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INTRODUCTION
Life seems to become more complex and stressful as civilization advances. Pressures, demands,
and changes- these are all conditions that exist in persons environment. The nature of work has
gone through drastic changes over the last century and it is still changing at whirlwind speed.
They have touched almost all professions, starting from an artist to a surgeon, or a commercial
pilot to a sales executive. With changes comes stress, inevitably. There seems to be no shortage
of stress in peoples lives, both on and off the job. It occurs even when people are seeking
pleasure. It is not so much stress, within reason, but how an individual meet stress, that counts in
life. The problem is not stress. Rather, it is how individuals react to stress. Emotions- not events-
cause stress-related events.
The word stress is derived from Latin language where it denotes hardships, strains, adversity
or affliction. Concern about the impact of stress on people has its roots in medicine and
specifically in the pioneering work of Hans selye, the father of stress studies. In his search for a
new sex hormone, he serendipitously discovered that tissue damage is a non-specification
response to virtually all noxious stimuli. He called this phenomenon the General Adaption
Syndrome (GAS), and about a decade later he introduced the term stress in his writings.
The GAS has three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. In the alarm stage, an outside
stressor mobilizes the internal stress system of the body. There are a number of physiological and
chemical reactions, such as increased pituitary and adrenaline secretions, noticeable increases in
respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure, and a heightening of the senses. If the stressor
continues, the GAS moves into resistance stage, during which the body calls upon the needed
organ or system to deal with the stressor. However, while there may be a great deal of resistance
to one stressor during this second stage, there may be little, if any, resistance to other, unrelated
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stressors. This helps explain why a person going through an emotional strain may be particularly
vulnerable to other illness or disease. Finally, if the stressor persists over a long period of time,
the reserves of the adaptive mechanisms during the second stage may be a return to the alarm
stage, and the cycle starts again with another organ or system of the automatic shutoff valve of
death occurs. This GAS process, of course, can be very hard on the person and takes its toll on
the human body.
Besides the physiologically oriented approach to stress represented by the classic GAS model,
which remains a vital dimension of modern stress research and stress management, attention is
also being given to the psychological and the behavioral dimension of stress. Al three
dimensions are important to the understanding of job stress and copying strategies in modern
organizations.
Numerous changes occur in the human body during a stress reaction. Breathing and heart rates
changes so that the body can operate with maximum capacity for physical action. These
biochemical and bodily changes represent a natural reaction to environmental stressor: the fight-
or-fight response. An animal attacked by a predator in the wild basically has two choices: to fight
or to flee. Similarly, our cave dwelling ancestors benefited from this biological response
mechanism. People gathering food away from their caves would have experienced a great deal of
stress upon meeting a saber-toothed tiger. In dealing with the tiger, they could have run away or
stayed and fought. The biochemical changes in their bodies prepared them for either alternative
and contributed to their ability to survive.
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The human nervous system still respondents the same way to environmental stressors. This
response contributed to have survival value in a true emergency. The body has only a limited
capacity to respond to stressors. The workplace makes a variety of demands on people, and too
much stress over too long a period of time will exhaust their ability to cope with those stressors.
However, for most people most of the time, the tigers are imaginary rather than real. In work
situations, for example, a fight-or-fight response usually isnt appropriate. If an employee
receives an unpleasant work assignment from a manager, physically assaulting the manager of
storming angrily out of the office obviously is inappropriate. Instead, the employee is expected to
accept the assignment calmly and do the best job possible. Remaining calm and performing
effectively may be especially and the body is prepared to act accordingly.
The presence of stress at work is almost inevitable in any jobs. However, individual difference
accounts for a wide range of reactions to stress. When stress becomes excessive, employees
develop various symptoms of stress that can harm their job performance and health, and even
threatened their ability to cope with the environment.
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REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Hans Selye first introduced the concept of stress in to the life science in 1936. He defined stress
as "The force, pressure, or strain exerted upon a material object or person which resist these
forces and attempt to maintain its original state." Stress is everywhere in our society. It has
become an integral part of everyday living.
Researchers on stress make it clear that, to enter in to the complex area of stress, especially in to
the area of occupational stress, is very difficult. Stress is an unavoidable consequence of modern
living. With the growth of industries, pressure in the urban areas, quantitative growth in
population and various problems in day to day life are some of the reasons for increase in stress.
Stress is a condition of strain that has a direct bearing on emotions, thought process and physical
conditions of a person. Steers (1981) indicate that, "Occupational stress has become an important
topic for study of organizational behavior for several reasons."
Stress has harmful psychological and physiological effects on employees,
Stress is a major cause of employee turnover and absenteeism,
Stress experienced by one employee can affect the safety of other employees,
By controlling dysfunctional stress, individual and organization can be managed more
effectively.
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Stress is an individuals responses to a disturbing factor in the environment, and the consequence
of such reaction. Stress obviously involves interaction of the person and environment. Stress is
defined as , an addictive response to an external situation that results in physical, psychological
and/or behavioral deviation for organizational participants. It is a dynamic condition in which
an individual is confronted with an opportunity, constraint, or demand related to what he or she
desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important.
Stress is not necessarily bad in and of itself. Although stress is typically discussed in a negative
context, it also has a positive value. Its an opportunity when it offers potential gain. Stress
manifests itself in both a positive way and a negative way. Stress is said to be positive when the
situation offers an opportunity for one to gain something. Eustress is the term used to describe
positive stress. Eustress is often viewed as a motivator since, in its absence, the individual lacks
edge necessary for peak performance. It is negative when stress is associated with heart-
diseases, alcoholism, drug abuse, marital breakdowns, absenteeism, child abuse and a host of
other social, physical, organizational and emotional problems.
Stress is associated with constraints and demands. The former prevents an individual from doing
what he or she desires. The latter refers to the loss of something desired.
Stress is high when there is uncertainty of outcome and the outcome is significant i.e., two
conditions are necessary for potential stress to become actual stress. There must be uncertainty
over the outcome and the must be important. Regardless of the conditions, its only when there is
doubt or uncertainty regarding whether the opportunity will be seized, the constraints removed,
or the loss avoided that there is stress. That is, stress is highest for individuals who perceive that
they are uncertain as to whether they will win or lose and lowest for individuals who think that
winning or losing is a certainty. But importance is also critical. If winning or losing is an
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important outcome, there is no stress. Hence, when constraints and demands are coupled with
uncertainty of outcomes and importance of the outcome, potential stress becomes actual stress.
The Three Stages of stress:
The human mind and body are a lot like a metal spring. A spring has a certain tolerance for
stress. It can be strained up to certain limits (depending on its strength and construction) and then
will return to its original shape. Humans are much like a spring; they can be pressured up to
certain limits, and shall generally rebound.
Dr. Jere E. Yates points out that are actually three different stages, or points, that humans can
experience with stress.
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The first, the Yield point, is the stage that reveals itself as a slight change from normal
behavior. People reach this point from time to time.
The next stage- an extremely critical point- is called our Elastic limit. Dr. Yates has
described this point as kind of an early- warning device that signals the proximity to
stress threshold. Humans function reasonably well between their yield point and their
elastic limit. However, if bent out of shape- that is, passed beyond our elastic limit-
neither a spring nor a human being will rebound easily.
Once elastic limit is crossed, human may reach their Rupture point, which can cause
some severe and permanent mental and physical damage if stress is not managed
properly.
External and Internal Stressors:
People can experience stress from external or internal factors.
External stressors include adverse physical conditions (such as pain or hot or cold
temperatures) or stressful psychological environments (such as poor working conditions
or abusive relationships).
Internal stressors can also be physical (infections and other illnesses, inflammation) or
psychological (such as intense worry about a harmful event that may or may not occur).
As far as anyone can tell, internal psychological stressors are rare or absent in most
animals except humans.
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THE CAUSES OF STRESS
An important first step in prevention is to examine and understand the causes of stress.
Conditions that tend to cause stress are called stressors. Although even a single stressor may
cause major stress, usually stressors combine to pressure an employee in a variety of ways until
major feelings of stress develop. Employees often experience stress in both their personal and
work lives. Understanding these sources of stress and their possible interactions is important. To
consider either source in isolation may give an incomplete picture of the stress that an employee
is experiencing. There are many factors contributing to work stress. These factors can be
categorized into following
EXTRA ORGANIZATIONAL STRESSORS
Taking an open-system perspective of an organization (that is, the organization is greatly
affected by the external environment), it is clear that job stress is not limited just to things that
happens inside the organization, during working hours. Extra organizational stressors clued
things such as societal/technological change, the family, relocation, economic and financial
conditions, race and class, and residential or community conditions.
1. The phenomenal rate of social and technical change has had a great effect on peoples
lifestyles, and this of course is carried over into their jobs. Although medical science has
increased the life spans of people and has eradicated or reduced the threat of many
diseases, the pace of modern living has increased stress and decreased personal wellness.
The concept of wellness has been defined as a harmonious and productive balance of
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physical, mental, and social well-being brought about by the acceptance of ones personal
responsibility for developing and adhering to a health promotion program. Because
people tend to get caught up in the rush-rush, mobile, urbanized, crowded, on-the-go
lifestyle of today, their wellness in general has deteriorated, and the potential for stress on
the job has increased.
2. It is generally recognized that a persons family has a big impact on personality
development. A family situation-either a brief crises, such a squabble or illness of a
family member, or long-term strained relations with the spouse or children-can act a s a
significant stressor for employees.There is even research indicating that in dual-career
families, a stressed-out husband may transmit this stress to his wife. Relocating the
family because of a transfer or a promotion can also lead to stress. For most people in
recent years, their financial situation has proved to be a stressor. Many people have been
forced to take a second job are the spouse has had to enter the workforce to make ends
meet. This situation reduces time for recreational and family activities. The overall effect
on employees is more stress on their primary jobs. Some stress researches define these
personal life stressors as unresolved environmental demands (for example, family or
financial problems) requiring adaptive behaviors in the form of social readjustments.
3. Lifes changes may be slow (getting older) or sudden 9the death of spouse).these sudden
changes have been portrayed in novels and movies as having dramatic effect on people,
and medical researchers have verified that especially sudden life changes do in fact have
a very stressful impact on people. They found a definite relationship between the degree
of life changes and the subsequent health of the person. The more change, the poorer the
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subsequent health. These life changes can also directly influence job performance. One
psychologist, Faye Crosby, reports that divorce interferes with work more than any other
trauma in a persons life. She says during the first three months after a spouse walks out,
the other spouse-male or female-usually is incapable of focusing on work.
4. Sociological variables such as race, gender and class can also become stressors.
Sociologists have noted over the years that minorities may have more stressors. There
continues to be evidence that women perceive more job demands that man in both the
male-dominated and female-dominated occupations. Also, for professional women, the
particular sources of stress have been identified as discrimination, stereotyping, the
marriage/work interface, and social isolation. Research shows that significant number of
working women report feeling personal or family stress which in turn leads to job stress.
In particular, dual family and work roles frequently result in job stress. Also people in the
middle and upper classes may have particular or common stressors. The same is true of
the local community or region that one comes from. For example, one research identified
the condition of housing convenience of services and shopping, neighborliness, and
degree of noise and pollution as likely stressors.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRESSORS:
Besides the potential stressors that occur outside the organization, there are also those associated
with the organization itself. Although the organization is made up of groups of individuals, there
are also more macro-level dimensions, unique to the organization that contains potential
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stressors. It should be noted that as organizations dramatically change to meet the environmental
challenges, there are more and more accompanying stressors for individual employees in their
jobs.
Any job condition can cause stress, depending on an employees reaction to it. For example, one
employee will accept a new work procedure and feel little or no stress, while another experiences
overwhelming pressure from the same task. Part of the difference lies in each employees general
outlook, and expectations, which are all internal factors. Some job conditions however cause
stress for employees. Major ones are discussed as follows:
1. Work overload and time deadlines:
For many employees, having too much work to do and not enough time or resources to do it
can be stressful. Role overload exists when demands exceed the capacity of a manager or
employee to meet all of them adequately. Many stressful jobs may be in a continuous
condition of role overload. Surveys commonly identify work overload or having to work too
hard as a major source of stress. Having too little work to do may create stress. Managers
sometimes are guilty of trying to do their subordinates work, or micromanage, when their
jobs arent challenging enough. Micromanaging might reduce the managers stress caused by
boredom, but it is likely to increase subordinates stress because the superior constantly
watches them or second-guesses their decision.
These put employees under pressure and lead to stress. The pressures arising from
management and a poor quality of management can cause stress. Examples of stress
producing factors related to management are an autocratic supervisor, an insecure job
climate, lack of control over ones own job, and inadequate authority to match ones
responsibilities.
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2. Job conditions:
Poor working conditions represent another important set of job stressors. Temperature
extremes, loud noise, too much or too little lighting, radiation, and air pollution are but a few
examples of working conditions that can cause stress in employees.
Job performance deteriorates, sometime markedly, when these environmental stressors are
present. Moreover, their effects are cumulative over time. Heavy travel demands or long-
distance commuting are other aspects of jobs that employees many find stressful. Poor
working conditions, excessive travel, and long hours all add up to increased stress and
decreased performance. In addition, cutting-edge technology, while clearly of great benefit to
society in general and many individuals in particular, nevertheless has created job conditions
that may be quite stressful.
3. Role conflict and ambiguity:
In situation wherein people have different expectations of an employees activities on a job,
so the employee does not know what to do and cannot meet all expectations, leads to role
conflict. In addition, since the job often is poorly defined, the employee has no official model
on which to depend role ambiguity occurs when an employee is uncertain about assigned job
duties and responsibilities. Role conflict and role ambiguity are particularly significant
sources of job-related stress. Many employees suffer from role conflict and ambiguity, but
conflicting expectations and uncertainty particularly affect managers. Having responsibility
for the behavior of others and a lack of opportunity to participate in important decisions
affecting their job are other aspects of employees roles that may be stressful.
4. Nature of work:
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Some jobs produce more stress than others. Those which involve rotating shift work,
machine-paced tasks, routine and repetitive work, or hazardous environments are associated
with greater stress. Workers who spend many hours daily in front of computer screens also
report high stress levels. Evidence also indicates that the sources of stress differ by
organizational level. Executive stress may rise from the pressure for short-term financial
results or the fear of a hostile takeover attempt. Middle managers may experience stress
when their job security is threatened by news or impending corporate downsizings.
Supervisory stressors include the pressures to increase quality and customer service, required
attendance at numerous meetings, and responsibility for the work of others. Workers are
more likely to experience the stressors of low status, lack of perceived control, resources
shortages, and the demand for a large volume error-free work.
5. Changes of any type, especially when it is major or unusual:
A general and widely recognized cause of stress is change of any type, because it requires
adaptation b employees. It tends to be especially stressful when it is major or unusual, such
as temporary layoff or transfer. A related source of stress that affects many employees is
worry over their financial well-being. This situation can arise when cost-saving technology is
introduced, contract negotiations being, or the firms financial performance suffers.
6. Organizational structure:
The organizational structure defines the level of differentiation, the degree of rules and
regulations, and where decisions are made. Excessive rules and lack of participation in
decision that affect an employee are examples of structural variable that might be potential
stressors.
7. Organizational leadership:
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The organizational leadership represents the managerial style of the organizations senior
executives. Some chief executive officers create a culture characterized by tension, fear and
anxiety. They establish some unrealistic pressures to perform in the short run impose
excessively tight controls and routinely fire employees who fail to measure up.
8. Organizational life-cycle:
Organizations like human beings pass through a life cycle. The life cycle of organizations
comprises of eight stages: growth, policy, procedure, theory, religion, ritual, and last rites. In
this cycle, the organization is born and then has its growth. Policies are developed to guide
decisions and these are carried out through procedures.These procedures are refined and
made more efficient with theories about efficiency. In time, organizations may develop
characteristics of a religion; it may worship the way it does things. Performance is by ritual,
things are done by habit without questioning. The death and last rites of organization will
ordinarily follow. Each stage of life cycle poses its own challenges and problems, while the
early stages are exciting, the latter ones create anxiety and tension.
GROUP STRESSORS:
Teams and groups have a great impact on the behavior of employees. Good working and
interactions with peers, subordinates, and superiors and crucial aspects of organizational life,
helping employees achieve personal and organizational goals. When relationships are poor, they
can become sources of stress. Moreover, incivility at work and elsewhere has become a major
problem. Incivility implies rudeness and disregard of others. It includes the violation of
workplace norms for mutual respect
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A high level of political behavior or office politics also may create stress for managers and
employees. The nature of relationships with others may influence how employees react to other
stressors. In other words, interpersonal relationships can be either a source of stress or the social
support that helps employees cope with stressors. The group can also be a potential source of
stress. The group stressors can be categorized into following areas:
1. Lack of group cohesiveness:
Starting with the historically famous hawthrone studies, it has become very clear that
cohesiveness or togetherness is very important to employees, especially at the lower levels
of organizations. If an employee is denied the opportunity for this cohesiveness because the
other member of the group shut the person out, the resulting lack of cohesiveness can be very
stress-producing.
2. Lack of social support:
Employees are greatly affected by the support of one or more members of a cohesive group.
By sharing their problems and joys with others, they are much better off. If this type of social
support is lacking for an individual, the situation can be very stressful. There is even research
indicating that the lack of social support is so stressful that it accounts for some health care
costs.
3. Intraindividual, interpersonal and intergroup conflict.:
Conflict is conceptually very closely linked to stress. Conflict is normally associated with
incompatible or hostile acts between intra individual dimensions such as personal goals or
motivational needs/values, between individuals with in a group, and between groups.
Conflict can hence lead to considerable stress for individuals.
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In addition to the group per se, group-level dynamics may become stressors, for example a
recent study found that organizational politics was a potential source of stress in the work
environment
4. Aggressive behavior :
A frightening category of work stressors is overly aggressive behavior in the workplace,
often taking the form of violence or sexual harassment. Aggressive behavior that
intentionally threatens or causes physical harm to an employee is classified as workplace
violence. Work place violence tops the security threats employee face at their organization.
Homicide is second only to transportation accidents as the most common cause of workplace
fatalities. A second form of overly aggressive behavior in the workplace is sexual
harassment. Sexual harassment is unwanted contact or communication of a sexual nature.
Many female employees have been object of unwanted sexual advances, propositions or
discussions at work. As with workplace violence, sexual harassment is a serious problem.
Management clearly has a strong responsibility to do everything in its power to prevent
sexual harassment from occurring. When it does occur, it needs to be dealt with quickly and
firmly.
INDIVIDUAL STRESSORS:
In a sense, the stressors discussed so far eventually get down to the individual level. There is also
more research and agreement on possible situational dimensions and individual dispositions that
may affect stress outcomes. For example, individual dispositions such as type a personality
patterns, personal control. Learned helplessness, self efficacy and psychological hardiness may
all affect the level of stress someone experiences.
1. Conflict between work and other roles :
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A person has many roles in life (e.g., breadwinner, family member, little league coach, and/or
social workers, to name a few), only one of which is typically associated with work (although
some individuals may hold more than one job at a time) these roles may present conflicting
demands that become sources of stress. Furthermore, work typically meets only some of
persons goals and needs. Other goals and needs may conflict with career goals, presenting
an additional source of stress. For example, employees personal desires to spend time with
their families may conflict with the extra hours they must work to advance their careers.
Current demographic trends, such as the increasingly large number of dual-career couples,
have brought work and family role conflicts into sharp focus.
2. Career development:
Major stressors related to career planning and development involves job security,
promotions, transfers, and developmental opportunities. An employee can feel stress by
under promotion (failure to advance as rapidly as desired0 or over promotion (promotion to a
job that exceeds the individuals competencies).
The current wave of reorganization and downsizing may seriously threaten careers and cause
stress. When jobs, teams, departments, or entire organizations are restructured, employees
often have numerous career-related concerns: can I perform competently in the new
situation? Is my new job secure? Typically, employees find these concerns stressful.
3. Differences between company and employee values:
A further cause of stress lies in differences between company values and ethical practices, as
often reflected in the organizations culture, and employee ethics and values. Substantial
differences can lead to significant mental stress as an effort is made to balance the
requirements of both sets of values.
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4. Personality characteristics:
The personality characteristics points out the complexity of, and individual differences in,
personality dispositions and traits. Personality traits such as authoritarianism, rigidity,
masculinity, femininity, extroversion, supportiveness, spontaneity, emotionality, tolerance
for ambiguity, anxiety, and the need for achievement have been uncovered by research as
being particularly relevant to individual stress. Most attention has centered on the type A
personality.
Friedman and rosenman define the type a personality as an action-emotion complex that
can be observed in any person who is aggressively involved in a chronic, increscent struggle
to achieve more and more in less and less time, and if required to do so, against the opposing
efforts of other things or other persons. Type A 00employees experience considerable
stress. They are the ones who:
1. Work long, hard hours under constant deadline pressures and conditions for overload.
2. Often take work home at night or on weekends and are unable to relax.
3. Constantly compete with them, setting high standards of productivity that they seem
driven to maintain.
4. Tend to become frustrated by the work situation, to be irritated with the work efforts of
others, and to be misunderstood by supervisors.
Type B people appear more relaxed and easygoing. They accept situations and work with
them rather than fight them competitively. Type B people are especially relaxed regarding
time pressures, so they are less prone to have problems associated with stress. Still, type B
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individuals can be highly productive workers who meet schedule expectations; they simply
obtain results in a different manner.
The research on type A and type B people is still accumulating. For example, some of the
type A behavior patterns, such as competitiveness and a drive for career success, appear to be
consistent with societys values. At the same time, the hostility and aggression these people
exhibit may make it difficult for many employees to work with them.
Some studies also suggest that there may be different forms of type a personalities. As a
result, the type As who are more expressive and less hostile may be less prone to heat
disease. Other type As apparently enjoy their success so much that they disregard the
surrounding stress and do not suffer from heart attacks or other physical consequences.
Besides the debate surrounding the impact of type a personality on health is the question of
the success of type As versus type Bs. It is pretty clear that type As are typically on a fast
track to the top.
They are more successful than type Ba. however, at the very top they do not tend to be as
successful as type Bs, who are not very ambitious, are more patient, and take a broader view
of things. The key may be to shift form type A to type B behavior, but, of course, most type
As are unable and unwilling to make the shift and/or to cope with their type A
characteristics.
5. Personal control:
The second internal factor affecting employee stress is the amount of perceived control they
have over their work and working conditions. Employees who have a substantial degree of
independence, autonomy, and freedom to make decision seem to handle work pressures
better. Since two employees may have the same actual control and flexibility, it is clearly
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their relative perception of that freedom that counts.Managers can respond to this need for
control through a variety of measures such as allowing flexible work schedules, enriching
jobs, placing individuals on self-managing teams, or empowering employees by using
participative leadership styles. Peoples feelings about their ability to control the situation are
important in determining their level of stress.In particular, if employees feel that they have
little control over the work environment and over their own job, they will experience stress.
Studies have shown that if employees are given a sense of control over their work
environment, such as being given a chance to be involved in the decision-making process
that affects them; this will reduce their work stress.
A large study by Cornell university medical researchers found that those workers who
experience loss of control, especially in relatively how-level jobs, have tripled the risk of
developing high blood pressure. The researchers concluded that lack of control turns stress
into physical problems.
They also found that employee perceptions of the amount of control they experience at work
relate to stress, which in turn affects physiological outcomes such as blood pressure as well
as psychological outcomes such as job satisfaction.
6. Learned helplessness :
The feeling of loss of control goes back to come of the classic research on learned
helplessness conducted by Seligman. In conducting experiments on dogs who could not
escape shock, he found that they eventually accepted it and did not they have learned to be
helpless. Other studies found that people, too, can learn to be helpless, which helps explain
why some employees just seem to have given up and seem to accept stressors in their work
environment, even when a change for the better is possible.Most recently, Seligman and his
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colleagues have concentrated on peoples explanations for their lack of control. Specifically,
they suggest that people are most apt to experience helplessness when they perceive the
cause of the lack of control:
To be related to something about their own personal characteristics (as opposed to
outside, environmental forces)
As stable and enduring (rather than just temporary)
To be global and universal (cutting across many situations, rather than in joint one
sphere of life)
Further study and research on the sense of control in general and learned helplessness in
particular will provide much insight into stress and how to cope with it.
7. Perception:
Perception is a process whereby a person selects and organizes environmental information
into a concept of reality. Employee perceptions of a situation can influence how (or whether)
they experience stress. For example, two employees have their hob duties substantially
changed-a situation likely to be stressful for many people. The first employee view the new
duties as an opportunity to learn new competencies and thinks that the change is a vote of
confidence from management in her ability to be flexible and take on new challenges. In
contrast, the second employee perceives the same situation to be extremely threatening and
concludes that management is unhappy with his performance.
8. Past experience :
A person may perceive a situation as more or less stressful. Depending on how familiar that
person is with the situation and his prior experience with the particular stressors involved.
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Past practice or training may allow some employees to deal calmly and competently with
stressors that would greatly intimidate less experienced or inadequately trained employees.
The relationship between experience and stress is based on reinforcement. Positive
reinforcement or previous success in a similar situation can reduce the level of stress that a
person experiences under certain circumstances; punishment or past failure under similar
conditions can increase stress under the same circumstances.
The evidence indicates that experience on the job tends to be negatively related to work
stress. The two explanations have been offered. First is the idea of selective withdrawal.
Voluntary turnover is more probably among people who experience more stress. Therefore,
people who remain with the organization longer are those with more stress-resistant traits or
those who are more resistant to the stress characteristics of their organization. Second, people
eventually develop coping mechanisms to deal with stress.
9. Social support :
The presence or absence of other people influences how individuals in the workplace
experience stress and respond to stressors. The presence of coworker may increase an
individuals confidence, allowing that person to cope more effectively with stress. For
example, working alongside someone who performs confidently competently in a stressful
situation may help an employee behave similarly. Conversely, the presence of fellow workers
may irritate some people or make them anxious, reducing their ability to cope with stress.
10. Locus of control:
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Those with internal locus of control believe they control their own destiny. Those with
external locus believe their lives are controlled by outside forces. Evidence indicates that
internals perceive their jobs are less stressful than do externals.
When internals and externals confront a similar stressful situation, the internals are likely to
believe that they can have a significant effect on the results. They, therefore, act to take
control of events. In contrast, externals are more likely to be passive and feel helpless.
11. Self efficacy:
Self efficacy has also been found to influence stress outcomes. Self efficacy refers to an
individuals belief that he or she is capable of performing a task. Evidence indicates that
individuals with strong self efficacy reacted less negatively to the strain created by long work
hours and work overload that did those with low levels of self efficacy. That is, confidence in
ones own abilities appears to decrease stress. As with an internal locus of control strong
efficacy confirms the power of self beliefs in moderating the effect of high strain situation.
There is increasing evidence that peoples self-perception of their capacity to be effective and
bring about change may be an important disposition in the ability to withstand stress. For
example, those with high self-efficacy have a relatively low level of physiological arousal
(for example, they have less adrenaline in the bloodstream). Yet those under stress tend to
have high physiological arousal. Thus, those with high self-efficacy tend to remain clamer
when faced with a stressful situation. Over arousal can impair our ability to solve compels
stress-related problems by elevating out motivation well beyond optimal levels and
distracting us from task at hand. So people with higher self-efficacy expectations have
biological as well as psychological reasons for remaining calmer.
12. Personality:
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Some peoples personality includes a high degree of hostility and anger. These people are
chronically suspicious and mistrustful of others. Evidence indicates that this hostility
significantly increases a persons stress and risk for heart diseases.More specifically, people
who are quick to anger maintain a persistently hostile outlook, and project a cynical mistrust
of others are more likely to experience stress in situation.
13. Psychological hardiness :
Everyone has observed individual differences of people faced with stressors. Some people
seem to go to pieces at the slightest provocations, while others seem unflappable in the face
of extremely stressful situations. Those able to cope stressfully with extreme stressors seem
to have a hardiness disposition. Personality traits that seem to counter the effects of stress
are known collectively as hardy personality. As a personality type, hardiness is defined as a
cluster of characteristics that includes feeling a sense of commitment, responding to each
default as representing a challenge and an opportunity, and perceiving that one has control
over ones own life. The hardy personality is characterized by:
A sense of positive involvement with others in social situation;
A tendency to attribute ones own behavior to internal causes
A tendency to perceive or welcome significant changes in life with interest,
curiosity, and optimism.
A high degree of hardiness reduces the negative effects of stressful events. Hardiness seems
to reduce stress by altering the way people perceive stressors. The concept of the hardy
personality provides a useful insight into the role of individual differences in reaction to
environmental stressors. An individual having a low level of hardiness perceives many
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events as stressful; an individual having a high level of hardiness perceives fewer events as
stressful. A person with high level of hardiness isnt overwhelmed by challenging or difficult
situation. Rather, faced with a stressor, the hardy personality copes or responds
constructively by trying to find a solution-to control or influence events. This behavioral
response typically reduces stress reactions, lowers blood pressure, and reduces the
probability of illness.
14. Frustration:
Another cause of stress is frustration. It is a result of motivation (drive0 being blocked to
prevent one from reaching a desired goal. It is a felling of insecurity and dissatisfaction
arising from unresolved problems or unsatisfied needs and wants. The mind, either
consciously or subconsciously, generally attempts to cause behavior designed to help the
frustrated person adjust to an unresolved situation, a type of behavior termed an adjustive
reaction of defense mechanism. Some adjustive reactions are positively directed while others
may be negative.Some frustrations may result in mild adjustive ` reactions; other reactions
may be extreme and emotional. The intensity of a particular adjustment generally depends on
two factors: the type of frustration activity and the previous experience of the frustrated
person. Psychologists have developed a variety of terms to describe the numerous types of
adjustive reactions to frustration.
Symptoms of stress:
Stress affects different people in different ways, and everyone has a different method of dealing
with it.
Psychological symptoms
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Anger,
Depression,
Anxiety,
Changes in behavior,
Food cravings,
Lack of appetite, Frequent crying,
Difficulty sleeping (mental),
Feeling tired, and
Difficulty concentrating.
Physical symptoms
Chest pains, Constipation or diarrhea,
Cramps or muscle spasms,
Dizziness,
Fainting spells,
Nail biting,
Nervous twitches,
Pins and needles,
Feeling restless,
A tendency to sweat,
Sexual difficulties such as erectile dysfunction or a loss of sexual desire,
Breathlessness, Muscular aches, and
Difficulty sleeping (physical).
STRESSORS ARE ADDICTIVE:
A fact that tends to be overlooked when stressors are reviewed individually is that stress
is an additive phenomenon. Stress builds up. Each new and persistent stressors adds to an
individuals stress level. So a single stressor may be relatively unimportant in and of
itself, but if its added to an already high level of stress, it can be the straw that breaks
the camels back. If the total amount of stress the individual is under, is to be appraised,
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then all the opportunity stresses, constraints stresses and demand stresses have to be
summed up.
APPROACHES TO STRESS MANAGEMENT
Both organizations and individuals are highly concerned about stress and its effects. In
attempting to manage stress, they have three broad options- prevent or control it, escape
from it, or learn to adapt to it ( handle its symptoms). Organizations can seek to improve
managerial communication skills, empower employees through participation, and
redesign jobs to more fulfilling, or implementing or eliminating stressors for employees.
Other employees can escape stress by requesting job transfers, finding alternative
employment, taking early retirement, or acquiring assertiveness skills that allow them to
confront the stressors. Several approaches also exists for coping with stress. These often
involve cooperative efforts among employees and management and may include social
support, relaxation efforts, and personal wellness programs.
From the organizations standpoint, management may not be concerned when employees
experience low to moderate levels of stress. The reason is that such levels of stress may
be functional and lead to higher employee performance. But high levels of stress, or even
low levels sustained over long periods, can lead to reduced employee performance and,
thus, require action by management.
INDIVIDUAL APPROACHES:
An employee can take personal responsibility for reducing his or her stress level.
Individual strategies that have proven effective are discussed below:
Time management:
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Many people manage their time poorly the well-organized employee, like the well-
organized student can often accomplish twice as much as the person who is poorly
organized. So an understanding and utilization of basic time-management principles can
help individuals better cope with tension created by job demands.
A few of the more well-known time-management principles are:
1. Making a daily list of activities to be accomplished;
2. Prioritizing activities by importance and urgency;
3. Scheduling activities according to the priorities set; and
4. Knowing ones daily cycle and handling the most demanding parts of your job during
the high part of ones cycle when one is more alert and productive.
Physical exercise:
Non competitive physical exercise such as aerobics, walking, jogging, swimming, and
riding a bicycle have long been recommended by physicians as a way to deal with
excessive stress levels. These forms of physical exercise increase heart capacity, lower
the at-rest heart rate, provide a mental diversion from work pressures, and offer a means
to let off steam.
Relaxation techniques:
Individuals can teach themselves to reduce tension through relaxation techniques such as
mediation, hypnosis and biofeedback. The objective is to reach a state of deep relaxation,
in which one feels physically relaxed, somewhat detached from the immediate
environment and detached from body sensations. Deep relaxation for 15 to 20 minutes a
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day releases tension and provides a person with a pronounced sense of peacefulness.
Importantly, significant changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and other physiological
factors result from achieving the conditions of deep relaxation.
Patterned after practice of mediation, the relaxation response involves quite, concentrated
inner thought in o temporarily from the stressful world and reduce their symptoms of
stress. The ideal ingredients of these relaxation efforts involve:
A comfortable position in a relatively quiet location
Closed eyes and deep, comfortable breathes
Repetition of a peaceful word, or focus on a pleasant mental image
Avoidance of distracting thoughts and negative events
Soothing background music
It is also highly regarded that a few organizations have established special lounges for
employee use and many employees who use them for momentary relaxation report
favorable results regarding their capacity to deal with stress.
Social support network:
Some people experience stress because they are detached from the world around them;
they lack warm interpersonal relationships. Individual with a driving ambition and a
strong need for independence may fail to develop close attachments to friends and
colleagues. To achieve their success, they often sacrifice fulfillment of their social needs.
Their lack of social attachments may result in anger, anxiety, and loneliness- all
producing stress in their lives.
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A powerful antidote to this problem lies in the presence of social support at work. Social
support is the network of helpful activities, interaction and relationships that provides an
employee with the satisfaction of important needs. There are four types of support in a
total network: instrumental (task assistance), informational, evaluative and emotional.
The social support may come from supervisors, co-workers, friends or family. It focuses
may be on either work tasks or social exchanges and may even take the form of games,
jokes or teasing. Research suggests that when employee have atleast one person from
whom they can receive social support (specially emotional support), they will experience
lower stress. Females, in particular, not only place more value on social support but seem
to feel more comfortable, and capable, in providing it to others. Supervisors- male or
female- need to develop the capacity to play this role for their employees when support is
needed. An alternative action is to simply provide opportunities for social support and
encourages it to develop among a group of workers. Managers may need to allow time
for employees to develop and nurture their social support networks at work.
Behavioral self control:
By deliberately managing the antecedents and the consequence of their won behavior,
people can achieve self control. For example, sales managers, who have a steady stream
of customer complaints all day could change the antecedent by having an assistant screen
all complaints and allow only exceptions to reach them, they could also manage the
consequences by rewarding themselves with an extra break when they remain calm and
collected after interacting with a particularly angry customer. Besides managing their
own behavior to reduce stress, people can also become more aware of their limits and of
red flags that signal trouble ahead. They can avoid people or situation that they know
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will put them under stress. In other words, this strategy involves individuals controlling
the situation instead of letting the situation control them.
The need for situational faith:
You cant trust anyone:, is a comment made regularly by many individuals. When
individuals live in an unhealthy atmosphere of distrust, they tend to become apprehensive
of all their associates. Perhaps, instead, they need to develop the ability to apply what
might be called situational faith. Historically, the belief put forth is that a person is
innocent until proven guilty. Perhaps, instead, they need to develop the abikity to apply
what might be called situational path.
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Significance and need of the study:
The study of work stress helps in understanding the employees of an organization as a whole.
There are innumerous (and may be unrelated as well) factors that can be potential stressors.
These conditions not only impair the role of the individual as an employee, but also all other
roles that the person holds. In such a situation, it is essential to understand the employee cope up
with stress or modify condition that pose to be potential stressors. It is with this need that
understanding of stress becomes significant for organizations. And the current economic
condition is best to study stress of individuals.
Objective of the study:
The research project undertaken has the following objective:
To identify the stressors existing in Jyoti limited
To analyze the stress levels existing in Jyoti limited
Scope and limitation of the study:
This project is based on sampling collection of 50 respondents. This project is valid with the
current policies of the Jyoti ltd and Jyoti ltds characteristics that impacts the employees stress
level to a very great extent.
Research design:
My research design is based on questionnaire method. The questionnaire was given to selected
respondents. The sample was selected based on stratified random sampling methods and the
output was tabulated, analyzed and interpreted. Exploratory, Descriptive and Experimental
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Universe:
The universe includes the employees of managers, officers, and other executives of the Jyoti
ltd. is 250.
SAMPLING
Sampling method:
The data is compiled using stratified sampling method. Employees of the Jyoti were randomly
selected irrespective of their hierarchical positions.
Sample size:
The sample size is 50 respondents were selected.
DATA COLLECTION
Tools of data collection and instruments: Add Data collection mathed
Questionnaires were used for the purpose of data collection. These were circulated among the
employees and the collected data is analyzed and presented.
Treatment of data:
The data collected is tabulated with the help of tally marling, percentages, average which is then
presented through charts or graphs.
Limitation of the study:
Due to time constrain we cant study the whole organization. MIN 4 are there TIME
MONEY KNOWLEDGE BIASNESS
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DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION:
The research for the project is objected at identifying the stressors existing in the Jyoti ltd. This
purpose is extended to identifying the different stressors faced by the employees of Jyoti ltd.
A sample size of 75.out of which 50 respondents were selected. The questionnaires projected
various questions concerning the individual, group, and organizational stressors.
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL:
DO YOU FEEL ANY KIND OF WORK RELATED STRESS?
Sr no. Answer No of respondents percentage
1 Yes 40 80%
2 No 10 20%
20
80%
YES
NO
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INTERPRETATION: According to 80% respondents they feel work related stress,while
20% respondents dont feel stress.
DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU CAN BALANCE YOUR WORK AND FAMILY
LIFE?
Sr no. Answer No of respondents percentage
1 Yes 39 78%2 No 11 22%
22%
78
YES NO
INTERPRETATION:According to 78% respondents they can balance their work and family
life,while 22% respondents cant balance both. Add more description on particular question
bases on your own perception and analysis
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PLEASE TICK MARK FOR EACH STATEMENT.
Stronglyagree
Agree Neutral Disagree Stronglydisagree
I am provided adequate job knowledge. 34
(68%)
16
(32%
)
0 0 0
I am satisfied with organizational
communication system.
5
(10%)
40
(80%)
0 5
(10%)
0
I am provided regular training. 15
(30%)
35
(70%
)
0 0 0
I am aware of my performance
expectations.
32
(64%)
18
(36%
)
0 0 0
I have time for my interests or hobbiesoutside work.
0 15
(30%
)
0 20(40%)
15
(30%)
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68%
10%
30%
64%
0%
32%
80%
70%
36%
30%
0%0%0% 0%
10%
0% 0%
30%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
strongly
agree
agree neutral disagree strongly
disagree
job knowledge
communication system
training
performance expectations
time for interests or hobbie
INTERPRETATION: 68% respondents strongly agree that adequate job knowledge is given tothem ,80% says that they are satisfied with organizational communication system,70% says that
regular training is given to them,40% says that they dont have time for their interests and
hobbies. Make relative analysis with related question.
PLEASE TICK MARK FOR EACH STATEMENT.
Strongly
agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
disagree
Company policies or procedures makes
job more difficult.
0 0 0 16
(32%)
34
(68%)
I am clear about my duties and
responsibilities.
18
(36%)
32
(64%)
0 0 0
I am clear about goals and objectives of
my department.
18
(36%)
32
(64%
)
0 0 0
I am pressured to work long hours. 2 ( 4%) 4
(8%)
0 40
(80%)
4
(8%)
My working time is flexible. 12 33 0 5 0
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(24%) (66%
)
(10%)
0%
36%
36%
24%
0%
64%
64%
66%
0%00 0
68%
00 0%0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
strogly
agree
agree neutral disagree strongly
disagree
policies makes job more difficult
clear about duties and responsibilities
clear about goals and objectives
pressure to work long hours
flexible timing
INTERPRETATION:68% respondents strongly disagrees that company policies or procedures
makes job more difficult,64% respondents agrees that they are clear about their duties and
responsibilities and also clear about goals and objectives of their department,80% disagrees thatthey are pressured to work long hours,66% agrees that their working time is flexible.
DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE NOT GIVEN WELL DESERVED
PROMOTION?
Sr no. Answer No of respondents Percentage
1 YES 31 62%
2 NO 19 38%
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62%
38%
YES NO
INTERPRETATION:62% respondents says that they are not given well deserved promotion.
GROUP LEVEL:
DOES YOUR COLLEAGUES HELP YOU IF WORK BECOMES DIFFICULT?
Sr no. Answer No of respondents Percentage
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1 YES 40 80%
2 NO 10 20%
80%
20%
YES NO
INTERPRETATION:80% respondents says that their colleagues helps them if work becomes
difficult.
PLEASE TICK MARK FOR EACH STATEMENT.
Strongly
agree
Agree Neutr
al
Disagree Strongly
disagree
I feel comfortable working with other
employees in a group.
13
(26%)
32
(64%)
0 5
(10%)
0
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I have support of my colleagues
whenever required.
20
(40%)
29
(58%)
0 1
(2%)
0
I can easily adjust to group goals and
rules.
8
(16%)
40
(80%)
2
(4%)
0 0
I get enough encouragement at work. 10
(20%)
35
(70%)
0 5
(10%)
0
26%
40%
16%20%
64%58%
80%
70%
0%0%0%
0% 10%2%0%
10%0%
0%0%
0%0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
strongly agree agree neutral disagree strongly
disagree
comfortable with other
employees
suppot of colleagues
easily adjust to group goal
and rules
enough encouragement at
work
INTERPRETATION:64% respondents agrees that they feel comfortable working with other
employees in a group,58% says that their colleagues helps them,80% says that they can easilyadjust to group goals and rules,70% says that they get enough encouragement at work.
PLEASE TICK MARK FOR EACH STATEMENT.
ALWAYS SOMETIMES NEVER
I get respect at work from colleagues. 48
(96%)
2
(4%)
0
I am provided with opportunity of working in a 10 40 0
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team. (20%) (80%)
My good performance is appreciated. 12
(24%)
38
(76%)
0
There is anger or friction between colleagues. 0 38
(76%)
12
(24%)
96%
20%24%
04%
80%76%76%
0%0%0%
24%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
always sometimes never
get respect from colleagues
opportunity of working ina team
good performance is appreciated
anger or friction between colleagues
INTERPRETATION:96% respondents says that they get respect from colleagues,80% says
that they get opportunity of working in a team,76% says that their good performance isappreciated,76% says that there is anger or friction between colleagues.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL:
PLEASE TICK MARK FOR EACH STATEMENT.
Strongly
agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
disagree
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I am happy with the working conditions. 36
(72%)
14
(28%
)
0 0 0
I have enough growth opportunities. 16
(32%)28
(56%
)
6
(12%)
0 0
There is partiality in treating the
employees.
5
(10%)
30
(60%
)
0 15
(30%)
0
I am provided feedback on my
performance.
21
(42%)
29
(58%
)
0 0 0
I have unrealistic time pressures. 20
(40%)
26
(52%
)
0 4
( 8%)
72
32
10
42 40
28
5
60 58
52
0%
12
0%0%0%0%0%
30
0%
8%
0%0%0%0%0%0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
strongly
agree
agree neutral disagree strongly
disagree
happy with working conditions
enough growth opportunities
partiality in treating employees
feedback given on performance
unrealistic time pressures
INTERPRETATION:72% respondents says that they are happy with the working
conditions,56% says that they have enough growth opportunities,60% says that there is partialityin treating employees,58% says that feedback is given on their performance.
PLEASE TICK MARK FOR EACH STATEMENT.
ALWAYS SOMETIMES NEVER
I have to consult manager to take decisions. 13 37 0
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(26%) (74%)
I am provided with guidance and support by
manager whenever required.
36
(72%)
14
(28%)
0
My suggestions are taken and considered in
decision making.
11
(22%)
39
(78%)
0
My feedback is taken. 17 (34%)
33(66%)
0
Staff are consulted about change at work. 25
(50%)
15
(30%)
10
(20%)
26%22%
34%
50%
74%
28%
78%
66%
30%
0% 0%0%
20%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
always sometimes never
consulting manager to takedecisions
guidance and support by
managers
suggestions are taken in
decision making
feedback is taken
staff are consulted aboutchange
INTERPRETATION:26% says that always they have to consult manager to take
decisions,72% says that always they are provided guidance by managers,78% says thatsometimes their suggestions are taken in decision making,66% says that their feedback is
taken,50% says that staff are always consulted about change at work.
FINDINGS: Cross Question analysis in short
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From the survey it is found that 80% employees feels that they have work related
stress.
78% says that they can balance work life and also family life.
68% respondents strongly agree that adequate job knowledge is given to them.
80% says that they are satisfied with organizational communication system.
70% says that regular training is given to them,40% says that they dont have
time for their interests and hobbies.
68% respondents strongly disagrees that company policies or procedures makes
job more difficult.
64% respondents agrees that they are clear about their duties and responsibilities
and also clear about goals and objectives of their department.
80% disagrees that they are pressured to work long hours,66% agrees that their
working time is flexible.
62% respondents says that they are not given well deserved promotion.
80% respondents says that their colleagues helps them if work becomes difficult.
64% respondents agrees that they feel comfortable working with other
employees in a group,58% says that their colleagues helps them.
80% says that they can easily adjust to group goals and rules,70% says that theyget enough encouragement at work.
96% respondents says that they get respect from colleagues,80% says that they
get opportunity of working in a team.
76% says that their good performance is appreciated,76% says that there is anger
or friction between colleagues.
72% respondents says that they are happy with the working conditions,56% says
that they have enough growth opportunities.
60% says that there is partiality in treating employees,58% says that feedback is
given on their performance.
26% says that always they have to consult manager to take decisions.
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72% says that always they are provided guidance by managers.
78% says that sometimes their suggestions are taken in decision making,66%says that their feedback is taken,50% says that staff are always consulted about
change at work.
CONCLUSION:
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The data analysis has lead to a clear cut demarcation of stressors and their impact on employees.
It is not so much stress, within reason, but how an individual meet stress, that counts in life. The
problem is not stress. Rather, it is how individuals react to stress, Emotions-not events-cause
stress-related events.
Dealing with stress is dealing with people, their emotions, feelings and perceptions. Those, who
have an internal locus of control, feel less stressful as compared to those with external locus of
control. An internal locus of control enables an individual to believe that they themselves are
responsible for the success or failure they make in life.
It is very clearly evident from the data collection and interpretation conducted that of all
respondents, that those with external locus of control feel extremely stressful and helpless when
faced with demands. This is because they believe that they are not in control of their lives and
more than them other people are responsible for the happenings of their life.
The employees, who have an internal locus of control take initiative, feel that they can
accomplish work and move ahead. Hence they feel less workload. These are happy go lucky type
of people who do not get upset due to outside factors. They hence feel less stressful.
Secondly, stress is all about what employees feel and how they perceive a given situation or
event. However, perceptions are influenced by many other factors like their attitudes,
assumptions, their personality type and motivation. Half of these perceptions might not really be
t rue. But that is how we humans think. Its all in thoughts-felt or perceived. These thoughts form
beliefs and attitudes that then in a way block the transparency in thinking. Many employees feel
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stressful because of their perceptions which are very personal in nature and cannot be changed
easily.
On the basis of the information received on their interpersonal relationships, it is clearly evident
that most of the respondents are satisfied on these ground, However, many respondents are not
able to manage their work-life balance and do not have time for extra-organizational activities.
This shows that their work leaves them with very little time to pursue with other activities.
This can be one of the probable reasons why people easily feel stressed. On one hand, they have
organizational commitments to satisfy and on other hand there are their own personal desires that
remain unaddressed. This lead to a feeling of emptiness and lack of achievement that causes
stress. Over and above these, the other stressors that deeply affect employees are those associated
with the organization.
The demands of long working hours, work overload and lack of autonomy etc. cause stress
among employees. These stressors need to be coped up by escorting to collective bargaining and
negotiations on regular basis.
Gradually, Indian organizations are moving towards adopting a friendlier and open-door
approach towards dealing with employees. They are now understanding and accepting their
workforce as their core competitive resource and hence are doing their best to provide them with
all such facilities, benefits and hence are empowering them. This goes a long way to reduce
stress, hence ensuring that employees feel a sense of belongingness.
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RECOMMENDATIONS:
The data analysis and findings have put forth some crucial points that need to be addressed. I
would like to provide the following recommendations for both the manager and the employees
that can help them in reducing their stress levels and thereby coping with stress.
For the Managers:
Managers should be alert for identifying the signs of stress in each of the employees.
They should explore factors contributing to stress and its potential consequences.
The managers should study the key behavioral phenomena underlying employee
reactions to stress, such as frustration tolerance level, loss of control, defense mechanism,
stress threshold, values and conflicts.
The managers need to adopt participative style of management. They should involve
employees in making the decisions concerning them. This will make the employees feel
motivated, responsible and committed to the decisions so taken.
The managers should delegate autonomy to each employee considering their limits of
authority and responsibility. This will make the employees feel values and shall motivate
them to try their best to live up to the expectations of managers.
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There should be a transparent and timely communication of important information. The
employees should not be kept in darkness and all important decisions taken by top
management concerning the company should be communicated to the employees.
The employees should be given regular feedback. This provides a direction to the
employees where they are currently, where they are moving and where they are
supposed to move.
The employees should be allowed to commit mistakes, since its only by committing
mistakes that they can learn and find new and different ways of working.
The employees should not be over-directed. The managers should tell the employees
what they are supposed to do and little guidance for doing it. Over-directing employees
sends across a message that they are considered less knowledgeable.
When inducting an employee, the managers should clearly chalk out their
responsibilities, authorities, and the job description, so that the employee is clear of
employers expectations.
The managers should try and provide counseling to employees for dealing with their mid-
career crises. Whenever required, seminars should be conducted to help employees learn
more about the changing role requirements and make them prepared for the same.
The managers should try and establish an environment of belongingness, trust and
acceptance.
For the employees:
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The employees should try to establish a balance between work and leisure activates,
which is essential to prevent destructive stress. The employees should learn how to slow
down and unwind. The employees should learn how to relax.
When already preoccupied with many commitments, they should learn how to say no
tactfully to new opportunities and requests from others that do little other than increasing
their tensions and anxieties.
The employees should try to perform their work in best possible manner and timely. This
will avoid work overburden and enable them to cope up with workload easily.
The employees should also retrospect themselves regularly and try to find out their own
behavioral pattern. They should learn from whatever happens around them whenever
necessary, they should take steps to change or alter their behavior to suit the
circumstances.