivation in excelling in their position. Increased levels of job stress are determined by the awareness of having little control but lots of demands in the work area.
    The Kenexa Research Institute released a global survey of almost 30,000 workers which showed that females suffered more workplace distress than their male counterparts. According to the survey, women’s stress level were 10% higher for those in supervisory positions, 8% higher stress in service and production jobs than men, and 6% higher in middle and upper management than men in the same position.
    Men and women are exposed to many of the same stressors. However, women may be more sensitive to interpersonal conflict whereas men might be more sensitive to things that waste time and effort. Furthermore, although men and women might not differ in overall strains, women are more likely to experience psychological distress, whereas men experience more physical strain. People suggest two explanations for the greater psychological distress of women. First, the genders differ in their awareness of negative feelings, leading women to express and report strains, whereas men deny and inhibit such feelings. Second, the demands to balance work and family result in more overall stressors for women that leads to increased strain.