Chapter 1-Introduction

Introduction
Origin of the report:
As a partial requirement of M.com (Management) we are required to study the Organizational
Behavior In the classroom we get the opportunity to know the theoretical part of the subject.
But without practical orientation it is somewhat difficult to grasp the core concept.
Organisational Behavior is entirely based on practical situation. So in order to enhance the
understanding of the core concept, we are required to prepare a report on practical situation to
understand how to implement and practice the theoretical part in real life situation.

Objectives of the study:

General Objective:
The current study aims at exploring organizational stress in term of its causes and management.
Therefore, it attempts to identify what stress is, what causes of organizational stress are, and how
to professionally manage stress.

Specific Objective:

The specific objective of preparing this report is To get a general idea about the Organizational Stress.
To gather practical knowledge about Organizational Stress .
To analyze the how Management manage Stress.

Scope of the study:

The project report studies the different cause of stress in employees and recommends the solution
for minimizing the stress. Stress refers to the work which includes hectic job schedules and
complex job responsibilities which results into imbalance between personal & professional life.
This project Cleary helps to find out the best solution to the stress.

Methodology:
The report in this study is basically an inductive one. Two different types of systems have been
selected here based on convenience. The report is based on both primary and secondary
information.
Primary Information: The primary data have been collected from our class lecture, various
types of individual professionals.
Secondary Information: The secondary information has been extracted from various textbooks
of Entrepreneurship Development. Other notable information that was used for this report was
the information gathered from websites which is mention in bibliography

Limitation:
In spite of having the wholehearted effort, there were some limitations, which acted as a barrier
to conduct the program and for doing an empirical research work, such as:

Time Constraint:
The study is based on the analysis of Organizational Stress But this allocated time is not enough
for a complete and fruitful study.
Lack of Experience:
Due to lack of experience, there is a chance of having some mistake in the report though best
effort has been applied to avoid any kind of mistake.

Chapter 1.
Meaning of Stress:Stress is the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed
on them. There is a clear distinction between pressure, which can create a 'buzz' and be a
motivating factor, and stress, which can occur when this pressure becomes excessive.
Research has shown work-related stress to have adverse effects for organizations
in terms of:
Employee commitment to work;
Staff performance and productivity;
Accidents caused by human error;
Staff turnover and intention to leave;
Attendance levels;
Staff recruitment and retention;
Customer satisfaction;
organisational image and reputation;
Potential litigation.

Stress may be defined as "a state of psychological and / or physiological imbalance resulting
from the disparity between situational demand and the individual's ability and / or motivation to
meet those demands."
Dr. Hans Selye, one of the leading authorities on the concept of stress, described stress as "the
rate of all wear and tear caused by life."
Stress can be positive or negative. Stress can be positive when the situation offers an opportunity
for a person to gain something. It acts as a motivator for peak performance. Stress can be
negative when a person faces social, physical, organisational and emotional problems.

What is Employee Stress?

Employees stress is a growing concern for organizations today. Stress can be defined as a lively
circumstance in which people face constraints, opportunities, or loss of something they desire
and for which the consequence is both unpredictable as well as crucial. Stress is the response of
people to the unreasonable/excessive pressure or demands placed on them.
Stress is not always negative. It may also bring out the best in individuals at times. It may induce
an individual to discover innovative and smarter way of doing things. This positive dimension of
stress is called as enstress. But usually, the term stress has a negative implication and this
negative aspect of stress is termed as distress. For instance - When a subordinate is harassed or
warned by his superior, unhappiness of unsuitable job, etc. We can say that Stress causes some
people to break, and other to break records.
Symptoms of Stress
Some of the symptoms of stress at workplace are as follows

Absenteeism, escaping from work responsibilities, arriving late, leaving early, etc.

Deterioration in work performance, more of error prone work, memory loss, etc.

Cribbing, over-reacting, arguing, getting irritated, anxiety, etc.

Deteriorating health, more of accidents, etc.

Improper eating habits (over-eating or under-eating), excessive smoking and drinking,

sleeplessness, etc.

It is thus very essential to have effective stress management strategies in an organization so that
the detrimental repercussions of stress on the employees as well as their performance can be
reduced and controlled.

Chapter 2 Cause of Stress:Sources/Causes of Stress

The factors leading to stress among individual are called as stressors. Some of the
factors/stressors acting on employees are1. Organizational factors- With the growth in organizational stress and complexity, there
is increase in organizational factors also which cause stress among employees. Some of
such factors area. Discrimination in pay/salary structure
b. Strict rules and regulations
c. Ineffective communication
d. Peer pressure
e. Goals conflicts/goals ambiguity
f. More of centralized and formal organization structure
g. Less promotional opportunities
h. Lack of employees participation in decision-making
i. Excessive control over the employees by the managers

2. Individual factors- There are various expectations which the family members, peer,
superior and subordinates have from the employee. Failure to understand such
expectations or to convey such expectations lead to role ambiguity/role conflict which in
turn causes employee stress. Other individual factors causing stress among employees are
inherent personality traits such as being impatient, aggressive, rigid, feeling time pressure
always, etc. Similarly, the family issues, personal financial problems, sudden career
changes all lead to stress.

3. Job concerning factors- Certain factors related to job which cause stress among
employees are as followsa. Monotonous nature of job
b. Unsafe and unhealthy working conditions
c. Lack of confidentiality
d. Crowding

4. Extra-organizational factors- There are certain issues outside the organization which
lead to stress among employees. In todays modern and technology savvy world, stress
has increased. Inflation, technological change, social responsibilities and rapid social
changes are other extra-organizational factors causing stress.

The degree of stress experienced depends on the functioning of two protective physiological
mechanisms:

Alarm reaction. When confronted with a threat to our safety, our first response is physiological
arousal: our muscles tense and breathing and heart rate become more rapid. This serves us well
when the threat is the proverbial bull in the field rushing towards us. We either fight or flee.
Present day threats tend to be more psychologicalfor example, unjustified verbal attack by a
superior at work. It is usually not socially acceptable to act by fight or flight, and an alternative
means of expressing the resultant emotional and physical energy is required. This falls in the
arena of assertive communication.

Adaptation. The second adaptive mechanism allows us to cease responding when we learn that
stimuli in the environment are no longer a threat to our safety. For example, when we first spend
time in a house near a railway line, our response to trains hurtling past is to be startled, as
described above. Over time, our response dwindles. If this process did not function, we would
eventually collapse from physical wear and tear, and mental exhaustion.
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WORKPLACE FACTORS CAUSING STRESS

The workplace is an important source of both demands and pressures causing stress, and
structural and social resources to counteract stress. The workplace factors that have been found
to be associated with stress and health risks can be categorised as those to do with the content of
work and those to do with the social and organisational context of work Those that are intrinsic
to the job include long hours, work overload, time pressure, difficult or complex tasks, lack of
breaks, lack of variety, and poor physical work conditions (for example, space, temperature,
light).
Unclear work or conflicting roles and boundaries can cause stress, as can having responsibility
for people. The possibilities for job development are important buffers against current stress,
with under promotion, lack of training, and job insecurity being stressful. There are two other
sources of stress, or buffers against stress: relationships at work, and the organisational culture.
Managers who are critical, demanding, unsupportive or bullying create stress, whereas a positive
social dimension of work and good team working reduces it.
An organisational culture of unpaid overtime or presenteeism causes stress. On the other hand,
a culture of involving people in decisions, keeping them informed about what is happening in the
organisation, and providing good amenities and recreation facilities reduce stress. Organisational
change, especially when consultation has been inadequate, is a huge source of stress. Such
changes include mergers, relocation, restructuring or downsizing, individual contracts, and
redundancies within the organisation.

Empirical review
A systematic review of the evidence for work factors associated with psychological ill health and
associated absenteeism3 (Michie and Williams 2001, unpublished data) found the key factors to
be:

long hours worked, work overload and pressure

the effects of these on personal lives

lack of control over work and lack of participation in decision making

poor social support

Unclear management and work role and poor management style.

Explanatory Model
Three of these factors form part of the influential control-demand model of work related strain.
According to this model, work related strain and risks to health are most likely to arise when
high job demands are coupled with low decision latitude (that is, low personal control over work
and limited opportunities to develop skills). On the other hand, high job demands with high
decision latitude gives the possibility of motivation to learn, active learning, and a sense of
accomplishment. Of the two, decision latitude has been found to be more important than demand
Since its introduction in 1979, the model has been extended to include social support at work as a
predictor of job strain. Karasek's model has received sufficient empirical support for it to provide
a useful framework for interventions at work.

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

Individuals differ in their risk of experiencing stress and in their vulnerability to the adverse
effects of stress. Individuals are more likely to experience stress if they lack material resources
(for example, financial security) and psychological resources (for example, coping skills, self
esteem), and are more likely to be harmed by this stress if they tend to react emotionally to
situations and are highly competitive and pressured (type A behavior).
The association between pressures and well being and functioning can be thought of as an
inverted U, with well being and functioning being low when pressures are either high or very
low (for example, in circumstances of unemployment). Different people demonstrate different
shapes of this inverted U, showing their different thresholds for responses to stress. A successful
strategy for preventing stress within the workplace will ensure that the job fits the person, rather
than trying to make people fit jobs that they are not well suited to.
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN WORK AND HOME STRESS
Increasingly, the demands on the individual in the workplace reach out into the homes and social
lives of employees. Long, uncertain or unsocial hours, working away from home, taking work
home, high levels of responsibility, job insecurity, and job relocation all may adversely affect
family responsibilities and leisure activities. This is likely to undermine a good and relaxing
quality of life outside work, which is an important buffer against the stress caused by work. In
addition, domestic pressures such as childcare responsibilities, financial worries, bereavement,
and housing problems may affect a person's robustness at work. Thus, a vicious cycle is set up in
which the stress caused in either area of one's life, work or home, spills over and makes coping
with the other more difficult.
Women are especially likely to experience these sources of stress, since they still carry more of
the burden of childcare and domestic responsibilities than men. In addition, women are
concentrated in lower paid, lower status jobs, may often work shifts in order to accommodate
domestic responsibilities, and may suffer discrimination and harassment

Chapter 3. Strategies for Managing Stress

INDIVIDUAL STRESS MANAGEMENT

Most interventions to reduce the risk to health associated with stress in the workplace involve
both individual and organisational approaches. Individual approaches include training and oneto-one psychology servicesclinical, occupational, health or counselling. They should aim to
change individual skills and resources and help the individual change their situation. The
techniques listed in fig mirror the active coping (fight/flight) and rest phases (habituation) of the
stress model presented earlier.

Stress experienced by the employees in their job has negative impact on their health,
performance and their behaviour in the organization. Thus, stress needs to be managed
effectively so as to set off these harmful consequences. Strategies for managing stress are as
follows-

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Organizational strategies for managing stress

1. Encouraging more of organizational communication with the employees so that there is
no role ambiguity/conflict. Effective communication can also change employee views.
Managers can use better signs and symbols which are not misinterpreted by the
employees.
2. Encourage employees participation in decision-making. This will reduce role stress.
3. Grant the employees greater independence, meaningful and timely feedback, and greater
responsibility.
4. The organizational goals should be realistic, stimulating and particular. The employees
must be given feedback on how well they are heading towards these goals.
5. Encourage decentralization.
6. Have a fair and just distribution of incentives and salary structure.
7. Promote job rotation and job enrichment.
8. Create a just and safe working environment.
9. Have effective hiring and orientation procedure.
10. Appreciate the employees on accomplishing and over-exceeding their targets.

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Individual strategies for managing stress

1. The employees should make a to-do list daily, prioritize the acts in the list and plan the acts
accordingly. Take regular breaks during work to relax you. By effective time management,
the employees can achieve their targets timely and can meet work pressures and, thus, avoid
stress.
2. Do hard work. Strive to achieve your goals but do not do it to the harm of family, health, or
peer.
3. Indulge in physical exercises. It helps in effective blood circulation, keeps you fit, diverts
mind from work pressures.
4. Encourage a healthy lifestyle. Take a regular sleep, have plenty of water, have healthy eating
habits. Promote relaxation techniques such as yoga, listening music and meditation.
5. The employees should have optimistic approach about their work. They should avoid
connections with negative approach employees.
6. The employees should have emotional intelligence at workplace. They should have selfawareness, self-confidence and self-control at workplace.
7. The employees should build social support. They should have close connections with
trustworthy peer who can listen to their problems and boost their confidence level. This
social network will help the employees to overcome stress.
8. Employee counselling is a very good strategy to overcome employee stress. Through
counselling, employees can become aware of their strengths and how to develop those
strengths; their weaknesses and how to eliminate them; and they can develop strategies for
changing their behaviour. Employees are also given career counselling which helps in
reducing their ambiguities with regard to career.
9. Find a fun way to release stress, such as, cracking jokes, playing tennis, golf, etc.
10. Do not remain pre-occupied with yourself. Turn your focus outwards. Help others. This will
release some stress.
11. Employee Stress is negatively correlated to their work performance. In short, more the level
of stress, lower is the performance. It was conventionally perceived that reasonable levels of
stress would boost the employees and improve their work performance. But this perception

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no longer holds true. Today it is believed that even a little bit of stress will inhibit employees
work performance. This is due to:
12. Even relatively slight stress distracts an employee. People facing stress concentrate more on
the repulsive feelings and emotions rather than on the work/job at hand and consequently
their work performance suffers. Stress affects peoples intellectual, emotional, and
interpersonal functioning.Extended or repeated exposure even to minor levels of stress may
have detrimental effects on health and this might lower employees work performance.
It has been researched that as stimulation increases, work performance initially
increases, but after a point of time begins declining. The exact location of this
variation point (at which the functions direction or trend reverses) appear to depend
on the complication of the work/task/job being performed. The more the work
complication, the less the stimulation levels at which a decline in performance
occurs.
Employees under stress loose their creativity and innovativeness. Their thinking ability
is narrowed.
But there are certain exceptions to the rule that stress interferes with work performance. For
instance, some people are at their best in times of calamity / crises. They meet the expectations
and show remarkable performance at times of great stress. This may stem out from the fact that
they have great expertise in the tasks being performed, making their variation/inflection as very
high. People who have exceptional skills and competencies at a task may cognitively evaluate a
possibly stressful scenario as a challenge and not as a threat. Thus, while concluding we can say
that whether stress can spoil or increase performance is dependent on factors such as work
complication, the skills and expertise of the employee in performing a task, personal traits of
individuals/employees involved, etc. Organizations which encourage an open and honest
communication develop an environment in which employees are less likely to be stressed out,
enabling the employees to best utilize their abilities and skills and, thus, stimulating the
employees work performance.

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Discipline means systematically conducting the business by the organizational members who
strictly adhere to the essential rules and regulations. These employees/organizational members
work together as a team so as to achieve organizational mission as well as vision and they truly
understand that the individual and group aims and desires must be matched so as to ensure
organizational success.
A disciplined employee will be organized and an organized employee will be disciplined always.
Employee behaviour is the base of discipline in an organization. Discipline implies confirming
with the code of conduct established by the organization. Discipline in an organization ensures
productivity and efficiency. It encourages harmony and co-operation among employees as well
as acts as a morale booster for the employees. In absence of discipline, there will be chaos,
confusion, corruption and disobedience in an organization.In short, discipline implies obedience,
orderliness and maintenance of proper subordination among employees. Work recognition, fair
and equitable treatment of employees, appropriate salary structure, effective grievance handling
and job-security all contribute to organizational discipline.
Discipline is viewed from two angles/dimensions:
1. Positive Discipline: Positive Discipline implies discipline without punishment. The main
aim is to ensure and encourage self-discipline among the employees. The employees in
this case identify the group objectives as their own objectives and strive hard to achieve
them. The employees follow and adhere to the rules and regulations not due to the fear of
punishment but due to the inherent desire to harmonize in achieving organizational goals.
Employees exercise self-control to meet these goals.
2. Negative Discipline: Employees adhere to rules and regulations in fear of punishment
which may be in form of fines, penalties, demotions or transfers. In this case, the
employees do not perceive organizational goals as their own goals. The action taken by
the management to ensure desired standard of behaviour/code of conduct from the
employees in an organization is called negative discipline. The fear of punishment
prevents the employees from going off-track.

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Characteristics of a Sound Disciplinary System (Red Hot Stove Rule)

Discipline should be imposed without generating resentment. Mc Gregor propounded the red
hot stove rule which says that a sound and effective disciplinary system in an organization
should have the following characteristics1. Immediate- Just as when you touch a red hot stove, the burn is immediate, similarly the
penalty for violation should be immediate/ immediate disciplinary action must be taken
for violation of rules.
2. Consistent- Just as a red hot stove burns everyone in same manner; likewise, there
should be high consistency in a sound disciplinary system.
3. Impersonal- Just as a person is burned because he touches the red hot stove and not
because of any personal feelings, likewise, impersonality should be maintained by
refraining from personal or subjective feelings.
4. Prior warning and notice- Just as an individual has a warning when he moves closer to
the stove that he would be burned on touching it, likewise, a sound disciplinary system
should give advance warning to the employees as to the implications of not conforming
to the standards of behaviour/code of conduct in an organization.
In short, a sound disciplinary system presupposes1. Acquaintance/Knowledge of rules- The employees should be well aware of the desired
code of conduct/ standards of behaviour in the organization. This code of discipline
should be published in employee handbook.
2. Timely action- Timely enquiry should be conducted for breaking the code of conduct in
an organization. The more later the enquiry is made, the more forgetful one becomes and
the more he feels that punishment is not deserved.
3. Fair and just action- There should be same punishment for same offence/ misconduct.
There should be no favouritism. Discipline should be uniformly enforced always.

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4. Positive approach- The disciplinary system should be preventive and not punitive.
Concentrate on preventing misconduct and not on imposing penalties. The employees
should not only be explained the reason for actions taken against them but also how such
fines and penalties can be avoided in future.
Types of Penalties for Misconduct/Indiscipline
For not following the standards of behaviour/code of conduct in an organization, there are two
kinds of penalties categorized asa. Major penalties- This includes demotion, dismissal, transfer, discharge, withholding
increments, etc.
b. Minor penalties- This includes oral warning, written warning, fines, loss of privileges,
etc.
Grievance may be any genuine or imaginary feeling of dissatisfaction or injustice which an
employee experiences about his job and its nature, about the management policies and
procedures. It must be expressed by the employee and brought to the notice of the management
and the organization. Grievances take the form of collective disputes when they are not resolved.
Also they will then lower the morale and efficiency of the employees. Unattended grievances
result in frustration, dissatisfaction, low productivity, lack of interest in work, absenteeism, etc.
In short, grievance arises when employees expectations are not fulfilled from the organization as
a result of which a feeling of discontentment and dissatisfaction arises. This dissatisfaction must
crop up from employment issues and not from personal issues.
Grievance may result from the following factorsa. Improper working conditions such as strict production standards, unsafe workplace, bad
relation with managers, etc.
b. Irrational management policies such as overtime, transfers, demotions, inappropriate
salary structure, etc.
c. Violation of organizational rules and practices

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The manager should immediately identify all grievances and must take appropriate steps to
eliminate the causes of such grievances so that the employees remain loyal and committed to
their work. Effective grievance management is an essential part of personnel management. The
managers should adopt the following approach to manage grievance effectively1. Quick action- As soon as the grievance arises, it should be identified and resolved.
Training must be given to the managers to effectively and timely manage a grievance.
This will lower the detrimental effects of grievance on the employees and their
performance.
2. Acknowledging grievance- The manager must acknowledge the grievance put forward
by the employee as manifestation of true and real feelings of the employees.
Acknowledgement by the manager implies that the manager is eager to look into the
complaint impartially and without any bias. This will create a conducive work
environment with instances of grievance reduced.
3. Gathering facts- The managers should gather appropriate and sufficient facts explaining
the grievances nature. A record of such facts must be maintained so that these can be
used in later stage of grievance redressal.
4. Examining the causes of grievance- The actual cause of grievance should be identified.
Accordingly remedial actions should be taken to prevent repetition of the grievance.
5. Decisioning- After identifying the causes of grievance, alternative course of actions
should be thought of to manage the grievance. The effect of each course of action on the
existing and future management policies and procedure should be analyzed and
accordingly decision should be taken by the manager.
6. Execution and review- The manager should execute the decision quickly, ignoring the
fact, that it may or may not hurt the employees concerned. After implementing the
decision, a follow-up must be there to ensure that the grievance has been resolved
completely and adequately.

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An effective grievance procedure ensures an amiable work environment because it redresses the
grievance to mutual satisfaction of both the employees and the managers. It also helps the
management to frame policies and procedures acceptable to the employees. It becomes an
effective medium for the employees to express t feelings, discontent and dissatisfaction openly
and formally.
Training implies enhancing the skills and knowledge of the employees for performing a specific
job. Training tries to improve employees performance in current job and prepares them for
future job. The crucial consequence of training is learning.
Objectives of Employee Training Programmes
1. To prepare employees to meet the varying and challenging needs of the job and
organization
2. To provide knowledge and skills to new entrants and to help them to perform their role
and job well.
3. To coach employees for more complex and higher level jobs.
4. To educate employees new and innovative ways and techniques of performing job.
Benefits of Trained Employees
Training is a significant tool for employee development. Training has assumed great importance
because of exceptional rate of change in the internal and external organizational environment.
The importance/benefits of trained personnel towards organizational development are as followsa. Trained employees do not require tight control and supervision as they are well aware of
how to perform a job.
b. Trained employees can show higher performance by making optimum and best utilization
of the materials, tools, equipments and other resources provided to them.
c. Trained employees minimize wastages of resources in the organization and work both
efficiently and effectively.
d. Training makes employees more committed to an organization as the employees are
provided with growth, advancement and learning opportunities.
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e. Training develops a line of proficient and skilled managers as it prepares employees for
complex and higher level tasks.
f. Trained employees adjust to the job better and there are fewer rates of absenteeism and
turnover.
g. Trained employees produce quality and quantity output.
h. Trained employees enable the organization to face competition from rival firms.
i. Trained employees can respond and adapt to the changing technology well.
j. Trained employees become more proficient and, thus, their earning potential increase.
Steps in Employee Training Programme
Training programme involves the following steps:
1. Identifying the training needs- The training needs of each employee should be
identified. Programmes should be developed that are best suited to their needs.
2. Prepare the trainer- The trainer must do his home work well. He should know both
what to teach and how to teach. Time management is required by the trainer. Training
should be delivered in such a manner that the trainee should not loose the interest in the
job.
3. Prepare the trainee- The trainee should remain active during training. He should know
that why is he being trained. He should put across the trainer questions and doubts. The
trainee should be put at ease during the training programme.
4. Explain and demonstrate the operations- The trainer should explain the logical
sequence of the job. The trainee should perform the job systematically and explain the
complete job he is performing. His mistakes should be rectified and the complex step
should be done for him once. When the trainee demonstrates that he can do the job in
right manner, he is left to himself. Through repetitive practices, the trainee acquires more
skill.
5. Follow up and feedback- The trainee should be given feedback on how well he
performed the job. He should be asked to give a feedback on the effectiveness of training
programme.

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Techniques for Managing Stress.

1. Improve your time management and organization skills.
Of the many things you can to in this area the best ones include getting a to do list that
works, learning to say "no", asking for help when you need it, and stop setting unrealistic
goals for yourself.
2. Relax and breathe deeply.
Whether you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount or work you have to do or if someone
is "in your face", a good thing to do is to "breathe through your nose". You can't get as
worked up if you force yourself to breathe through your nose. Your body simply can't
maintain the same level of energy without that extra oxygen you get when breathing through
your mouth.
3. Take more breaks from your work.
Even a five-minute break will help. Get away from your desk. Go for a walk - outside is
better, but up two flights of stairs and back down is good too. Getting more exercise in
general will help you reduce your overall stress levels and that will make it easier to reduce
your stress level at work.
4. Lighten up.
Smile more. We all know laughter reduces stress. You will be amazed at how much more
pleasant the people around you are when you make an effort to be pleasant yourself.
5. Learn to listen better.
Rather than getting upset when others disagree with you, listen actively and find the areas of
agreement. Be assertive and stand up for yourself, but don't be rigid.
6. Fix your environment.
Make whatever adjustments you need to the lighting, temperature, noise level, and other
controllable factors in your office.

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7. Don't sweat the small stuff.

Realize that there are some things that just aren't worth worrying about and there are some
things you just can't change. Don't waste time stressing over the things in either category.
8. Get more sleep.
This is another of the things you can do to reduce your overall stress that will have benefits
at the office as well. In addition to reducing your stress, it will increase your energy level
and your ability to concentrate.
9. Find a mentor
If not a mentor, a friend will do. Having someone to talk to can take a lot of stress off you.
10. Spend more time with optimistic people.
Negative people will pull you down to their level. Choose to work with people who have a
positive attitude instead.

Becoming aware of the signs of stress

Training helps prevent stress through:

Using this to interrupt behaviour patterns when the stress reaction is just beginning. Stress
usually builds up gradually. The more stress builds up, the more difficult it is to deal with

analyzing the situation and developing an active plan to minimise the stressors

learning skills of active coping and relaxation, developing a lifestyle that creates a buffer against
stress

Practicing the above in low stress situations first to maximise chances of early success and boost
self confidence and motivation to continue.
A wide variety of training courses may help in developing active coping techniquesfor
example, assertiveness, communications skills, time management, problem solving, and effective
management.

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However, there are many sources of stress that the individual is likely to perceive as outside his
or her power to change, such as the structure, management style or culture of the organisation. It
is important to note that stress management approaches that concentrate on changing the
individual without changing the sources of stress are of limited effectiveness, and may be
counterproductive by masking these sources. For example, breathing deeply and thinking
positively about a situation causing stress may make for a temporary feeling of well being, but
will allow a damaging situation to continue, causing persistent stress and, probably, stress to
others. The primary aim of the individual approach should be to develop people's skills and
confidence to change their situation, not to help them adapt to and accept a stressful situation.

Tips for relaxation at Office

Right Posture

Failure to adopt proper posture while in neutral standing or sitting end up in problem. Sit straight
and tall at the edge of your chair.

Lunch Break De Stress Exercises

Yawning during working hours is the symptom to identify your stress level. You may fall asleep
with the increasing level of stress.

Do few exercises before taking your lunch like:

Eye Exercise

You need rest to eyes for few seconds atleast twice during the course of your days work.
Continuous concentration on one particular point or object, improper of over lighting and stress
may harm the eyes.

1. Sit or stand straight

2. Without moving your body and neck, inhale and look up the ceiling. Hold it for
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few seconds
3. Exhale and gradually drop the sight down to look the floor
4. Similarly do it on side ways
5. Rotate your eyes slowly and steadily both clock wise and anti clock wise
6. Blink the eyes several times and close it to relax

Neck Relaxation

Improper standing/sitting or continuous standing/sitting in one particular posture may lead to

terrible aching, stress and end up in spondylitis. Relieve such things with Neck Relaxation
techniques.
1. Keep the body straight, put your hands on waist and lower the neck ie touch your
cheek on the upper part of chest
2. Hold for few seconds and take few breath at this position
3. Lift back the neck
4. Similarly do it on the reverse side
5. Then, touch your right shoulder with right ear, hold for few seconds and take few
breath
6. Do the same on left side
7. Then, rotate your neck slowly and steadily clock wise few times and come back to
neutral position and take few breath

Shoulder Exercise

1. Keep your hands on the waist and rotate your hands at shoulder level slowly
Clockwise and anti clockwise for few times
2. While inhaling stretch your hands so that it touch your ears. While exhaling bring
back your hands to the side

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Breathing Exercise

Pranayama, the breathing exercise, may rejuvenate you, to carry on your work with extra energy.

1. Put your right thumb on your right nostril

2. Deeply inhale air using your left nostril
3. Close your left nostril with your right index finger and hold breath for few
seconds
4. Exhale through left nostril
5. Do it similarly with left nostril closing right nostril
6. Now inhale through left nostril, hold breath and exhale through right nostril and
do the other way
6. Practice few times

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Four Ways to Dispel Stress

1.Take time away. When stress is mounting at work, try to take a quick break and move away
from the stressful situation. Take a stroll outside the workplace if possible, or spend a few
minutes meditating in the break room. Physical movement or finding a quiet place to regain your
balance can quickly reduce stress.
2.Talk it over with someone. In some situations, simply sharing your thoughts and feelings with
someone you trust can help reduce stress. Talking over a problem with someone who is both
supportive and empathetic can be a great way to let off steam and relieve stress.
3.Connect with others at work. Developing friendships with some of your co-workers can help
buffer you from the negative effects of stress. Remember to listen to them and offer support
when they are in need as well.
4.Look for humor in the situation. When used appropriately, humor is a great way to relieve
stress in the workplace. When you or those around you start taking things too seriously, find a
way to lighten the mood by sharing a joke or funny story.

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Yoga and Life Style

Yoga is a traditional and cultural science of India, which preaches ideal life style and
maintenance of health. It literally means unity with divine consciousness. Yoga brings about
suitable changes in the behavioral pattern and the attitude of a person.

Asanas (Active Stretching)

Traditionally Asana means a "sitting condition", or "position". There are three basic human
postures like standing or sitting or lying postures. Though "posture" does not convey the full
meaning of Asana, it is often referred alternatively. An Asana is an attitude, which is psychophysiological in nature and cultures body and mind.

Types of Asanas

Cultural or Corrective Asanas

Meant for reconditioning the body and mind so as to bring about stability, peace and a sense of
well-being. Most of them work on abdominal part. Maximum numbers of
Asanas are included in three sub groups

A - Asanas working on Spinal Column

B - Asanas working on Interoceptros
Proprioceptors
Visceroreceptors

- Skeletal Muscles
- Visceral organs subjected to
pressure changes through intra- abdominal cavity

C - Asanas working on Vestibular Organs

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Relaxative Asanas

They work at the chitta (subtle aspect of consciousness) level that eliminate the physical and
mental tensions. They are practiced in supine and prone position of the body respectively.
Shavasana and Makarasana are two important relaxative asanas.

Meditative Asanas

These asanas provide a comfortable and stable position of the body to make the mind more and
more steady for the process of meditation. Padmasana, Sidhhasana and Swastikasana are few
relaxative asanas.

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Stress Management through Promotion of Mental Health

Money Management, Minimize needs, Meditation

Earnest Expectations, Enjoy the work you do

Avoid Negative thinking

Try to be happy Today

Accept and Adopt Reality

Avoid Loneliness

Develop good Hobbies

Live in good Environment. Express yourself clearly

Be Active and have positive Attitude

Try to Learn more and Manage Life

Have realistic Targets and Tackle one at a time

Maintain Healthy life style

Ergonomics, evolved out of two Greek words "Ergon = Work and Nomos = Principles/Laws,
is a science (Manav Karya Vigyan) that deals with the interactions between the human, the
artifacts and the working environment. It is culmination of specializations in Occupational
Health, Industrial Safety, Job Analysis & Design, and Information & Cognitive Design etc. For
this reason, every organisation must formulate a strategy to conduct Annual Stress Audit with a
combination of Organizational Change, Stress Management and Ergonomics, which will be the
most useful approach for preventing stress at work and plan suitable remedial actions for
Organizational and Individual growth.

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How to cope with stress at work

Stress at work is one of the leading causes of people being off sick. The majority of people
experience stress at some point during their working life. There is no such thing as 'good' stress,
but some people find it more tolerable than others. When stress becomes enough of a problem to
affect your ability to carry out your work or other day-to-day tasks, or to enjoy things you have
previously liked, it can become a disability like any other mental health condition. Surviving
working lifeMinds guide to staying well at work gives valuable advice to everyone whether
you are returning to work, finding it difficult to cope or trying to maintain a healthy working life.
Guide to managing stress
Minds guide to managing stress is a booklet aimed at anyone who wants to cut down their stress
levels.
Taking control of stress
This information from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) may help you to spot the
symptoms and causes of workplace stress.
Self-help
HSE have also produced information explaining how to look at what causes you stress and to
help you to gain more control over problems or difficulties you encounter as a result of these
factors.
Moving towards the work/life/family balance
How well we balance our responsibilities with doing things we truly enjoy directly affects our
quality of life and helps us manage stress. The Work Foundation have produced
resources demonstrating why a work/life balance is important and giving case studies
demonstrating how it can be achieved.

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NHS Choices
Professor Cary Cooper provides some techniques for managing stress, such as exercising and
using relaxation techniques, and explains who you can talk to if you're feeling under pressure.
Be happy at work watch people talk about how they deal with stress in thier workplace
Tips to Reduce and Manage Job and Workplace Stress
While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can interfere with your productivity and
impact your physical and emotional health. And your ability to deal with it can mean the
difference between success or failure. You cant control everything in your work environment,
but that doesnt mean youre powerlesseven when youre stuck in a difficult situation. Finding
ways to manage workplace stress isnt about making huge changes or rethinking career
ambitions, but rather about focusing on the one thing thats always within your control: you.
Coping with work stress in todays uncertain climate
For workers everywhere, the troubled economy may feel like an emotional roller coaster.
"Layoffs" and "budget cuts" have become bywords in the workplace, and the result is increased
fear, uncertainty, and higher levels of stress. Since job and workplace stress increase in times of
economic crisis, its important to learn new and better ways of coping with the pressure.
Your emotions are contagious, and stress has an impact on the quality of your interactions with
others. The better you are at managing your own stress, the more you'll positively affect those
around you, and the less other people's stress will negatively affect you.
You can learn how to manage job stress
There are a variety of steps you can take to reduce both your overall stress levels and the stress
you find on the job and in the workplace. These include:

Taking responsibility for improving your physical and emotional well-being.

Avoiding pitfalls by identifying knee jerk habits and negative attitudes that add to the
stress you experience at work.

Learning better communication skills to ease and improve your relationships with
management and coworkers.
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Tip 1: Recognize warning signs of excessive stress at work

When you feel overwhelmed at work, you lose confidence and may become irritable or
withdrawn. This can make you less productive and less effective in your job, and make the work
seem less rewarding. If you ignore the warning signs of work stress, they can lead to bigger
problems. Beyond interfering with job performance and satisfaction, chronic or intense stress can
also lead to physical and emotional health problems.
Signs and symptoms of excessive job and workplace stress

Feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed

Muscle tension or headaches

Apathy, loss of interest in work

Stomach problems

Problems sleeping

Social withdrawal

Fatigue

Loss of sex drive

Trouble concentrating

Using alcohol or drugs to cope

Common causes of excessive workplace stress

Fear of being laid off
More overtime due to staff cutbacks
Pressure to perform to meet rising expectations but with no increase in job satisfaction
Pressure to work at optimum levelsall the time!
Tip 2: Reduce job stress by taking care of yourself
When stress at work interferes with your ability to perform in your job, manage your personal
life, or adversely impacts your health, its time to take action. Start by paying attention to your
physical and emotional health. When your own needs are taken care of, youre stronger and more
resilient to stress. The better you feel, the better equipped youll be to manage work stress
without becoming overwhelmed.
Taking care of yourself doesnt require a total lifestyle overhaul. Even small things can lift your
mood, increase your energy, and make you feel like youre back in the drivers seat. Take things

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one step at a time, and as you make more positive lifestyle choices, youll soon notice a
reduction in your stress levels, both at home and at work.
Get moving
Regular exercise is a powerful stress relievereven though it may be the last thing you feel like
doing. Aerobic exerciseactivity that raises your heart rate and makes you sweatis a hugely
effective way to lift your mood, increase energy, sharpen focus, and relax both the mind and
body. For maximum stress relief, try to get at least 30 minutes of heart-pounding activity on most
days. If its easier to fit into your schedule, break up the activity into two or three shorter
segments.
Make food choices that keep you going
Low blood sugar can make you feel anxious and irritable, while eating too much can make you
lethargic. Healthy. By eating small but frequent meals, you can help your body maintain an even
level of blood sugar, keep your energy up, stay focused, and avoid mood swings.
Drink alcohol in moderation and avoid nicotine
Alcohol temporarily reduces anxiety and worry, but too much can cause anxiety as it wears off.
Drinking to relieve job stress may also eventually lead to alcohol abuse and dependence.
Similarly, smoking when you're feeling stressed and overwhelmed may seem calming, but
nicotine is a powerful stimulant leading to higher, not lower, levels of anxiety.
Get enough sleep
Not only can stress and worry can cause insomnia, but a lack of sleep can leave you vulnerable
to even more stress. When you're well-rested, it's much easier to keep your emotional balance, a
key factor in coping with job and workplace stress. Try to improve the quality of your sleep by
keeping a sleep schedule and aiming for 8 hours a night.
Get support
Close relationships are vital to helping you through times of stress so reach out to family and
friends. Simply sharing your feelings face to face with another person can help relieve some of
the stress. The other person doesnt have to ret to fix your problems; he or she just has to be a
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good listener. Accepting support is not a sign of weakness and it wont mean youre a burden to
others. In fact, most friends will be flattered that you trust them enough to confide in them, and it
will only strengthen your bond.
Tip 3: Reduce job stress by prioritizing and organizing
When job and workplace stress threatens to overwhelm you, there are simple steps you can take
to regain control over yourself and the situation. Your newfound ability to maintain a sense of
self-control in stressful situations will often be well-received by coworkers, managers, and
subordinates alike, which can lead to better relationships at work. Here are some suggestions for
reducing job stress by prioritizing and organizing your responsibilities.
Time management tips for reducing job stress

Create a balanced schedule. Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. All
work and no play is a recipe for burnout. Try to find a balance between work and family
life, social activities and solitary pursuits, daily responsibilities and downtime.

Dont over-commit yourself. Avoid scheduling things back-to-back or trying to fit too
much into one day. All too often, we underestimate how long things will take. If you've
got too much on your plate, distinguish between the "shoulds" and the "musts." Drop tasks
that aren't truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

Try to leave earlier in the morning. Even 10-15 minutes can make the difference
between frantically rushing to your desk and having time to ease into your day. Dont add
to your stress levels by running late.

Plan regular breaks. Make sure to take short breaks throughout the day to take a walk or
sit back and clear your mind. Also try to get away from your desk or work station for
lunch. Stepping away from work to briefly relax and recharge will help you be more, not
less, productive.

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Task management tips for reducing job stress

Prioritize tasks. Make a list of tasks you have to do, and tackle them in order of
importance. Do the high-priority items first. If you have something particularly unpleasant
to do, get it over with early. The rest of your day will be more pleasant as a result.

Break projects into small steps. If a large project seems overwhelming, make a step-bystep plan. Focus on one manageable step at a time, rather than taking on everything at
once.

Delegate responsibility. You dont have to do it all yourself. If other people can take care
of the task, why not let them? Let go of the desire to control or oversee every little step.
Youll be letting go of unnecessary stress in the process.

Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to contribute differently to a task,

revise a deadline, or change their behavior at work, be willing to do the same. Sometimes,
if you can both bend a little, youll be able to find a happy middle ground that reduces the
stress levels for everyone.

Tip 4: Reduce job stress by improving emotional intelligence

Even if youre in a job where the environment has grown increasingly stressful, you can retain a
large measure of self-control and self-confidence by understanding and practicing emotional
intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage and use your emotions in positive
and constructive ways. When it comes to satisfaction and success at work, emotional intelligence
matters just as much as intellectual ability. Emotional intelligence is about communicating with
others in ways that draw people to you, overcome differences, repair wounded feelings, and
defuse tension and stress.

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Emotional intelligence in the workplace:

Emotional intelligence in the workplace has four major components:

Self-awareness The ability to recognize your emotions and their impact while using gut
feelings to guide your decisions.

Self-management The ability to control your emotions and behavior and adapt to
changing circumstances.

Social awareness The ability to sense, understand, and react to other's emotions and feel
comfortable socially.

Relationship management The ability to inspire, influence, and connect to others and
manage conflict.

The five key skills of emotional intelligence

There are five key skills that you need to master in order to raise your emotional intelligence and
manage stress at work.

Realize when youre stressed, recognize your particular stress response, and become
familiar with sensual cues that can rapidly calm and energize you. The best way to reduce
stress quickly is through the senses: through sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. But each
person responds differently to sensory input, so you need to find things that are soothing
to you.

Stay connected to your internal emotional experience so you can appropriately manage
your own emotions. Your moment-to-moment emotions influence your thoughts and
actions, so pay attention to your feelings and factor them into your decision making at
work. If you ignore your emotions you wont be able to fully understand your own
motivations and needs, or to communicate effectively with others.

Recognize and effectively use nonverbal cues and body language. In many cases, what
we say is less important than how we say it or the other nonverbal signals we send out,
such as eye contact, facial expression, tone of voice, posture, gesture and touch. Your
nonverbal messages can either produce a sense of interest, trust, and desire for
connectionor they can generate confusion, distrust, and stress. You also need to be able
to accurately read and respond to the nonverbal cues that other people send you at work.
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Develop the capacity to meet challenges with humor. There is no better stress buster
than a hearty laugh and nothing reduces stress quicker in the workplace than mutually
shared humor. But, if the laugh is at someone elses expense, you may end up with more
rather than less stress.

Resolve conflict positively. Resolving conflict in healthy, constructive ways can

strengthen trust between people and relieve workplace stress and tension. When handling
emotionally-charged situations, stay focused in the present by disregarding old hurts and
resentments, connect with your emotions, and hear both the words and the nonverbal cues
being used. If a conflict cant be resolved, choose to end the argument, even if you still
disagree.

Tip 5: Reduce job stress by breaking bad habits

Many of us make job stress worse with negative thoughts and behavior. If you can turn around
these self-defeating habits, youll find employer-imposed stress easier to handle.

Resist perfectionism. No project, situation, or decision is ever perfect, so trying to attain

perfection on everything will simply add unnecessary stress to your day. When you set
unrealistic goals for yourself or try to do too much, youre setting yourself up to fall short.
Aim to do your best, no one can ask for more than that.

Clean up your act. If youre always running late, set your clocks and watches fast and
give yourself extra time. If your desk is a mess, file and throw away the clutter; just
knowing where everything is saves time and cuts stress. Make to-do lists and cross off
items as you accomplish them. Plan your day and stick to the scheduleyoull feel less
overwhelmed.

Flip your negative thinking. If you see the downside of every situation and interaction,
youll find yourself drained of energy and motivation. Try to think positively about your
work, avoid negative-thinking co-workers, and pat yourself on the back about small
accomplishments, even if no one else does.

Dont try to control the uncontrollable. Many things at work are beyond our control
particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the
things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.
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Tip 6: Learn how managers or employers can reduce job stress

It's in a manager's best interest to keep stress levels in the workplace to a minimum. Managers
can act as positive role models, especially in times of high stress, by following the tips outlined
in this article. If a respected manager can remain calm in stressful work situations, it is much
easier for his or her employees to also remain calm.
Additionally, there are a number of organizational changes that managers and employers can
make to reduce workplace stress. These include:
Improve communication

Share information with employees to reduce uncertainty about their jobs and futures.

Clearly define employees roles and responsibilities.

Make communication friendly and efficient, not mean-spirited or petty.

Consult your employees

Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their jobs.

Consult employees about scheduling and work rules.

Be sure the workload is suitable to employees abilities and resources; avoid unrealistic
deadlines.

Show that individual workers are valued.

Offer rewards and incentives.

Praise good work performance, both verbally and officially, through schemes such as
Employee of the Month.

Provide opportunities for career development.

Promote an entrepreneurial work climate that gives employees more control over their
work.

Cultivate a friendly social climate

Provide opportunities for social interaction among employees.

Establish a zero-tolerance policy for harassment.

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Newspaper Articles:Work, finances biggest cause of stress for Indian employees

Friday, Sep 7, 2012, 8:00 IST | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA
The latest research by workspace provider Regus has revealed that half the Indian employees are
stressed due to their professions.The latest research by workspace provider Regus has revealed
that half the Indian employees are stressed due to their professions.
Canvassing the opinions of more than 16,000 professionals, the survey found that 51 per cent of
Indian respondents say their stress levels rose over the past year due to work pressure, and 50 per
cent of them blamed it on personal finances. The research also focused on possible solutions and
found that nearly 72 per cent of the Indian respondents believes flexible work options could
reduce stress.
The report also that the commute to work and instability in the world economy fuelled their
growing pressure. Respondents confirmed that most stress triggers were professional in nature.
Key-findings of the reports suggest that work (51%) and personal finances (50%) are main
causes of stress, combined with customer/client pressure (41%). Small business workers are
more likely to be stressed by customers (45%) than large business workers (34%).
Nearly 72% of the respondents said flexible working reduced stress and more than half (56%)
think flexible working is about being more family-friendly. Around 49% of them said that is is
also cheaper than working at a fixed location and 81% said that it improved productivity.
In addition to this, they also reported that flexibility helped improve their overall work-life
balance and well-being. This is particularly relevant in India where women are said to find it
difficult to balance their role as a homemaker along with the pressures of work.
Regional vice president (South Asia) of Regus, Madhusudan Thaku, said, There is no doubt that
stressed-out workers are unhappy and unhealthy. So businesses that want to help their staff lead
more rewarding lives must analyse and tackle levels of stress within their organisation.
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Conclusion:

Complete prevention of stress is neither possible nor desirable since life is lifeless without stress.
The reason is clearly that stress is an important stimulus of human growth and creativity. When
managed well, stressors can an opportunities for people to be fully aware of their own
shortcomings and to change for improvement.

Every person has a working life-time/period of about 35 years, normally between 25 to 60 years
of age. Given the Indian scenario of competitive market, over population and scarcity of good
jobs, runs on the theory of "Survival of the Fittest", no profession is stress free. The degree and
depth may vary from one another. Both employer and employee must understand that work
should be valued and not excessive. Work should not compromise on health and family life;
rather offer happiness, peace of mind, certainty, variety and flexibility. As a general rule,
actions to reduce job stress should be given top priority in the process of organizational change to
improve working conditions and to avert the situation of brain drain. But even the most
conscientious efforts to improve working conditions are unlikely to eliminate stress completely
for all workers.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books & News Articles:-

Antai-Otong, D. (2001). Creative stress-management techniques for self-renewal. Dermatology

nursing, 13, 31-39.

Schiffrin, H., & Nelson, S. (2010). Stressed and happy? Investigating the relationship between
happiness and perceived stress. Journal of Happiness Studies, 11, 33-39.
Selye, H. (1956). The stress of life. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Website:

http://kalyan-city.blogspot.com/2011/03/what-is-stress-meaning-definition-and.html

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-work-finances-biggest-cause-of-stress-forindian-employees-1737763

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-19/work/31700222_1_workplacestress-employee-assistance-disability-claims

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/work_stress_management.htm

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-19/work/31700222_1_workplacestress-employee-assistance-disability-claims

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