Stress at Workplace of Employee

STRESS AT WORK PLACE OF
EMPLOYEES
CONTENTS
PAGE
CHAPTER TOPIC
NO.
* PREFACE *****
* ACKNOWLEDGEMENT *****
* LIST OF TABLE *****
INTRODUCTION & RESEARCH

I 1-43
METHODOLOGY
II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 44-65
III RESEARCH SETTING 66-74
DATA ANALYSIS &

IV 75-147
INTERPRETATION
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS &

V 148-159
SUGGESTIONS
* BIBLIOGRAPHY *****
* ANNEXURE *****
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE PAGE
DISCRIPTION
NO NO
Table showing distribution of the respondents

1 75
based on designation

2 76
based on age

3 77
based on gender
Table showing educational status of the

4 78
respondents
Table showing total work experience of the

5 79
respondents
Table showing work experience in this

6 80
organization

7 81
to department
Table showing monthly income of the

8 82
respondents
Table showing opinion of the respondents of

9 83
feeling secure and satisfied
Table showing whether respondents ideas have

10 84
always been rejected or not
Table showing whether respondents have

11 85
stained relation with supervisor or not
Table showing whether respondents have
12 86
stained relation with co-worker or not
Table showing whether respondents are happy
13
with commute or not 87
Table showing whether respondents having fear

14 88
of termination
Table showing whether respondents’ life and
15 89
the work is a kind of burden or not
Table showing whether respondents have to

16 90
work for hours or not
Table showing whether respondents get less
17 salary as compare to people in organization of 91
similar size
Table showing respondents’ expenses are more
18 92
over income
Table showing whether respondents’ don’t get

19 93
salary when it is due or not
Table showing whether respondents get less

20 94
payment at retirement or not
Table showing whether respondents not given

21 95
well deserved promotion or not
Table showing whether respondents given

22 enough opportunity to improve display abilities 96
or not
Table showing whether respondents learning

23 97
and developing in organization or not
Table showing whether strictness for following
24 rules in organization which need to abide and 98
become headache or not
Table showing whether respondents share more
25 99
responsibility than authority or not
Table showing whether job responsibility

26 100
creates tension or not
27 Table showing rapid change in the organization 101
Table showing whether respondents satisfied

28 102
with designation or not
Table showing respondents don’t get along well

103
29 with the people they have to deal
Table showing respondents lack of cohesiveness

30 104
and cooperativeness with the other colleagues
Table showing whether respondents are always

31 105
neglected and disregarded by colleagues or not
Table showing whether respondents doing

32 106
physical exercise or not
Table showing whether respondents indulge

33 107
regular breathing exercise or not
Table showing whether respondents practice

34 108
meditation or not
Table showing whether respondents smoke or

35 109
not
Table showing whether respondents drink or

36 110
not
Table showing whether respondents increase

37 111
salt and sugar intake or not
Table showing whether respondents increase of

38 112
intake caffeine or not (Coffee, tea, cola)
Table showing whether respondents accept

39 113
others limitation or not
Table showing whether respondents take

40 114
decision without undue anxiety or not
Table showing whether respondents allow

41 115
others to share task and responsibilities or not
Table showing whether respondents try helping
42 116
others or not
Table showing efforts of changing situation of
respondents. 117
43
Table showing respondents observed the

44 118
situation as opportunity to learn
Table showing respondents compromise to get

45 119
something positive out of the situation
Table showing respondents themselves oneself

46 120
with hope that things will go better
Table showing respondent often try to use

47 121
humor to diffuse tension
Table showing whether people helps at times of

48 122
need to the respondents or not
Table showing whether respondents includes

49 123
relaxation time or not
Table showing maintaining good relationship

50 124
with others
Table showing whether respondents discussing

51 125
personal problems or not
Table showing whether respondents become

52 126
aggressive or not
Table showing whether respondents feel angry

53 127
or not
Table showing whether respondents blaming

54 128
oneself or not
Table showing respondents deny that there is a

55 129
problem
Table showing whether respondents feel guilty

56 130
or not
Table showing whether respondents suffers
57 131
from headache or not

132
58 from chest pain or not

59 133
from indigestion or not

60 134
from sleeplessness or not

61 135
from irritability or not
Table showing whether respondents suffer from

62 136
backache or not

63 137
from stomach disorder or not

64 138
from blood pressure or not
Table showing increasing of weight of

65 139
respondents
Table showing respondent become physically

66 140
weak
Table showing whether respondents feel

67 141
frustrated or not
68 Table showing respondents developing anxiety 142
69 Table showing respondents feeling restless 143
Table showing whether respondents suffer from

70 144
inability to concentrate or not
Table showing respondents feeling that
71 whether those closest to me at home are 145
supportive towards me or not
Table showing whether respondents are able to
146
72 laugh or not
Table showing whether respondents able to

73 147
express their thoughts and ideas or not
CHAPTER- I
INTRODUCTION
Since the origin of the term 'stress' it is ambiguous 'stress' began life as
a variant on 'distress' in the 14th century. It meant the experience of
physical hardship, starvation, torture, and pain. These days, however,
the term revolves around the medieval definition, in which 'stress' simply
meant 'hardship'. The recent scientific developments inform us that
'stress' is actually good for us. Stress is derived from the Latin word
stranger, meaning to draw tight, and was used in the 17th century to
describe hardships or affliction. During the late 18th century stress
denoted "force, pressure, strain or strong effort," referring primarily to an
individual or to an individual's organs or mental powers (Hinkle, 1973).
As has already been noted, stress has been defined as a stimulus, a

response, or the result of an interaction between the two, with the
interaction described in terms of some imbalance between the person
developed, particularly that surrounding the person-environment (P-E)
interaction, researches have considered the nature of that interaction
and, more importantly, the psychological processes which it takes place
(Dewey, 1992).
Stress is a physiological and psychological imbalance. It arises due to the

demands on a person and that person’s inability to meet these demands.
Stress is the body’s way of reacting to any situation and it can have
serious repercussions on an individual’s life. Yet, people fail to realize the
importance of stress management in their lives. Effective managers can
stay in control of life, without panicking even under stressful situations.
They handle stress by planning work, taking regular breaks, and
rejuvenating them.
Stress: Meaning and Definitions
The term 'stress' has a different meaning for researchers in various

disciplines. In the biological literature, it is used in relation to single
organisms, populations of organisms, and ecosystems. Biologists refer to
things such as heat, cold and inadequate food supply as being sources of
stress. Human biologists add to this microbial infection and taking toxic
substances. Social scientists, for their part, are more concerned about
people's interaction with their environment and the resulting emotional
disturbances that can sometimes accompany it (Hinkle, 1987).
The term stress has many definitions (Lazarus & Folk man, 1984). We all
define stress as an internal state which can be caused by physical
demands on the body ( disease conditions, exercise, extremes of
temperature, and the like) or by environmental and social situations
which a evaluated as potentially, harmful, uncontrollable, or exceeding
resources for coping. The physical, environmental, and social causes of
the stress state are termed stressors.
Stress is a big problem in our society (Allen, 1983). Some75 percent of

bodily disease is said to be stress-related. For example, stress is often a
factor in heart disease. Furthermore, stress-related diseases cost
American industry billons of dollars a year; several billion tranquilizer
pills are prescribed in the United.
Stress in individuals is defined as anything that disrupts the normal

person’s physical or mental well-being. It occurs when the body performs
activities outside its capabilities or when a person faces extraordinary
demands. A simple display of stress may be a bad mood while an
extreme display may be an act of violence. The process of stress has a
stressor or a stimulus. A stressor is a factor or stimulant that creates
stress. A stressor is not in itself either positive or negative or good or bad,
it is how one reacts to it that determines its positivity or negativity. For
example, one person may perceive stressor as a motivator, whereas
another person may perceive it as a constraint. One individual may
perceive it as a challenge, another as a threat.
Stress can be positive or negative. Positive stress is called estruses and

negative stress is called distress. There is a difference between the ways
in which estruses and distress affect the body. Estruses triggers the body
alarm, enhances attention, performance, and creativity. It has temporary
effects. For instance, a person applying for a visa to the US may be under
estruses, and once he/she obtains the visa his/her stress levels come
back to normal. Distress has a negative effect on the body. For instance,
an individual who has lost his/her job may become depressed, which is a
result of distress. Distress,
If left unchecked, can have a serious effect on the body over a period of
time. The body’s nonspecific response to the external situation results in
stress and stress can create a number of health problems both mental
and physical. Some of these problems are sleeplessness, eating
disorders, heart problems, and suicidal tendencies. Stress represents the
wear and tear of the human body.
Hens Selye, developed a model called the General Adaptive Syndrome

model to explain the stress phenomenon and the stress levels. This
model has three stages. The first stage, which is the alarm reaction
stage, involves the body’s response to or familiarizing itself with the new
situation or stressor. In this stage, an individual is under estruses. The
second stage is the resistance stage, which involves resisting and
reacting to the situation. In this stage, an individual is in a flight or fight
situation (the body’s reaction to control stress situation). In this
situation, the body prepares to either escape from the situation or to
survive in it. The third stage is the exhaustion stage, which is the
aftermath of resistance. If the resistance stage goes on for a long period,
then the person becomes distressed.
A certain level of stress can act as a motivator. Without stress, a person

becomes lethargic and dull. Good stress encourages a person to perform
better. However, if this stress exceeds the resistance level of the
individual, it can turn into distress. The perception of stress varies from
person to person and each person has his/her own stress limit. There
are many reasons and sources of stress for every person. Also, while
some people tend to work better under pressure, there are others who
cannot bear the ‘last minute syndrome.’ They panic when faced with even
the most minor of stressful situations.
Most of the stress situations people encounter in everyday life are minor
and relatively easy to cope with. When one feels hungry he/she may stop
what he/she is doing and go to the cafeteria for lunch; when he/she feels
cold he/she puts on a sweater or coat. A serious illness requiring major
surgery, a broken engagement, marital discard or divorce, the death of a
loved one, flunking out of college, being arrested, financial pressures or
losses, social disapproval, severe guilt feelings and value conflicts are
example of such stressful situation. Stress may involve biological-or-
psychological-level processes. Pneumonia viruses’ produces stress on a
biological level and the basic adjustive reaction involves defense on the
biological level. (1) The basic types of stress we encounter and some of
the particular stress that characterize our time and place in history, (2)
factors influencing the severity of streess, and (3) other key aspects of
stress including its cost to the organism.
There are a wide range of environmental obstacles, both physical and

social, which can lead to the frustration of our needs. Earthquakes,
famines, fires, accidents, and the death of loved ones are major sources
of the warting in the physical environment. Pens we are in a hurry, rain
when we want to play golf or tennis, advertisements that make us want
things we cannot have, red tape that prevents us from taking a desired
course, and long years of study before we can enter professional field are
examples of the counter less environmentally caused frustrations that
plague us in everyday life.
Stress is term which the biological and social science have taken over
with only imperfect success from the physical sciences. In engineering
usage a force directed at an object is said to place it under stress. The
resulting distortion or deformation caused in the object by the stress is
called strain. For example a small amount of weight placed on a bridge
would create a mild stress and the resulting strain would be minimal.
Increasing the weight and hence the level of stress. Would cause
increasing levels of strain depending on the materials of the bridge and
its construction, there might be bucking or sagging or perhaps eventually
even a breakdown of the bridge.
Living systems-particularly human beings have advantages over

nonliving ones in meeting stress for they can anticipate and prepare for it
change their strategies for coping with it, and some times leave the field
when it is too severe.
Response – Based Definitions of Stress
The origins of response-based definitions can be found in medicine and

are usually viewed from a physiological perspective a logical stance for a
discipline trained to diagnose and treat symptoms but not necessarily
their causes. The work of Hans Selye in the 1930s and 1940s marks the
beginning of this approach to the study of stress. In 1936, Selye
introduces the notion of stress-related illness in terms of the general
adaptation syndrome (GAS), suggesting that stress is a non-specific
response of the body to any demand made upon it (Selye, 1956). Selye’s
focus was medical: general malaise was characterized by loss of
motivation, appetite, weight, and strength. Evidence from animal studies
also indicated internal physical degeneration and deterioration.
Responses to stress were considered to be invariant to the nature of the
stressor and therefore to follow a universal pattern.
Although the word stress usually has negative connotations, selye (1976)
emphasized that stress reactions are not automatically bad and that they
cannot be avoided because being alive is synonymous with responding to
stress. In fact, a certain level of stress is necessary for motivation,
growth, development, and change has been referred to as stress.
However, unwanted, unmanageable stressor situations are damaging
and can lead to distress.
In a similar manner, any condition that makes an adductive demand on

the organism places it may undergo degree of stress. Mild stress usually
causes little pain or strain, for the individual has ample resources for
coping with in and is not likely to see it as a threat.
Stress as an Interaction
The interaction approach to defining stress focuses on the statistical

interaction between the stimulus and the response. This approach is
essentially static (cause and effect), with any consideration of process
being limited to inferential explanations when the interaction fails to
materialize or is different from that predicted. This is where, according to
Lazarus and Launier (1978), description has taken a back seat to simple
cause-effect formulations.
Theories of Stress
A. Biological theories of stress
1. Somatic-weakness theory
2. Specific-reaction theory
B. Psychological Theories
A. Biological Theories of Stress

These theories explain psychological disorders in terms of specific
weakness or hyperactivity of an individual organic system as and when
she or he responds to a stressful experience. The Stress is explained as a
responds either the paucity or abundance requisite quantum of bio-
chemical material.
1. Somatic-weakness Theory
The fundamental assumption of somatic-weakness theory is that weak
bodily organs are pre-disposed to generate a specific kind of stress,
leading to a particular physiological disorder. A particular organ system
may remain weak in view of several factors vis-à-vis genetic deficiency,
undetected juvenile illness or diet imbalance deficiency etc. these factors
may cumulatively disrupt a particular organ system making it weak and
vulnerable to stress e.g., severe ulcers might be generated owing to a
weak digestive system, which ulcers in their true may lead to serious
stressful events and consequent psychological disorders.
2. Specific-reaction Theory
According to specific-reaction theory, no hard and fast explanation can
be categorically branded as the prime mover or shaker of stress. Different
individuals respond to stress differently and every organic system has its
own idiosyncrasies way to cope up with on going situational pressures.
This theory maintains that the body system that is the most responsive
may most likely become the locus of a particular psycho-physiological
disorder e.g., high blood-pressure may be more amenable to
hypertension.
B. Psychological Theories
These theories explain the development of various psycho-physiological
disorders in terms of such factors as: unconscious emotional states,
personality traits, cognitive appraisal and specific styles of coping with
stress.
1. Psychoanalytic theory
Psychoanalytic theories explaining the development of stress undermine
the role of conscious-emotional states specific to each disorder.
According to Alexander (1950) various psycho-physiological disorders
can be explained as a function of our unconscious emotional states.
Alexander has further argued that repressed hostile impulses invariably

lead to chronic emotional states. Such states, in turn, are responsible for
hypertension, anxieties and worries and depression. "The damming up of
such hostile impulses if continues might develop stronger defensive
measures in order to keep pent-up aggression in check-because of the
marked degree of their inhibition. These patients are less effective in
their occupational activities and for that reason tend to fail in
competition and….hostile feeling towards more successful, less inhibited,
competitors are further intensified"
Alexander's hypothesis of unexpressed anger or anger-in theory was

formulated on his first hand observations of patients undergoing
psychoanalysis.
2. Cognitive and behavioral theory
Cognitive and behavioral theories explained stress as a function of
cognitive and behavioral factors. The perceptions and experiences
stimulate sympathetic system activity. However, psychological
resentments and regrets are too embedded to be easily tossed out of
one's system. They are not as readily escapable as are the perceived or
real external threats. Nor can they be readily explained away, often they
keep our sympathetic system aroused. Such an arousal keeps the body
in a continuous state of emergency. It is unbearable to sustain a
balanced behavioral pattern for long in such circumstances. The
necessary balancing of sympathetic and parasympathetic action are so
gets tougher by the day. More often that not, the equilibrium is lost and
one is overtaken by distress. Such a bodily changes that can last longer
that they were meant to. This further contributes to an imbalance
between sympathetic and parasympathetic activity going on in our
system. Some psychologists have assumed that man's higher mental
faculties out-compete his physiological endowments. This is the inbuilt
dichotomy operating in human's albeit, very subtly and silently. Moral,
valuation or attitudinal changes may be experienced at very higher or
deeper levels of consciousness and our bodies may not be attuned to
such experiences easily and readily. In fact, it is pointed out that our
bodies are not designed to cope up with the outgoing pressures of our
higher mental faculties. They are not built to withstand the storms
brought about by our mental capacities. Thus, life-experience of human
beings seems continuously to be exceeding their resources or capacities
to cope with them. Such a dichotomous state of affair is inherently
germane to the fructification of chronic stresses and conducive to the
development of psycho-physiological disorder. Therefore, most humans
are prone to this or that kind of stress-related disorder.
STRESSORS
Almost any change in the environment—even a pleasant change, such as
a vacation- demands some coping; and a little stress is useful in helping
us adapt.
STRESS CYCLES
Change Stressors Disease Stressors Phobic Stress

Chemical Stressors Emotional Stressors Physical Stress
Where
Commuting Stressors Environmental Stressors Social Stress
stress Decision Stressors Family Stressors Work Stress
come s Pain Stressors
from
Stress Overloading
Behavioral (e.g. Physiological (e.g. Emotional (e.g. Cognitive (e.g.

Immediate over eating and heightened muscle heightened increased
effects excessive tension, elevated anxiety, distraction and
alcohol blood pressure and depression and decreased
consumption rapid heart beat) anger) concentration
Emotional
disorders e.g. Cognitive
Behavioral Medical disorders chronic anxiety disorders (e.g.
Long term
disorders (e.g. (e.g. headaches, and depression, many problems,
effects
obesity and hypertension and phobias, obsessive thoughts
alcoholism) heart disease) personality and sleep
changes mental disorder).
illness)
Decreased Productivity Decreased Enjoyment

Over all costs
Decreased Intimacy
Distress
Change Stressors Disease Stressors Phobic Stress
Chemical Stressors Emotional Stressors Physical Stress
Where Commuting Stressors Environmental Stressors Social Stress
stress
Decision Stressors Family Stressors Work Stress
come
Pain Stressors
sfrom
Stress Overloading
Behavioral Physiological
Emotional (e.g. Cognitive (e.g.
(e.g. over (e.g. heightened
Immediate heightened increased
eating and muscle tension,
effects anxiety, distraction and
excessive elevated blood
depression and decreased
alcohol pressure and
anger) concentration
consumption rapid heart beat)
Emotional
disorders e.g. Cognitive
Medical
Behavioral chronic anxiety disorders (e.g.
Long term disorders (e.g.
disorders (e.g. and depression, many problems,
effects headaches,
obesity and phobias, obsessive
hypertension and
alcoholism) personality thoughts and
heart disease)
changes mental sleep disorder).
illness)
Decreased Productivity
Over all costs Decreased Enjoyment
Decreased Intimacy
Stress has a number of immediate effects and, if the stressors are
maintained, long-term behavioral physiological, emotional, and cognitive
(thinking) effects occur. If these effects hinder adaptation to the
environment or create discomfort and distress, they themselves become
stressors and, as shown by the dotted arrow in tend to perpetuate a cycle
of distress, On the other hand, many people have developed ways of
coping with stressors so that they are able to respond adaptively. This is
the wellness cycle of. Teaching people adaptive ways of handling stress
so as to promote the wellness.
Cause of stress
There are several factors causing stress. Recently, Desai (1999) classified
stressors into three major categories viz., (1) Physiological, (2)
Psychological, and (3) Environmental.
Physiological Causes: The physiological category includes genetic and

congenital factors, life experience, biological rhythms, sleep, posture,
diet, fatigue, muscular tension, and disease of adaptation.
Physiological Causes: The physiological causes comprised nine

elements: Perception, emotion, motivation, and condition and appraisal.
Environmental Causes: This category of stressors consists of those

factors which originate from the environment like ambient environment,
physical events, psychological sub-systems, physiological sub-systems.
Social events and biotic events.
Eysenck (1996) also divided stressors into three broad categories:

Stressful life events: This situation usually occurs mainly as a result of
our relationship with other people; Environmental stressors: The
stressors of this category are like noise, vibration, electric shock and
heat; Technological threat: This type of threat posed by nuclear power
advances sophisticated technology (automated devices) and the sick
building syndrome.
Major causes of stress include illness, job changes, boredom, separation

and divorces, deaths in the family and financial difficulties. However, the
arrival of a baby, or entertaining guests, can be stressful.
In his popular book, Future shock (1970), Alvin Toffler, attributes the
future shock to too much change in too short as “the shattering stress
and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to
too much change in too short a time.”
The major job conditions that cause stress for employees include:
(1) work-overload (2) time pressure; (3) poor quality and supervision; (4)
role conflict and ambiguity; (5) change of nay type, especially when it is
major or unusual, and (6)frustration.
FACTORS IN THE SEVERITY OF STRESS

• In General stress is more severe
• More important the motives blocks the needs deprived.
• The longer the stress situation continues.
• The greater the number of adductive demands placed on the

individual at once or during a short interval of time.
• The more unfamiliar and unexpected the problem
• The less adequate the individual’s resources, including personal

resources and social supports
• The stronger and more equal the opposing forces in conflict
situation.
• The closer one gets to the goal in approach avoidance conflict
• The greater the perceived threat and the more imminent the threat.
• The less tolerance the individual has for this type and degree of
stress.
• The more the individual sees the threat as imposed on him and
beyond his control.
In addition to type source and severity of stress three additional aspects

of stress are of immediate interest. First is the individual nature of our
stress. Patterns, however similar life situation may appear. Second is the
finding that as in the case of motives, we may be only partially aware or
even unaware of stress. And third is the problem that adaptation. And
third is the problem that adaptation to stress may be expensive both
physically and psychologically.
STRESS MAY HAVE POSITIVE EFFECTS
Although severe stress may lead to lowered adaptive efficiency and to

wear and tear on the system, stress can also have positive consequences.
The following are some of the possible positive effects of stress:
New self understanding through his experience in a very difficult

situation. An individual may get a cheaper picture of his assets liabilities,
and adaptive potential.
Increased competencies after flunking a test an individual may find more

effective methods of study and learn to put more efforts into his work.
New approaches to problems. If he acknowledges past approaches have
not worked well an individual may find more effective strategies. More
realistic goals and expectations. Persistent failure or frustration may lead
an individual to a more realistic appraisal of the alternatives actually
open to him.
Increased to and “living with” difficult stresses, an individual may

increase his ability to meet stress as well as his confidence in his ability
to do so. The concept of 'stress' is elusive because it is poorly defined.
There is no single agreed definition in existence. It is a concept which is
familiar to both layman and professional a like. It is understood by all
when used in a general context but by very few when more precise
account is required and this seems to be the central problem (Cox,
1985).
Stress to us is a very general term that means somewhat different

though related things at different levels of analysis. Each of the levels of
stress analysis is partially independent in that it refers to different
conditions, and processes (Lazarus & Launier, 1978).
Stress a term borrowed from physics by W. Canon and H. Selye and set
to mean the mutual action of force that takes place across any section of
the body is a state of threatened homeostasis (Stratakis & Chorusos,
1995).
Stress is a subset of emotion (Lazarus, 1993). Stress is caused by a

multitude of demands (stressors), such as an inadequate fit between
what we need and what we are capable of, and what our environment
offers and what it demands of us (Levi, 1996). Stress is the external
pressures and tensions the internal pressures (Saunders, 1997).
In the 1950's stress was described by researchers as a "response to
internal or external processes which reach those threshold levels that
strain its physical and psychological integrative capacities to, or beyond,
their limit" (Basowitz, Persky, Korchin, & Grinkler, 1955).
In the 1970s, Lazarus (1976) suggested that an individual's stress

reaction "depends on how the person interprets or appraises
(Consciously or unconsciously) the significance of a harmful, threatening
or challenging event." Lazarus's work disagrees with that of others who
see stress simply as environmental pressure. Instead, "the intensity of
the stress experience is determined significantly by how well a person
feels he or she can cope with an identified threat. If a person is unsure of
his/her coping abilities, they are likely to feel helpless and overwhelmed.”
Cummings and Cooper (1979) have designed and explained a way of
understanding the stress process that can be put in the following points.
Individuals, for the most part, try to keep their thoughts, emotions, and
relationships with the world in a “steady state”.
Each factor of a person’s emotional and physical state has a “range of

stability,” in which that person feels comfortable. On the other hand,
when disrupt one of these factors beyond the range of stability, the
individual must act or cope to restore a feeling of comfort.
An individual’s behavior aimed at maintaining a steady sate makes up

his or her “adjustment process” or coping strategies. A stress is any force
that puts a psychological or physical function beyond its range of
stability, producing a strain within the individual. Knowledge that a
stress is likely to occur constitutes a threat to the individual. A threat
can cause a strain because of what it signifies to the person (Cummings
& Cooper, 1979).
Stress at work is a relatively new phenomenon of modern lifestyles. The
nature of work has gone through drastic changes over the last century
and it is still changing at whirlwind speed. They have touched almost all
professions, starting from an artist to a surgeon, or a commercial pilot to
a sales executive. With change comes stress, inevitably. Professional
stress or job stress poses a threat to physical health. Work related stress
in the life of organized workers, consequently, affects the health of
organizations.
Job stress is a chronic disease caused by conditions in the workplace

that negatively affect an individual's^ performance and/or overall well-
being of his body and mind. One or more of a host of physical and
mental illnesses manifests job stress. In some cases, job stress can be
disabling. In chronic cases a psychiatric consultation is usually required
to validate the reason and degree of work related stress.
Working on a project on stress at work, Andy Ellis, Ruskin College,

Oxford, UK, has shown in a chart how stress can adversely affect an
employee's performance. In the early stages job stress can 'rev up' the
body and enhance performance in the workplace, thus the term 'I
perform better under pressure'. However, if this condition is allowed to go
unchecked and the body is revved up further, the performance ultimately
declines and the person's health degenerates.
Symptoms
The signs of job stress vary from person to person, depending on the
particular situation, how long the individual has been subjected to the
stressors, and the intensity of the stress itself. Typical symptoms of job
stress can be:
Insomnia
• Loss of mental concentration,
• Anxiety, stress
• Absenteeism
• Depression,
• Substance abuse,
• Extreme anger and frustration,
• Family conflict
• Physical illnesses such as heart disease, migraine, headaches,

stomach problems, and back problems.
Causes of Work Place

Job stress may be caused by a complex set of reasons. Some of the most
visible causes of workplace stress.
Job Insecurity
Organized workplaces are going through metamorphic changes under
intense economic transformations and consequent pressures.
Reorganizations, takeovers, mergers, downsizing and other changes have
become major stressors for employees, as companies try to live up to the
competition to survive. These reformations have put demand on
everyone, from a CEO to a mere executive.
High Demand for Performance

Unrealistic expectations, especially in the time of corporate
reorganizations, which, sometimes, puts unhealthy and unreasonable
pressures on the employee, can be a tremendous source of stress and
suffering. Increased workload, extremely long work hours and intense
pressure to perform at peak levels all the time for the same pay, can
actually leave an employee physically and emotionally drained. Excessive
travel and too much time away from family also contribute to an
employee's stressors.
Technology
The expansion of technology - computers, pagers, cell phones, fax
machines and the Internet - has resulted in heightened expectations for
productivity, speed and efficiency, increasing pressure on the individual
worker to constantly operate at peak performance levels. Workers
working with heavy machinery are under constant stress to remain alert.
In this case both the worker and their family members live under
constant mental stress. There is also the constant pressure to keep up
with technological breakthroughs and improvisations, forcing employees
to learn new software all the times.
Workplace Culture
Adjusting to the workplace culture, whether in a new company or not,
can be intensely stressful. Making oneself adapt to the various aspects of
workplace culture such as communication patterns, hierarchy, dress
code if any, workspace and most importantly working and behavioral
patterns of the boss as well as the co-workers, can be a lesson of life.
Maladjustment to workplace cultures may lead to subtle conflicts with
colleagues or even with superiors. In many cases office politics or gossips
can be major stress inducers.
Personal or Family Problems
Employees going through personal or family problems tend to carry their
worries and anxieties to the workplace. When one is in a depressed
mood, his unfocused attention or lack of motivation affects his ability to
carry out job responsibilities.
Stress in the Work Place:

Work plays a powerful role in people's lives and exerts an important on
their well-being. Since the l960s paid work has occupied an increasing
proportion of most people's. Although employment can be an exciting
challenge for many individuals, it can also be a tremendous source of
stress. Consequently, as work makes more and more demands on time
and energy, Individuals are increasingly exposed to both the positive and
negative aspects of employment. The relationship between work and
mental and physical health may also contribute to career adjustment as
well as to the productivity and economic viability of companies. Three
concepts are important to understanding this relationship:
Stress an interaction between individuals and any source of demand
(stressor) within their environment.
A stressor is the object or event that the individual perceives to be

disruptive. Stress results from the perception that the demands exceed
one's capacity to cope. The interpretation or appraisal of stress is
considered an intermediate step in the relationship between a given
stressor and the individual's response to it.
Appraisals are determined by the values, goals, individual commitment,

as personal resources (e.g. income, family, self-esteem) and coping
strategies that employees bring to the situation.
Newspaper headlines worldwide have heralded an unprecedented
concern about the detrimental effects of work stress. The United Nations
World Labor Report attributes the source of stress to work places that
are unstable, impersonal, and hostile. Since the early 1960s, researchers
have been examining the psychosocial and physical demands of the work
environment that trigger stress. Research has identified many
organizational factors contributing to increased stress levels: (a) job
insecurity; (b) shift work; (c) long work hours; (d) role conflict; (e)
physical hazard exposures; and (f) interpersonal conflicts with coworkers
or supervisors.
Reciprocally, elevated stress levels in an organization are associated with

increased turnover, absenteeism; sickness, reduced productivity, and low
morale. At a personal level, work stressors are related to depression,
anxiety, general mental distress symptoms, heart disease, ulcers, and
chronic pain (Sauter, Hurrell, & Cooper, 1989). In addition, many people
are distressed by efforts to juggle work and family demands, such as
caring for sick or aging parents or children (Wiersma & Berg, 1991).
Therefore, any exploration of the relationship between work conditions
and mental distress must take into account individual factors such as
sex, age, race, income, education, marital and parental status,
personality, and ways of coping. To have a balanced approach to
understanding work stress, it is necessary to recognize that employment
provides rewards that are both internal (intrinsic) and external (extrinsic)
(Locke & Taylor, 1990), (e.g., skill development, self-esteem, money,
variety from domestic surroundings, social contacts, and personal
identity). Although increasing the rewards of work can offset its stressful
aspects, the physical environment and the psychosocial conditions of
employment can have deleterious effects on workers' mental and physical
well-being.
JOB CONTROL
Lack of control over work, the work place, and employment status have
been identified X both as sources of stress and as a critical health risk
for some workers. Employees who are unable to exert control over their
lives at work are more likely to experience work stress and are therefore
more likely to have impaired health (see Sutton & Kahn, 1984, for a
review, and Sauter et al., 1989). Many studies have found that heavy job
demand, and low control, or decreased decision latitude lead to job
dissatisfaction, mental strain, and cardiovascular disease.
In general, job control is the ability to exert influence over one's

environment so that the environment becomes more rewarding and less
threatening. Individuals who have job control have the ability to
influence the planning and execution of work tasks. Research has found
that it is the influence resulting from participation, rather than
participation per se, which affects job stress and health (Israel, House,
Schurman, Heaney, & Mero, 1989). For example, Jackson (1983) found
that participation (attendance at staff meetings) had a negative effect on
perceived job stress, and a positive effect on perceived influence. This, in
turn, influenced emotional strain, job satisfaction, absenteeism, and
turnover intention. Similarly, Israel et al., (1989) concluded that the
ability to control or influence work factors (e.g., speed and pacing of
production) is linked to incidence of cardiovascular disease as well as to
psychosomatic disorders, job dissatisfaction, and depression.
Lazarus (1991) has identified three main strategies for reducing work-
related stress.
Alter the working conditions so that they are less stressful or more
conducive to effective coping. This strategy is most appropriate for large
numbers of workers working under severe conditions. Examples include
altering physical annoyances such as noise levels, or changing
organizational decision-making processes to include employees.
Help individuals adapt by teaching them better coping strategies for

conditions that are impossible or difficult to change. A limitation to this
strategy is that it is costly to deal with each individual's unique
transaction with the environment. Intervention strategies could include
individual counseling services for employees, Employee Assistance
Programs, or specialized stress management programs, such as cognitive
behavioral interventions (Long, 1988).
Individuals vary greatly in their capacity to endure stressful situations,

and there is, undoubtedly, self-selection in the kinds of jobs and
stressors that individuals choose. Because sources of stress may vary
from worker to worker, providing a solution for one worker may create
stress for another worker. For example, if the organization provides more
opportunity for influence over the work process, the change in control
may be experienced positively by some but negatively by others. A partial
solution to this problem (Lazarus, 1991) may involve intervening with
groups of workers that are formed based on person-environment
relationships, and which contribute to the generation or reduction of
stress.
SOURCES OF STRESS
Stress is unavoidable and has become an inherent part of human life. As
mentioned earlier, it arises as a result of the imbalance between the
demands placed on an individual and his/her capacity to meet those
demands. For instance, if the demands are way below his/her capacity,
then the individual may feel bored and disinterested. Conversely, if
demands are way above his/her capacity, then the individual may feel
overwhelmed and thus feel the pressure. One way to handle such a
situation is find a balance between the demands and capacities. An
individual must, therefore, try to reduce demands from the environment
and simultaneously increase his/her internal capacity. To achieve this
balance people must identify the sources of stress. There are various
sources of stress both at home and at work. The common ones can be
classified into internal and external stress.
Internal Stress
Human beings have a tendency to worry about actions that may or may
not take place. Internal stress generally happens when individuals worry
about things outside their control. The personality of an individual plays
a vital role in stress management. Every individual can be categorized
into Type A and Type B personalities. An individual of Type A personality
has a continual sense of urgency and has an excessive competitive drive.
He/she is always in a hurry and is impatient. People with Type A
personality are obsessive about winning and do not have the ability to
spend leisure time productively. These people are likely to be under
stress even in minor situations. People with Type B personality never
sense the urgency of time. They work at their own pace, with no need to
prove their achievements. These people are less likely to be under stress.
Studies suggest that people with Type A personality are at greater risk of
getting heart attacks than people with Type B personality.
External Stress
This type of stress is the result of environmental influence on an
individual. External stress is a result of stress from the environment.
This can be stress from family, work, peers, and friends. Physical
conditions such as poor lighting, loud noise, poor seating arrangements,
and extreme workplace temperatures (a too hot or too cold cabin) are
also stressors. Even the climate where one resides can be a significant
contributor to one’s stress level. In particular, living in extreme climates
can heighten an individual’s stress level. Temperature extremes and the
amount of sunshine that exists on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis can
affect the level of stress experienced.
Types of Stress
Types of stress that are personal and work related are discussed below.
Personal stress:
This is extra-organizational stress. Individuals play many roles in life like
that of a father, brother, friend or mother, wife, sister, etc. In this
process, various factors cause stress.
Family stress: Family stress may arise from conflict of ideas or

relationships with spouse, children, siblings, parents. This stress may
also be caused by the ill-health of a family member, financial problems, a
divorce, or the death of a dear one.
Health related stress: This may be a result of undetected or neglected

health problems. For example, a person may neglect minor ill health,
which over a period may develop into a serious health problem that may
require immediate attention. Often people ignore health and give
importance to work. This results in loss of health and in stress.
Society related stress: Society related stress occurs due to the

influence of the society on an individual. Here friends, colleagues, and
neighbors are the influencing factors. For example attending a
community meeting after a long workday may seem very stressful.
Work-related stress
This is organizational stress. Work-related stress relates to the working
environment and policies of the organization. Work related stress can be
further classified into organizational stress and job stress.
Organizational stress: The stress resulting from the conflict of

organizational goals with personal goals is called organizational or work
place stress.
Lack of organization skills: Poor organization skills lead to confusion

over
Delegation of authority and responsibility: For instance, an employee
may be given many responsibilities without sufficient authority. This
would result in stress in performing the duties and responsibilities.
Long work hours: Everyone has a natural body clock. Working against
this clock can create stress. Attempts to alter the body clock result in
stress. Studies on call center executives show clearly the toll long work
hours take in terms of stress-related illness. A person regularly working
long hours without taking a break will be stressed.
Job Insecurity: Job insecurity is a major stress factor. This kind of

insecurity and lack of growth or promotions act as stressors. The higher
the uncertainty, higher is the stress. A sudden change in management
and work policies can also result in stress. For instance, a manager who
has not been promoted for a long period may feel insecure about his/her
future prospects in the organization and feel stressed.
Job stress: Stress that occurs due to lack of resources or scarce
resources at the workplace is called job stress. Some of the common job
stressors are:
Difficult clients/ Subordinates/ Superiors/ Colleagues: Every
employee has to handle a difficult client at some point of time. A difficult
or dissatisfied client is a stress creator. Uncooperative colleagues and
subordinates too can build up high stress levels at the workplace.
Superiors often feel that putting pressure on subordinates brings out the
best in them, but this is not always true. Some employees feel
overwhelmed under stress and cannot work efficiently.
Personal Inadequacy: This can be a lack of knowledge or skills to

handle a particular task or job. This can create stress.
Role conflicts: This is a conflict between a person’s likes, values, and

job requirements. For instance, a manager may have to take a decision
regarding firing a subordinate keeping the organization’s interest in mind
even though he/she may like the subordinate’s work. This creates a
conflict between his/her likes and job responsibilities, resulting in stress.
Setting high goals: Setting high goals for oneself is a major stressor. For
example, a sales manager may fix some high sales target for
himself/herself in a month. Not achieving the target may result in stress
and in extreme cases may even lead to depression.
Overwork and deadlines: Extended periods of work or continuous work

can lead to extreme stress situations. Employees, especially those in the
BPO industry are required to work in shifts that result in irregular rest
hours that create stress. Strict deadlines and rigid plans create stress in
employees.
Time and Stress: Stress is a result of doing things at the wrong times. It
is a result of mismanaging time and striving hard to stick to deadlines.
By developing the art of time management, people can reduce stress.
Effective time management and stress management are inter-dependent.
Time management includes planning, delegating, organizing, and
performing tasks as per schedule. Working against deadlines can start to
create stress in a person’s life over a period of time. Stress management
deals indirectly with time management, as time management is a
measure to keep stress under control.
EFFECTS OF STRESS
The human body’s reaction to stress is natural. It results from the need
to resist a stressful situation. For example, when a person is nervous,
there is an increase in his/her pulse rate. This is a ‘fight or flight’
response. However, things can go out of control if too much stress is
present. The person can have a heart attack or a nervous breakdown.
Too much of stress can tell upon a person’s health. If neglected, it can
lead to serious health disorders at a later stage. Stress has both physical
and psychological effects on an individual. (Refer Exhibit 1 to find out the
effects of stress on an individual.)
Exhibit 1
Effects of Stress on an Individual
Physical Effects :
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Sudden increase or decrease in weight (change in
appetite)
- Frequent headaches, fatigue, and respiratory
problems
- Nervous weakness ( biting nails, too much sweating)
- Insomnia
- Reduced immunity to common colds and flu
- Ulcers and weak digestive system
Psychological Affects :
- Difficulty in concentrating
- Unable to spend leisure time productively
- Always anxious
- Bad decision making
- Mood swings
- Increased usage of food, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs
- Developing fears and phobias
- Feeling out of control and confused
Effects on Environment
Stress affects not only the individual but also his/her environment. It
has an affect on the individual’s family, work, and society.
Effect of stress on family

A stressed individual can play havoc with family life. He/she may indulge
in self-destructive behavior, which will have an influence on family
members. He/she may become absent-minded, neglect duties, and
overlook health problems. Stress can thus affect the family if left
unchecked.
Effect of stress on work

Stress mainly affects an individual’s work-life. Absenteeism could be a
major problem due to stress. Employees under stress do not feel
motivated to work, and so they absent themselves regularly. Frequent
absenteeism affects the organization. Workplace accidents and conflicts
are other major effects of stress. Employees under stress have less
concentration and this could lead to accidents. The more stressed a
person is the more likely he/she is of getting into conflicts. Conflicts can
lead to a turbulent work environment and affect the organization as a
whole. Stress can also be related to occupation. For instance, a person
working for long hours on the computer may get computer vision. A
person working in a noisy work environment may develop hearing
disorders.
Effect on society
Stress has an effect on society as well. It makes people feel isolated,
irritated, and unfriendly. This affects the interpersonal relations of the
person.
STRATEGIES FOR COPING WITH STRESS
After understanding the sources of stress and the effects of stress on
individuals, let us discuss some strategies to fight stress.
Strategies to Fight Stress

Some of the important strategies for managers to fight stress are
prioritizing and delegating work, laughing a lot, exercising regularly,
practicing relaxation techniques, maintaining a good balanced diet, and
having a good night’s sleep.
Prioritize work
Multi-tasking is the buzzword these days. An individual requires special
skills to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. One way to minimize
stress while multi-tasking is to plan, prioritize, and perform. Planning
involves preparing a list of activities that need to be performed. This
involves considering the time factor. Prioritizing involves ranking the
activities based on their importance and performing these activities in
that order. Prioritizing activities each day is the simplest way to tackle
stress. The next step is to schedule time for tasks depending on the
priorities. For instance, a person may have to attend a community
meeting and an official party. He/she may schedule time for both
activities by attending the official party first and then the community
meeting.
Delegate work
Some individuals prefer doing all the work themselves. This adds to their
stress. They should learn to delegate routine work to others. For
instance, a manager can delegate the work of preparing a report on a
project to a subordinate.
Laughter
Laughter is a good de-stressor. An individual can relax and de-stress by
watching a humorous movie, reading comics, etc. A sense of humor
allows an individual to perceive and appreciate the imbalances of life and
provides moments of delight.
‘A day without laughter is a day wasted for life’. This is very true.
Laughter is the best outlet for stress. It is a great stress buster. Laughter
is a no cost, no side effect medicine. A person with a sense of humor is
less likely to be under stress. A sense of humor allows an individual to
perceive and appreciate the imbalances of life and provides moments of
delight.
Exercise
Exercise is another good stress-buster. It keeps an individual physically
and mentally alert. When a person is nervous, tense, or angry, exercise is
the best outlet for giving vents to his/her emotions. Regular exercise
lowers blood pressure, lowers pulse rate, boosts blood circulation in the
body, increases artery suppleness, lowers cholesterol, and reduces
fatigue and tension. These benefits help an individual to tackle the
physiological changes that occur during stress. Exercise should increase
blood circulation to the heart.
Relaxation
The best strategy to reduce stress is to relax. Relaxation is not being idle.
It is doing what one wants to do, rather than what one should do. It is
very important for a person to schedule some time for relaxation. This
relaxation time should disconnect the person from all his/her tensions,
worries. This is the time when the person rebuilds his/her energy levels.
Relaxation techniques vary from person to person.
Diet
A good balanced diet plays a vital role in reducing stress. A person tends
to neglect diet when under stress. This may lead to overeating or under-
eating. This improper eating results in a weak immune system and
creates health problems. A well-balanced meal that is eaten on time is
very important to minimize stress.
Sleep
Sleep is a weapon. During sleep, a person prepares himself/herself to
face another day. Stress makes a person sleepless or very sleepy. A
stressed person may feel sleepy throughout the day and awake during
nights. On an average, everyone needs at least 7-8 hours of sleep per
day. Some may need more sleep or some less. After a good night’s sleep,
a person feels fresh. An individual must adopt a bedtime routine that
induces sleep like reading a book that is soothing, and listening to music
that is relaxing. One must go to bed at the same time every day.
Meditation
• Meditation is one of the most effective techniques in reducing and
avoiding stress. Regular meditation helps in stress reduction. It
• enables one to control the thought process
• enables one to take effective decisions
• helps in physical and mental relaxation
• Improves concentration
Meditation is a technique to achieve a thoughtless or mindless state. In
this state, a person has no thoughts. This kind of state thus acts a stress
reliever and a great rejuvenator.
Yoga
Yoga is another important stress reliever. Yoga has been tried and tested
since ancient times. According to Patanjali Maharishi, yoga is the
cessation of mind. It is a state of no-mind. Yoga is not for bodybuilding.
It simply focuses on gentle postures that improve circulation of blood to
vital parts of the body. The increase in blood circulation rejuvenates the
organs and releases stress.
Maintaining work-life balance

Work-life balance means a harmonious balance of work and domestic
life. It allows an employee to fulfill all the roles in his/her life effectively
and efficiently. Researches have proved that employees are at their best
when they are contented and motivated both at work and at home.
Achieving a work-life balance is not as easy as it seems. In the corporate

world, change is constant and imminent. The impact of globalization has
further fuelled these changes. The corporate world signifies
uncertainties, too many responsibilities, and long work hours. These
changes in the environment disturb the balance between domestic and
work-life of employees. The increasing competition and demands of
society further aggravate the situation. All this adds up to stress.
Importance of Work-life balance

The corporate world is realizing the importance of the work-life balance.
Companies are realizing the fact that the work-life balance of employees
has a direct effect on the productivity of their organizations. Exhibit 5
explains the various practices that companies follow to maintain work-
life balance.
The importance of work-life balance is due to the following reasons:
Changing social scene: In today’s world, maintaining work-life balance

is the greatest challenge employees’ face. Employees have realized that
their personal lives have an effect on their work life. Hence, they are
striving hard to maintain the balance.
Changing work culture: There is a shift in the organizational work

culture. Today’s work culture provides flexible work hours, focus on
results, and recognition of achievements. However, this has made the
workplace even more competitive as employees are expected to always
give their best, and this leads to stress.
Increased work time: With globalization, organizations are working 365

days, 24 hours, and 7 days a week irrespective of time zones. Businesses
are focusing more and more on customer care. With the coming of call
centers, this focus has doubled. The technology has added to the speed
of work but the workload remains the same.
Dual income families: The shift in attitudes, work styles, and cultures
has disturbed the work-life balance. Working mothers have major
responsibilities of managing both home and work place. This makes it all
the more important for them to balance work and life. Organizations are
helping women by providing facilities like work from home, day care etc.
Benefits of Work-life Balance
Achieving a work-life balance benefits both employers and employees.
While the employers get the benefit of productive and active employees,
the employees feel secure and loyal. It also improves confidence,
concentration, self-esteem, and loyalty among the employees. The
concept of work-life balance is still fresh in India. Indian IT companies
are probably the first ones to provide a fun-work environment. Some
companies are now investing in recreational facilities at the worksite.
Steps to achieve work-life balance: To build up an awareness of the

importance of work-life balance in employees, companies should conduct
regular workshops and programs on work-life balance.
The following measures have to be taken by employers:

• Discourage employees from working late
• Take a regular employee satisfaction survey that can identify the

pitfalls in the work pattern
• Provide vacations and encourage employees to take breaks
• Provide opportunities like work from home, flexi times
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Very one want stress-free life. Yet, stress is ubiquitous. Of course, cannot
be controlled by more nutrients as the real cause of stress is anxiety or
pressure which may ultimately lead to the neglect or proper dietary
habits. Stress refers to the “circumstances that threaten one’s well being
and thereby tax one’s coping abilities”.
Stress is inevitable part of modern life. Like janus, stress has two faces.
It is a good servant, but a bad master. In other words, it can be one’s
best friend or worst enemy. A certain amount of stress is necessary to
achieve success. But, undue stress causes distress.
Stress is received by different people differently. If two people experience
the same amount or pressure, one may be healthy while the other is
sick. This is so because our personalities do influence the level of stress.
The present day’s lifestyle breeds stress and tension. When tension lasts
long, depression sets in. Depression is characterized by feelings of
sadness, hopelessness and pessimism.
According to Dr. Raw Baum, a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvanian bioenergetics

analyst and stress educator, “Stress is our body’s bio-chemical reaction
to how we live our lives. Stress can develop into distress and disease
through your personal adaptations to internal and external
environments.”
Stress is the body’s reaction to the external demands placed upon it by

the environment. Stress can be either good or bad. Good stress creates
the necessary excitement to perform an activity. This type of stress is
temporary and has no long-term effects on the body. Bad stress creates
an alarming reaction in the body. It affects the body’s immune system
and has detrimental affects on the body over a period.
There are many sources of stress for an individual. It can be family,

friends, workplace, superiors, and colleagues. The sources of stress for
an individual should be identified. The effects of stress may include
minor symptoms like headache, irritability, loss of concentration, loss of
appetite to major symptoms like insomnia, amnesia, heart attack, ulcers
etc. Stress should be identified and treated in the early stages or it could
result in a burnout. A severe case or neglected case of stress leads to
burnout. Stress can be handled by practicing yoga, meditation,
pranayama etc. In order to treat stress-related disorders, holistic
therapies like aroma therapy, massage therapy, etc., can be very
effective. Exercise, diet, and rest play a vital role in stress handling. A
healthy person is better at handling stressful situations than an
unhealthy person.
A working person should learn to balance work and personal life to lead
a happy life. This work- life balance can be achieved by giving
importance to both work and personal life. Organizations should help
their employees achieve work-life balance, as this has an effect on the
productivity of the organizations.
Spirituality at the workplace has become a necessity in today’s world.

The practice of spirituality at the workplace enables an individual to deal
with stressful situations. It provides an individual with the strength to
face unforeseen situations without panic. Spirituality helps a manager to
deal with stress internally instead of looking for external solutions.
Action Points
Managers should:
• Identify sources of stress and their effects on you.
• Adopt a de-stressing routine like going for a solitary walk at the

end of the day.
• Spend time with family, friends.
• Make time for vacations.
• Practice relaxation methods like deep breathing, meditation, and

yoga.
• Sleep for at least 6-8 hours.
• Plan, prioritize, and delegate work.

• Try to maintain a work-life balance.
Managers should not:

• Ignore symptoms like frequent headaches, coughs, and colds.
• Take on too may responsibilities or demands that are outside your

capabilities.
• Use drugs, tobacco, alcohol to handle stress.
• Use self-medication.
• Wait for deadlines to approach.
• Set unrealistic goals.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Title:
To study on stress at work place
Sub Title:
A study on 80 respondents in Zydus Cadila health care Ltd Ahmedabad
Significance:
The modern world which is a world of achievement and progressing very

fast is also a would of stress person finds stress every where, in family,
business, organization etc. No men are stresses free we find stress every
where. Each and every person has to under go some kind of stressful
situation in lives.
Stress is a one kind of chronic disease and it affects an individuals lives

as well as it effect the work of the industry. Stress has to we perceived or
recognized by man. Often the stress comes not from a single obstacle but
from a conflict of motives. Stress is often further intensified by our
tendency to ignore what we do have and preoccupy ourselves with the
things that are still lacking. Each person experiences a unique and
changing pattern of stress though after there are key, continuing
stresses in one’s life that provide a focus far his adjustive effects.
Organizational stress is a process by which the organization becomes

deformed slowly and gradually by the constant impairment of the
system. Stress is inevitable and sometimes chosen voluntarily. Coping
with stress can mean confronting or escaping the problem and taking
steps to prevent its recurrence it involves, solving the problem yet
stresses are an unavoidable part of life.
Objectives:
Sub Objective:
 To know general information about the employee in their

organization.
 To know how they cope with stress situation.
 To know what are the effect of stress on their life.
 To know how employee maintain the relationship with others.
 To know theirs day to days problems.
 To know what problem they faced during working hours.
Universe:-
The universe of study is middle level of employees and they are like
manager, officer, and executive. The lower level of employees and they
are like technician, supervisor, operator, etc. and the staff employees.
Sample and sampling process:-

Simple Random Sampling was used to collect information of 80
respondents. The Sample consists of Middle level and Lower level and
staff Employees working in various departments wherein four from each
department were selected randomly.
Tools of Data Collection:-
Primary Data:
Primary Data of the study are to be collected through Interview schedule.
In that one has to take personal interview of all the respondents.
Secondary Data:
Secondary data of the study is to be collected through observation
method .In that on has to observe those respondents and on the basis of
observation the data should be collected.
Reference Period:-
The Reference period for data collection was from 10th May 2007 to 10th
June 2007.
Research Design:-
This is an exploratory and descriptive study; it gives insight to
understand the type of stress faced by the employees in their day today’s
lives. The study explorer the fact cause of life and it depends on
employees how he displays the situation.
Variables:-
Independent and Dependent:
Independent Variable is Age and Department.
Dependent Variable here is Organizational Stress faced by the
employees.
Limitation:
Respondents were rather reluctant to display their personal information.
CHAPTER – V
FINDINGS, CONSLUSIONS & SUGGESTIONS
FINDINGS
 Majority of the respondents are belonging to staff employee. One could
say that the respondents are mostly work as peon and clerks.
 Majority of the respondents belong to the age of 36 and above which
shows that the employees are more experienced and who have
reached their adulthood.
 Majority i.e. 90 % of the employees are men and this also indicates
that there few female employees in the institutions.
 Majority (49 %) of the employees have completed HSC. It is also
surprising that more than one fourth (27.5 %) employees have
completed graduation.
 Majority of the employees are well experience in their field since
majority of them have worked more than 16 years.
 Majority of the respondents have 16 and above years of work
experience i.e. 31(38.75%).
 Majority of the respondents belong to production department i.e. 36(45%).

 Majority of the respondents are having eleven to fifteen thousand incomes
per month.
 Majority of the respondents’ i.e. 42.05% agree that they are satisfied and
secure in their job.
 Majority of respondents 52.05% do agree that their pet ideas have

been rejected.
 Majority of respondents 50% have disagreed, for the statement that

they have strained relationship with supervisor.
 Majority of respondents have disagreed, 36 (45%) that they have

strained relationship with co-worker.
 Majority of the respondents are happy with commute between home

and work i.e. 35 (43.75%).
 Majority of the respondents i.e. 31(38.75%) have disagreed that they

usually fear that they might be terminated from the job.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 34 (42.5%) of respondents agree that the

life and work is a kind of burden.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 42(52.5%) of respondents agree that they

have to work for hours with out any break.
 Majority of the respondents i.e. 26(32.50%) of respondents agreed that

they get less salary as compared to people in organization of similar
size. Once if it is compared with agreed and strongly agreed the total
percentage shows 60% which is higher than the disagreeing group.
 Majority of the respondents are agreed (36% + 52%) that their

expenses are more than income.
 Majority of respondents i.e 35(43.75%) disagreed that they don’t get

salary when it is due.
 Majority of the respondents that is 46 (57.50%) agree for the opinion
that they receive very less salary of money on their retirement.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 38(47.50%) of respondents have agreed

that they are not given well deserved promotion.
 Majority of respondents i.e 42 (52.50%) of respondents have disagreed

that they don’t get enough opportunity to improve & display abilities
 Majority of respondents i.e. 44 (55%) have disagreed that they are not
learning & developing any of their abilities in the organization.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 40 (50%) of respondents have disagreed

that there are many rules in organization which need to abide & this
become headache.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 43 (53.75%) of respondents have agreed

that they share more responsibilities than their higher authorities.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 39 (48.75%) of respondents are agreed

that their job responsibility creates tension for them.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 38 (47.50%) of respondents have agreed

that there is rapid change in the organization.
 Majority that is 39(48.75%) of respondents agree for the opinion that

they are not satisfied with designation given to the person in the
organization.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 44 (55%) of respondents have disagreed

that they don’t get along well with people they have to deal with.
 Majority that is 43 (53.75%) of respondents have disagreed that they

lack cohesiveness and cooperativeness with other colleagues.
that their supervisor is very authenticating.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 45 (56.25%) of respondents disagree that

they are always neglected and disregarded by their colleagues.
 Majority of respondent i.e. 34(42.50%) of respondents agree that they

under go physical exercise.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 38(47.50%) of respondents have disagreed

that they indulge in regular breathing exercise.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 42 (52.50%) of respondents have

disagreed that they practice meditation.

disagreed that they smoke.

disagreed that they have drinking habit.

disagreed that they increase salt and sugar intake.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 32(40%) of respondents have agreed that

they increase caffeine intake like tea, coffee, cola etc.

that they accept their and others limitations.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 39 (48.75%) of respondents disagree that

they take decisions without undue anxiety.

that they allow others to share tasks & responsibilities.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 40(50%) of respondents are agreed that
they try to helping others.

that they try to change the situation.

that they take situation as an opportunity to learn.

that they compromise to get something positive out of the situation.

that they console themselves with the hope that things will go better.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 48(60%) of respondents agree that they

often try to use humor to diffuse tension.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 53(66.25%) of respondents agree that the

people around them help them in times of need.

include some relaxation time in the daily routine.

maintain good relationship with others especially those closest to
them.

have someone with whom they can discuss personal problem
 Majority of respondents i.e. 46(57.50%) of respondents disagree that

they become aggressive.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 40(50%) of respondents agree, 25(31.25%)

of respondents disagree that they get angry.
that they blame themselves.

that they deny that there is a problem.

that they feel guilty.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 34(42.50%) of respondents have
agreed that they suffer from headache.

that they suffer from chest pain.

that they suffer from indigestion.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 38(47.50%) of respondents have strongly

agreed that they suffer from sleeplessness.

that they suffer from irritability.

that they suffer from backache

disagreed that they suffer from stomach disorder.

disagreed that they suffer from blood pressure.

disagreed that they put on lot of weight.
that they become weak.

they feel frustrated.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 36(45%) of respondents have disagreed

that they develop lot of anxiety.

that they feel restless.

they suffer from inability to concentrate.
 Majority of respondents i.e. 40(50%) of respondents have disagreed

that they feel that those closest to them at home are not supportive
towards them.

that they are not able to laugh.

that they are not able to express thoughts and ideas.
 majority of respondents i.e. 34(42.50%) of respondents have agreed

that they feel that life has got no sense of purpose.
CONCLUSIONS
 Most of the employees in the company belong to the staff
categories which means that they are either peons or
supervisors.
 Most of the respondent i.e nearly half of them are above 36

years of age which shows that they well experienced employees.
 Most of the employees who have been approached are seems to

be male members that is 90% where as the women seems to be
very meager in number in such work place.
 The respondents seems to have passed through HSC in the

majority of the cases (48.75%) where are the graduate also show
good in number who are more than one fourth of the total
number.
 Though most of the people are considered to be well experienced

after five years here the study proves that the majority belong to
the group of 16 years and above which means most of the
workers have good amount of experience and they are well
settled in an institution.
 There are four department in this institution among the four the
production department personal seems to be more. Since the
majority of the respondent belong to the staff employee it is
natural that most of such employees are found in the production
department.
 When we think of the monthly income the majority have been

receiving between ten to fifteen thousands which means the
salary of the employee seems to be fairly good enough in this
situation.
 When the question of job security and satisfaction come the

employees seems to be very positive that they are safe in their
job.
 There is a mixed reaction from the respondent that the half of

them agree that their relation with supervisor is stained where
as other half feel the opposite. Such is the same with co workers
too. So mostly people have good relations.
 Most of the people are happy to travel by various means and this
does not affect their work. And also they do not face any legal
problem in their work place.
 Most of the people feel that the work is little burden to them. This is
due to the unlimited hours they work. This again seems to contradict
that the people who feel burden can not be satisfied in their work.
 More than three fourth of the respondents seems to agree that they do
not have poor self image. At the same time they seem to contradict
that the comparison of salary with coworker seems to be higher. There
is no self contentment in matter of money.
 Majority of the people seems to agree that they have expenses more
than their income. This shows that they have no proper budget in
their family life.
 There is a mixed feeling as well as majority of them seems to agree

that they do not get salary on time at the same time there is also no
proper promotion system hence there is a problem of getting less
money during the time of retirement. This again indicate that the
worker remain in a constant threat over their future.
 Majority of the respondents agree to the fact that they do have chance
to display their abilities and talents at the same time they abide by
the rules of the institution and they are able to learn new things. This
suggests that there is a free work atmosphere to the workers.
 The employees seem to say that there is a rapid growth in the

organization but they do accept that the work pressure creates
tension in their day today life. They are also not satisfied with
designation given to them.
 Most of the workers can cooperate and accept one another due to
which there is a cooperation and cohesiveness. Getting along with one
another can bring unity which may lead to creation of unions.
 Majority of the workers seems to be away from alcohol and smoking

but they do take coffee and tea. They take care of their physical
exercise. But they do not seem to be having the habit of meditation.
At the same time majority of them are able to cope up with their work.
 The employees seems to have certain level fear and anxiety about
their work and their future. In spite of this they are able to share the
responsibilities with one another. There is also a helping attitude
among them.
 When ever situation changes the employees are able to learn from the
new situation at the same time they able to compromise such
situations. They also hope for better. Due to this hope they give extra
attention to their work.
 The employees are able come out of their tension by creating humor.
They also help each other in the time of need. This make them to sort
out their mental and emotional imbalances.
 In from of relaxation they are able to relate with one another. This
relation makes them to help one another in the personal and family
difficulties.
 When the mattser of emotional feelings are brought out they are
having mixed feelings. Some are more angry than the others. But the
majority do not turn to be aggressive. They do have the habit of
blaming one another.
 When the matter of physical problem like headache, chest pain,

stomach ache, sleeplessness come there is a mixed answers which
means all do not go through the same process. But most of them have
sleeplessness.
 Most of the respondents have the feeling of anxiety, frustration,

burden and feeling of left out. But this seems to be contradicting
when they agree that they are able to get support of the co-worker as
well as support from the close people in the family.
SUGGESTIONS
Looking at the result reported in the various chapters, we find important

personality variable producing stress among employees in the
organization.
The following are the suggestions in this regard which have emerged
from this study.
 Ensure an organizational climate with career planning and career

growth to ensure further the retention of talented employees.
 Extent the counseling practices at employees family level including
dependents and relatives.
 Organization should organize regular check up and those found
suffering from very high stress should be subjected to stress
management process.
Work out a plan for the work, should say ‘no’ to additional
responsibility till the employee should finish the existing burden.
 Never make promise if don’t mean it try to be realistic at work place
regarding family affairs.
 Employee should accept the realistic situation. Develop new skills and
look for new opportunities.
 The anxiety and depression are the leading problems which can be
reduce to certain exercise practice and taking enough time with family
member.
 Over all the employees do have fear and anxiety. This emotional
feeling do lead to stress in their personal life at the same time the
responses of the employees also shows that they are happy due to
their co-workers as well as family members. This attitude and support
of others makes them to lead a better life.
 Though the situation is varies at different levels the company should
take serious steps to find out the real causes of the stress among this
staff employees and make them more comfortable and safe. This
needs lots of effort from the employees as well as from the part of
employers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
ANNEXURE -A
 Introduction to psychology by CLIFORD T. MARGAN

Published in 1974 by Tata Mcgraw – Hill Publishing company
limited 2nd edition
 Recent Treads in Human stress management by AKBAR HUSAIN
MOHD. ILYAS KHAN, Globar vision publishing house in 2006 1st
Edition
 Social Psychology by ROBERT A BARON, Published by Asoke K.
Ghosh, Prentice –Hall of India private limited
 Psychology (An international perspective) by MICHAEL W.
EYSENCK Year – In 2004, Published by psychology press Ltd. 1st
Edition
 Stress Management by B. K. JOSHI, Published by Mrs. Shashi
Jain for painter publishers in 2007, 1st Edition
 Managerial Effectiveness, Managing the self and others
By The ICFAI Center for Management Research, 2005
 JOSHI C.P in 1999 A study on stress and burnout
Website
 www.apahelpcenter.org
 www.pwclegal.com
 www.icmrindia.org
 www.ccoh.ca
ANNEXURE -B
Interview Schedule
STRESS AT WORK PLACE
Section: 1
1. Name of the Respondent: ___________________________________

2. Designation: ________________________________________________
3. Age : ________________________________________________________
4. Gender: _____________________________________________________
5. Educational Qualification : _________________________________
6. Years of work experience ( Total ) : _________________________
7. Years of work experience : __________________________________
(In this organization)
8. Name of the organization : _________________________________
9. Name of the department : __________________________________
10. Income per month : ________________________________________
(In Rs.)
Section: 2
SR. PARTICULAERS STRONGLY AGREE DISAGREE STRONGLY

AGREE DISAGREE
NO
I experience
stress because
11. I don’t feel secure and
satisfied with my job.
12 My pet ideas have
always been rejected.
13 I have strained
relationship with my
supervisor.
14 I have strained
relationship with my
co-worker.
15 I am happy with the
commute between work
and home.
16. I usually fear that I
might be terminated
from the job.
17. I feel that the life and
the work is a kind of
burden.
18. I have to work for
hours.
19. I feel that I get less
salary as compared to
people in Org. of
similar size.
20. My expenses are more
than my income.
21. I don’t get the salary
when it’s due.
22. I would receive very
less amount of money
on my retirement.
23. I feel that i am not
given well deserved
promotion.
24. I don’t get enough
opportunity to improve
and display my
abilities.
25. I worry that I am not
learning and
developing in the Org.
26. There are many rules
in my Org., which I
need to abide and this
becomes headache.
27. I feel that I share more
responsibilities than
authority.
28. My job responsibility
creates tension.
29. There is rapid change
in the Org.
30. I am not satisfied with
my designation.
31. I don’t get along well
with the people I have
to deal with.
32. I lack cohesiveness and
cooperativeness with
other colleagues.
33. I feel that I am always
neglected and
disregarded by my
colleagues.
Section: 3
NO AGREE DISAGREE
When I am under
stress I try to cope
with the situation
using the following.
1 I exercise
2 I indulge in regular
breathing exercises.
3 I practice meditation.
4 I smoke.
5 I drink.
6 I increase my salt and
sugar intake.
7 I increase my caffeine
intake ( Coffee, tea,
cola )
8 I accept my and others
limitations.
9 I take decisions
without undue anxiety.
10 I allow others to share
tasks and
responsibilities.
11 I try helping others.
12 I try to change
situations.
13 I take situation as an
opportunity to learn.
14 I compromise to get
something positive out
of the situation.
15 I console myself with
the hope that things
will go better.
16 I often try to use
humor to diffuse
tension.
17 People around me help
me in times of needs.
18 I include some
relaxation time in my
daily routine.
19 I maintain good
relationship with
others, especially those
closest to me.
20 I have someone with
whom I can discuss
personal problems.
21 I became aggressive.
22 I feel angry.
23 I blame myself.
24 I deny that there is a
problem.
25 I feel guilty.
Section: 4

AGREE DISAGREE
NO
When I am stressed
at work place,
1. I suffer from headache.
2. I suffer from chest
pain.
3. I suffer from
indigestion.
4. I suffer from
sleeplessness.
5. I suffer from irritability.
6. I suffer from backache
7. I suffer from stomach
disorder
8. I suffer from blood
pressure.
9. I put on lot of weight.
10. I become weak.
11. I feel frustrated.
12. I develop lot of anxiety.
13. I feel restless.
14. I suffer from inability to
concentrate.
15. I feel that those closest
to me at home are not
supportive towards me.
16. I am not able to laugh.
17. I am not able to
express my thoughts
and ideas.
18. I feel that my life has
got no sense of
purpose.

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STRESS AT WORK PLACE OF

* LIST OF TABLE *****

INTRODUCTION & RESEARCH

II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 44-65

III RESEARCH SETTING 66-74

DATA ANALYSIS &

FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS &

Table showing distribution of the respondents

Table showing distribution of the respondents

Table showing distribution of the respondents

Table showing educational status of the

Table showing total work experience of the

Table showing work experience in this

Table showing distribution of the respondents

Table showing monthly income of the

Table showing opinion of the respondents of

Table showing whether respondents ideas have

Table showing whether respondents have

Table showing whether respondents having fear

Table showing whether respondents have to

Table showing whether respondents’ don’t get

Table showing whether respondents get less

Table showing whether respondents not given

Table showing whether respondents given

Table showing whether respondents learning

Table showing whether job responsibility

Table showing whether respondents satisfied

Table showing respondents don’t get along well

Table showing respondents lack of cohesiveness

Table showing whether respondents are always

Table showing whether respondents doing

Table showing whether respondents indulge

Table showing whether respondents practice

Table showing whether respondents smoke or

Table showing whether respondents drink or

Table showing whether respondents increase

Table showing whether respondents increase of

Table showing whether respondents accept

Table showing whether respondents take

Table showing whether respondents allow

Table showing respondents observed the

Table showing respondents compromise to get

Table showing respondents themselves oneself

Table showing respondent often try to use

Table showing whether people helps at times of

Table showing whether respondents includes

Table showing maintaining good relationship

Table showing whether respondents discussing

Table showing whether respondents become

Table showing whether respondents feel angry

Table showing whether respondents blaming

Table showing respondents deny that there is a

Table showing whether respondents feel guilty

Table showing whether respondents suffers

Table showing whether respondents suffers

Table showing whether respondents suffers

Table showing whether respondents suffers

Table showing whether respondents suffer from

Table showing whether respondents suffers

Table showing whether respondents suffers

Table showing increasing of weight of

Table showing respondent become physically

Table showing whether respondents feel