EFFECT OF JOB STRESS ON JOB PERFORMANCE AMONG STAFF OF BENUE LINKS LIMITED MAKURDI: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF JOB STRESS NEUTRALIZATION

Abstract
The study examined the effect of job stress on job performance in Benue Links Limited Makurdi using job stress neutralization as a mediation variable. The study population was 705 staff of Benue Links Limited Makurdi from which a sample of 255 staff was drawn as determined by the Taro Yamane formula. The study made use of a structured questionnaire for data collection. Four models were used with job stress neutralization featuring as an instrumental variable in the fourth. Descriptive statistics, Standard Regression, 2-Stage Least Squares (2SLS), and Path Analysis were used for data analyses. The study found that job stress has a significant effect on job performance while job stress neutralization has a significant positive effect on both job performance and job stress. The study concluded that job stress neutralization is a partial mediator in the effect of job stress on job performance among the staff of Benue Links Limited Makurdi. It was recommended that the management of Benue Links Limited should ensure that the workload assigned to staff; the number of passengers to register per day, number of trips to undertake per week, among others, should be based on the capability of the staff to reduce fatigue; clearly define the responsibilities of each staff and avoid the situation where a staff carries out many functions a day. Each staff shall focus on doing one thing at a time. Also, the management should sponsor staff such as drivers and mechanics for professional courses to enhance their professional growth and development. However, the Management should not dissipate time and resources on promoting staff recognition and career development as a strategy for improving job performance. This does not suffice to state that staff recognition and career development should be relegated to the background, the emphasis is that they should not constitute the main variables used to promote job performance.
Keywords: Job, stress, performance, neutralization.
Introduction
Job stress has featured prominently among the problems confronting employees at the workplace. It has affected a good number of employees, thereby, limiting their performance on the job. Based on the annual survey from the American Psychological Association (APA) (2018), 60 percent of people in the United States and Europe consider their job a major source of stress. Job stress according to Folkman, Lazarus, Pismley and Novacek, (1987) refers to the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the responsibilities, resources, or needs of the worker. The indicators of job stress identified by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) (2019) and APA (2018) are as follows: low morale, management style, job responsibilities, carrier concerns, traumatic events, and work environment.