Bahrain - More than 90 per cent of public healthcare workers in Bahrain report experiencing moderate to high levels of occupational stress, which has led to reduced job performance, according to a recently published study. 

The ’Occupational Stress Risk and Its Impact on Job Performance Among Bahraini Healthcare Workers’ cross-sectional study, was conducted by a group of researchers at the Psychiatric Hospital and Salmaniya Medical Complex, located in Manama.

These academics were Amal Alafoo, Zahra M Mohamed, Adel M Yusuf, Hajar Mubarak, Shaikha Alaradi and Anisa Al Malali.

“Healthcare professionals in Bahrain face demanding conditions, including long working hours, emotionally stressful responsibilities, and critical life-threatening decisions,” researchers noted.

“Occupational stress has serious implications, affecting the mental and physical health of these workers and ultimately influencing their job performance.

“This study explores how occupational stress affects Bahraini healthcare providers, particularly in relation to their work aspects, personal well-being, and the quality of patient care.”The study, based on a sample size of 409 respondents from Salmaniya Medical Complex and the Psychiatric Hospital, involved each completing a questionnaire vetted by a focus group of 30 health workers.

Approximately 69.7pc of the respondents have more than 11 years of experience, and questions asked during the study covered factors like workload intensity, control and autonomy, role clarity, social support, emotional demands, physical demands, work-life balance and supervisor support.

“The majority of the participants (76.3pc) reported experiencing moderate stress, suggesting that while their stress levels are moderately high, they consider it manageable,” researchers added.

“Furthermore, 57 participants (13.9pc) reported high stress, while 40 participants (9.8pc) reported low stress.

“Regarding the relationship between occupational stress and job performance, this study observed a strong negative correlation. As stress levels increased, job performance significantly declined.”Of the respondents, 63.1pc self-reported satisfaction with their performance while 36.9pc were unsatisfied.

Expectations and feedback caused moderate stress levels amongst 74.3pc of responders, while 67pc also found organisational culture made them more stressed. Supervisor support, or lack thereof, was also reported as a source of stress by 66.5pc of respondents.

“Based on the results of this study, the participants with a bachelor’s degree and more than 11 years of experience were more vulnerable to occupational stress,” researchers found.“This study also identified that workload intensity, role clarity, feedback, organisational culture, and supervisor support significantly impact job performance.”

However, participants noted that they generally understood their roles and received adequate support, as reflected in high rates of role clarity (88pc) and social support (92pc).

Only 6.8pc of the respondents felt emotionally exhausted and nearly half (49pc) reported physical overwork.An overwhelming 97.1pc of respondents felt that their achievements were recognised and valued.

Regarding work-life balance, 76.1pc found it unsatisfactory, but 87.6pc expressed confidence in the organisational culture, and 87.3pc felt supported by their supervisors.

Overall, researchers recommend that these organisations should focus on developing targeted interventions such as resilience training, leadership development programmes and policies that promote work-life balance.

“Future research should explore the impact of emerging workplace dynamics, such as redesigned workflows, the integration of digital technologies and cultural diversity, on occupational stress and performance,” researchers added.

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