If the level of stress is extremely low, it causes boredom, dissatisfaction, decreased motivation and dullness. These are damaging to the physical and psychological well-being of an individual and lead to poor job performance.
If the level of stress is extremely high, it causes exhaustion, indecisiveness, irritability etc. These weaken a person’s capacity both physical and psychological to cope with the stressors that have dysfunctional consequences. This also leads to poor job performance.
If the level of stress is moderate, it causes high motivation, mental alertness satisfaction and high energy. A moderate level of stress in necessary for development, creativity and new learning. Thus, optimal level of stress leads to higher levels of job performance.
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According to D’Souza (1989), consequences of different levels of stress are as follows:
(1) Low levels of stress are non-productive and lead to ‘rust-out’. Its consequences include boredom, dissatisfaction, frustration, apathy, erratic and interrupted sleep, irritability, decrease in motivation, absenteeism, lethargy, negativity and dullness.
(2) Moderate levels of stress leads to high level of performance. Its consequences incorporate high motivation, mental alertness, high energy, realistic analysis of problems, improved memory, sharp perception, calmness under Pressure, progress, change and satisfaction.
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(3) High levels of stress is non-productive and leads to ‘burn-out’. Its consequences include exhaustion, insomnia, illness, irritability, accidents, low self-esteem, absenteeism, change in appetite, apathy, strained relationships, poor judgement, increased errors, lack of clarity, invasiveness, withdrawal, loss of perspective and diminished memory.
However, work-overload leads to burn-out only if the individual perceives it as so. If work-overload is viewed as a challenge and one feels capable of meeting that challenge, burn out is not likely to occur.