New job stress scale

Abstract

The New Job Stress Scale (NJSS) is a short, multidimensional instrument developed to measure key variables associated with occupational stress. Developed by Shukla and Srivastava (2016), the scale extends traditional measures by focusing on specific organizational stressors and resources. It primarily assesses four distinct factors: general job strain and workload, Role Expectation Conflict, Work-Life Balance, and the availability of Coworker Support. The instrument is designed for use in organizational psychology and human resource management to diagnose sources of stress among working professionals.

Keywords

Job Stress, Occupational Stress, Role Conflict, Coworker Support, Work-Life Balance, Organizational Psychology, Psychometric Scale, Workload.

Authors

Abhishek Shukla, Rajeev Srivastava

Purpose

The primary purpose of the NJSS is to provide a concise yet comprehensive tool for researchers and practitioners to quantify specific dimensions of job-related strain that are often overlooked in single-factor stress inventories. The authors aimed to develop a scale with strong psychometric properties that captures modern workplace stressors, particularly those related to interpersonal demands and the interface between work and personal life.

Specifically, the scale serves to measure the extent of negative emotional and physical reactions resulting from high job demands, assess the ambiguity and contradiction in professional roles, gauge the perceived level of peer assistance, and evaluate the individual’s success in achieving work-life balance.

Construct

The NJSS is a multi-factor scale measuring the complex construct of Job Stress through four primary dimensions:

• Job Strain/Workload: Measures the perception of excessive demands, time pressure, emotional burden, and the physical manifestations of high stress (e.g., tight feeling in the chest).
• Role Expectation Conflict: Assesses the difficulties encountered when attempting to satisfy contradictory demands from various organizational stakeholders, including superiors, subordinates, colleagues, and external clients.
• Coworker Support: Measures the degree to which peers provide helpful information, emotional understanding, constructive feedback, and direct assistance necessary to perform job duties effectively.
• Work-Life Balance: Evaluates the perceived equity and successful integration between professional responsibilities and non-work activities, including family and leisure time.

Validity

The original development study (Shukla & Srivastava, 2016) established the scale’s validity through rigorous statistical procedures. Construct validity was supported by the successful identification of the predicted four-factor structure via Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).

The study also demonstrated convergent validity by showing that the NJSS subscales correlate appropriately with established measures of organizational stress, burnout, and job satisfaction. Furthermore, the clear theoretical underpinning of the items ensures high face and content validity, as the scale items directly reflect the defined components of role conflict, support, and work-life integration.

Reliability

The reliability of the NJSS was assessed using internal consistency measures. High reliability coefficients (typically Cronbach’s alpha values above 0.70) were reported for all four subscales in the validation sample, indicating that the items within each factor consistently measure the same underlying construct. The internal consistency for the overall scale is robust, confirming the scale’s stability and precision in measuring key aspects of occupational stress.

Factor Analysis

The scale development utilized both Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to ensure structural integrity. The factor analysis confirmed a clear, distinct four-factor model corresponding to the theoretical constructs: Job Strain/Workload (9 items), Role Expectation Conflict (5 items), Coworker Support (4 items), and Work-Life Balance (4 items). This robust factor structure supports the use of the NJSS as a diagnostic tool where scores on distinct subscales can be analyzed independently.

The factors were shown to be largely independent yet related, reflecting the complex interplay of demands and resources within the work environment. The successful validation of the four-factor model demonstrates the scale’s ability to differentiate between specific types of workplace stressors.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire / Psychometric inventory

Format: Multi-item, multi-factor scale utilizing variations of the Likert Scale format for response.

Language Available: English (Original development language).

Population Group: Working Professionals / Employees in Organizational Settings.

Age Group: Adult (Generally 18+).

Population Details: Likely validated initially on a sample of Indian professionals, though applicable to diverse organizational settings internationally.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate their agreement or frequency regarding the statements pertaining to their job experiences. Scoring varies: Job Strain, Role Conflict, and Work-Life Balance use a 5-point scale (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree); Coworker Support uses a 6-point frequency scale (Never to All the Time).

Keywords

Workplace demands, Organizational behavior, HR management, Job satisfaction, Role ambiguity, Employee well-being, Occupational stress.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified

Correspondence Address: Not specified

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was published in 2016. As the instrument was published in an open-access journal (Cogent Business & Management), it is generally available for academic research use, though specific commercial or high-stakes application may require formal permission from the authors or publisher. The original study providing the scale details is openly accessible. The original PDF can be downloaded here: https://www.cogentoa.com/article/10.1080/23311975.2015.1134034.pdf and here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/23311975.2015.1134034.

Reference’s

Shukla, Abhishek, and Srivastava, Rajeev. (2016). Development of short questionnaire to measure an extended set of role expectation conflict, coworker support and work-life balance: The new job stress scale. Cogent Business & Management, 3, 1-19, 1134034. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2015.1134034

Items of the New job stress scale