Influence of occupational stress on job satisfaction among university workers

Introduction Occupational stress has been identified as a significant predictor of job satisfaction among university staff. Objectives This paper aims to find out the relationship between occupational stress and job satisfaction among university workers in Sfax, Tunisia. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study, during the period from September 2022 to October 2023. We used a self-administered questionnaire distributed to university staff. The questionnaire included socio-professional characteristics and assessment of occupational stress using the Work Stress Screener (WoSS-13). Job satisfaction was rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (extremely dissatisfied) to 5 (extremely satisfied). Results The average age of the workers was 49.31±8. years. There is a slight female predominance (78 (53.1%)). Among the respondents, 57 (38.3%) were very to extremely satisfied. The medians of WoSS-13 subscales were 11 for WOSS-A1, 6 for WOSS-A2 and 3 for WOSS-B. Job satisfaction was positively associated with WOSS-A1 and WOSS-A2 (positive stress) but negatively associated with WOSS-B (negative stress). In bivariate analysis, being extremely satisfied was positively associated to WOSS-A1 and WOSS-A2 (p=0.000 for each respectively). However, it was negatively associated to WOSS-B (p=0.000). Conclusions Occupational stress has a significant impact on job satisfaction among university workers. Addressing job stress through targeted interventions can improve job satisfaction, productivity, and overall well-being among university staff. Disclosure of Interest None Declared