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PROJECT REPORT ON

STRESS MANAGEMENT AMONG JCO IN ARMED SERVICES

UNDER SUPERVISION OF:

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Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for qualifying MBA

STRESS MANAGEMENT AMONG JCO IN ARMED SERVICES


Under Supervision of :

Submitted By:
Name Programme Enrolment No. Study Center Name Study Center Code : : : : : MBA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
With Candor and Pleasure I take opportunity to express my sincere thanks and obligation to my esteemed guide .. It is because of his able and mature guidance and co-operation without which it would not have been possible for me to complete my project. It is my pleasant duty to thank all the staff member of the computer center who never hesitated me from time during the project. Finally, I gratefully acknowledge the support, encouragement & patience of my family, and as always, nothing in my life would be possible without God, Thank You!

(Student Name)

DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this project work titled Stress Management among JCO

in Armed Services is my original work and no part of it has been submitted for
any other degree purpose or published in any other from till date.

TABLE OF CONTENT
TOPIC PAGE NO

1. Introduction 8 2. Review of literature37 3. Refresh Methodology.50 4. Result and discussion.53 5. Suggestions.....89 6. Conclusion....100 7. References ....102 8. Questionnaire: Job Stress .....106

STRESS MANAGEMENT AMONG JCO IN ARMED SERVICES

1. INTRODUCTION
The Government of India is responsible for ensuring the defence of India and every part thereof. The Supreme Command of the Indian Armed Forces vests in the President. The responsibility for national defence rests with the Cabinet. This is discharged through the Ministry of Defence, which provides the policy framework and wherewithal to the Armed Forces to discharge their responsibilities in the context of the defence of the country. The Indian Armed Forces comprise of three divisions Indian Army, Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force.

Indian Army
The Indian subcontinent had witnessed the cohesive concentration of many Empires in the quest for control of military power, and governance of the State. As time rolled by, societal norms found an ethos in the workplace, the system of rights and privileges, and service under the flag.

The Indian Army, as we know it today became operational after the Country gained independence from British colonialism.

The Armed Force Medical Services (AFMS) comes under Ministry of Defense and the Director General-AFMS is the top authority who performs certain roles and responsibilities as laid down by the Govt. of India. The post of Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) was created in August 1948.

The role of DGAFMSs such that he on one hand is directly responsible to the Ministry of Defence for a broad spectrum of duties and responsibilities as laid down in the Charter of Duties of DGAFMS in the Regulations for Medical Services of the Armed Forces 1983, while on the other, he functions through the Chief of Staff Committee (COSC) as Chairman of Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC).

The Dte Gen of Armed Forces Medical Services deals with recruitment of civilian doctors. The section also deals with commissioning of AFMC cadets in Armed Forces Medical Services as Permanent as well as Short Service Commissioned officers apart from grant of Permanent Commission to serving Short Service Commissioned Officers. It also deals with grant of SSC/PC in AMC (NT) to serving JCOs/ORs of AMC.

What is Stress:Stress may be understood as a state of tension experienced by individuals facing extraordinary demands, constraints or opportunities. Stress Defined as Stress is an adaptive response to an external situation that results in physical, psychological and behavioral deviations for organizational participants.

Stress is a persons adaptive response to a stimulus that places excessive psychological or physical demands on that person

We need to examine components of this definition carefully. First is the notion of adaptation. It means that people may adapt to stressful circumstances in any of several ways. Second is the role of stimulus. This stimulus, generally called a stressor, is anything that induces stress. Third, stressor can be either psychological or physical. Finally, demands the stressor places on the individual must be excessive for stress to result.

Two Faces of Stress: There are actually two faces of stress, as depicted through figure: Constructive Stress (Eustress) Destructive Stress (Distress) Constructive Stress (Eustress) acts in a positive manner for the individual and the organization, e.g., winning a contest, falling in love. Eustress is the pleasurable stress that accompanies positive events. Destructive Stress (Distress) is not healthy for individual and organization. Distress would indicate effects that are out of balance or outside the tolerance limits. Distress is the unpleasant stress that accompanies negative events.

The Stress Process

Much of what we know about stress today can be the pioneering work of Dr. Hans Selye. Among Selyes most important contribution was his identification of the General Adaptation Syndrome.

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General Adaptation Syndrome: Dr. Selye gave three stages of the General Adaptation Syndrome. These three stages are known as: Alarm, Resistance and exhaustion. Alarm is called first stage of GAS. At, this stage person may feel some degree of panic and begin to wonder how to cope with it. A persons resistance often dips slightly below the normal level during this stage. Next comes actual resistance to the stressor, usually leading to an increase above the persons normal level of resistance. Finally in third stage, exhaustion may set in and the persons resistance declines sharply below normal levels.

Individual Differences and stress

The stress can affect different people in different ways:Type A and Type B Personality Profiles The most fully developed individual difference relating specifically to stress is the distinction between Type A and Type B personality profiles. Cardiologists Friedman and Roseman have identified several personalities characteristics of people who are most prone to stress. They labeled these behavior patterns Type A and Type B. The extreme Type A individual is extremely competitive, very devoted to work and has a strong sense of time urgency. Moreover, this person is likely to be aggressive, impatient, and highly work oriented. He or She has a lot of drive and motivation and wants to accomplish as much as possible in as short a time as possible.

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The extreme Type B person, in contrast, is less competitive, is less devoted to work, and has a weaker sense of time urgency. This person feels less conflict with either people or time and has a more balanced, relaxed approach to life. She or he has more confidence and is able to work at a constant pace. A common sense expectation might be that Type A people are more successful than Type B people. In reality, however, this is not necessarily true. The Type B person is not necessarily any more or less successful than the Type A.

Hardiness and Optimism Two other important individual differences related to stress are hardiness and optimism. Research suggests that some people have what are termed hardier personalities than others. Hardiness is a persons ability to cope with stress. People with hardy personalities have an internal locus of control, are strongly committed to the activities in their lives, and view changes as an opportunity for advancement and growth. Such people are seen as relatively unlikely to suffer illness if they experience high levels of pressure and stress. On the other hand, people with low hardiness may have more difficulties in coping with pressure and stress. Optimism is another potentially important individual difference. Optimism is the extent to which a person sees life in positive or negative terms. A popular expression used to convey this idea concerns the glass half filled with water. A person with a lot of optimism will tend to see it as half full, whereas a person with less optimism will often see it as half empty. Optimism also related to positive and negative affectivity. In general, optimism people tend to handle stress better. They will be able to see the

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positive characteristics of situation and recognize that things may eventually improve. In contrast, less optimism people may focus more on the negative characteristics of the situation and expect things to get worse, not better.

Stress and workplace


Workplace stress is the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there is a poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker.[1].Stress-related disorders encompass a broad array of conditions, including psychological disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder) and other types of emotional strain (e.g., dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc.), maladaptive behaviors (e.g., aggression, substance abuse), and cognitive impairment (e.g., concentration and memory problems). In turn, these conditions may lead to poor work performance or even injury. Job stress is also associated with various biological reactions that may lead ultimately to compromised health, such as cardiovascular disease,[2] or in extreme cases, death.

Job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work. Views differ on the importance of worker characteristics versus working conditions as the primary cause of job stress. The differing viewpoints suggest different ways to prevent stress at work. According to one school of thought, differences in individual characteristics such as personality and coping skills are very important in predicting whether certain job conditions will result in stress. In other words, what is stressful for one person may not be a problem for someone else. This viewpoint underlies

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prevention strategies that focus on workers and ways to help them cope with demanding job conditions.[1] Although the importance of individual differences cannot be ignored, scientific evidence suggests that certain working conditions are stressful to most people. Such evidence argues for a greater emphasis on working conditions as the key source of job stress, and for job redesign as a primary prevention strategy.[1] Large surveys of working conditions, including conditions recognized as risk factors for job stress, were conducted in member states of the European Union in 1990, 1995, and 2000. Results showed a time trend suggesting an increase in work intensity. In 1990, the percentage of workers reporting that they worked at high speeds at least one-quarter of their working time was 48%, increasing to 54% in 1995 and to 56% in 2000. Similarly, 50% of workers reported they work against tight deadlines at least one-fourth of their working time in 1990, increasing to 56% in 1995 and 60 % in 2000. However, no change was noted in the period 19952000 (data not collected in 1990) in the percentage of workers reporting sufficient time to complete tasks.[10]

A substantial percentage of Americans work very long hours. By one estimate, more than 26% of men and more than 11% of women worked 50 hours per week or more in 2000. These figures represent a considerable increase over the previous three decades, especially for women. According to the Department of Labor, there has been an upward trend in hours worked among employed women, an increase in extended work weeks (>40 hours) by men, and a considerable increase in combined working hours among working couples, particularly couples with young children.[11][12]

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A person's status in the workplace can also affect levels of stress. While workplace stress has the potential to affect employees of all categories; those who have very little influence to those who make major decisions for the company. However, less powerful employees (that is, those who have less control over their jobs) are more likely to suffer stress than powerful workers. Managers as well as other kinds of workers are vulnerable to work overload (Primm, 2005). Economic factors that employees are facing in the 21st century have been linked to increased stress levels. Researchers and social commentators have pointed out that the computer and communications revolutions have made companies more efficient and productive than ever before. This boon in productivity however, has caused higher expectations and greater competition, putting more stress on the employee (Primm, 2005).

The following economic factors may lead to workplace stress:

Pressure from investors, who can quickly withdraw their money from company stocks.

The lack of trade and professional unions in the workplace. Inter-company rivalries caused by the efforts of companies to compete globally The willingness of companies to swiftly lay off workers to cope with changing business environments.

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Bullying in the workplace can also contribute to stress.

Many people think of stress as a simple problem. In reality however, stress is complex and often misunderstood. We all know that stress is the bodys reaction to any demand on it. Perceptions of events, whether positive or negative, activate stress. It is, therefore, a highly individual affair. What is stressful to X may not be so to another. But it is fairly easy to conclude that everyone lives under a certain amount of stress. In fact, the only people without stress are dead. At the same time it is certainly wrong to conclude that stress is always bad. Mild stress may improve the productivity. It may force people to focus more sharply on the problem and produce solutions. But if stress is severe and persist for long periods of time, it can be harmful. Stress can be disruptive to an individual as any accident.

The Stress Experience Not all individuals experience stress with same intensity. Some people overact to stressors and get highly stressed. Some others have the stamina, endurance and composure to cope with any stressors. How an individual experiences stress depend upon the four reasons. These four reasons are: 1. the persons perception of the situation 2. the persons past experience 3. the presence or absence of social support 4. individual differences with regard to stress reaction

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Perception Past Experience Social Support Individual Differences

Stressor

Stress

Relation between Stressors and Stress

Perception: Perception refers to a psychological process whereby a person selects and organizes stimuli into a concept of reality. Employees perception of a situation can influence whether or not they experience stress.

A simple transfer from one place to another may be perceived by one employee as opportunity to see new places and learn new things. The same transfer may be understood by another employee as extremely threatening and indicating unhappiness of the management with his or her performance.

Past Experience: Whether a person experiences stress on his or her past experience with a similar stressor. Writing anonymous letters against the boss or giving leads to the

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newspaper and getting false stories published in them against the boss are common among disgruntled employees.

The relationship between stress and experience is also 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.

Social Support: The presence or absence of other people influences how individuals in the workplace experience whether stress and respond to stressors. The presence of coworkers may increase an individuals confidence, allowing the person to cope more effectively with stress. For example, working alongside someone who performs confidently and competently in a stressed situation may help an employee behave in an identical way. Conversely, the presence of follow workers may irritate some people or make them anxious, reducing their ability to cope with stress.

Individual Differences: Individual Differences in motivation, attitudes, personality and abilities also influence whether employees experience work stress, and if they do, how they respond to it. What one person considers a major source of stress, another may hardly notice it.

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Common Causes of Stress:-

Stressors are the things that cause stress. It is important for an organization to understand and be able to recognize stressors because they cause job-related stress, which influence work attitude and behaviuor of employees. The major causes of stress are given below:-

1. 2.

Organizational Stressors Personal Stressors

These two stressors are main causes of stress and these are also known as organizational factors and life factors. These also show three categories of stress consequences:-

1)

Individual consequences

2) Organizational consequences 3) Burnout

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Organizational Stressors 1. Occupational demands 2. Role Conflict 3. Role Ambiguity 4. Role Overload 5. Role Underload 6. Interpersonal Relationships 7. Ineffective Communication 8. Responsibility 9. Job Change 10. Climate with a company

Individual Consequences Behavioral:Alcohol and drug Abuse Violence Psychological:Sleep Disturbance Depression Medical:Heart Disease Headaches

Organizational Consequences Life Stressors Life Change Life Trauma Decline in Performance Absenteeism Turnover Decreased Motivation and Satisfaction

Burnout

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This diagram shows the relation between Organizational stressor, Life stressor and between individual consequences, organizational consequences, and burnout. Organizational stressors:-Organizational stressors are various factors in the workplace that can cause stress. These are given below:

1) Occupational demands: Some jobs are more stressful than others. According to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the following jobs are considered to be more stressful: Laborer, Secretary, Inspector, Chief Laboratory technician, Office manager, Foreman, Manager/administrator, Waitress/waiter, Machine operator, Farm owner, Miner, Painter. Certain jobs seem to contain a high amount of in-built stress in the form of time pressures, too many meetings, difficulties in meeting standards, inter-personal games etc., especially at higher levels. According to Parasuraman and Alutto, at lower levels also stress-producing situations emerge on technical grounds (equipment breakdown) or role frustration (low status, inadequate supervision).

2) Role conflict: Role conflict occurs when the messages and cues constituting a role are clear but contradictory or mutually exclusive. Four types of role conflicts may generally come to surface:

Intrasender conflict occurs when one person asks you to accomplish two

objectives that are in apparent conflict. If your boss asks you to hurry up and finish your work but also decreases pay for your mistake, you would experience this type of conflict.

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Intersender conflict occurs when two or more senders give you incompatible

directions. Your boss may want you to complete a crash project on time, but company policy temporarily prohibits authorizing overtime payments to clerical assistance.

Interrole conflict results when two different roles you play are in conflict. Your

company may want to travel 50 percent of the time while your spouse threatens a divorce if you travel more than 25 percent of the time.

Person-role conflict occurs when the role(s) that your organization expects you

to occupy are in conflict with your basic values. Your company may ask you to fire substandard performers, but this could be in conflict with your humanistic values.

3) Role ambiguity: Role ambiguity occurs when position holders are uncertain about limits of their authority and that of others, company rules, and the methods used to evaluate their work. Role ambiguity arises when a role is unclear. It is also found that role ambiguity was significantly related to low job satisfaction and to feelings of job related threats to mental and physical well being.

Role overload: Imagine for a moment about an executive who is attempting to `dictate a letter, talk on three phones, conducting an interview and writing a report at the same time. There is no use trying to do too much in too little time. Constant interruptions , changing hats every five minutes, a constant stream of visitors, a mountain of files and prepare to process and a number of subordinates looking up to his valuable advise and guidance all increase the qualitative and quantitative

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overload. Persons who experience such conditions show clear signs of stress and report health problems.

4) Role underload: At the other extreme, having nothing to do or being asked to do too little in ones work can also be quite stressful. Two factors succinctly explain the relationship between stress and underload. Most persons wish to feel useful and needed. Thus, when they find that they are doing very little and achieving next to nothing in their jobs, their self esteem may be threatened. Secondly, people want stimulation. They dont like the idea of staring blankly into space all the time. They prefer to interact with the world around them and do something worthwhile.

5) Interpersonal relationship: Another source of stress in organization is poor interpersonal relationships with others, `be they supervisors, co-workers,

subordinated or clients. When interpersonal relationships at work not pleasant, employees develop a generalized anxiety, a feeling of fear about upcoming meetings and interactions.

6) Ineffective communication: Stress can result from a lack of communication or from a lack of the right kind of communication at the right time. We begin to see the world differently and we tend to interpret communication efforts differently. For example, there is nothing more stressful than finding that you have arrived at an appointment with your boss at the wrong time.

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7) Responsibility: Any type of responsibility can be burdensome for some people. Different types of responsibility function differently as stressors. One way of classifying this variable is in terms of responsibility for people versus responsibility for things. The more responsibility for people reported, according to one research study, the more likely the person was to smoke heavily, have high blood pressure and show higher cholesterol levels.

8) Job change: Individuals and work undergo constant changes as organizations try to become more competitive and aggressive in the marketplace. These changes can cause stress for the job holders. For example, a bank may computerise its accounting functions. As a result, a job that did require certain decisions and calculations may become merely a data collection and entry position for the computer.

9) Climate within a company: Employees can also experience stress when they feel that they should get more money for their work, of if company restrains them from doing things they feel they must do to be effective in their job. For example, a manager wishes to assign few extra duties to an individual for special project but union regulations do not permit it. Stress can also result from prohibitive physical settings such as heat, cold, safety hazards, air pollution, uncomfortable spatial arrangements, shift work etc.

Life stressors: Stress in organizational settings also can be influenced by events that take place outside the organization. Life stressors generally are categorized in terms of life change and life trauma.

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Life change: - Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe first developed and popularized the notion of life change as a source of stress. A life change is any meaningful change in a persons personal or work situation. Life Trauma: life trauma is similar to life change, but it has a narrow, more direct, and shorter term focus. A life trauma is any upheaval in an individuals life that alters his or her attitudes, emotions, or behaviors. Major life traumas that may cause stress include marital problems, family difficulties, and health problems initially unrelated to stress.

Consequences of Stress: Stress can have a number of consequences. As we already noted, if the stress is positive, the result may be more energy, enthusiasm, and motivation. These consequences can be classified into the following categories:

Individual consequences:The Individual consequences of stress, then, are the outcomes that mainly affect the individual. The organization may also suffer, either directly or indirectly, but it is the individual who pays the real price. Stress may produce behavioral, psychological, and medical consequences. a) Behavioral consequences: The behavioral consequences of stress may harm the person under the stress or others. Accident proneness, drug use, emotional outbursts, excessive eating, excessive drinking and smoking, impaired speech and nervous laughter are such behaviors.

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b) Psychological consequences: Psychological consequences of stress relate to a persons mental health and well-being. When people experience too much stress at work, they may become depressed or find themselves sleeping too much or not enough.

c) Medical consequences: The medical consequences of stress affect a persons physical well-being. Heart disease and stroke, among other illnesses, have been linked to stress. Other common medical problems resulting from too much stress include headaches, backaches, ulcers and related stomach and skin conditions such as acne and hives.

Organizational Consequences:Any of individual consequences just discussed can also affect the organization. Other results of stress have even more direct consequences for organizations. These include decline in performance, withdrawal, and negative changes in attitudes.

Performance: One clear organizational consequences of too much stress is a decline in performance. For operating workers, such a decline can translate into poor-quality work or a drop in productivity. For managers, it can mean faulty decision making or disruptions in working relationships as people became irritable and hard to get along with.

Withdrawal: Withdrawal behaviors also can result from stress. For the organization, the two most significant forms of withdrawal behavior are absenteeism and quitting. People who are having a hard time coping with stress in their jobs are more likely to call

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in sick or consider leaving the organization for good. Stress can also produce other, more subtle forms of withdrawal.

Attitude: Another direct organizational consequence of employee stress relates to attitude. As we just noted, job satisfaction, morale and organizational commitment can all suffer, along with motivation to perform at high levels. As a result, people may be more prone to complain about unimportant things, do only enough work to get by, and so forth.

Management of Stress It is true that employees dont want any stress at work. There are a variety of ways in which individuals cope, or deal with stress at work. Broadly, these could be classified into two categories:

I. Individual Coping Strategies II. Organizational Coping Strategies

Let us examine these strategies in detail:Individual Coping strategies First step in managing stress is to understand that the individual is exposed to stressors. We cannot manage stress unless we know what causes stress and how these causes are affecting us psychologically, physiologically and organizationally. Individual strategies to cope with stress are:-

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Time Management: Most of us are poor in time management. The result is feeling of work overload, skipping schedules and attendant tension. The truth is, if one can manage time effectively, he or she can accomplish twice as much as the person who is poorly organized. Some basic principles in time management are:

(1) Preparing daily a list of activities to be attend to (2) Prioritizing activities by importance and urgency (3) Scheduling activities according the priorities set (4) Handling the most demanding parts of a job when one is alert and productive. We must pay attention to the following ides suggested by of the leading trainers, Sanjeev Duggal in The Global Manager, 1997.

Time Thoughts You cannot control how much time you have but you can control how to use it. Time is finite and it needs utilization when it is available. Writing a daily plan, listing priorities that require attention help us save lot of time while at work. Time cannot be managed like other resources; rather you have to manage yourself in relation to time. Time is money. Time and tide wait for none. And every moment, utilized or not, is gone with the wind. It cannot be retrieved.

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Tips for Time Management:

Carry your to do list with you at all times. Put all the tasks you need to remember however small, on the list. Delegate or choose not to do some tasks. Review the list in the evening. Write a new list every day. Ask yourself is this important? Check if you need to do a task at all. Ask yourself, would anything terrible happen if I didnt do it? If the answer is no, think if you need to do it at all.

Do the most difficult part first. Do it now. Look consciously for tasks which you can delegate. Praise the results after you have delegated the tasks. Provide action plans for moments when problems might arise. Open your mail near the wastebasket and discard the envelopes. Enter the key details of meetings immediately in your diary.

1. Exercise: Physical inactive individuals have a higher incidence of heart attacks and death than do active individuals. Exercise, as most of the studies indicate, reduce depression, anxiety and phobias. When the exercises regularly, the day long tension

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on the job is given a decent burial. Individual focus more on body than mind. It may be useful to recount the benefits here:-

Increase strength and endurance More efficient use of energy even in mental tasks. Proper circulation is maintained. Reduction of chronic tiredness and tension. Improve weight control. Reduction in degenerative risk factors. Improved posture and muscle tone.

Not surprisingly, many organizations nowadays encourage their executives to be physically fit and active. Companies like Infosya Technologies, Escorts, NIIT, Tata Group companies have created in-house physical fitness facilities for the benefit of employees.

2. Meditation and Relaxation: Mind gets the needed relaxation when we engage in a creative hobby like painting, reading, gardening etc. the wonderful effect of prayers as a relaxation measure have been well documented in our ancient scriptures. Meditation also helps in putting our nagging thoughts to rest. Mediation is a way of focusing on something in a relaxed state in a serene and quite environment. You can focus on muscular relaxation, an image, an object, a symbol, a point or anything you like. The advocates of Transcendental Meditation have scientifically proved the

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beneficial impact of the techniques on human brain in recent times. The practice of TM involves the use of a meaningless sound called a mantra. A trained instructor individually assigns the mantra to the meditator, and proper use of the mantra is said to automatically reduce the level of excitation and disorderly activity of the nervous system and to quite the mind while maintaining its alertness. One sits comfortably with closed eyes and repeats the mantra for about 20 minutes twice a day.

3. Biofeedback: Biofeedback is another popular relaxation technique. This technique uses sophisticated equipment to observe some of the internal body processes and to report this in observable ways. The equipment is used to measure skin temperature, muscular tension, heartbeat and blood pressure. This information is given to the person in the forms of sounds, lights or wavy lines on graph. An article published in the Hindustan Times, dated 31.1.1998 catalogues other individual coping strategies thus:

Keep a Pet: There is nothing funny about keeping a pet. Research has indicated

that keeping a pet can be a very effective stress killer. Families that have a dog or a cat or for the matter any kind of ret, suffer from fewer stress related affliction than families without pet.

Say your Prayers:

Being religious helps in controlling stress. Prayers and

meditation done in private often provide cathartic release. Research has proved that faith and religion do wonders for individuals under stress.

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Sing Aloud: It doesnt matter if you dont sound too good or the neighbours

object. Singing gives that release of emotions which helps you live with fewer frowns. Singing is an acknowledgement of the wonders of creation, the joy of living and a vocalization of inner feelings.
[[[[[

Laughter, the Elixir: Break into laughter and see the tension dissolve around

you. A good laugh relaxes the mind, exercise facial muscles, reduces blood pressure and improves circulation. Laughing heartily is one of the best ways of getting rid of the frustration and tensions of modern existence.

Sleep Right: A sleeping beauty is less likely to be prone to stress than a

workaholic. Napping and dozing can refresh and relax.

Be Good at Loving: A good lover definitely means leading a good and healthy

sex life. Fulfilling and satisfying sex is the key to many problems and is one of the most effective stress busters ever invented. Aerobics, workouts and other forms of exercise cant bring the same amount of benefit and happiness as a good sex life. It can drive away tensions, relax and soothe as well as exercise the heart too.

Spend Time with Children: Children have a therapeutic effect on people who spend time playing with them. Their innocence, joie de vivre and capacity for happiness can be infectious. An hour spend with children can bring loads of relaxation and happiness.

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Take of Walk: Walk in the mornings, walk in evenings, and walk just about every time. Walk with friends or walk alone but do try long walks for cutting down on stress.

Enjoy the Idiot Box: Watching ones favorite sitcom on TV can be a great relaxant. No matter what people say about idiot box, it does have some good effects. And one of them is helping you unwind. Put your feet up on a stool, your favorite drink in hand and let the magic of the small screen take over and cast a spell over you.

Cultivate Interests: An interesting pastime is one of the greatest anxiety busters. It could be gardening, playing an instrument, reading, writing, cooking; just about anything that interests you. Plants have a very relaxing effect on most people.

Organizational Coping Strategies: Stress management includes stress prevention also. This is best achieved through certain organizational coping strategies. Organizational coping strategies help reduce the harmful effects of stress in three ways:(i) Identify and then modify or eliminate work stressors (ii) Help employees modify their perception and understanding of work stress (iii) Help employees cope more effectively with the consequences The organizational coping strategies are:

1.

Role clarity: Define employee roles clearly. Employees must have a clear

understanding of the job. They must know what the company expects and be confident that they can meet these expectations. Stress, most often, occurs when

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employees are not very sure about their work roles or fear they cannot do their jobs. When excessive stress is present in a role, management can initiate steps such as:

Redefining the persons role Reduce overload by redistributing the work Set up procedures to prevent hindrances to work Arrange for a meeting of all those involved in a messy situation and try to find a way out. Make a job intrinsically meaningful , challenging and rewarding

2.

Supportive Climate: Factors such as freedom to think and act independently, a

certain amount of informality with key employees, clear communications, participative decision making, friendly conversation- all help in reducing stress levels in an organization. If practiced regularly, they also reveal a supportive organizational climate where everybody is willing to contribute his best and share the rewards thereafter. A friendly, supportive climate builds trust and confidence among employees and they will be quite happy to extend a helping hand to management, whenever required.

3. Clear career paths: To reduce uncertainty, each employee must be sure of where he is heading for, say after 5 years within same organization. A clear career path and the job rewards and the benefits that follow committed service would go a long way in preventing or reducing stress level greatly.

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4. Company- wide programmes: A variety of programs can be used to manage work stress and these include: Job enrichment Employee counseling Training and development programs Establishing autonomous work groups Establishing variable work schedules Setting up health clubs and offering health facilities

Management can help reduce stress in the work environment by

holding team

meetings, using proper management techniques, employing effective communication system and reducing uncertainty among employees.

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2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
In 1996, NIOSH established an interdisciplinary team of researchers and practitioners from industry, labor, and academia to develop a national research agenda on the "organization of work." Work organization refers to management and supervisory practices, to production processes, and to their influence on the way work is performed. (In this sense, the study of work organization and health subsumes the field of job stress.) This initiative is part of a broader, collaborative effort by NIOSH external partners to spearhead a "National Occupational Research Agenda" (NORA) to guide occupational safety and health research into the future, not only for NIOSH, but for the entire U.S. occupational safety and health community. During its tenure, the organization of work team has conferred with academic, industry, and labor stakeholders to identify essential research and other requirements to better understand how work organization is changing, the safety and health implications of these changes, and prevention measures. This effort culminated in the NIOSH report "The Changing Organization of Work and the Safety and Health of Working People." According to Neef Davidson , Being dissatisfied with the type of work you do, the environment, the commute and traffic, or dealing with a micro-manager and low pay are enough to cause job stress for anyone. And these are just the external circumstances. What I've realized is that job stress burnout or more so burnout has more to do with how you're affected internally and physically. I was burnt out at my old job because it wasn't fulfilling for me anymore. I started losing sleep- sometimes severe insomnia. I was irritable and my eating habits changed. I thought it was a hormone or thyroid issue then my doctor said all of my blood work was perfect. She gave me samples of Ambien which I never took and said it may be job stress depression.A hormone issue was fine with me because I didn't want it to be stress burnout. I had to wake up and realized that being stimulated mentally and learning new things are required for me to feel satisfied in my work. The same hum drum monotony day in and day out wasn't for me. I really wanted to experience more and receive more personal growth from investing over 40 hours of my

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time every week. You see, once you know the exact causes of your burnout, you can move towards knowing what you really want.

An interesting new study found that greater levels of job stress increased the odds of people becoming inactive thereby raising the rates of obesity. According to experts, chronic job stress contributes largely to lack of exercise, poor eating habits, and sedentary lifestyle which in turn fuel the obesity epidemic.Another interesting aspect uncovered was that gorging on healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruits helped only slightly to beat the chronic stress at the workplace. The study suggests that physical activity is the only option to deal with stress and keep obesity at bay.

In a bid to determine the association between stress at work and obesity, the researchers observed 2,782 employees at a large manufacturing facility in upstate New York. Nearly three quarters of the volunteers were overweight or obese, white, middleaged, highly educated, relatively well paid (earning more than $60,000 annually) and had worked for nearly 22 years at the company.All the participants were questioned in detail about their psychosocial work conditions.

The researchers discovered that the employers may have a hand in the dismal state of affairs.Most employees ended up binging on some of the unhealthiest foods during the recession when lay-offs and tensions were at its peak.Moreover, workers refrained from physical activity during lunch breaks fearing repercussions about leaving their desks for too long, while some skipped lunch altogether.Additionally, some also confessed to stress eating and being burned out from doing the work of five people.

The researchers noted that many employees, after a day spent in stressful conditions closeted in meetings or glued to the computers, longed to go home and "veg out" while watching TV.The employees who watched TV for two or more hours daily were 77 percent more likely to be obese, while those who spent over four hours in front of the idiot box increased their odds of being obese by 150 percent. Lead author Dr. Diana Fernandez, an epidemiologist at the University of Rochester Medical Center Department

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of Community and Preventative Medicine stated, We are not sure why TV is so closely associated with being overweight in our sample group of people. Other studies have shown that adults tend to eat more fatty foods while watching TV. But this requires more investigation.

Hans Selye (1936) The term stress was basically introduced into the social sciences by Hans Selye. The various terms tension, strain , stress is a term basically used in among JCO which means pressure of one object on another, conflict and pressure are used to denote the effect of stress on individuals, through there may be thin differences in these terms. Hans viewed stress as the non-specifically induced changes within a biological system. It is non specific because any adoption to a problem faced by the body, irrespective of the nature.

Prof. Robbins According to prof.Robbins stress is a condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity, constrain or demand related to what he/she desires and for which the outcome is perceived to both uncertain and important. So, stress is associated with: Constraints or demand Uncertainty over the outcome which is regarded as important

Miller and Hester (2005) Miller and Hester reviewed stress management training techniques and found they included such approaches as relaxation training, biofeedback and systematic desensitization (i.e., focusing on environmental factors to reduce anxiety). Miller (2003) also identified aerobic training as a stress management approach. Other approaches have included meditation, muscle relaxation and transcendental meditation.

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Fletcher (2006) It has been shown how the further down the skill level in the job chain one looks the worse off the mental health of those groups becomes. Further it has also been shown how. Conditions of work most adverse to workers health is to be found in blue collar professions and in some health care positions such as nursing. A common and possibly decisive denominator of these work conditions is that they expose the worker to a combination of high psychological stress and physical workload and a low level of decision latitude.

Brown Et Al (2007) A recent study by Brown Et Al examined the relationship between stressful life events and drinking outcome among male alcoholics who had completed an alcohol treatment program. Approximately 40% of the pre-treatment stressors were found to be directly or indirectly related to alcohol use. Results showed that men who returned to drinking after treatment experienced more serve or highly threatening stress before their relapse than men who re

Spector & Connell (2008) As an individual , the issues of Locus of Control(LOC), whereby one may perceive oneself as a victim or an agent of control in ones own life(external or internal LOC), appears to be one of three key personality facts linked to how an individual reacts to stressful situation . The other two are: Negative Affectivity or the tendency to experience a variety of negative emotions across time and situations; and type A personalities who seem to be hyper- reaction to uncontrollable stressors and more reactive than type B.

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Miller and Hester (2009) Miller and Hester reviewed stress management training techniques and found they included such approaches as relaxation training, biofeedback and systematic desensitization (i.e., focusing on environmental factors to reduce anxiety). Miller (1992) also identified aerobic training as a stress management approach. Other approaches have included meditation, muscle relaxation and transcendental meditation.

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine(2007) To examine the relationship between psyohosocial job stress and major depression, a prospective cohort study was conducted of 3066 male workers in two factories of an electrical company in Japan. The workers were observed for 3 years; 15 workers newly developed major depression. The effects of six job stress variables, depressive symptoms, and other possible confounders were assessed by means of self-administered questionnaires once a year. Five workers without apparent psychiatric disorder were matched for each patient by gender (all male), age (within 5 years), marital status, factory, and occupation; the 15 cases and the 75 controls were compared. Proportions of perceived stress due to unsuitable jobs and human relations were significantly higher in the cases than in the controls. Results of the conditional multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that stress due to unsuitable jobs was significantly associated with occurrence of major depression after depressive symptoms were controlled for. It is suggested that stress due to unsuitable jobs is a possible risk factor for major depression in industry. R Karasek, D Baker, F Marxer, A Ahlbom and T Theorell (2008) The association between specific job characteristics and subsequent cardiovascular disease was tested using a large random sample of the male working Swedish population. The prospective development of coronary heart disease (CHD) symptoms and signs was analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression technique. Additionally, a casecontrolled study was used to analyze all cardiovascular-cerebrovascular (CHD-CVD)

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deaths during a six-year follow-up. The indicator of CHD symptoms and signs was validated in a six-year prospective study of CHD deaths (standardized mortality ratio 5.0; p less than or equal to .001). A hectic and psychologically demanding job increases the risk of developing CHD symptoms and signs (standardized odds ratio 1.29, p less than 0.25) and premature CHD-CVD death (relative risk 4.0, p less than .01). Low decision latitude-expressed as low intellectual discretion and low personal schedule freedom-is also associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Low intellectual discretion predicts the development of CHD symptoms and signs (SOR 1.44, p less than .01), while low personal schedule freedom among the majority of workers with the minimum statutory education increases the risk of CHD-CVD death (RR 6.6, p less than .0002). The associations exist after controlling for age, education, smoking, and overweight.

Tarani Chandola, senior lecturer (t.chandola@ucl.ac.uk)(2009) Stress at work has been linked with coronary heart disease in retrospective and prospective studies. The biological mechanisms remain unclear. Plausible

pathophysiological mechanisms involve direct neuroendocrine effects and indirect effects mediated by adverse health behaviours. The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors that increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.Characteristics of the metabolic syndrome are abdominal obesity, atherogenic dyslipidaemia (raised triglycerides, small low density lipoprotein particles, and low concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol), high blood pressure, insulin resistance (with or without glucose intolerance), and prothrombotic and proinflammatory state. Previous studies found a social gradient in work stress and the metabolic syndrome,suggesting that the social gradient in the metabolic syndrome and heart disease could in part be explained by greater exposure to work stress among less advantaged social groups. Cross sectional studies have linked work stress with components of the syndrome, but this association is not consistent.

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According to Aca demon:Improving employee morale and motivation is a critical concern for managers in order to increase productivity. The paper discusses the views on extrinsic versus intrinsic motivators and some of the debates regarding motivation in general. Fine kind of methods for improving morale are found; monetary rewards, work-life balance, careeroriented benefits, entertainment and status enhancing.

According to Verna L. Riley:Solo librarian are unique breed, and running a one person special libraries require certain skills and characteristics not necessarily common among librarians in more conventional settings. While much of the recent literature on employee morale is written with the assumptions that managers are primarily responsible for employee morale, some study argues that the employees themselves are responsible for their own professional and emotional well being in the work place. A fundamental construct contain in the literature reviewed here is that effective employee-management communication is essential to successful management and high employee morale. The construct will evaluate along the three other factors; management styles, networking and continuing education that can affect morale for solo librarians.

According to Lawrence Andrew Hartman III:Morale must be recognized, maintained and encouraged in order to guard against reduced individual job performance and organizational instability. Training and education should be continuously provided and encouraged. Directives must be clearly defined and efficient supervision need to work alongside employees offering guidance and the reflection of appropriate behaviors staff should be empowered to make decisions and solved problems. Open communication must offer feedback regarding individual job performance and the recognition of good work. All these factors employed in union will have a positive affect upon employee morale through stressing the importance of the individual and benefiting the cohesion of the facility.

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According to Thomas Duff:I think that many businesses and bosses could be so much further ahead if they read The Enthusiastic Employee by David Sirota, Louis A. Mischkind, and Michel Irwin Meltzer (Wharton School Publishing). Served. The authors have done a number of surveys of employees to get a idea of how 1) employees feel about their current jobs, and 2) what theyd like to see from their companies and management. These findings are presented to the reader (which *should * be in management) to help them understand how their staff really thinks and works. The conclusion is that companies can profit handsomely by understanding what their employees want and making sure they get it. And its not always just money. It can be since of teamwork, a vested interest in making sure the company is successful, or even just the challenge of being given a difficult job along with the authority to do whats necessary to pull it off. While not every employee is the same or is motivated by the same ideals or benefits, a company that follows the findings in this book and implement changes will find turn over plunging and job satisfaction going up to unknown levels.

According to K. Jaussi
He enthusiastic employees a great read for ANYONE in business as it demonstrates (in a well written and enjoyable manner) the importance of employee morale from both an empirical anecdotal perspective. The obvious fit for this book is a reader who is in a position to improve morale in his or her organization----however, I especially recommend it for those just starting their career, as through the data it presents, it provides exactly the kind of information to ask in interviews when trying determine whether the organization offer systems and the other elements conducive to generating positive attitudes.

According to C. S. Clarke
If you are in management or H.R or have employees of any sort, including by independent contract, get this book and follow its advice. It is worth its weight in gold, but fortunately you dont have to pay that much for it. This is the bible of common sense

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management of human motivation and performance. It contains the relevant results of 30 years worth of meticulously researched materials produced by members of Sirota Consulting where the authors are senior staff. (David Sirota is the founder.)

The book contains very little that anyone familiar with the literature in the field will find new. Infact, most reputable management consultants have told their clients most of the same things for many, many years: 1) Ask your employees what they want. 2) Employees wanted to be treated fairly, including in compensation-and fair means fair, not extraordinary. 3) Employees want the opportunity to perform well and achieve something meaningful (really!). 4) Employees want to with others who share their basic values and with whom they can comfortably interact and co-operatethere is an important social element in the work place.

According to Herbert Karlow, MD (Los Angels, CA)


The enthusiastic employeeholds a compelling message: listen to your employees. When they organizations what they want, they are providing a roadmap for success. The discussions on equity, achievement and camaraderie make too much sense to be ignored. This book is difficult to put down. Rather than a dry business tome that puts one to sleep, it wakes you up and forces you to examine your own behavior as well as the behavior of organizations leadership. We are presented with an approach a building a partnership culture that has universal application.

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Reviewer: Gerry Stern (culver City, CA united States)


Based on 30 years of research, the authors demonstrate a clear relationship between financial performance and employee morale. Data reveals three dimensions of morale, each having sub factors: 1. Equity (job security, compensation, respect) 2. Achievement (organization purpose and principles, job enablement, job challenge and feedback, recognition and reward, and 3. Camaraderie (teamwork). Chapters are devoted to each of these subjects and provide illustrative examples. Furthermore, the authors have adopted a People Performance Model consisting of : leadership; management practices; employee morale; individual performance; customer satisfaction; customer behavior; and business performance; the model provides an excellent framework for gaining insight into crucial connections. Appendices include a self-assessment questionnaire for managers and key statistical findings. Speaking not only as a reviewer, but a management consultant (HR Consultant.com), this book is a gem. It is exceptionally informative and insightful; one of the best books on the subject of successfully managing people.

Richard T. Mowday, Lyman W. Porter said in October 1974:This study investigated the relationships between work unit performance on the one hand, and employee attitudes and situational characteristics on the other hand, among 411 female clerical workers in 37 branches of a bank. The branches are work units characterized by spatial separation and the performance of similar functions. Two independent dimensions of performance were empirically identified and their relationship to attitudes and situational characteristics studied within a multivariate framework by means of multiple discriminant analysis.

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The results indicate that employee attitudes were significantly related to a measure of branch performance reflecting job duties performed within the branch. Employees in branches rated high in performance had a higher level of attitudes toward aspects of both the branch in which they work and the larger organization of which it is a part, while individuals in low- and medium-performing branches had a lower level of attitudes that was similar. Situational characteristics of the branch were most highly related to the manager's performance of loan functions, a large portion of which may take place outside the branch.

Terry A. Beehr & Nina Gupta said in 1978:Disenchanted employees may choose to withdraw from the organization in at least four ways, viz., psychological withdrawal, lateness, absenteeism, and turnover. There are reasons for assuming that these different forms of withdrawal may be interrelated either negatively or positively. This study attempts to determine the direction and strength of the relationships among the various forms of withdrawal. The sample consisted of 651 employees from all levels of five midwestern work organizations. Three methods of data collection were used: structured interviews, a search through the companies' personnel records, and supervisors' ratings. It was concluded that the four forms of withdrawal are related with one another positively and with low to moderate strength. Implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions for future research are offered.

Carleton S. Bartlem said in 1981:Coch and French's interpretation of their classic (1948) study of worker participation in decision-making is questioned. It is argued that the superiority of the combined experimental groups to the control group could have been due to differences in: the way in which the job changes were explained; the manner in which the time studies were conducted; and/or the amount of additional training given. Similarly, the superiority of experimental Groups II and III to Group I could have been an artifact of differences in the amount of work available, or of differences in group size. In addition, the failure to find a difference within Group I between direct and indirect participants would seem to argue against a participation interpretation of the findings. It is suggested that the perceived 47

fairness of the pay rates was probably the key factor in this and in some similar studies. The wider issue involved may have been organizational trust.

Grover,V.; Dept. of Manage. Sci., South Carolina Univ., Columbia, SC said in Feb 1999:Business process reengineering has been prominently discussed and implemented in a large number of firms around the world. While the notion of radical change is intuitively appealing to fix organizational woes, it has not always met with the degree of success originally claimed by its many proponents. This article studies the evolution of the reengineering concept and its evolution toward the broader notion of process change management. Reported here are the results of two studies that explore reengineering from a project implementation perspective and an organizational perspective at two different points in time. The results show remarkable consistency in the importance of nontechnology management issues concerning strategy, change and people. Further, the notion of continuous change seems to be becoming,more important. The study provides a foundation for identifying key variables that can be studied in order to effectively manage this multifaceted phenomenon.

Laura B. Forker & David Mendez said in 2001:An analytical method for benchmarking, using data envelopment analysis, is proposed that can help companies identify their most efficient suppliers, the suppliers among the most efficient with the most widely applicable TQM programs, and those suppliers who are not on the efficient frontier but who could move toward it by emulating the practices of their best peer supplier(s). These best peer suppliers are those that can be imitated by firms with similar organizational structures with the least amount of effort. The technique enables a purchasing manager to identify suppliers that could benefit most from supplier development efforts and identifies the suppliers for others to study and adopt appropriate practices from, without relying on reputation or advertised excellence. This method helps an organization conserve time that might otherwise be spent on inappropriate search and implementation efforts, thus freeing managerial resources to be applied where they can have their greatest impact. 48

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3. RESEARCH MEHDOLOGY
Purpose
The main purpose of this research is to determine the important drivers of job stress and to analyze the effect of job stress on the performance of the among JCO in Armed Services. The obsession with meeting the targets and deadlines not only stresses out the to echelons of the management, but also all the cadres of the workforce. If the stress management issues are not adequately addressed in time, the productivity of the workers and executives suffers and pressures on the management mount. People begin to suffer from various types of mental and physical ailments which affect the performance of the brains activities such as memory, concentration and learning

Objectives
1. To identify the main reasons of stress among Armed Services. 2. To study the effect of stress on their performance 3. To find the methods of removing stress and the effectiveness of methods 4. To identify the Armed Services with stress & to assess his problems. 5. To assess among JCO of Armed Services qualities including the vulnerability to stress Research methodology makes the most important contribution towards the enrichment of study. In a research there are numerous methods and procedure to be applied but it is the nature of the problem under investigation that determines the adoption of a particular method for all studies. Methods selected should always be appropriate to the problem under investigation. The present study is carried out to study the attitude of rural people towards modern banking services. This chapter describes the scope of research work,

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research design, data collection method, sampling design, data design, data analysis and finally limitation of the project

Research Design The survey method is the basic research design. The structured questionnaire was administered to the respondents, which solicits information about their level of job stress.

Sample Size A survey of approximately 50 Armed working in different organizations provided the database for this study. The sampling technique used was convenience sampling under this sample of respondents was chosen according to the convenience of the researcher.

Data Collection: The purpose of research was explained to the employees and questionnaires were being administered to them.

Evaluation After scoring the questions, the raw data are used to draw charts. These charts are further analyzed to draw inferences and deductions about the impact of job stress on Armed Services and to identify the main methods to remove stress.

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4. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Results and discussion is made on the basis of the structured questionnaire and the responses given by the JCO. The total no of respondents are 150. The analysis and interpretation is as follows:

Q 1. Do you believe that among JCO is a stressful job? Yes - 102 No- 48

No 32% Yes 68%

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If yes, how much job stress do you feel at job? High- 51 Low-23 Moderate- 34

Moderate 31%

High 48%

Low 21%

A very high percentage of the respondents i.e. 68% believe that among JCO is a stressful job. From these, 48% respondents feel high job stress; 21% feel low job stress and 31% feel moderate job stress.

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Q 2.Do your junior employees and colleague make your job stressful? Yes- 46 No- 104

Yes 31% No 69%

Only 31% respondents say that their junior employees and colleague make their job stressful. The remain 69% are not in favor of this statement.

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Q 3. Do you become angry when your junior employees fail to do as you ask? Always- 28 Never- 44 Sometimes- 78

Always 19% Sometime 52% Never 29%

52% respondents sometimes become angry when junior employees fail to do as they ask; 19% become always angry but only 29% never become angry when junior employees fail to do as they ask.

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Q 4. According to you, which things make your job stressful? Workload- 70 Excessive rules of Organization- 28

Interpersonal relationship- 4

Daily changes in work Schedule- 48

daily changes in work sche dules 32% interpers onal e xce ssive re latation rule s of organisati ship on 3% 19%

workload 46%

According to 46% respondents workload is major cause of stress; 32% are agree with daily changes in work schedules; 19% say that excessive rules of organization is a cause of stress; Only 3% are in favor of interpersonal relationships.

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Q 5. Do you feel that your boss shows lack of interest or focus in your work? Yes- 42 No-108

Yes 28% No 72%

Only 28% are agreeing with this fact that their boss shows lack of interest in their work.

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Q 6. Does your job interfere with other responsibilities? Always- 16 Sometimes-128 Often- 6

Often 4%

Always 11%

Sometime 85%

11% respondents say that their job always interferes with other responsibilities; 85% says sometimes and only 4% say often in the response of this statement.

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Q 7. Do you think that your work is out of control? Always-6 Never- 88 Sometimes- 56

Always 4% Sometime 37% Never 59%

59% say they never find that their work is out of control; 37% say that sometimes their work is out of control and only 4% respondents face this problem always.

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Q8. Do you become upset when an emergency work arises in your job? Strongly agree-10 Agree-44 Neutral-80

Disagreee-12

Strongly disagree- 4

disagree Strongly 8% Strongly disagree agree 3% 7% agree 29% neutral 53%

3% say strongly agree; 29% say agree; 53% say neutral; 8% say disagree and 7% say strongly disagree with this statement.

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Q 9. Do you feel that you are tied in knots at the end of the day? Yes-86 No- 64

No 43%

Yes 57%

57% respondents say that they feel tied in knots at the end of the day and 43% say no in response of this question.

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Q 10. Do you feel irritated when you dont get tea break and lunch break while working? Yes- 88 No-62

No 41%

Yes 59%

Quite a high percent (59%) of the respondents feel irritated when they dont get tea break and lunch break while working; 41% say no in the response.

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Q 11. Do you frustrate when things dont run smoothly or according to you? Always- 52 Never- 10 Sometimes- 88

Always 35% Seldom 58% Never 7%

Only 7% never get frustrated when things dont run smoothly or according to them; but 35% Always and 58% seldom get frustrated.

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Q12. Do you feel that problems at home interfere with your performance at work? Always- 8 Never- 38 Sometimes- 104

Always 5% Never 25% Sometime s 70%

5% feel that it happen always when their home problems interfere with their work performance; 70% feel that it happens sometimes but 25% say never in the response of statement.

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Q13. How much your general health affected by your work? More affect-52 Less affect- 40

Normal- 36

No affect- 22

No affect 15% Normal 24%

More affect 34%

Less affect 27%

34% say more affected; 24% say normal; 27% say less affected and 15% say that their general health has never affected by work.

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Q14. Are you made the work more in nights as compared to morning duty? Yes-72 No-78

No 52%

Yes 48%

There are 48% among JCO who made the work more in nights as compare to morning duty i.e. they have to work in night shifts.

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Q15. Do you feel sometimes that you are unpleasant with job conditions? Yes- 80 No-70

No 47%

Yes 53%

53% respondents are unpleasant with the job conditions but 47% are happy with the conditions provided by their organizations.

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Q16. Do you think that your performance is affected by stress? Always- 46 Never- 44 Sometimes- 60

Someties 40%

Always 31%

Never 29%

31% say always; 40% say sometimes but 29% never feel that their performance is affected by stress.

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Q17. Are the bureaucratic rules of any organization work as source of stress for employees? Strongly agree-26 Agree- 88 Neutral- 24

Disagree- 12

Strongly disagree- 0

Strongly dis agree strongly 0% agree Dis agree 17% Ne utral 8% 16%

Agree 59%

17% are strongly agreed; 59% are agreed; 24% say neutral in favor of this fact. But 8% are disagree i.e. they dont think that bureaucratic rules of any organization work as source of stress for employees.

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Q18. Do you think that low job security is also a cause of job stress? Strongly agree- 48 Agree- 70 Neutral- 24

Disagree- 8

Strongly disagree- 0

DisagreeStrongly 5% disagree 0% Neutral Strongly 16% agree 32% Agree 47%

32% are strongly agreed that low job security is also a cause of stress; 47% are agreed; 16% gave neutral response; and 5% are disagreeing with this fact.

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Q19. Is there any management program providing by your organization for coping stress?

Yes-58

No-92

Yes 39% No 61%

The survey brings out the fact that 61% of the respondents say that there are no management programs provided by their organizations for coping stress.

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Q20. According to you, what coping strategies should select by management of any organization? Proper work schedule -42 Employee fitness program- 12

Job security- 26

All-70

Proper work schedule 28% All 47% Job security 17% Employee fitness program 8%

Around a quarter of the respondents say proper work schedule; 17% say job security; only 8% say employee fitness programs and 47% respondents think that all these three should be selected by management of any organization as stress coping strategies.

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Q21. Which of the following problem do you face at the end of the day? Headaches- 52 Backaches- 22

Stomachaches- 0

None- 76

None 50%

Headache s 35%

Stomacha ches 0%

Backaches 15%

35% respondents face headaches; 15% face backaches; and 50% face none of these problems at the end of the day. Some respondents specify that they face problem of irritation at the end of the day.

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Q22. Which method you normally use to relive the stress? Take a walk Sleeping Playing Music Exercise Cultivate interest Blaming others Meditation & Relaxation

According to you which method is most suitable? Please specify.

1. Take a walk Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Total Average 68 53 22 7 0 150 4.2

Average rating lies between agree and strongly agree. 2. Music Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Total Average 48 70 32 0 0 150 4.1

Average rating lies between agree and strongly agree.

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3. Blaming Others Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Total Average 0 0 0 12 138 150 1.08

The average rating lies on strongly disagree.

4. Sleeping

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Total Average

107 41 2 0 0 150 4.7

The average rating lies between strongly agree and agree.

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5. Exercise Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Total Average 22 27 83 18 0 150 3.3

The average rating lies between neutral and agree.

6. Meditation & Relaxation

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Total Average

52 47 51 0 0 150 4.0

The average rating lies on agree.

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7. Playing Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Total Average 34 8 87 21 0 150 3.3

The average rating lies between neutral and agree.

8. Cultivate Interest Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Total Average 38 62 46 4 0 150 3.8

The average rating lies between agree and neutral.

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1. Take a walk

Strongly disagree Disagree Nrutral Agree Strongly Agree 0 20 40 60 80 Series1

This bar chart shows that a high percentage of respondents is highly agree that they take a walk to relieve the stress.

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2. Music

Strongly disagree Disagree Nrutral Agree Strongly Agree 0 20 40 60 80 Series1

This bar chart shows most of respondents are agree that they listen music to relieve the stress.

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3. Blaming Other

Strongly disagree Disagree Nrutral Agree Strongly Agree 0 50 100 150 Series1

In this bar chart it is clear that high degree of respondents are strongly disagree that they blame others to relieve stress.

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4. Sleeping

Strongly disagree Disagree Nrutral Agree Strongly Agree 0 50 100 150 Series1

Here this bar chart shows that high percentage of respondents are strongly agree that they always go to sleep to relieve the stress.

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5. Exercise

Strongly disagree Disagree Nrutral Agree Strongly Agree 0 50 100 Series1

This bar chart shows neutral response of respondents towards exercise

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6. Meditation & Relaxation

Strongly disagree Disagree Nrutral Agree Strongly Agree 0 20 40 60 Series1

Here in this bar chart it is clear that respondents are strongly agree with this method for relieving stress.

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7. Playing

Strongly disagree Disagree Nrutral Agree Strongly Agree 0 50 100 Series1

There is a neutral response of respondents towards the playing as a method of relieving stress.

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8. Cultivate interest

Strongly disagree Disagree Nrutral Agree Strongly Agree 0 20 40 60 80 Series1

The respondents are agree that they do their cultivate interests for relieving the stress.

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Q23. All in all, how would you say you are with your job? Very satisfied-28 Some what satisfied- 48

Not too satisfied- 68

Not at all satisfied- 6

not at all satisfied 4% not too satisfied 45%

very satisfied 19%

some what satisfied 32%

In the response of this statement, 19% say very satisfied; 32% say some what satisfied; 45% say not too satisfied and only 4% say not at all satisfied with their job.

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5. SUGGESTIONS

1.

To successfully attract and relieve job stress among the among JCO in Armed Services organizations need to examine their programs and policies for coping stress to see where they stand compared to other companies. By employing and implementing various management programs to relieve stress, the organizations can cope with job stress among their employees. The following strategies are important to remember while making stress coping programs: Proper work schedule should be there Ensure high job security to the employee There should some employee fitness programs and setting of health clubs

2. The boss should show interest in the work of employee. There should be friendly and supportive relation between the boss and the employees. There should be an informal meeting between boss and employees in a month so that they can discus about the work performance. The boss should give positive motivations to employee for his/her good performance.

3. There should proper timings of tea break and lunch break.

4. The rules of organization should not be bureaucratic so that the employees feel pleasant working with the organization.

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5. The organizations should conduct some seminars by professionals to relieve the stress among the employees. 6. The organization should give the job rewards and recognition to the employees and committed that their service would go a long way. This may be higher compensation, performance bonus etc.

7. There should be training and development programs for the employees so that the never feel stressed doing their job.

8. The organizations should adopt job enrichment and employee counseling strategies.

9. Job rotation can also be practiced whereby employees are shifted within different sites. Because there is greater variety and wider range of interesting and challenging jobs. The people should select for job rotation based on their core skills and leadership competencies. Job rotation should be well planned and linked to career and succession plans.

10. It is the responsibility of management that there should be good interpersonal relationships in the environment of organization.

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Here I will recommend 10 Ways to Stay Sane in a Horrible, Horrible Job


Is your job making you crazy? Spending 40+ hours per week in a stressful work environment can take a serious toll on both your mental and physical health. Job stress has been linked to conditions including anxiety, depression, ulcers, obesity, chronic back pain, high blood pressure, and heart disease. That "I hate my job" feeling could literally be making you sick.

But its not always easy to walk away from a bad job. I speak from experience. I learned about all of the sanity savers on this list the hard way I stayed in a job I didnt like for years before I worked up the courage to quit.

1. Make a Plan to Get Out

The most important first step is to get serious about changing your situation. You will be amazed at how much less aggravating your job can become once you have a solid plan to get out. Even the worst days are easier to bear if you know the end is in sight.

So think about what you can do to stop the madness get off of that hellish project, transfer to a different department, replace that incompetent employee, or figure out how to quit your job and move on to something more fulfilling. What would it take to make things better? And then, what do you need to do to get there?

If your job is running you ragged, the idea of making time for planning can be daunting. Thats why so many people stay stuck in bad situations. But you have to prioritize your

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long-term health and happiness and find the time, even if that means your days become a little more hectic in the short term. The reward of a better job situation is well worth the temporary strain. We cant depend on our employers to guide our career paths anymore. It is up to us to take charge. And if we dont proactively plan, we run the risk of getting caught up in momentum toward goals we dont even really want.

2. Take a Mental Health Day

One way to make time for hatching your escape plan is to take a mental health day. Thats right. Play hooky. Some of you Type A personalities may have trouble with this idea. However, if youre on the verge of burnout and your employer refuses to let up the pace, you may have to take matters into your own hands.

A day away from the madness can be a great way to get some perspective. Its easy to start taking work way too personally when you never have a chance to step back and view things objectively. At the same time, countless studies have found that people perform better when they have time away to refresh.

So you owe it to yourself and your company to take a day off if youve reached your limit. You can call in sick and you dont even have to lie. Youre not feeling well enough to come in. After all, burnout can be just as debilitating as a bad cold.

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3. Take a Walk

You dont have to take a whole day off to benefit from a little mental health break. Even a ten-minute break to step away from your desk and take a few deep breaths can be beneficial when youre feeling stressed out.

Even better, getting out of the office environment for a little bit longer can give you the space you need to figure out a better solution to the problem at hand or defuse a negative situation. When youre feeling out of control or on the verge of saying or doing something you might regret, just walk away. Take a walk around the block or duck out to the gym and work out your negative energy.

Just stop what youre doing, get away from the people who are getting on your last nerve, and focus your mind on something besides the cause of your stress. If you can, go outside for a breath of fresh air. Psychological studies have shown that gazing at views of nature can provide relief from mental fatigue and enhance competence.

4. Make Time for Activities that Energize You

All work and no play make Jack not only a dull boy, but also a very cranky one. If youre not getting the fulfillment you need at work, you have to make time for your passions after hours. Without a regular dose of joy in your life, burnout is inevitable.

Think about whats missing. Do you need a creative outlet? Do you long to be able to make a bigger difference in the world? Do you hunger for greater intellectual challenge?

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Look into hobbies, classes, or volunteer work that can help you fill the void. You may think you dont have time for fun or fulfillment, but I can guarantee you that a little bit of inspiration will give you more energy and make your days much more pleasant.

5. Make Friends In and Out of the Office

Recent research studies show job satisfaction increases by nearly 50 percent when you have a close friend at work. Its a lot more fun to come to the office when you have colleagues that you like and respect. Having friends at the office is even more important when youre stuck in a miserable job. You need at least one trusted confidante that you can vent to. You can also benefit from the informed advice and support of colleagues who know all of the players and issues that youre dealing with.

At the same time, make sure that you continue to cultivate a circle of interesting friends outside the office. The very act of getting away from work and work people to enjoy totally unrelated activities and discussions can be very rejuvenating. Spending time with normal people can also provide you with new and healthier perspectives on your work. You may even meet someone who can hire you or recommend you for a better job. You certainly wont find job leads if you spend all of your evenings crying into your beer with the gang from the office.

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6. Sleep On It

If youre dealing with a stressful job, chances are good that you havent been getting enough sleep. When schedules get hectic, people tend to start cutting back on their sleep hours in order to fit everything in. Weve all pulled an occasional all-nighter when an important project called for it. However, consistent neglect of your bodys natural need for sleep can make you more irritable and lead to significantly lower job satisfaction.

If youre feeling overwhelmed, you may very well be better off going home to bed than working late. Youll think more clearly in the morning and be more productive. Likewise, if you have a big decision to make or are feeling tempted to respond emotionally to a work conflict, try sleeping on the situation in order to get enough distance (and rest) to make an informed choice.

7. Book Your Vacation Now

Research has shown that workers who take regular vacations have lower stress levels and are less likely to experience burnout. Unfortunately, half of U.S. workers dont take the vacation days theyre given. In fact, U.S. workers forfeited approximately 421 million vacation days in 2005.

If youve got vacation days coming, dont put them off any longer. A vacation lets you recharge your batteries so that you can do a better job at work when you return. It can

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also give you time and distance to think about your job situation and how youd like it to change.

Even if you cant get away right now, you can schedule your trip and start planning your vacation activities. Scheduling your getaway now will give you something specific to look forward to and think about on those days when work feels like it will never get better.

8. Laugh It Off

Did you know that humor can reduce job stress, boost morale, strengthen workplace bonds, and even help ward off burnout? And here you thought all those stupid forwarded joke emails were complete wastes of time.

A little comedy can help you release tension and lighten up a bit. So keep your funniest friends phone number handy and call when youre having a bad day. Upload sets by your favorite stand-up comics to your iPod and take a quick comedy break when you need one. After all, its physically impossible to feel totally miserable when youre laughing.

9. Just Breathe

You may have heard this advice before, but it bears repeating. When things get tough, deep breathing can take you from crazed to calm in just a few minutes.

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When we get stressed, we tend to start breathing more shallowly. As a result, our cells dont get as much oxygen and when your brain cells dont get enough oxygen, its hard to think clearly or calmly.

The best quick relief for feeling overwhelmed is to just breathe. Find a secluded or semisecluded spot, close your eyes, and focus on taking deep slow breaths from your belly. Keep your mind on your breathing and refuse to be distracted by other thoughts or outside noises, if only for a minute or two. This process will help you get that oxygen to your brain while also clearing out unproductive thoughts. It can be a great temporary fix when youre feeling frazzled.

10. Get Some Help

If youve tried everything that you can think of to make your bad job tolerable and youre still suffering, it may be time to call in some outside help. Working with a career counselor or coach could help you more clearly identify the root causes of your job misery and explore solutions that you havent thought about. If your work situation is having a serious emotional impact, you may prefer to speak with a counselor or therapist.

Theres no need to suffer in silence and no shame in asking for help. They dont give out medals for bravely enduring terrible jobs.

If your job is affecting your mental or your physical health, you owe it to yourself to do whatever you can to make the situation better. While your ultimate goal may be a better job, these ten tips can help you keep your sanity until youre ready to give your notice.

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Do you have additional ideas for minimizing stress in a horrible job? Share your stories and advice and add to the list.

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6. CONCLUSION
From the analysis and interpretation the conclusion can be made: All the among JCO at ARMED SERVICES feel high level of job stress. The major cause of their stress is overload and unproper working schedules. The problems at home also interfere with their job performance and are a cause of job stress. There is high affect of job stress on the general health of among JCO. Some of them have to work in nights shifts. Some of them face problem of headaches, backaches and irritation at the end of the day. There are no management programs in organizations for coping stress. Most of the among JCO believe that it is necessary that the organization should provide some management programs to cope with stress.

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7. REFERENCES

1^NIOSH (1999). Stress at Work. U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 99-101.

2.^ "NIOSH Work Organization and Stress Related Disorders". United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/workorg/. Retrieved 2007-12-01.

3.^ Northwestern National Life Insurance Company [1991]. Employee burnout: America's newest epidemic. Minneapolis, MN: Northwestern National Life Insurance Company.

4.^ Princeton Survey Research Associates [1997]. Labor day survey: state of workers. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Survey Research Associates.

5.^ St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company [1992]. American workers under pressure technical report. St. Paul, MN: St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company. 6.^ a b {{Sauter S, Hurrell J, Murphy L, Levi L [1997]. Psychosocial and organizational factors. In: Stellman J, ed. Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety. Vol. 1. Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Office, pp. 34.1-34.77.}}

7.^ Goetzel, RZ, Anderson, DR, Whitmer, RW, Ozminkowski, RJ, Dunn, RL, Wasserman J [1998]. The relationship between modifiable health risks and health

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care expenditure: An analysis of the multi-employer HERO health risk and cost database. J Occup Environ Med, 40:843-854.

8. ^ NIOSH [2001]. NIOSH Worker Health Chartbook. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pub. No. 2004-146.

9.^ Primm,Dave."What Workplace Stress Research is Telling Technical Communication."TechnicalCommunication52(2005)449-455

10.^ "Ten Years of Working Conditions in the European Union, 2005". European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. http://www.eurofound.eu.int/publications/htmlfiles/ef00128.htm. Retrieved 2007-1201.

11.^ "Report on the American Workforce". United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/opub/rtaw/rtawhome.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-01.

12.^ Jacobs JA, Gerson K [2004]. The time divide: Work, family, and gender inequality. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

13.^ Sauter SL, Murphy LR, Hurrell JJ, Jr. [1990]. Prevention of work-related psychological disorders. American Psychologist 45(10):1146-1158.

14.^ Bittel, Lester R. Management Skills for Success. Alexander Hamilton Institute Incorporated,1984. Print.

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15.^ Bittel, Lester R. Management Skills for Success. Alexander Hamilton Institute Incorporated,1984. Print.

16.^ Jones JW, Barge BN, Steffy BD, Fay LM, Kuntz LK, Wuebker LJ [1988]. Stress and medical malpractice: organizational risk assessment and intervention. Journal of Applied Psychology 73(4):727-735.

17.^ Gajendran,Ravi and Harrison,David."Telecommuting Win-Win For Employees And Employers."Journal of Applied Psychology92.6 (2008) 5-5

Dr. Gupta, C B, Human resource Management, Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi sixth edition. Rao, VSP, Human Resource Management www. Yahoo mail. Com www. Google. Com Project guide booklet provided by the College, written by Dr. H.S. Singha , Director GNIMT and Amanpreet Singh Brar Lecture , GNIMT.

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QUESTIONNAIR: JOB STRESS

Dear Employees, I am a student of MBA Final Year, as a part of my curriculum; I am to take a research Project on Analytical Study of Job Stress among JCO in Armed Services. To enable to undertake above mentioned study, I request you to give your fair views. Your insights and perspective are important and valuable for my research. Policy on Confidentiality: Please feel free to give your honest responses. The confidentiality of the information provided by the respondent is completely assured.

Name: Age : Gender: Male Education: Organization: Designation: No of years in the organization: 1. Do you believe that Engineering is a stressful job? Yes No If yes, how much job stress you feel at home? High Low Moderate

Female

2. Do your junior employees and colleague make your job stressful? Yes No

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3. Do you become angry when your junior employees fail to do as you ask? Yes No Often

4. According to you, which things make your job stressful? Workload Excessive rules of organization Interpersonal relationships Daily changes in work schedules

5. Do you feel that your boss shows lack of interest or focus in your work? Yes No

6. Does your job interfere with other responsibilities? Always Sometimes Often

7. Do you think that your work is out of control? Always Sometimes Often

8. Do you become upset when an emergency work arises in your job? Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree 9. Do you feel that you are tied in knots at the end of the day? Yes No

10. Do you feel irritated when you dont get tea break and lunch break while working? Yes No

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11. Do you frustrate when things dont run smoothly or according to you? Always Never Seldom

12. Do you feel that problems at home interfere with your performance at work? Always Never Sometimes

13. How much your general health affected by your work? More affect Normal . 14. Are you made the work more in nights as compared to morning duty? Yes No less affect No affect

15. Do you feel sometimes that you are unpleasant with job conditions? Yes No

16. Do you think that your performance is affected by stress? Always Never Sometimes

17. Are the bureaucratic rules of any organization work as source of stress for employees? Strongly agree Disagree Agree Neutral

Strongly disagree

18. Do you think that low job security is also a cause of job Stress? Strongly agree Disagree Agree Neutral

Strongly disagree

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19. Is there any management program providing by your organization for coping stress? Yes No

20. If yes, what coping strategies should select by management of any organization? Proper work schedule Employee fitness programs Job security All 21. Which of the problem do you face at the end of day? Headaches Backaches Stomachaches None If any other, please specify .

22. Which method you normally use to relieve the stress? Strongly strongly Agree disagree Take a walk Music Blaming others Sleeping Exercise Meditation and relaxation Playing Cultivate interest agree neutral disagree

According to you which Specify

method

is

most

suitable?

Please

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23. All in all, How satisfied would you say you are with your Job? Very satisfied Some what satisfied Not too satisfied Not at all satisfied

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