The Impact of Job Stress on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Police: A Study on Chattogram, Bangladesh

Abstract

This study explores the prevalent issue of job stress among Bangladesh Police and its significant effects on their mental health and overall well-being. It highlights the critical nature of the profession and the inherent stressors involved, to achieve better organizational and mental health outcomes. The study combines quantitative and qualitative data adopting a mixed method with an explanatory design. This study includes insights from eight experts (Key Informant Interviews-KII) and surveys 128 police personnel to observe the relationships among job stress, job satisfaction, and mental health. The results unveil a significant finding: many officers (65%) go in a high-stress environment, which correlates with a prominent level of job dissatisfaction (68%) primarily due to inadequate salary and benefits compared to their workload. Moreover, about 78% of respondents have experienced some form of mental disturbance, attributed to their work pressure. Mental health issues, including sleep disturbance, anxiety, and depression, were also prevalent among the officers. A substantial connection was found with job stress and mental health (r = 0.65, p < 0.01), as well as stuck between job stress and job satisfaction (r = -0.58, p < 0.01). The study recommends increasing salaries, improving working conditions, and reducing duty hours as potential solutions to mitigate these issues. The implications of these findings are profound, suggesting that alleviating job stress and improving job satisfaction could significantly enhance the overall job quality and welfare of Bangladesh Police. Future studies should discover the effectiveness of different interventions, such as stress management training, and organizational changes, in enhancing the well-being of the police force.