Employee stress and stressors in gambling and hospitality workplaces

Employee stress has harmful effects for employees, organizations, families and society. However, employee stress, and the workplace stressors that create it, go largely unaddressed by organizations. Hospitality workplaces, including gaming venues, appear especially conducive environments for employee stress, although little research has focused on stressors in gaming venues. Through qualitative analysis of data from a previous study of gaming venue employees, the authors of this study investigated stressors in gambling workplaces. The analysis revealed that employment conditions, shift work, demanding work roles, emotional labor, patron interactions, uncertainty and lack of control, legal responsibilities, ethical concerns, and super-charged environments are key stressors for employees in gambling workplaces. In this regard, gaming venue employees may face additional stressors to hospitality employees more generally. Policy and practical implications for human resource managers are discussed.