The Technology Boom and Its Relationship to Workplace Stress

            The Technology Boom and Its Relationship to Workplace Stress.
            
             This paper will analyze the article "Dealing with Tech Rage" by Chris Wood, as it explains how the increased use of technology has impacted workplace stress. It will also include an examination of the ethical issues inherent with workplace stress.
             The Technology Boom and its Relationship to Workplace Stress.
             Technology advances everyday. New computers and software promise greater efficiency, more productivity, and a simpler route to completing tasks. For the most part, that is exactly what technology does. Companies are better equipped to meet customer needs, balance and meet goals, and keep up in competitive markets. There is one negative factor that is not widely publicized: the increased tendency for continuous technological advancements to create stressful work environments. "Dealing with Tech Rage," by Chris Wood, reviews the difficulty employees have in coping with technology in today's workplace. .
             Wood reveals that constant upgrades in technology, from new programs and gadgets to complicated voicemail systems, "create new demands on time and attention," which ultimately turns into increased stress levels (2001, March 19). Stress is tension created by difficult demands. .
             Constructive and Destructive Stress.
             There are two fundamental types of stress: constructive and destructive. Destructive stress "is dysfunctional for both the individual and the organization. Too much stress can overload and break down a person's physical and mental systems resulting in absenteeism, turnover, errors, accidents, dissatisfaction, reduced performance, unethical behavior and even illness" (Shermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2002). .
             Constructive stress is what we feel when we are being creative, for example, or when we are playing a game we want to win. This kind of stress is invigorating and spurs further action. .
             Certain physical stresses can be constructive, too, such as walking or lifting weights.