THE LJS-EST-2019, AS AN INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE THE LEVEL OF JOB STRESS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS

Abstract

The objective of this article was to propose an instrument to measure the level of job stress in public institutions and private companies. It was classified as a feasible project with an experimental transversal field design. The opinion sample consisted of 27 workers. The technique was the survey, and the instruments were two dichotomous questionnaires with Yes/No alternatives to measure factors that generate stress and types of stress. A third one, the LJS-EST-2019 containing 20 items, subjected to validity through the pilot test, was applied to the sample above. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and those obtained from the LJS-EST-2019 instrument by the proposed scale, tabulated in a pooled results matrix, and processed by Microsoft Excel program. The results obtained from the research taken as background allowed to verify in the private company that the workers were affected by personal, organizational, and environmental stressors, with manifestation of episodic, chronic stress, distress, and eustress, consistent with the medium level of job stress obtained with the LJS-EST-2019. In the public institution, its workers presented all types of stress: episodic and eustress, with very high levels of acute, chronic, and distress. They were affected by the managerial role, organizational climate, lighting, group pressures, technology, and work overload, but to a greater extent, physical space, role conflict, and temperature; presenting according to the LJS-EST-2019, a level of toxic job stress, consistent with previous results. It is concluded that the instrument adequately measures the various levels of stress and that it provides accurate information to know both the causes that generate stress and which workers are most affected. Its application is recommended so the tool can be improved according to the requirements of the entities where it is applied.