The Relationship Between Occupational Stress and Performance Quality Among Multidisciplinary Healthcare Professionals: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Occupational stress among healthcare professionals is a global concern with significant implications for employee well-being, patient safety, and healthcare system performance. Chronic exposure to stressors such as excessive workload, emotional demands, and limited resources can diminish performance quality and increase burnout.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to synthesize empirical evidence on the association between occupational stress and performance-related outcomes—such as job performance, clinical competence, work engagement, and quality of care—among multidisciplinary healthcare professionals.

Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar. Eligible studies included healthcare workers (≥18 years) and assessed both stress and performance outcomes. Ten cross-sectional studies were included after duplicate removal and quality appraisal.

Results: Most studies demonstrated a significant negative relationship between occupational stress and job performance (ranging from r = -0.211 to r = -0.965). Stress was also inversely correlated with work engagement, competence, and quality of care. Mediating variables such as burnout and resilience influenced these associations, with high resilience partially mitigating performance decline.

Conclusion: Elevated occupational stress consistently predicts lower performance, satisfaction, and care quality across healthcare disciplines. Addressing modifiable stressors and integrating resilience and wellness programs are essential to enhance professional performance and safeguard patient outcomes.