The environmental stressors have a great impact on work performance and adjustment of the individual in an organization. Discuss the different categories of environmental stressors.

It must be noted that stress factors are subjective and what one person may find stressful, others may not necessarily experience as negatively. The way in which we experience and react to stress is described as an emotional condition which triggers physical, psychological and emotional responses from the individual.
Formally, a stressor is defined as an event or context that elevates adrenaline and triggers the stress response which results in the body being thrown out of balance as it is forced to respond.

Examples of Stress Triggers

• Environmental stressors (elevated sound levels, over-illumination, overcrowding)
• Daily stress events (e.g. traffic, lost keys)
• Life changes (e.g. divorce, bereavement)
• Workplace stressors (e.g. role strain, lack of control)
Stressors usually fall into one of four categories:
• Internal stressors - these we carry around inside of us. They are self owned stressors. These stressors may range from the posture we adapt, to addictions and assessment of life/personal satisfaction or simply not getting enough sleep.
• External stressors - these are the stressors in the environments in which we operate and will range from parental pressure, to work pressure, to role pressure, to household pressure, traffic, crime etc.
• Hidden stressors - these are factors which cause stress but where the underlying cause is difficult to identify. It often results in conflicting feelings and a sense of an inappropriate reaction or response to a situation. For example underdeveloped emotional intelligence where self-awareness is not apparent.
• Obvious stressors - there are also those situations which obviously do or are intended to bring about stress. For example a work deadline would be an imposed obvious stressor where as the death of a loved one would be un-imposed but an obvious one.

Types of Environmental Stressors

Noise
Research has demonstrated that high levels of background noise can severely impair one’s ability to concentrate. It has been shown that excessive, intermittent or unpredictable noise can cause tension and headaches as well as raise people's blood pressure. It can impact concentration and reduce the ability to perform complex tasks. It can also undermine teamwork, as people in a noisy environment tend to become more irritable and less willing to help one another.
Solutions to noise at work can involve:
• Arranging to work from a home office.
• Installing partitions or physical barriers to reduce or deaden sound.
• Scheduling work tasks so that those requiring the most focus can be completed when the environment is more peaceful.
• Using meeting rooms separate from the main source of noise.
• If all else fails, using earplugs!

Lighting
Poor lighting, such as insufficient light, light that is too bright or light that shines directly into one’s eyes can cause eye strain and increase fatigue. In addition to lighting conditions, the quality of light is also important. Most people are happiest in bright daylight. Daylight which measures 10,000 lux (equivalent to a bright sunny day) is known to trigger a release of chemicals in the body that brings about a sense of psychological well-being. Unfortunately, most types of artificial light do not seem to have the same effect on mood. You will probably find that improving the quality of light will also improve the quality of your working environment. Solutions to poor light conditions at work may include:
• Arranging work spaces to be near a window.
• Whenever possible, allowing natural light to shine through open doors and windows.
• Trimming bushes that are in front of windows, painting walls with lighter colours, checking into the possibility of installing skylights.
• Installing brighter light bulbs in work areas or using full-spectrum bulbs in desk lamps.

Poor Air Quality
Research has shown that poor air quality at work can trigger headaches and tiredness, as well as impair one’s ability to concentrate. A variety of factors can contribute to the problem of poor air quality, including a high concentration of pollutants in the air, poor air circulation or inadequate ventilation.
Other sources of poor air quality include smoking, heating and air conditioning systems, ionization by electrical equipment, overcrowding (too many people in a small space), pollution, solvents or other chemicals from carpets, furniture or paint, and excess humidity or dryness.
Solutions to poor air quality at work may involve:
• Opening windows.
• Banning smoking indoors.
• Using dehumidifiers when humidity is a problem or humidifiers if it is too dry.
• Introducing plants – not only do plants raise the amount of oxygen in the air and reduce stuffiness, they also help to absorb pollutants in the air; evaporation of water from plant pots or the plants themselves will help to raise humidity when the air is too dry.
• Keeping yourself hydrated by drinking water.

Clutter and Disorganization
Another source of environmental stress can be a work environment that is dirty, messy, or uncomfortable. The distraction of working in an area that is disorganized, untidy and chaotic can make it more difficult to achieve your goals.
Solutions to disorganization can involve:
• Contracting with janitorial services to ensure the workplace is kept clean.
• Developing systems for organizing product, information, and equipment.
• Implementing on- or off-site storage systems.
• Storing or discarding unnecessary furniture, equipment and office products.

Furniture and Ergonomics
Poorly designed furniture, or the improper use of quality furniture, generally contributes to a variety of aches and pains. The most common of these is backache. Prolonged ergonomic problems can produce serious injuries. Taking the time to arrange one’s working environment is key to working comfortably and avoiding injury.
Solutions to ergonomic concerns at work may involve:
• Ensuring that office chairs are properly adjusted to reduce the risk of injury to the body.
• Arranging computer work stations so that correct postures are used when working with the monitor, keyboard, mouse, and documents.
• Organizing work materials and accessories to improve efficiency and reduce the distance and frequency of reaches.
• Organizing your workday to include tasks, breaks and exercises that allow you to vary your posture, rest your muscles and prevent muscle tension or soreness.
• Consulting with a professional who can give you expert advice, as often the ideal solution may not be immediately obvious. 

Stress and performance
For the most part, people view stress as a negative factor. Stress however is only negative when it is excessive, unmanaged and results in adverse symptoms and experiences. Some of the negative consequences include:

• Feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed
• Apathy, loss of interest in work or other activities
• Problems sleeping
• Fatigue,
• Trouble concentrating • Muscle tension or headaches
• Stomach problems
• Social withdrawal
• Loss of sex drive
• Using alcohol or drugs to cope

It is clear that with these symptoms the individual's performance at work, home and in social settings will be adversely affected. Negative stress also seems to have a self-building facet where once stressed, additional factors just keep contributing to the stress and increase the stress levels while decreasing performance and functioning.