A RESEARCH PROJECT ON
SUBMITTED TO: MRS. MUNMUN MOHANTY PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
N.L. DALMIA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES & RESEARCH
SUBMITTED BY:DEEPIKA PARMANAND AMESAR
STUDENT OF N.L.DALMIA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES &
RESEARCH
GUIDED BY: MRS. MUNMUN MOHANTY - PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
6/26/2010
A RESEARCH PROJECT ON
STRESS MANAGEMENTFOR
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
PREFACE
During the past decade, the banking sector had under gone rapid
and striking changes like policy changes due to globalization and
liberalization, increased competition due to the entrance of more
private sector banks, downsizing, introduction of new technologies,
etc. Due to these changes, the employees in the banking sector are
experiencing a high level of stress. The advent of technological
revolution in all walks of life coupled with globalization,
privatization policies has drastically changed conventional
patterns in all sectors. The banking sector is of no exemption. The
1990s saw radical policy changes with regarding to fiscal deficit
and structural changes in India so as to prepare her to cope with
the new economic world order. Globalization and privatization led
policies compelled the banking sector to reform and adjust to have
a competitive edge to cope with multinationals led environment. The
advent of technological changes, especially extensive use of
computers in the sector has changed the work patterns of the bank
employees and has made it inevitable to downsize the work force in
the sector. The implications of the above said transformations have
affected the social, economical and psychological domains of the
bank employees and their relations. Evidence from existing
literature states that more than 60% of the bank employees have one
or other problem directly or indirectly related to these drastic
changes. Along with other sectors the banking sector is also
leaning towards the policy of appointing contract labor &
various compulsive as well as rewarding options such as VRS, etc.
All the factors discussed above are prospective attributes to cause
occupational stress and related disorders among the employees.
LETTER OF TRANSMITTALDATE JUNE 26, 2010Mr. B.G.Pinto
Senior Manager for HRD
Subject: Presentation of Report on Stress Management
Respected Sir,
Here is my report on Stress Management as a part of my Summer
Training project. This report was prepared according to your
authorization letter dated May 03, 2010.
Working on this subject has been an exciting learning experience
for me. The topics Ive covered in this study are Work Stress for
which an employee survey was taken, suggestions from employees
& recommendations on how to help employees overcome their
stress. As was expected employees do suffer from work overload
& pressure. Necessary measures to help them have been
incorporated in the report.I hope that this study is helpful to you
in your continuous endeavor to make working an enjoyable experience
for the employees. I am grateful to you for all the cooperation you
have extended to me in this important study. I want to extend my
special gratitude to my Project Guide, Mrs. Munmun Mohanty. I am
also thankful to all the employees for helping me in my study.
Yours sincerely,
Deepika Parmanand Amesar.TABLE OF CONTENTS2PREFACE
3LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
5EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
7CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK & LITERATURE REVIEW
7INTRODUCTION TO STRESS
9EXTREME PRODUCTS OF STRESS
9GOOD STRESS v/s BAD STRESS:
11GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME
12SEVERITY OF STRESS:
13WORKPLACE STRESS:
15ROLE STRESS IN THE NEW AGE WOMAN:
17ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT
19STRESS VULNERABILITY
20HOW TO IDENTIFY A STRESSED EMPLOYEE
22STRESS MANAGEMENT
23WHAT THE EMPLOYERS NEED TO DO TO HELP THE EMPLOYEES OVERCOME
WORK STRESS?
25STRESS MANAGEMENT SCENARIO IN INDIA
27STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
31WHAT CAN THE EMPLOYEES DO TO MAKE THEIR WORK MORE
ENJOYABLE?
34ABOUT PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
41RESEARCH
46DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION
54LIMITATIONS OF THE SURVEY
55WHAT DO THE EMPLOYEES FEEL?
57STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
62BIBLIOGRAPHY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe productivity of the work force is the most
decisive factor as far as the success of an organization is
concerned. This productivity is in turn dependent on the
psychosocial well-being of the employees. In an age of highly
dynamic and competitive world, man is exposed to all kinds of
stressors that can affect him on all realms of life. The growing
importance of interventional strategies is felt more at
organizational level. The increasing competition in the Banking
Industry which was the result of opening up of the economy has put
forth various challenges for the Bank employees. In view of the
changing face of the Indian Banking Industry & the challenges
associated with the changes that come about as new technologies are
being used in this field, stress has become a common problem in the
Banking Industry.This particular research was intended to study the
quantum of stress the employees at Punjab National Bank face &
to suggest them various ways in which they can cope with it &
make their work more enjoyable.This study begins with the review of
different terminologies associated with stress & the various
strategies adopted across sectors to help employees deal with work
stress. A research was then conducted at Punjab National Bank to
study the level of stress the employees face & what they feel
about their work environment. A representative sample was taken for
this research. Some of the employees have also voiced their
opinions regarding Stress Management at their workplace.
Simple graphs & charts have been used to display the results
of this questionnaire survey. The results have been as expected.
Bank jobs in general have been considered to be very monotonous as
was reflected in the survey results. The results indicate that
employees in general go through a moderate level of work stress
& work overload. From the results it can be concluded that the
employees want their work to be more exciting & less
monotonous. Their suggestions have also been incorporated in this
study. Various recommendations have also been proposed for the
management as well as the employees to make the organizational
atmosphere stress free. Some of these recommendations include
having Stress management workshops & centers, Dance therapy,
Humor Clubs, allowing Sabbaticals, et al.
Finally it is important to remember that stress is not a
situation. It is an individual perception. The techniques suggested
for Stress Management in this study are plentiful. No one can do it
all, so choose one or two of the suggestions & incorporate it
gradually into daily life. Theres no need to do all the steps;
thats too stressful! The simple ones, like laughing, talking to a
friend or engaging in short bursts of exercise are the easiest to
follow. These basic strategies in Stress Management, done over
time, can significantly help in the reduction of stress. Fun ways
to relieve stress are essential to basic survival in a world where
adults are on the run from the moment they arise in the morning
until they turn off the light at night. While long term stress
reduction requires behavioral modifications, there are fun
activities that can be engaged in on a semi-regular basis to
relieve stress that has built up over time. Like an ugly bird of
prey, tension hovers over millions
of people, ready to swoop down on its victims
Tension, in fact is probably one of the greatest
menaces the civilized world must face these days. INDIRA
DEVICONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK & LITERATURE REVIEWINTRODUCTION TO
STRESSA lot of research has been conducted into stress over the
last hundred years. Some of the theories behind it are now settled
and accepted; others are still being researched and debated. During
this time, there seems to have been something approaching open
warfare between competing theories and definitions. Views have been
passionately held and aggressively defended. What complicates this
is that intuitively we all feel that we know what stress is, as it
is something we have all experienced. A definition should therefore
be obviousexcept that it is not.
STRESS- HISTORY & USAGE:
The term stress had none of its contemporary connotations before
the 1950s. It is a form of the Middle English destresse, derived
via Old French from the Latin stringere, to draw tight.
It had long been in use in physics to refer to the internal
distribution of a force exerted on a material body, resulting in
strain. In the 1920s & 1930s, the term was occasionally being
used in psychological circles to refer to a mental strain or
unwelcome happening, & by advocates of holistic medicine to
refer to a harmful environmental agent that could cause illness.
Walter Cannon used it in 1934 to refer to external factors that
disrupted what he called homeostasis. The novel usage arose out of
Hans Selyes 1930 experiments. He started to use the term to refer
not just to the agent but to the state of the organism as it
responded & adapted to the environment. His theories of a
universal non specific stress response attracted great interest
& contention in academic physiology & he undertook
extensive research programs & publication efforts. The
psychological uses of stress are frequently metaphorical rather
than literal, used as a catch-all for perceived difficulties in
life. It also became a euphemism, a way of referring to problems
and eliciting sympathy without being explicitly confessional, just
"stressed out". It covers a huge range of phenomena from mild
irritation to the kind of severe problems that might result in a
real breakdown of health. In popular usage almost any event or
situation between these extremes could be described as stressful.
.DEFINITION:The most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly
attributed to Richard S Lazarus) is that Stress is a condition or a
feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the
personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.
In short, it's what we feel when we think we've lost control of
events. The stress response inside us is therefore part instinct
and part to do with the way we think.STRESS IN BIOLOGICAL TERMS
Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of
the failure of a human or animal body to respond appropriately to
emotional or physical threats to the organism, whether actual or
imagined. It includes a state of alarm and adrenaline production,
short-term resistance as a coping mechanism, and exhaustion. It
refers to the inability of a human or animal body to
respond.TYPICAL NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS:
Ulcers Emotional instability Excessive smoking
Digestive problems Moodiness
Abuse of alcohol or drugs Headaches Nervousness & tension
Absenteeism
High blood pressure Chronic worry Aggression Sleep disruption
Depression Safety problems Burnout Performance problemsEXTREME
PRODUCTS OF STRESS
BURNOUT:
According to the theory developed by Hans Selye, the human body
cannot instantly rebuild its ability to cope with stress once its
depleted. As a result, people become physically &
psychologically weakened from trying to combat it. This condition
is called Burnout a situation in which employees are emotionally
exhausted, become detached from their clients & their work,
& feel unable to accomplish their goals. When workers become
burned out, they are more likely to complain, to attribute their
errors to others,& to be highly irritable. The alienation they
feel drives many of them to think about leaving their jobs, to seek
out opportunities to become trained for new careers, & actually
to quit. In addition to higher turnover, burnout also leads to
increased absenteeism & decreased quality & quantity of job
performance.
TRAUMA:
Another severe product of stress, called Trauma, occurs
following a major threat to ones security. The event could be a
natural disaster, an organizational crisis, dramatic employee abuse
by the employer, or personal job loss. Three types of trauma that
have achieved notoriety in recent years are workplace trauma,
layoff survivors sickness & post traumatic stress disorder.GOOD
STRESS v/s BAD STRESS:Stress has often been misunderstood to be
negative, with few people acknowledging the importance and
usefulness of positive stress. In our everyday lives, stress is
everywhere and definitely unavoidable; hence our emphasis should be
on differentiating between what is good stress, and what is bad.
This will help us to learn to cope with negative stress, and
harness the power of positive stress to help us achieve more.
There are 4 main categories of stress, namely Eustress,
distress, hyper stress and hypo stress. Negative stress can cause
many physical and psychological problems, whilst positive stress
can be very helpful for us. Heres how we differentiate between
them.
EUSTRESS:
This is a positive form of stress, which prepares your mind and
body for the imminent challenges that it has perceived. Eustress is
a natural physical reaction by your body which increases blood flow
to your muscles, resulting in a higher heart rate. Athletes before
competition or perhaps a manager before a major presentation would
do well with Eustress, allowing them to derive the inspiration and
strength that is needed.
DISTRESS:We are familiar with this word, and know that it is a
negative form of stress. This occurs when the mind and body is
unable to cope with changes, and usually occurs when there are
deviations from the norm. They can be categorized into acute stress
and chronic stress. Acute stress is intense, but does not last for
long. On the other hand, chronic stress persists over a long period
of time.
Trigger events for distress can be a change in job scope or
routine that the person is unable to handle or cope with.
HYPER STRESS:This is another form of negative stress that occurs
when the individual is unable to cope with the workload. Examples
include highly stressful jobs, which require longer working hours
than the individual can handle. If you suspect that you are
suffering from hyper stress, you are likely to have sudden
emotional breakdowns over insignificant issues, the proverbial
straws that broke the camels back. It is important for you to
recognize that your body needs a break, or you may end up with
severe and chronic physical and psychological reactions.
HYPO STRESS:Lastly, hypo stress occurs when a person has nothing
to do with his time and feels constantly bored and unmotivated.
This is due to an insufficient amount of stress; hence some stress
is inevitable and helpful to us. Companies should avoid having
workers who experience hypo stress as this will cause productivity
and mindfulness to fall. If the job scope is boring and repetitive,
it would be a good idea to implement some form of job rotation so
that there is always something new to learn.GENERAL ADAPTATION
SYNDROME
Stress is how the body reacts to a stressor, real or imagined, a
stimulus that causes stress. Acute stressors affect an organism in
the short term; chronic stressors over the longer term.
Selye researched the effects of stress.
Alarm is the first stage. When the threat or stressor is
identified or realized, the body's stress response is a state of
alarm. During this stage adrenaline will be produced in order to
bring about the fight-or-flight response. There is also some
activation of the HPA axis, producing cortisol.
Resistance is the second stage. If the stressor persists, it
becomes necessary to attempt some means of coping with the stress.
Although the body begins to try to adapt to the strains or demands
of the environment, the body cannot keep this up indefinitely, so
its resources are gradually depleted.
Exhaustion is the third and final stage in the GAS model. At
this point, all of the body's resources are eventually depleted and
the body is unable to maintain normal function. The initial
autonomic nervous system symptoms may reappear (sweating, raised
heart rate etc.). If stage three is extended, long term damage may
result as the capacity of glands, especially the adrenal gland, and
the immune system is exhausted and function is impaired resulting
in decomposition.
The result can manifest itself in obvious illnesses such as
ulcers, depression, diabetes, trouble with the digestive system or
even cardiovascular problems, along with other mental
illnesses.SEVERITY OF STRESS:
The severity of stress is gauged by the degree of disruption in
the human system that will occur if the individual fails to cope
with the adjustive demand. For eg, lack of food over a sustained
period is regarded as a severe stress because it causes serious
disruption of both physiological and psychological
functioning.FACTORS INFLUENCING SEVERITY OF STRESS:
A. Characteristics of the adjustive demand
a) Importance, duration and multiplicity of demands
b) Strength and equality of conflicting forces
c) Imminence of anticipated stress
d) Unfamiliarity or suddenness of the problem
B. Characteristics of the individual
a) Perception of the problem
b) Degree of threat
c) Stress tolerance of the individualBUILT-INPSYCHOLOGICAL
COPING & DAMAGE REPAIR MECHANISMS:There appear to be a number
of coping and damage-repair mechanisms built into the human system
which operate on a psychological level. Among the more common and
important of these mechanisms are the following:
Crying Talk it out Laughing it off Seeking Support[ Dreaming and
nightmares
These Built-In reaction patterns may be used in varying degrees
and combinations depending on the individual, the social setting,
and the nature of the traumatic event which resulted in the
psychological hurt or damage.WORKPLACE STRESS:Workplace stress is
the harmful physical & emotional response that occurs when
there is a poor match between the job demands & capabilities,
resources & needs of the worker. Stress is a prevalent &
costly problem in todays workplace. Evidence suggests that stress
is the major cause of turnover in organizationsProblems at work are
more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other
life stressor-more so than even financial problems or family
problems. Many studies suggest that psychologically demanding jobs
that allow employees little control over the work process increase
the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is widely believed that job
stress increases the risk for development of back and
upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders. High levels of stress
are associated with substantial increases in health service
utilization. Workers who report experiencing stress at work also
show excessive health care utilization. Additionally, periods of
disability due to job stress tend to be much longer than disability
periods for other occupational injuries and illnesses.
CAUSES OF WORKPLACE STRESS:
Almost any job condition can cause stress, depending on an
employees reaction to it. For example, one employee will accept a
new work procedure & feel little or no stress, while another
experiences overwhelming pressure from the same task. Part of the
difference lays in each employees experiences, general outlooks,
& expectations which are all internal factors. There are,
however, a number of job conditions that frequently cause stress
for employees like:i. Work overload & time deadlines out
employees under pressure & lead to stress. Often these
pressures arise from management, & a poor quality of management
can cause stress.
ii. Role conflict & ambiguity are also related to stress. In
situations of this type, people have different expectations of an
employees activities on a job, so the employee does not know what
to do & cannot meet all expectations. In addition, since the
job often is poorly defined, the employee has no official model on
which to depend.
iii. A further case of stress lies in difference between company
values & ethical practices, as often reflected in the
organizations culture, & employee ethics & values.
Substantial differences can lead to significant mental stress as an
effort is made to balance the requirements of both sets of
values.iv. Some jobs produce more stress than others. Those which
involve rotating shift work, machine-paced tasks, routine &
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 arise from the pressure for short-term
financial results or the fear of a hostile take-over attempt.
Middle managers may experience stress when their job security is
threatened by news of impending corporate downsizings. Supervisory
stressors include the pressures to increase quality & customer
service, required attendance at numerous meetings, &
responsibility for the work of others. Workers are more likely to
experience the stressors of low status, lack of perceived control,
resource shortages, & the demand for a large volume of
error-free work.v. A general & widely recognized cause of
stress is change of any type because it requires adaptation by
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 begin, or the firms financial
performance suffers.vi. Another cause of stress is frustration. It
is a result of a motivation (drive) being blocked to prevent one
from reaching a desired goal. When you feel that your goal may not
be reached you may become irritable, develop an uneasy feeling in
our stomach, or have some other reaction. These reactions to
frustration are known as defense mechanisms because you are trying
to defend yourself form the psychological effects of the blocked
goal. One of the most common reactions to frustration is
aggression. Additional reactions to frustration include apathy,
withdrawal, regression, fixation, physical disorders, &
substitute goals.
Physiological reactions to stress can have consequences for
health over time. Researchers have been studying how stress affects
the cardiovascular system, as well as how work stress can lead to
hypertension & coronary artery disease.
There are 4 main physiological reactions to stress:
Blood is shunted to the brain & large muscle groups, &
away from extremities, skin, & organs that are not currently
serving the body.
An area near the brain system, known as the reticular activating
system, goes to work, causing a state of keen alertness as well as
sharpening of hearing & vision.
Energy providing compounds of glucose & fatty acids are
released into the bloodstream.
The immune & digestive systems are temporarily shut
down.vii. Some research suggests that it is the little things,
called hassles, rather than major life crises, that produce
frustration. Hassles are conditions of daily living that are
perceived to threaten ones well-being. They have been found to be
related to both symptoms of ill-health & levels of absenteeism.
The most frequent hassles include having too many things to do,
losing items, being interrupted, & having to do unchallenging
work. Some of the hassles with the greatest average severity are
related to either the job or the employees environment, such as
dealing with problems of ageing parents, facing prejudice &
discrimination, & having insufficient personal energy. It is
possible that none of these hassles alone will cause the average
person to become frustrated. However, the cumulative effects of
multiple hassles may result in a feeling of unwelcome stress.
ROLE STRESS IN THE NEW AGE WOMAN:
An increasing number of women are becoming career conscious and
professional in their outlook. Earlier women preferred jobs like
nursing, medicine, clerical but now the number of women executives
is on the increase. The reasons for such a change are: increase in
women's education, changing socio-cultural values, increasing
awareness and consciousness in women and the rise in economic
independence. Women are in a dilemma facing queries regarding self
and her rights. Her inner conflict keeps on puzzling her regarding
existence in reality and what people talk about (Gracia, June,
2005). Balancing work and family frequently means irregular work
hours for women professionals leading to stress and various
problems related to it (Snell, 2004). The working woman, regardless
of whether she is married or single, faces higher stress levels.
This is not so much in the work place but at home also. She may
feel guilty for leaving her children while she works; this not only
increases her stress but also reduces her job satisfaction.She may
face overload of work, responsibility, and inadequate authority,
non-cooperation from subordinates, hostile boss, poor working
conditions and conflicts in the organization. Social Support is the
physical and emotional comfort given by our family, friends,
co-workers and others. Maintaining a healthy social support network
is hard work and something that requires ongoing effort over time.
People are emotionally supportive when they tell us that they care
about us and think well of us. It is important to have at least one
close friend. (Cohen, S.,2000) also tells us that social support
does the best job of protecting us from the effects of stress when
we believe that emotional support is easy to come by and we have at
least one person we can confide in.
The key stressors which affect maximum number of women
professionals are Poor Peer Relations, Intrinsic Impoverishment and
Under-participation. This is because women are becoming more and
more career conscious, they want to accept challenges, improve
performance and want to become socially and economically
independent. If the women professionals want to be accepted as
efficient homemakers as well as employees, they have to make use of
effective stress management techniques, use appropriate coping
patterns, must be optimistic and have a positive attitude in
life.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT
Organizational conflict is a state of discord caused by the
actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests
between people working together. Conflict takes many forms in
organizations. There is the inevitable clash between formal
authority and power and those individuals and groups affected.
There are disputes over how revenues should be divided, how the
work should be done and how long and hard people should work. There
are jurisdictional disagreements among individuals, departments,
and between unions and management. There are subtler forms of
conflict involving rivalries, jealousies, personality clashes, role
definitions, and struggles for power.ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT
THEORIES:Maturity-immaturity theory
According to Maslow, Argyris, McGregor, Rogers, and other
writers of the so-called growth schools, there is a basic tendency
in the development of the human personality toward
self-fulfillment, or self-actualization. This implies that as an
individual matures, he wants to be given more responsibility,
broader horizons, and the opportunity to develop his personal
potential. This process is interrupted whenever a person's
environment fails to encourage and nurture these desires.
Formal organizations are rational structures that, based on
their assumption of emotions, feelings, and irrationality as human
weaknesses, try to replace individual control with institutional
control. Thus the principle of task specialization is seen as a
device that simplifies tasks for the sake of efficiency. As a
consequence, however, it uses only a fraction of a person's
capacity and ability. The principle of chain of command centralizes
authority but makes the individual more dependent on his superiors.
The principle of normal span of control, which assigns a maximum of
six or seven subordinates to report to the chief executive, reduces
the number of individuals reporting to the head of the organization
or to the manager of any subunit. Although this simplifies the job
of control for the manager, it also creates more intensive
surveillance of the subordinate, and therefore permits him less
freedom to control himself.
Under such conditions, subordinates are bound to find themselves
in conflict with the formal organization, and sometimes with each
other. They advance up the narrowing hierarchy where jobs get
fewer, and "fewer" implies competing with others for the decreasing
number of openings. Task specialization tends to focus the
subordinate's attention on his own narrow function and divert him
from thinking about the organization as a whole. This effect
increases the need for coordination and leads to a circular process
of increasing the dependence on the leader. They may respond to
organizational pressures and threats by defensive reactions such as
aggression against their supervisors and co-workers, fixated
behavior or apathy, compromise and gamesmanship, or psychological
withdrawal and daydreaming. All of these defense mechanisms reduce
a person's potential for creative, constructive activity on the
job. Finally, employees may organize unions or unsanctioned
informal groups whose norms of behavior are opposed to many of the
organization's goals. As a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, all of
these reactions to the constraints of the formal organization
merely serve to reinforce and strengthen them.The conflict between
the formal organization and the individual will continue to exist
wherever managers remain ignorant of its causes or wherever the
organizational structure and the leadership style are allowed to
become inconsistent with the legitimate needs of the
psychologically healthy individual. Everyone recognizes the
necessity for order and control in organizations. Those of us who
enter management, however, must learn to recognize in addition that
order and control can be achieved only at the expense of individual
freedom. Subordinates adapt to these conditions in the organization
in several ways. In the extreme, they may find the situation
intolerable and leave the organization. Or they may strive to
advance to positions of higher authority, to adopt the controlling
style they are trying to escape.STRESS VULNERABILITY
Two major factors help determine how stress will affect employee
performance differently across similar jobs. Worker vulnerability
to stress is a function of both internal (organizational) &
external (non work) stressors. One internal factor is an employees
STRESS THRESHOLD the level of stressors (frequency & magnitude)
that the person can tolerate before negative feelings of stress
occur & adversely affect performance. Some people have a low
threshold, & the stress of even relatively small changes or
disruptions in their work routines causes a reduction in
performance. Others have a higher threshold, staying cool, calm,
& productive longer under the same conditions. This response
may stem partly from their experience & confidence in their
ability to cope. A higher stress threshold helps prevent lowered
performance unless a stressor is major or prolonged.
The second internal factor affecting employee stress is the
amount of PERCEIVED CONTROL they have over their work & working
conditions. Employees who have a substantial degree of
independence, autonomy, & freedom to make decisions seem to
handle work pressures better. Since two employees may have the same
actual control & flexibility, it is clearly their relative
perception of 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.Stress vulnerability is often related to Type A
& Type B characteristics
TYPE A PEOPLETYPE B PEOPLE
Aggressive & competitive
Set high standards
Are impatient with themselves & others
Thrive under constant time pressures
Make excessive demands on themselves
Because of the constant stress they are more prone to physical
ailments related to stress, such as heart attacks.
More relaxed & easy going
Accept situations & work within them
Dont fight competitively
Relaxed regarding time pressures
Less prone to have problems associated with stress
Still can be highly productive by obtaining result in a
different manner.
HOW TO IDENTIFY A STRESSED EMPLOYEE
It is vital for employers to identify stress in the workplace
and one of the simplest ways to pinpoint problems is to audit
employees. Identifying stress, and the potential for it to occur,
is key to keeping employees healthy and productive and safeguarding
an organization from stress-related tribunals.
Running a stress audit can help pinpoint issues. The staff must
be required to carry out an assessment of the risks to the health
and safety of employees arising from workplace activities.
One of the simplest ways to audit stress is to ask employees.
This can be done with the help of a regular employee questionnaire
asking employees whether they enjoy their work. This will help to
identify any potential problems. It also creates an open culture so
employees feel they can approach the higher authorities in the
organization for support if they are stressed.
Monitoring sickness absence can also help employers identify any
problems. Absence notification systems can make a significant
difference at a small cost. Such systems can help determine at an
early stage whether an employee would benefit from further
assistance. Additionally the management information can, through
consistent reporting, help identify trends, such as high absence in
a department, which could warrant further investigation.
Other management information can also help in identifying stress
hot spots, such as work and exit interviews and reports from
occupational health and an employee assistance program.
Stress awareness and training are also important. Employees have
a duty of care to look after themselves and the managers can make
this easier for them by training them to be aware of the symptoms
of stress. This would also help in removing the stigma that can be
attached to stress so employees feel able to support each other and
ask for help early on. Line managers are in a good position to know
of any personal problems employees are experiencing and, with the
right training, to spot the signs of stress. This is particularly
important as non-work related stress is one of the main causes of
long-term absence.
What to look for
Making managers and employees aware of the changes in behavior
that can be caused by stress can help them spot potential problems.
Here are some of the early warning signs:
Reduction in the quality or quantity of work
Poor timekeeping
Changes in working hours, for instance staying late, working
through lunch or taking more breaks
An increase in smoking - or taking up the habit
Indecisiveness
Tiredness
Increased sickness absence or more illnesses such as headaches,
colds and nausea
Irritability levels
Tearfulness
Loss of sense of humor
Poor co-worker relationships
Health and Safety Executive management standards
The HSE has put together a series of management standards for
work-related stress to help simplify stress risk assessments. These
are designed to provide a benchmark that will enable an
organization to monitor stress levels and create a more open
culture in which employers and employees can tackle stress
together.
The standards cover the main causes of stress in the workplace
and relate to:
Demands - workloads, work patterns and work environment
Control - how much say the person has in the way they do their
work
Support - encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by
the organization,
Management and colleagues
Relationships - promoting positive working
Role - ensuring employees understand their role within the
organization.
Change - how organizational change is managed and
communicated
STRESS MANAGEMENT
A little stress (acute stress) can be good because it jumpstarts
people to perform better and keep the immune system vigilant. For
example, some people do well on deadline. However, when stress
becomes chronic, it becomes unhealthy and saps our vitality. The
people who are most vulnerable to stress addiction are victims of
'identity theft;' they have lost their personal power along the way
to becoming a colleague, spouse, parent, etc. Another predisposing
factor is emotional programming by parents, teachers and religious
leaders to be good, self-sacrificing and giving people pleasers.
People pleasers have plenty of parasites lined up for them.
Suppressed and silenced, these people wonder why everyone is happy,
except for them.
Stress is fueled by perception. 'Life is a series of
recoveries.' Each time you manage a stressor, you raise your stress
threshold to cope with the next stressor creating experience and
empowerment. Stress management means preparing to reinterpret those
negatives into optimistic resiliency with constant practice
beginning with the little things.
Stress management is the need of the hour. However hard we try
to go beyond a stress situation, life seems to find new ways of
stressing us out and plaguing us with anxiety attacks. Moreover, be
it our anxiety, mind-body exhaustion or our erring attitudes, we
tend to overlook causes of stress and the conditions triggered by
those. In such unsettling moments we often forget that stressors,
if not escapable, are fairly manageable and treatableLike "stress
reactions", "relaxation responses" and stress management techniques
are some of the body's important built-in response systems. As a
relaxation response the body tries to get back balance in its
homeostasis. Some hormones released during the 'fight or flight'
situation prompt the body to replace the lost carbohydrates and
fats, and restore the energy level. The knotted nerves, tightened
muscles and an exhausted mind crave for looseness. Unfortunately,
today, we don't get relaxing and soothing situations without
asking. To be relaxed we have to strive to create such
situations.WHAT THE EMPLOYERS NEED TO DO TO HELP THE EMPLOYEES
OVERCOME WORK STRESS?Managing employee morale and stress is
important to your business. When your staff is unhappy,
productivity decreases. As an employer, it is in your best interest
to recognize how stress can affect each employee's productivity and
overall demeanor at work. A person under stress can be irritable,
hard to work with, and affect others ability to do their job.
Addressing stress and providing forms of stress management to
employees can drastically improve the quality of work you receive.
To ensure that your business runs efficiently, it is worth spending
time working on the backbone of it: Your workers. Morale and stress
go hand-in-hand. Raising morale will decrease stress. This is why
it's important to pay attention to how your personnel feel when
they are at work and encourage positive relations in the office. As
a manager you need to consider the following points while helping
employees to deal with stress:Notice the Signs of StressPay
attention to the employees to identify if they are stressed out.
Employees who are stressed may have the following signs:
A sudden change in behavior
Begin conflicts with coworkers and executives
A decrease in productivity
An increase in calling out sick
Isolation
Complaints of illness (stomachaches, headaches, chronic colds,
etc.) Take Action: Pull the Employee AsideIf you notice the signs
of a stressed employee, ask the person to meet with you in your
office. Do not approach the person in front of other employees. Let
the stressed person know that youve noticed that he/she has not
been feeling well and you want to help. Opening up a discussion on
this subject invites the person to share what is really going on
and how you can help. It may be as simple as relieving some of the
employees duties or letting the person take a day off to recoup.
Create a Plan with the Stressed EmployeeOnce youve identified what
is stressing your employee, its important to create a plan to help
him/her feel better and combat future stress. This is something you
should do with your employee because each person deals with stress
differently. Encourage the PlanOnce the plan is put into place,
take some time to encourage your employee to follow it. Give the
person a pep talk and remind him/her what to work on each day to
relieve stress. Check in RegularlyAfter a couple of days or a week,
meet with the employee again to identify whether your worker is
feeling any less stressed. If not, reviewing the plan you two
created to change it may help. Dealing with ResistanceIf you meet
with an employee who seems stressed but denies it, there is not
much more you can do. You can only help as much as the person wants
to be helped. Let your worker know that you have an open door
policy, meaning you are always available to discuss problems he/she
has. It may also be helpful to hold a group meeting to discuss
stress in general.
Dealing with Employee Stress in a Group SettingManaging
employees in times of stress can also be done in a group setting in
addition to individually. Learn about work related stress and
stress management techniques that your workers can do while at work
and at home. Schedule a meeting and make it mandatory. If you make
it voluntary, some people (usually the ones who are most stressed)
will forgo it even though they are the ones that need it the most.
Lead by ExampleWhile helping your workers, make sure to keep your
own stress in check. You will find it difficult to deal with others
stress if you are trying to overcome it yourself. Find appropriate
outlets for your own problems and practice stress management.
It is a good idea to determine factors that could motivate the
employee in changing his or her attitude.
Next, identify new factors that may motivate the employee. This
could be an area where the employee could be made to experience a
sense of achievement. Secondly, the work of the employee should be
recognized and appreciated and should also be rewarded.
With a little bit of planning and organizing, employers can
completely alleviate the chances of employees facing the burnout
syndrome. STRESS MANAGEMENT SCENARIO IN INDIA Stress and a poor
work-life balance can really affect an employees well-being and,
subsequently, his or her output. Thanks to much debate over this in
corporate, HR & related circles this is now a well known
fact.
But while companies around the world are mapping employee stress
as a compulsory HR activity, the concept is only now gaining ground
in India. Several organizations have come up with specialized tools
like fun at work, specialized yoga and power naps to audit staff
stressThere are several intensely specialized de-stress training
sessions which contribute to seemingly age-beating performances
that we see from, say, Sachin Tendulkar and Leander Paes.
Executives, too, can benefit from such programs which will, in
turn, improve their productivity. Dr. Vece Paes Fitness expert
& Olympian
Corporate heads of the so-called best workplace companies are
developing various ways to keep their employees in high spirits. As
HR gurus begin to realize that money may not be enough to make an
employee deliver his best, new concepts are being tried out to see
how employees react and whether their satisfaction and happiness
translates into growth and better bottom-line. Acclaris, a US-based
KPO ranked one of the best ITeS workplace companies in India, has
appointed a chief fun officer whose duty is to devise fun things
for employees to do. The company claims this also helps retain
employees Acclaris attrition rate is 12% compared to the industry
average of 18-20%.The employees work for punishing hours and are
constantly under productivity pressure. So some mental rejuvenation
and a relaxed office environment are imperative for productivity.
It can be little things like face painting, throwing softballs
during sessions or employees staying back to play games in the
office. The concept of holiday homes in PSUs and companies like
ITC, HUL and Standard Chartered is also a big advantage. Philips
India, on its part, conducts an Isha Yoga Inner Engineering Program
specifically designed for employees. According to the company, this
contributes immensely to individual and group excellence through
productivity, work ethics and satisfaction. At Angel Broking, apart
from regular health check-ups, employees suffering from emotional
or intellectual stress can avail self-management programs. This
encompasses some fundamental understanding about ownership,
responsibility, change management etc. which also could be the
primary reasons causing stress. IT major Wipro has started a
campaign among employees, called fit for life. Cycling clubs have
been formed as part of this initiative, and employees are
encouraged to cycle within the campus; green clubs help de-stress
through gardening, and music clubs allow employees to express
themselves through performances. Nutrition and health camps have
specialists providing guidance.STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
Some of the programs which are conducted to help employees deal
with stress are summarized under-
STRESS MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS: Many employers are realizing the
effects that stress has on their employees and are instituting
stress management programs in the workplace. Some companies are
bringing programs to their employees, such as the one offered by
Work Life Balance, to teach employees and managers the skills they
need to reduce and manage workplace stress. Through the program,
employees and management learn the tools they need to lower stress
levels, improve communication and increase company morale. A Stress
Management and Relaxation Center
Another method of reducing stress in the workplace is
instituting a stress management and relaxation center within the
company building. A trained coordinator overseas the centers
management and provides employees with individual consultations.
After the coordinator meets with the employee and has the results
of the individual stress assessment, specific types of stress
management and relaxation techniques that would benefit the
employee the most are identified and recommended.
HUMOR STRESS RELIEF AT THE WORKPLACEWhether it occurs as a
result of down-time, team building activities, or humor stress
relief in the workplace can result in greater productivity. While
scheduling down time and team building training requires
pre-planning, humor is something that can be introduced into
potentially stressful workplace situations on a moment's notice.
Sometimes having a good laugh on the job is a great way to control
stress at work no matter what the situation. Since it's difficult
to predict when stress levels are going to get out of control in
the office, it's certainly a good idea to be prepared to utilize
humor to defuse tense situations. It's essential that any attempts
at workplace humor be appropriate for the environment. Jokes that
may be offensive to your co-workers or clients should not be
resorted to. It must be made sure that the humor used cannot be
perceived as discriminatory at any way.
Benefits of Humor on the Job- Stress Relief
Improved Productivity
Job Satisfaction
INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS:
Inspirational speakers can be used to boost employees and
provide them with stress management techniques. They have the
ability to address the issue to the employees as a whole and teach
them to identify sources of stress and give options on how to
reduce the source or eliminate it. Professional motivation speakers
speak on topics like these regularly and have the ability to
inspire employees to deal with stress in a positive manner and
improve their situation.Inspirational speakers can be used in a
variety of ways. It can be considered to have someone speak at a
company meeting, holding a seminar, or having an employee event
with professional motivation speakers who are knowledgeable on
various business and self improvement topics.
MEDITATION & EXERCISE:People have claimed positive effects
of meditation on the mind since the dawn of time, and for those who
doubt its effect, recent scientific studies confirm that meditation
can bring about emotional stability and a sense of peace.
There is a strong connection between exercise and stress
control. The human body needs physical activity, and exercise is a
powerful way to get a handle on stress. Exercise uplifts your mood
to make you feel stronger, more confident, and able to relax. Even
just ten minutes at a time of vigorous effort can be counted toward
this total and will help reduce stress and improve mood.
The organizations can plan to arrange meditation & exercise
programs at regular intervals, say, every weekend. Specialists
& trainers can be called to the organizations for this purpose.
Even simple breathing exercises or chanting mantra, walking
activities or aerobics can go a long way in improving employee
health. Listening to music is also another way to meditate.
Exercise & meditation also help to improve diet, help bring a
glow on the face & bring a general sense of well being.
DANCE:
Dancing vibrates the emotions & besides getting de stressed
it helps the dancer to experience spiritual bliss. It is medically
proven that Aerobics exercises are better than weight exercises, as
besides working better on cardio vascular system of the body, they
develop stamina, make body lean & trim and avoid any spine or
joints injuries that may happen during weight training program.
More over weight training is not for growing children and ladies
keep away from the same.It is medically proven that music and dance
are best de-stressing modes. It is a known fact that Dance &
Music Develop personality and removes inhibitions of participants.
The social aspect of the activity leads to less stress, depression
and loneliness. Besides this dancing helps improve flexibility,
strength, endurance, helps in cardiovascular conditioning &
maintaining strong bones. It also gives a sense of social
wellbeing.
The American National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)in
their Journals have mentioned that dancing can:
Lower your risk of coronary heart disease
Decrease blood pressure
Help you manage your weight
Strengthen the bones of your legs and hips.Considering the many
benefits that dancing provides the organizations can help their
employees with stress management by organizing dance sessions at
regular intervals. Besides being a fun get together activity these
sessions will also help in reducing stress among the employees
& make their job more enjoyable.
SABBATICALS:Some employers, recognizing the need for employees
to escape, have created programs allowing sabbatical leaves to
encourage stress relief & personal education. Most employees
return emotionally refreshed, feel rewarded & valued by their
employers, & often bring back new perspectives gained from
readings & workshops. A side benefit sometimes reported is the
cross-training that takes place among colleagues while one employee
is on sabbatical. This side effect adds to organizational
flexibility & raises employee competency & self esteem.
PERSONAL WELLNESS:
In general, there is a trend towards in-house programs of
preventive maintenance for personal wellness that are based on
research in behavioral medicine. Corporate wellness centers may
include disease screening, health education, & fitness
centers.
Clearly, a preventive approach is preferable for reducing the
causes of stress, although coping methods can help employees to
adapt to stressors that are beyond direct control. The key is to
create a better fit between people & their work environment,
& alternative approaches may be useful for different
employees.WHAT CAN THE EMPLOYEES DO TO MAKE THEIR WORK MORE
ENJOYABLE?Some employees can escape stress by requesting job
transfers, finding alternative employment, taking early retirement,
or acquiring assertiveness skills that allow them to confront the
stressor. Several approaches also exist for coping with stress.
These often involve cooperative efforts among employees &
management & may include social support, relaxation efforts
& biofeedback.SOCIAL SUPPORT:
A power antidote to the problem of stress-producing anger,
anxiety & loneliness lies in the presence of social support at
work. Social support is the network of helpful activities,
interactions & relationships that provides an employee with the
satisfaction of important needs.
Social support may come from supervisors, coworkers, friends, or
family. Its focus may be on either work tasks or social exchanges
& may even take the form of games, jokes, or teasing. Females,
in particular, not only place more value on social support but seem
to feel more comfortable, & capable, in providing it to others.
RELAXATION:
Some employees have turned to various means of mental relaxation
to adjust to the stressors in their lives. Patterned after the
practice of meditation, the relaxation response involves quiet,
concentrated inner thought in order to rest the body physically
& emotionally. It helps remove people temporarily from the
stressful world & reduce their symptoms of stress.
BIOFEEDBACK:
A different approach for working with stress is biofeedback, by
which people under medical guidance learn from instrument feedback
to influence symptoms of stress, such as increased heart rate or
severe headaches. There is now evidence that people can exercise
some control over these internal processes; thus biofeedback may be
helpful in reducing undesirable effects of stress.
TRAVELLING:
Traveling is a good method to release stress because it gets you
away from your problems. Just planning a vacation keeps your mind
off things that can stress you out. Dreaming about where you're
going to go and what you will do when you get there can take your
mind off pressing issues that cause sleeplessness, high blood
pressure, and tension. The simple act of "getting away from it all"
helps people reduce stress, whether it is for a day or a week.
WRITING
Writing can help you cope with stress, anger, and depression.
Using it as part of your daily routine can be an important part of
your overall stress reduction strategies.
Writing down your problems can help you manage your stress in
many different ways. First, the simple act of sitting down in a
quiet place to collect your thoughts can have a positive impact on
your mood. Getting away from stress triggers in your life, be they
situations or people, can greatly improve how you feel. Even if its
just for a few minutes a day, you should carve out time to sit down
and write in a journal.
Writing helps stress by giving you a birds eye perspective of
your problems. When you are feeling overwhelmed you may look at all
of your problems and think that they are too big to be overcome.
This can cause you to feel even more stressed and overwhelmed. When
you sit down to write in your journal, you can look at your
problems from a different perspective. Youll gain insight on how
you manage your problems which can help you in the future. It is
important to remember that it takes time to feel the effects of the
above tips. Some of them may work quickly but others take time to
see the results. One should continue to take breaks and do things
for oneself. Creating schedules and sticking to them is necessary.
One should not procrastinate and take care of things as they come.
When you feel out of control, take control by finding something you
can do to improve the situation. Finally, take care of your health
by sleeping and eating well. Before you know it, you will be able
to accomplish more than you ever have and love your life!
FOODS THAT CURE ANXIETY & STRESS:From LoveToKnow StressMany
people are looking for foods that cure anxiety and stress. Finding
natural ways to relax will not only help mood, but it will also
improve the overall health.
There are many foods to incorporate into the diet to reduce
stress. These foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, and
beans. Think of what goes into your body as crucial for calming
your entire system. We want natural, unprocessed foods that boost
our mood, help the immune system, and protect from illnesses, like
heart disease and high blood pressure. Oatmeal, oranges, spinach,
fish, nuts & herbal tea are good for de stressing.It is
important to remember list of foods that cure anxiety and stress
when one is having a stressful day, & to also keep in mind this
list of things one should avoid: Caffeine, Processed foods, Sugar
& Alcohol.Unprocessed, natural foods that are free from
preservatives and artificial flavors should be consumed. With a
consistent healthy diet, the stress levels should reduce, and youll
do the rest of your body a favor at the same time. Following are
some common personal strategies for managing stress
1. Resist working long hours or accepting overtime.
2. Volunteer for flextime or other alternative work
schedules.
3. Identify the people who cause stress & avoid them.
4. Maintain a healthy diet.
5. Obtain regular exercise.
6. Avoid procrastination.
7. Set reasonable goals for yourself.
8. Develop a simple method of organizing things, & adhere to
it.
9. Step back from stress & decide whether you need to fight
every battle.
10. Consult with a trusted friend before becoming involved in
new activities. ABOUT PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CORPORATE MISSION
VISION-
To be a leading Global Bank with Pan India foot prints &
become a household brand in the Indo- Gangetic plains providing
entire range of products & services under one roof.
MISSION-Banking for the unbanked.
ORIGIN OF PNB
Lala Lajpat Rai and PNB
Lala Lajpat Rai, one of our greatest freedom fighters, was
keenly concerned with the fact that though Indian capital was being
used to run English Banks and companies, the profits went entirely
to the British, while Indians had to contend themselves with a
small interest on their capital. He echoed this sentiment in one of
his writing while concurring with Rai Mul Raj of Arya Samaj who had
long cherished the idea that Indians should have a National Bank of
their own. At the instance of Rai Mul Raj, Lala Lajpat Rai sent a
circular to selected friends insisting on an Indian joint stock
Bank as the first step in constructive Swadeshi and the response
was satisfactory.
After filing and registering the memorandum and Articles of
Association on 19 May, 1894, the bank was incorporated under Act VI
of the 1882 Indian Companies Act. The prospectus of the bank was
published in the Tribune, and the Urdu Akhbar-e-Am and Paisa
Akhbar. On 23rd May, 1894, the founders met at the Lahore residence
of Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, the first Chairman of PNB, and
resolved to go ahead with the scheme. They decided to hire a house
in the famous Anarkali Bazar of Lahore opposite the post office and
near well known stores of Rama Brothers.
On 12th April 1895, the bank opened for business, a day before
the great Punjabi festival of Baishakhi. The essence of the Banks
culture was clear at this first meeting itself. The fourteen
original shareholders and seven directors took only a modest number
of shares; the control of the bank was to lie with the large,
dispersed shareholding, a purely professional approach that was as
uncommon then as it is today.HERITAGE
Established in 1895 at Lahore, undivided India, Punjab National
Bank (PNB) has the distinction of being the first Indian Bank to
have been started solely with Indian capital. The bank was
nationalised in July 1969 along with 13 other banks. From its
modest beginning, the bank has grown in size & stature to
become a front-line banking institution in India at present.
A professionally managed bank with a successful track record of
over 110 years.
Largest branch network in India 4525 offices including 432
extensions counters spread throughout the country.
Strategic business area covers the large Indo-Gangetic bet &
the metropolitan centres.
Ranked as 248th biggest bank in the world by Bankers Almanac,
London.
Strong correspondent banking relationships with more than 217
International banks of the world.
More than 50 renowned International banks maintain their Rupee
Accounts with PNB.
Well equipped dealing rooms; 20 different foreign currency
accounts are maintained at major centres all over the globe.
Rupee drawing arrangements with M/s UAE Exchange Centre, UAE,
M/s Al Fardan Exchange Co. Doha, Qatar, M/s Bahrain Exchange Co.
Kuwait, M/s Bahrain Finance Co. Bahrain, M/s Thomas Cook Al
Rostamani Exchange Co. Dubai, UAE, & M/s Musandam Exchange
Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.
PROFILE
With over 56 million satisfied customers and 5002 offices, PNB
has continued to retain its leadership position amongst the
nationalized banks. The bank enjoys strong fundamentals, large
franchise value and good brand image. Besides being ranked as one
of India's top service brands, PNB has remained fully committed to
its guiding principles of sound and prudent banking. Apart from
offering banking products, the bank has also entered the credit
card & debit card business; bullion business; life and non-life
insurance business; Gold coins & asset management business,
etc.
Since its humble beginning in 1895 with the distinction of being
the first Indian bank to have been started with Indian capital, PNB
has achieved significant growth in business which at the end of
March 2010 amounted to Rs 435931 crore. Today, with assets of more
than Rs 2,96,633 crore, PNB is ranked as the 3rd largest bank in
the country (after SBI and ICICI Bank) and has the 2nd largest
network of branches (5002 offices including 5 overseas branches
).During the FY 2009-10, with 40.85% share of CASA deposits, the
bank achieved a net profit of Rs 3905 crore. Bank has a strong
capital base with capital adequacy ratio of 14.16% as on Mar10 as
per Basel II with Tier I and Tier II capital ratio at 9.15% and
5.01% respectively. As on March10, the Bank has the Gross and Net
NPA ratio of 1.71% and 0.53% respectively. During the FY 2009-10,
its ratio of Priority Sector Credit to Adjusted Net Bank Credit at
40.5% & Agriculture Credit to Adjusted Net Bank Credit at 19.7%
was also higher than the stipulated requirement of 40% &
18%.
The Bank has maintained its stake holders interest by posting an
improved NIM of 3.57% in Mar10 (3.52% Mar09) and a Return on Assets
of 1.44% (1.39% Mar09). The Earning per Share improved to Rs 123.98
(Rs 98.03 Mar09) while the Book value per share improved to Rs
514.77 (Rs 416.74 Mar09) Punjab National Bank continues to maintain
its frontline position in the Indian banking industry. In
particular, the bank has retained its NUMBER ONE position among the
nationalized banks in terms of number of branches, Deposit,
Advances, total Business, Assets, Operating and Net profit in the
year 2009-10. The impressive operational and financial performance
has been brought about by Banks focus on customer based business
with thrust on CASA deposits, Retail, SME & Agri Advances and
with more inclusive approach to banking; better asset liability
management; improved margin management, thrust on recovery and
increased efficiency in core operations of the Bank. The
performance highlights of the bank in terms of business and profit
are shown below:
Rs in Crore
ParametersMar'08Mar'09Mar'10CAGR(%)
Operating Profit40065744732622.29
Net Profit20493091390523.98
Deposit16645720976024933014.42
Advance11950215470318660116.01
Total Business28595936446343593115.09
PNB has always looked at technology as a key facilitator to
provide better customer service and ensured that its IT strategy
follows the Business strategy so as to arrive at Best Fit. The bank
has made rapid strides in this direction. All branches of the Bank
are under Core Banking Solution (CBS) since Dec08, thus covering
100% of its business and providing Anytime Anywhere banking
facility to all customers including customers of more than 3000
rural & semi urban branches. The bank has also been offering
Internet banking services to the customers of CBS branches like
booking of tickets, payment of bills of utilities, purchase of
airline tickets etc. Towards developing a cost effective
alternative channels of delivery, the bank with more than 350 ATMs
has the largest ATM network amongst Nationalized Banks.
With the help of advanced technology, the Bank has been a
frontrunner in the industry so far as the initiatives for Financial
Inclusion is concerned. With its policy of inclusive growth in the
Indo-Gangetic belt, the Banks mission is Banking for Unbanked. The
Bank has launched a drive for biometric smart card based technology
enabled Financial Inclusion with the help of Business
Correspondents/Business Facilitators (BC/BF) so as to reach out to
the last mile customer. The Bank has started several innovative
initiatives for marginal groups like rickshaw pullers, vegetable
vendors, dairy farmers, construction workers, etc. Under Branchless
Banking model, the Bank is implementing 40 projects in 16 States.
The Bank launched an ambitious Project Namaskar under which 1 lakh
touch points will be established in unbanked villages by 2013 to
extend the Banks outreach. Under this, 30 Kiosks have been opened
covering 119 Villages reaching 1.32 Lakh beneficiaries.
Backed by strong domestic performance, the bank is planning to
realize its global aspirations. The Bank continues its selective
foray in international markets with presence in 9 countries, with
branches at Kabul and Dubai, Hong Kong & representative offices
at Almaty, Dubai, Shanghai and Oslo, a wholly owned subsidiary in
UK, a joint venture with Everest Bank Ltd. Nepal and a JV banking
subsidiary DRUK PNB Bank Ltd. in Bhutan. Bank is pursuing
upgradation of its representative offices in China & Norway and
is in the process of setting up a representative office in Sydney,
Australia and taking controlling stake in JSC Dana Bank in
Kazakhastan.
The Bank has been a recipient of many awards and accolades
during the year:- Gold trophy of SCOPE Meritorious Award for
Excellence in Corporate Governance 2009 by Standing Conference of
Public Enterprises
As per Financial Express-Ernest & young (FE-EY) Indias Best
Banks Survey, PNB is identified as the best bank among the
nationalized banks in terms of overall ranking.
As per HT-MaRS Survey on Customer Satisfaction, PNB stood NUMBER
ONE in Delhi and Chennai in terms of customer satisfaction.
As per the Forbes Annual list of 2000 global giants, PNB tops
the list of nationalized banks with a global ranking of 695,
substantial improvement over last years placement at 946th
position.
The Economic Times has ranked CEO of PNB as the 32nd Most
Powerful CEO of 2010.
Skoch Challenge Award 2010 for Livelihood Linkage of the milk
producers in Bulandshahr District, Uttar Pradesh.
IDC Financial Insights Innovation awards 2010 by IDC Financial
Insights
ORGANIZATONAL STRUCTURE
The Bank has its Corporate Office at New Delhi which supervises
58 Circle Offices under which the branches function. The delegation
of powers is decentralized up to the branch level to facilitate
quick decision making. The present Chairman & the Managing
Director of the Bank is Mr. K.V. Kamath.
SUBSIDIARIES & JOINT VENTURESPNB GILTS Ltd.
It is the subsidiary of Punjab National Bank which was amongst
the first ones to get the licence for undertaking activities in the
Government Security market, as a primary dealer in 1996. The
company received ISO 9002 certification from British Standard
Institution, making it as the first primary dealer in India to
achieve this certification for its quality systems and procedures.
This certificate has been granted to the company as a whole
including its corporate and branch offices.PNB HOUSING FINANCE
Ltd.
This is a wholly owned subsidiary of Punjab National Bank, is
engaged in providing housing loans for purchase, construction and
upgradation of a dwelling unit. The company offers Loans for
construction or for purchase of house/flat from development
authorities and also from private builders/ group housing societies
as well as for renovation/ repairs. The company also provides
finance for construction of residential projects. Loans to NRIs are
also provided for purchase/ construction of house/ flat along with
a resident/ non-resident co-borrower. PNB(IL)
Punjab National Bank (International) Limited (PNBIL) is a wholly
owned UK subsidiary of Punjab National Bank, India. PNBIL was
incorporated in UK on 13th April 2006 and registered with the
Companies House in England & Wales under No. 5781326. PNBIL was
authorized by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) on 13th April
2007 to conduct Banking Business in UK under Registration No.
459701. PNBIL started banking operations in UK on 10th of May 2007
from two locations. The corporate office and City branch was
established at 87, Gresham Street, London EC2V 7NQ and a branch
office at 90, South Road, Southall, Middlesex UB1 1RD. In the year
2009, two more branches were opened at 160 Belgrave Road, Leicester
LE4 5AU (UK) and 290 Soho Road, Birmingham B21 9LZ (UK).Products
& Services offered
Savings Fund Account Total Freedom Salary Account, PNB Prudent
Sweep, PNB Vidyarthi SF Account, PNB Mitra SF
Current Account PNB Vaibhav, PNB Gaurav, PNB Smart Roamer
Fixed Deposit Schemes Spectrum Fixed Deposit Scheme, Anupam
Account, Mahabachat Schemes, Multi Benefit Deposit
Scheme Credit Schemes Flexible Housing Loan, Car Finanace,
Personal Loan, Credit Cards
Social Banking Mahila Udyam Nidhi Scheme, Krishi Card, PNB
Farmers Welfare Trust
Corporate Banking Gold Card scheme for exporters, EXIM
finance
Business Sector PNB Karigar credit card, PNB Kushal Udhami, PNB
Pragati Udhami, PNB Vikas Udhami
RESEARCH
Because employees spend roughly one third of their lives working
in an organizational goal setting, employee mental health is of
particular importance. Two people exposed to the same threatening
situation may differ substantially in the magnitude and duration of
stress responses and stress related health problems might emerge in
several contrasting ways both physically and mentally. Some of
these variations result from differences in temperament, social
resources and the effectiveness of the coping responses that the
individual brings to bear on the stressful transaction.RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this research was to estimate the level of work
stress among the employees here at Punjab National Bank. The
research also intends to find out if the employees suffer from any
of the stress related disorders. The research also tries to find
out if the employees have a general sense of satisfaction with
their work life. It is important to remember that the research here
is intended to calculate the negative stress among the employees
& suggest measures to overcome its effects.SAMPLING:
The sample size selected for this research is 45 which comprise
23 employees from the Circle Office located at Cuffe Parade, 12
employees from the bank branch located at Cuffe Parade & 10
employees from the bank branch located at Vashi, Sector 1.
Random sampling has been used for the research purpose.
The sample has been divided into the age groups as follows:
CIRCLE OFFICEBANK BRANCHES
21-30 4% 21-30 0%
31-40 13%31-40 9%
41-50 39%41-50 32%
51-60 44%51-60 59%
Further the gender classification is as follows:CIRCLE
OFFICEBANK BRANCHES
MALE 83%MALE 59%
FEMALE 17%FEMALE 41%
RESEARCH INSTRUMENT:
A questionnaire was prepared for the purpose of this research
& administered to the sample. The questions intending to
identify the stress level of the employees were close ended. Some
open ended job related questions were also included in the
questionnaire. The probable responses to the close ended questions
have been assigned a respective weight. The response which
indicates the highest level of stress causing factor has been given
a weight of 4. The weight decreases as the intensity of stress
causing factor reduces. The response which indicates no stress has
a weight of 0. Each question can have only one response.
Finally the stress levels have been categorized into four as
follows:
0-22:- no to low levels of stress
23-45:- low to moderate levels of stress
46-68:- moderate to high levels of stress
69-92:- very high levels of stress
PROJECT ON STRESS MANAGEMENT
QUESTIONNAIRE
I, Deepika P. Amesar, student of N. L. Dalmia Institute of
Management Studies & Research, am working as an intern here at
Punjab National Bank on the project Stress Management. For my
research I have made the following questionnaire. I would be
obliged if you could spare your time in filling the details below
regarding your job.
Name (not
mandatory):__________________________________________________________Age
group:
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
Gender:Male
Female
No of years worked:
____________________________________________________________No. of
years worked in this branch/office:
___________________________________________Marital Status:
________________________________________________________________
Size of the family:
_____________________________________________________________No. of
years remaining for retirement:
_____________________________________________Whom do you report to?
________________________________________________________Do you have
subordinates reporting to you?
Yes / No
Do you suffer from any of the following? (Tick whichever
applies)
Diabetes
Migraine
Cardiovascular diseases
High blood pressure
Digestion problems
Sleeping disorders
Anxiety & Fear
Impatience
Frequent emotional disturbances
Have you recently gone through any stressful situation?
Yes / No
Does your family & friends support you & appreciate you
with respect to your work?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you spend enough time with your family & friends?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Are you able to take time out for activities that you enjoy?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you feel that you neglect your personal needs frequently?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you feel run down or drained of physical & emotional
energy?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you feel that you are prone to negative thinking about your
job?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you find yourself getting easily irritated with small
problems or with your co-workers & your team?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you feel that you are achieving less than you should?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you feel under an intense pressure to succeed?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you feel that you are in the wrong organization or the wrong
profession?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you feel that organizational politics or bureaucracy
frustrate your ability to do a good job?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you feel that you are over worked?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you fear about the quality of your performance?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you get tensed at the non achievement of your target?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you feel your job is boring & uninteresting?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you feel your job lacks challenge?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Have you ever refused Promotion for the fear of additional
responsibilities?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Are you satisfied with the salary & other allowances given
to you?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you undergo Job Rotation at your workplace?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you find yourself overreacting to even small issues?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Do you share a good relationship with your colleagues?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Have you ever been rewarded for your performance?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
What is your Job Profile?
Are you ready to take additional responsibilities?
Not at allRarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
Which element would you like to add to your job to make it more
appealing or interesting?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION
The project report shows the level of stress the bank employees
are facing at the Circle Office & the Bank branches. Lets have
a look at some of the basic findings of the survey:
Stress level among employees:
CIRCLE OFFICEBANK BRANCHES
0-22 6 0-22 4
23-45 1623-45 16
46-68 146-68 2
69-92 069-92 0
GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION:
CIRCLE OFFICE
BANK BRANCHES -
From the data collected it can be seen that the majority of the
bank employees ( 70 % in the circle office & 73% in the bank
branches) are on the 2nd level of stress i.e., low to moderate
level of stress shown by the range 23-45. Few employees ( 4% in the
circle office & 9% in the bank branches) are on the 3rd level
characterized by moderate to high level of stress indicated by
range 46-68. Special attention needs to be given to such employees
so that their condition doesnt worsen further. No employee is on
the highest level of stress which is a good sign & shows that
the work9ing conditions are not very taxing in the bank in general.
Few employees also show no stress ( 26% in the circle office &
18% in the bank branches). It means that they take their work in a
positive mannner & hence may not face the negative consequences
of work overload, if any.Lets take a look at some other results
derived from the survey. Some of the important questions & the
responses given for them are summarized as under:Q. Do your family
& friends support you & appreciate you with respect to your
work?
Circle Office results-
Bank branches results-
Social support is very important to deal with any kind of stress
& for general well being. The results calculated as above show
that the employees do enjoy the support from their family &
friends.
Q. Are you satisfied with the salary & other allowances
given to you?
Circle office results-
Bank branches results-
Satisfaction with salary & other allowances shows a sorry
picture with majority of the employees being either not at all or
rarely satisfied with their pay packages. Important figures here
are:Circle office 35% are not at all satisfied while 17% are rarely
satisfied
Bank branches 32% are not at all satisfied while 23% are rarely
satisfiedQ. Do you feel that you are over worked?
Circle office results-
Bank branches results-
This result shows that the majority i.e 55% of the branch
employees do feel overworked at times. This result is more true for
the branch employees. This shows that the work load is more for the
branch employees. The corresponding figure for the circle office is
31%. The ones who feel overworked most of the times are the ones
who are more vulnerable to face the negative consequences of work
overload & stress. Q. Are you ready to take additional
responsibilities?
Circle Office results:
Bank branches results:
The results show that 30% of the employees in the circle office
& 23% of the employees in the branches are ready to take
additional responsibilities on a regular basis. This may be because
they might find their current job less interesting & want to
add something to it. It may also be true that these empoloyees
yearn to learn newer things about the different jobs at their work
place which is a good sign. Such employees should be encouraged.Q.
Do you feel that you neglect your personal needs frequently?
Circle Office results:
Bank branches results:
The results show that many of the employees feel that they
neglect their personal needs frequently. This is an important cause
of stress because one must take time out for oneself on a regular
basis to take care of personal needs. Important figures here
are:Circle office 22% neglect their needs very often while 9% do it
often. 43% neglect their needs at times. This may happen when they
are overworked.
Bank branches 14% neglect their needs very often while 27% do it
often. 27% neglect their needs at times. This may happen when they
are overworked.Lets take a look at another important point. The
following graphs show the percentage of employees suffering from
various disorders including lifestyle diseases like diabetes &
cardiovascular problems.Circle office results:
Bank branches results:
The disorders covered in this study include Diabetes,
Hypertension, Migraine, Cardiovascular problems, Digestion
problems, Sleeping disorders, Anxiety & fear, Impatience &
Frequent emotional disturbances. According to the above results 39%
of the Circle office employees suffer from one or more of the above
mentioned disorders while in the bank branches a shocking 64%
suffer from one or more of the disorders. These disorders maybe a
direct consequence of stress & may also further contribute to
more stress if suffered by anyone. Diabetes & Cardiovascular
problems, specially, are life threatening disorders. An important
fact to note here is that most of the employees working here are in
the age groups of 40-50 & 50-60. Health care is extremely
important as one ages because the immunity of an individual reduces
as age increases. The points covered above are important indicators
of stress & work overload. The responses given maybe subjective
to the time & mood of the respondent but stil they give a broad
picture of the quantum of stress the employees may feel while
working in Punjab National Bank.
Following are some of the other observations at Punjab National
Bank:
The working hours here range from 7-9 hours per day on the
weekdays & 5-6 hours on Saturdays. This is in the normal
range.
Absentism leads too work burden many a times which can lead to
work stress.
Most of the employees are in the age group of 41-50 & 51-60
years. Thus we can observe that there is no young blood working in
the organization which can lead to paucity of fresh ideas alongwith
less energetic work culture.
Frequent System failure also leads to work overload & stress
among the employees as was observed by me during my 1 week tenure
at the Vashi branch. There is a very strong need of technological
upgradation which should be at par with International standards.
Frequent system failure reflects very poorly on the bank along with
increasing the employee workload & most importantly, delay in
service leading to customer dissatisfaction.LIMITATIONS OF THE
SURVEY
Questionnaire, per se, as a survey instrument has certain
disadvantages as far as its application is concerned. The results
of the research above also has certain limitations as stated below:
The sample size was only 45 which is very small considering the
vast number of employees Punjab National Bank has all over the
country.
The responses given by the employees to the questions may vary
with the changing times. So the result of the survey may also vary
as time changes.
The responses to some of the questions may be biased because
some of the employees may feel scared to answer some of the
questions.
Some of the questions like being able to spend time with the
family may not be applicable to those employees who stay away from
family simply because their family cant relocate to the changing
job locations. Thus the survey may not give accurate results to
such questions.
The questions being close ended give only a myopic view of the
stress level of employees & may not be able to give a clear
understanding of the stress the employees maybe going through. The
results of the survey may also vary with the changing loctaions.
The stressors may also vary with the changing locations. The
employees of a branch in the north eastern part of India may face
stress due to the hostile working conditions in that part while the
employees in an urban area, say Mumbai, may face stress due to work
overload on account of too many customers. This survey, however,
covers only one small part of the country. Hence the results may be
skewed. WHAT DO THE EMPLOYEES FEEL?
Casual conversations with the employees at both, the Circle
office & the Bank branches have highlighted certain important
problems being faced by the employees. Certain important
suggestions given by the employees to make their work more
enjoyable & stress free a