Interest in studying stress in the work environment has been growing in scientific literature in recent year due to the evidence of the negative impact occupational stress has on the health and well-being of employees and, consequently, on the functioning and effectiveness of organizations.

In the economy, the negative impact of this variable has been estimated based on findings that show that workers under stress have a decreased output and and that they increase organizations’ costs with health problems, due to higher absenteeism, presenteeism, staff turnover and workplace accident numbers.

For the individual, psychosocial factors are important causes of professional stress including aspects such as interpersonal relations, autonomy or dependence in the development of functions, late or early career development and conflicts in the workplace.

Workplace stress may aggravate diseases such as depression, anxiety disorders and burnout.