Work-related Stressors and Job Performance: A Comparative Study Between Chinese and British IT Companies

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of work-related stress on job performance. It pursued three objectives: 1) catalogue distinct stressors, worker traits, and workplace conditions and measured each factor’s direction and magnitude of effect; 2) assess whether employees’ experience and capabilities moderated those effects and, by extension, whether the influence of stressors could be redirected or dampened; 3) compare perceptions and management of stress in Eastern and Western cultural contexts. To address these aims, the researcher conducted a thorough review of prior scholarship, articulated eight testable hypotheses, and then subjected each to empirical scrutiny to clarify the multifaceted relationship between stress and performance.

A quantitative design was utilized, and primary data were collected through structured surveys, while secondary sources provided additional context. The sample comprised employees from multiple industries and both cultural spheres. This provided a broad perspective on the variables of interest. Statistical procedures were employed to examine the relationships between stress levels, job performance, experience, and capability. At the same time, personal characteristics, workplace environments, and cultural orientations were examined for their capacity to shape these links.

Analysis revealed that workers possessing extensive experience and robust capabilities adapted more readily, collaborated more efficiently, and ultimately performed better. Such attributes strengthened problem-solving, decision-making, flexibility, and innovation, benefiting individuals and their organisations. Experience and capability also lessened the burden of stress, with skills such as time management and resilience playing decisive roles in tempering its impact. Cross-cultural comparisons revealed fewer differences than anticipated; in both regions, experience and capability consistently improved performance. Based on these validated hypotheses, the study recommended culturally tailored stress-reduction programs, stronger interpersonal support networks, and the deliberate deployment of employee expertise. Policy implications emphasized the importance of culturally sensitive management practices and encouraged international collaboration to promote effective stress management across diverse workplaces.

Keywords: work stress, job performance, experience and capability, cultural differences, stress management

6119202003 Guanglei Lu, Advisor: รศ. ดร.ไชยนันท์ ปัญญาศิริ – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chaiyanant Panyasiri, ดุษฎีนิพนธ์ (Dissertation), Work-Related Stressors and Work Performance: A Comparative Study Between Chinese and British IT Companies, ตีพิมพ์ในวารสาร (Journal Name), Journal of Information Systems Engineering and Management, ปริญญาเอก (Doctorate Degree), บัณฑิตวิทยาลัย (Graduate School), ปรัชญาดุษฎีบัณฑิต สาขาวิชาการจัดการ – Doctor of Philosophy Program in Management, ปร.ด. การจัดการ – Ph.D. in Management, Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand – มหาวิทยาลัยสยาม กรุงเทพมหานคร ประเทศไทย