Unravelling the Facets of Job Stress: A Comparative Exploratory Factor Analysis of University Faculty and Bank Officers

Purpose: Job stress, an ever-present aspect of the modern professional landscape, demands a comprehensive study due to its pervasive impact on both individuals and organizations. This research endeavour is being carried out with the purpose of conducting an in-depth investigation into the factors that influence job-related stress among university teachers and bank officers in Bangladesh. The research aims to develop a thorough understanding of the specific obstacles encountered by professionals in these industries and comparing by identifying common and unique stressors that are specific to these occupational contexts.

Design/methodology/approach: The study employed the exploratory factor analysis method in a quantitative design to unveil the job stressors. A convenience sampling technique was utilized to select particular universities and banks from both private and public sectors. Next, a simple random sampling technique was utilized to collect data from a total of 410 participants; 203 from the academic sectors and 207 from banking sector via Likert-scale questionnaires in both online and offline platform. 

Findings: Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to fully describe the picture of job-related stress by identifying 18 factors. There are eight stress factors that are unique to each profession, while five are common stressors shared by both.

Research limitations/implications: The results of this research provide practical insights that can be applied to organizational management by facilitating focused interventions aimed at mitigating stress associated with employment among bank officers and university faculty. 

Originality/value: By unravelling the complexities of job stress, researchers and practitioners can contribute to the formulation of evidence-based interventions and policies aimed at fostering employee resilience, promoting mental health, and cultivating work environments conducive to sustained productivity and fulfilment.

• Supervision