Abstract:

In the contemporary healthcare landscape, employees ranging from specialized clinicians to administrative support staff are increasingly confronted with evolving job demands that frequently manifest as significant organizational stressors. This empirical study investigates the prevalence of organizational stress and its subsequent impact on employee performance within two prominent healthcare institutions in Kashmir: Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences and Khyber Medical Institute Multi-Speciality Hospital. Recognizing that excessive stress can compromise productivity, psychological health, and emotional stability, this research aims to identify the specific predictors of workplace tension and evaluate the efficacy of existing mitigation strategies. The study utilizes a descriptive research design, incorporating a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 100 respondents, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), employing factor analysis, KMO and Bartlett’s tests for sampling adequacy, and correlation matrices to examine the relationships between various stress dimensions—such as demand, control, and role clarity—and job performance. The findings reveal a statistically significant negative correlation ($-.472$) between overall stress levels and job performance, indicating that as stressors increase, professional efficacy inversely declines. While results suggest that current performance levels remain satisfactory, significant pressure points were identified, including long working hours and limited flexibility in work locations. Furthermore, while manager support was positively correlated with performance, the study notes that workplace relationships are often strained by moderate levels of conflict and instances of deviant behaviour, such as bullying. Based on these insights, the research recommends a strategic redesign of job roles to enhance employee autonomy, the implementation of robust anti-harassment policies, and the introduction of institutional performance counselling to sustain a healthy, productive medical workforce.