Pitching a Yerkes–Dodson curve ball?: A study exploring enhanced workplace performance for individuals with anxiety disorders

ABSTRACT

The research reported in this article seeks to explore how anxiety disorders, when accommodated, can assist to improve job performance. Online surveys were completed by 71 persons currently employed by Queensland government and who have been medically diagnosed with one or more anxiety disorders. The authors thematically analyzed the open-ended responses made by participants. Aligning with the Yerkes–Dodson law, this research suggests that accommodations can improve the work productivity of employees with anxiety disorders by keeping stress at a manageable level. This exploratory study also raises a potential variance to this law. A possibility exists that some people with anxiety disorders are able to maintain strong performance while experiencing an elevated level of anxiety. By revealing potential performance benefits of accommodating government employees with anxiety disorders, this research calls for managerial decision makers to think of such adjustments as investments in workplace productivity.

KEYWORDS:

• Anxiety disorders
• employee assistance programs
• mental ill health
• work stress
• workplace accommodations
• Yerkes–Dodson law

Acknowledgments

The study team would like to thank the Queensland government Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services, and the Department of Environment & Heritage Protection for participating in this research. The team also sincerely appreciates the study respondents’ time and effort in undertaking the surveys.