Effect of Job Stress on Employee Job Performance: A Case Study of a Selected Apparel Company in Sri Lanka

In recent years, there has been an increase in stress in many aspects of life, particularly in people's workplaces. Individuals face high levels of stress on a daily basis, which can have a negative impact on their performance and productivity. This study attempts to examine the impact of job stress on the job performance of machine operators in a selected apparel company in Sri Lanka which is a BOI-registered garment manufacturer. The study was a cross-sectional study conducted in a non-contrive setting and the sample size was 226. The primary data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of two sections. The questionnaire was composed of 32 questions with a five-point Likert scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, simple regression and multiple regression methods. According to the results, it was found that all the dimensions which were used to measure the job stress; stress due to work overload, stress due to the working environment, stress due to role ambiguity and stress due to salary have a significant negative impact on the job performance of the machine operators in the selected apparel company. Further, it was discovered that the job stress of machine operators at the company was at a higher level while their job performance was low. Based on the results, the researchers recommend redesigning some jobs to reduce the work overload, providing sufficient support, guidance and encouragement, building social support and maintaining a proper reward system as measures of managing employee job stress in order to improve their job performance.