New research suggests that workplace anxiety could lead to lower job performance, FitnHit reported.

Researchers at the University of Toronto found that the effect of workplace anxiety on job performance is closely connected to the quality of relationships between employees, their bosses and their co-workers. They found the high levels of emotional exhaustion that come from workplace anxiety can directly lead to lower job performance.

"Workplace anxiety is a serious concern not only for employee health and well-being, but also for an organization's bottom-line," John Trougakos, an expert on organizational behavior, said in a statement.

For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from 267 Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers across Canada.

They found that the quality of relationships officers have with their peers and supervisors can help reduce the potentially harmful effects of workplace anxiety, The Hindu reported.

Supervisors and co-workers who are empathetic and provide emotional support by listening to their peers go a long way in fostering a positive work environment, researcher Julie McCarthy noted. These kinds of strong interpersonal relations are built on high levels of understanding and trust, which allows individual needs to be met.

"Our findings highlight the importance of programs that allow employees to recover, build resilience and develop strong social support networks in the workplace," McCarthy said.

Statistics about anxiety in the modern workplace are alarming. One survey showed that 41 percent of employees from a range of industries reporting high levels of anxiety in the workplace.

Researchers hope the findings highlight the importance of having strong social support networks not only in high-stress occupations, but in any line of work.

"Organizations like the RCMP have taken great strides in developing techniques to buffer the effects of anxiety among their officers," McCarthy explained. "Our hope is that this research will trigger conversations among other organizations about the debilitating effects of a stressed-out workplace and the importance of developing strategies to help workers cope with workplace anxiety."

The findings are detailed in the Journal of Applied Psychology.