Možnosti využití jednoduché sebehodnoticí otázky pro měření úrovně pracovního stresu v průřezových dotazníkových šetřeních kvality pracovního života

This article explores the potential of using a simple self-rating question to measure respondents’ perceived level of workplace stress in standard cross-sectional surveys. This aim is based on practical experience: while there is a range of theoretical-empirical approaches to measuring workplace stress, the design and size of the research instruments derived from them often exceed the limits for being included in a typical cross-sectional survey questionnaire. The potential of using a simple self-rating scale is evaluated in terms of the scale‘s statistical relationships with (a) subjective quality of working life measured with a standard work satisfaction question, (b) Subjective Quality of Working Life Index, and (c) a discrepancy index. The research results reveal some problems concerning context, validity and reliability in using simple self-rating scales for measuring complex phenomena such as workplace stress. Notwithstanding these limits, this study shows that a short subjective stress measure does yield satisfactory results and offers an interpretative potential.