7

OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF STUDY

The main purpose behind doing survey on this topic is as follows:

 Level of stress in corporate.

 Reasons behind stress

 To know how stress is being reduced in corporate as down the line

we would be entering the corporate world.

 Relationship between stress and employee performance.

 Stress Management as a tool and implications

8
9
 Introduction:-
What is Stress?

Stress is a feeling that's created when we react to particular events. It's the

body's way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation with focus,

strength, stamina, and heightened alertness.

Stress is your mind and body’s response or reaction to a real or imagined threat, event or

change. The Threat, Event or Changes are commonly called stressors. Stressors can be

internal (thoughts, beliefs, attitudes) or external (loss, tragedy, change).

Stress is the reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed

on them.

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Types of Stress:-

A. EUSTRESS (HEALTHY ESSENTIAL STRESS)

 SENSIBLE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

 JOY- ANY KIND OF POSITIVE IMPULSE.

 SPORTS- PRACTISED AS HOBBIES.

B. DISTRESS

 ANGER

 HATRED, FRUSTRATION, JEALOUSY.

 CONTINOUS MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STRAIN OF ANY KIND.

11
 Signs and Symptoms of Stress

There are four symptoms of stress which can affect our body.

A. Intellectual Symptoms-Affecting Mind

 Memory retention

 Difficulty in focusing and decision making

 Confusion

 Negative thoughts

 Inability to judge properly

 Loss of objectivity

B. Emotional Symptoms-Affecting the Thoughts, Feelings

 Moody

 Restlessness and anxiety

 Depression

 Anger and resentment

 Lack of confidence

 Nervous break downs

C. Physical Symptoms-Affect on Body

 Headaches

 Indigestion

 Fatigue

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 High blood pressure

 Weight gain or loss

 Bronchitis

 Asthma

 Decrease in sex drive

D. Behavioral Symptoms

 Irregular eating habits

 Irregular sleeping(Insomnia)

 Living in isolation

 Become alcoholic

 Getting angry

 Overreacting

 Nervousness

 Running away from responsibilities

13
 Stages of Stress
1Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
Alarm Resistance Exhaustion

Normal
Level of
Resistance

Alarm stage: - Occurs during stressful event or when we perceive something to be

stressful, psychological changes occur in your body.

Resistance stage: -During this stage body tries to cope or adapt to the stressors by

beginning a process of repairing any damage the stressor has caused.

Exhaustion stage: -During this stage the stressor is not being managed effectively. The

body & mind are not able to repair the damage.

Stages of stress was given by HANS SEYLE

14
 CASUAL FACTORS LEADING TO ORGANIZATIONAL
STRESS

There are certain factors which lead to the stress level among women employees

And this causes sometimes health problems.Thus, they have to be minimized and actions

should be taken by the organizations. There are three major approaches to manage stress.

They are:

 Action oriented

 Emotional oriented

 Acceptance oriented

There are three types of organization stressors:

 Environmental Stressors

 Organizational Stressors

 Individual Stressors

15
A. ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS

Modern researchers opine that job stress is not just limited to factors that are internal to

the organization, but also to the ones that are external. Environmental stressors include

societal or technological, financial, economic, political impacts etc. For majority of

people in recent years, their financial situation has proved to be the major cause of stress.

This has reduced time for recreational and family activities.

B. ORGANIZATIONAL STRESSORS

Besides potential stressors that occur outside the organization, there are a few stressors,

which are associated within the organization itself. There are varied macro level

dimensions, which contain potential stressors. They are:

 Task pressures: Are that relate to a person’s job, working conditions, Physical

work, layout etc.For instance ,working in a damp, uncongenial work environment

can increase anxiety and stress.

 Role pressures: Relate to the demands placed on a person on account of a

particular role she has to play in the organization. There are of two types Role

conflict and role overload.

 Interpersonal pressures: Are created by other employees in the organization. Non-

cooperation from other employees and poor interpersonal relationships can cause

16
 considerable degree of stress among employees, esp. the ones with a high social

need.

C. INDIVIDUAL STRESSORS

Although an average employee works for 50 hours a week, yet the hazards, problems that

people encounter in the remaining 120 non working hours can impact one’s job. This

encompasses factors prevailing in the employee’s personal life. Marital problems,

breaking off a relationship, discipline troubles with children are examples of relationship

problems that tend to create stress for employees and even influence job performance.

17
 Women Executives

The Provoking Scenario

The role of women in the contemporary scenario has changed from merely a homemaker

to a dynamic multifaceted personality, capable of balancing work and family

responsibilities successfully. The change is attributed to the improvement in the

socioeconomic trends, an increase in the literacy rates of females, rapid industrialization

and availability of lucrative jobs in globalization era. The present day women are

successful in defining and shaping her own identity in the male society by making

inroads into the corporate world. The Indian society has evolved from a traditional

agrarian economy society to modern industrial society, due to which there has been

change in the culture, mindset and attitude of the people towards the women.

It is often quoted that the success of any organization greatly depends upon its resource

base, that is, kinds of skill and knowledge the firm specializes in and efficiency with

which the firm utilizes this knowledge. But if we observe the corporate boards of these

organizations closely, there is a very common and prevalent feature, that is, the absence

or existence of lesser number of women as corporate leaders and managers.

Women, though have proved their versatility for their ages and have donned the multiple

facets simultaneously, be it of a loving and caring mother and daughter, a dutiful wife and

a good manager of her life and family, they are still finding it difficult to cross their

boundaries of home and make a place for themselves in a corporate world.

18
But she still struggles with the orthodox beliefs and rigid stereotype perceptions; the

materialization of the women executives in terms of monetary gains has been meager.

They still earn comparatively lesser emoluments than their male counterparts for similar

tasks undertaken and the respect earned for the work is even lower. The number of

women found holding up top corporate jobs is also countable. In corporates, she is a

victim of the harsh effects of glass ceiling, pay inequity and discriminatory practices.

“The changing global scenario requires constant up gradation in knowledge and

learning to meet the challenges of the job profile.”

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 The banking industry, history and technological
changes

Historical overview

The antiquated Indian banking system has its roots in the nineteenth century. The

character and structure of the system has, however, changed substantially since 1969,

when the major banks were nationalized. As the size of the banking sector increased, the

industry became difficult to manage. Computer technology offered a possible solution.

Banking and insurance have provided new areas of opportunity for women, and

nationalization has been a key factor in countering some aspects of gender

discrimination. Changes in the quantity and quality of women's employment in banking

can be accounted for by a number of factors operating simultaneously. There are deeper

social changes taking place in the country vis-à-vis women's education and employment;

changes in government policies regarding this and other sectors; changes in management

policies, especially after the nationalization of banks in 1969; the effects of

internationalization; and the technological changes taking place in this industry.

20
Current Scenario

Currently (2005), Overall banking in India is considered as fairly mature in terms of

supply, product range & reach even though reach in rural India still remains a challenge

for the private sector & foreign banks. Even in terms of quality of assets & capital

adequacy, Indian banks are considered to have clean, strong & transparent balance sheets

as compared to other banks. Currently India has 88 scheduled commercial banks , 98

public sector banks, 29 public banks & 31 foreign banks.

21
 AXIS BANK

UTI Bank was established in 1994 as the first private sector bank in the post liberalisation

era.The Chairman & Managing Director of UTI Bank is Dr.P.J.Nayak. The Bank

presently has a strong network of 84 Branches and 279 ATMs across 41 centers in the

country. Each and every branch offers a full range of services in Corporate and Retail

Banking, International Banking, treasury Management, Merchant and Investment

Banking.

The UTI Bank has currently renamed as AXIS Bank.UTI Bank is a strongly technology

focussed bank and the people at Agra would be offered a wide range of products and

services and will immediately benefit from anytime banking access through large ATM

and Branch network and easy remittance facilities all over the country.

Impact of changes on the women workforce

Some of the general issues that have concerned employees, especially women, in the

wake of the introduction of new technology in the banking and finance sectors have been:

• Prospects of job losses and declining employment levels.

• Increase in workloads.

• Pressure for flexibility.

22
• Changes in job contents.

• Increase in insecurity in the workplace, and loss of union power.

• Increase in the proportion of 'non-bargainable' staff (i.e. those without an automatic

right to unionize) as compared to the 'bargainable' staff.

• Changes in grading and pay.

• Changes in information and control.

• Changes in the autonomy of employees.

• Changes in health and safety conditions.

Women are concentrated at the clerical level, and the general picture is changing only

very slowly. Women officers in banks are a recent phenomenon, which has become a

little more significant since 1975 because of direct recruitment and promotions (Kanhere,

1991). Even in EDP activities, the share of women is low. A recent study of Indian

banking notes that in one bank women constituted only 5 per cent of the EDP staff, about

12 per cent in another bank and 7 per cent in an insurance company. Women were not

recruited as programmers (Chopra, 1991).In banks management feels women are better

on computers as they have routine clerical ambitions. Women really do more work and

their frustration level is higher. Management realised that women are more submissive,

overworked, and have less time for union work.

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The present study is an attempt to investigate and to compare the level of stress

experienced by the women employees in the private sector banks in Agra. The study aims

to ascertain the level of stress and coping strategies adopted by the bank employees.

24
 THE INVERTED U-RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRESSURE
AND PERFORMANCE

Stress deteriorates the performance of employees that results in low turnover

rates of the company.

Optimum
High Stress

Area of
Performance Best
Perfor-
mance
Low pressure High Stress
Low Boredom Anxiety
Unhappiness

Low Pressure High

The left hand side of the graph depicts that when there is very little pressure on

employees to carry out an important task, the performance level is low. This happens in

cases where an urgent or a more interesting task is at hand.

The right hand side of the graph shows that as the pressure increases, the performance

level also increases. Here, the area of best performance can be observed. But, beyond this

region when pressure increases, people are stressed out and the performance deteriorates.

25
Despite the unlimited capacity of the human mind, when the brain is overloaded, work

performance is adversely affected. As people are tensed up, anxieties, difficulties and

negative thinking began to crop up in their minds and retard their concentration, focus

and alertness.

Entering a State of Flow

When you are operating in your “area of best performance”, you are normally able to

concentrate, and focus all of your attention on the important task at hand. When you do

this without distraction, you often enter what Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi of

Chicago University describes as a state of ‘flow’. This involves “being completely

involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action,

movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your

whole being is involved, and you're using your skills to the utmost".

You perform at your best in this state because you are able to focus all of your efforts,

resources and abilities on the tasks at hand. While you are sufficiently motivated to resist

competing temptations, you are not so stressed that anxieties and distractions interfere

with clear thought.

This is an intensely creative, efficient and satisfying state of mind. It is the state of mind

in which, for example, the most persuasive speeches are made, the best software is

developed, and the most impressive athletic or artistic performances are delivered.

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 CAREER LEVEL RESTRAINTS

The life of ‘career women’ is never easy. They have to constantly make choices and

compromises in their family and work lives. This is the situation where a woman has to

set her numerous issue that restrain women executives from attaining their career goals;

they can be at individual, organizational or societal level.

A. INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL RESTRAINTS:

 Lack of education: The changing global scenario requires constant up gradation in

knowledge and learning to meet the challenges of the job profile. When women folk

struck between the family and work, this up gradation takes a back seat. This creates a

shortfall in the job requirement and individual attributes, reducing probability of their

selection at the time of appraisal and new job assignments.

 Lack of self confidence: It has been found in a few instances that women managers

lack self confidence, a prominent element in taking organizational elements. This can

be due to lack of practical knowledge, experience, professional competencies or work

pressure toll on them, thus indirectly restraining their promotion at managerial level.

 Double work day feeling: Mostly men have the liberty to overlook their family

responsibilities and can claim to relax at home after having a tedious day at

workplace. On the other hand, any women having similar work pressures and long

27
 working hours daily, has to continue shouldering the burden of housework and

childcare after getting back home.

 High priority to family: Women even at the heights of their professional career try to

adhere to their family commitments and perform unpaid housework. Family always

remains their topmost priority, thereby making the work and family conflict more

severe for them than their husbands.

 Job mobility; Often women find it difficult to accept job offers or projects with

higher mobility, either transferable or requiring to travel more, due to their house and

family commitments. They prefer to sustain at lower positions in the organization or

else opt for comparatively low paying alternative careers that keep them immobile.

B. ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL RESTRAINTS:

 Standard working hours: All the employees have to maintain the code of conduct of

normal work hours in a day irrespective of the workload, which can be lower

sometime. A common problem, which esp. the women executive face here, is of

childcare and family care, esp. at the times where child is sick, having exams, or there

is something ailing elder in the family.

 Company policies and norms: Sometimes it is the company norms and policies such

as absence of adequate provisions for parental and childcare leaves, maternity leaves,

28
 flexible working hours etc., that forces women to leave jobs in the mid of their

prospering career.

 Corporate culture: The prevailing corporate culture, however, contemporary it

claims to be, still views male executives as most prominent contenders for managerial

candidature. Women are seldom seeing occupying managerial posts and sometimes

are not even considered for the posts. Even when they make up to such positions, the

difficulty arises in gaining acceptance.

 Unsympathetic attitude of boss and colleagues: It is a known fact that a women has

to give more priority to her family commitments than her spouse, this responsibility is

often misinterpreted as her lack of dedication and sincerity in the eyes of subordinates

and peers. Thus, she fails to receive any support and cooperation from them.

 Maternity Issues: Still, after so many years of globalization, maternity is considered

as a constraint in the career enhancement of women executives. Organizations

restrain themselves from employing pregnant women, deny them opportunity for

training and promotion, offer them less skilled jobs, change status from full time to

part time employees or retrench them.

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C. SOCIETAL LEVEL RESTRAINTS:

 Societal perceptions: More than any other factor, it is the society and its perceptions

that are responsible for confining women to the periphery of their households.

Irrespective of their talents, qualifications and the position they hold in the

organization, their professional career and contribution to the family income in

comparison to their spouses, are considered secondary and irrelevant.

 Lack of career counseling and motivation: Women when tied between work and

family, find it difficult to manage both simultaneously and take irrational decision of

quitting job. The underlying situation emphasizes on the need to career counsel,

motivate, guide and show them suitable path and can maintain successful balance

between both.

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 Choice,Changes,Challenges faced by women

A. Social and Scientific Advances

 Freedom of choice: career ,marriage, reproduction

 Increased risks, responsibility and accountability

B. Changes in attitudes,norms,Liberation of sex/gender

 Redefinition of family values

 Dilution of views of monogamy

 Removed inhibitions

 Family instability

C. Global Trends:Mobility,Anonymity,Affluence

 Empowerment

 Personal Autonomy

 Reduced continuity/connections

 Pressure to perform

Rethink Values
To enhance Personal and Social Well being

31
 Organizational Strategies For Effective
Stress Management

Not all organizations are deficient in their management of stress and not all

individuals need to suffer the extremely detrimental consequence of stress. Healthy

organizations do exist and can be characterized by their willingness to go through an

examination process to identify incompatible elements in the functioning of their

workplace systems and processes. They have increasingly become taking initiatives to

sustain the qualified women executives stuck between work and family commitments.

Although it is a good beginning, it is definitely not enough to curb the problem. To

address this issue on a broader scale, it requires initiatives at all the inhibiting levels

(individual, organizational and societal).

There are certain types of career facilitators which help the working women in their

stress levels.

A. Individual Level Facilitators

 More emphasis on education and learning: Education, in most circumstances,

acts as a positive booster and self motivator .Knowledge acquisition and

continuous urge to update oneself not only raises self confidence but also make

women executives capable of capitalizing on their strengths and overcoming

their weakness.

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 Change in self perception: For years women have burdened themselves with

the responsibility of managing family and households by themselves, which

often takes a toll on individuality. It is a high time now, when women executives

should start thinking about themselves and their spouses and other family

members should share their responsibility.

B. Organizational
level Facilitators

 Support and encouragement by organizational leaders: The word of praise

and support extended by organizational leaders can do wonders for the career

graphs of women executives. This support should move beyond rhetoric to

actual demonstration such as endorsing their performance, encouraging them to

apply for managerial promotions, providing them a chance to enhance their

skills through adequate training and development.

 Maintaining a gender equity at higher levels in the organizational

hierarchy: Although women are striving hard to attain hierarchy positions in

the organization, the inequity prevails. Encouraging women at leadership levels

and maintaining full equity will offer organizations with the optimum

combination of both leadership styles, women with their “interactive” style and

men exhibiting more of “command and control” style.

33
 Reducing work pressure: In the existing work culture, staying for long hours

at office, taking work home, going for frequent travels and tours, being always

attentive at professional responsibilities, accepting calls at odd hours of the day,

are few attributes that ensure high commitments, find it difficult and damaging

to match up with attributes.

 Introducing family-friendly policies: Women, unlikely their men colleagues

have to perform dual responsibilities of managing household and job. The

management should not only accept but also respect this fact wholeheartedly;

hence attempts must be made to facilitate women executives with policies that

will help them in fulfilling their family commitments along with their

professional obligations.

C. Societal-Level
Facilitators

 Changing perceptions: Societal perceptions create invisible restrains for

women executives. The society should adapt a more appreciative,

compassionate and encouraging attitude towards women who are trying to build

upon their professional careers with their academic efficiencies and talents at

the same are shouldering the financial responsibilities with their spouses.

34
 Support of husband: Husbands, rather than being an added burden, can help

their spouses in sharing family commitments and household responsibilities.

The support and encouragement extended by husbands in developing career of

their spouses will reduce the personal and mental stress of women executives to

a great extent and make them more relaxed in meeting their professional

commitments.

35
 ASSESING LEVELS OF STRESS

There are several ways by which an organization can diagnose the levels of stress

affecting its employees. Surveying employees, either by using a questionnaire or by

directly questioning them, can reveal a lot about the workplace.There are certain

programs and initiatives which can be used as a benchmark indicator for future

measurement and growth.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

Many large employers offer counseling services that help employees overcome

personal or organizational stress and adopt more effective stress-coping mechanism.

Most EAPs are” broad brush” programs that counsel employees on any work or

personal problems. Family problems often represent the largest percentage of EAP

referrals, although this varies with industry and location.EAPs can be one of the most

effective stress management interventions where counseling help employees

understand stress, acquire stress-management skills and practice them.

Wellness Programs

Coping with workplace stress also involves controlling its consequences. For this

reason, many companies have fitness centers where employees can keep in shape.

Researches indicates that physical exercises reduces the physiological consequences

of stress by helping employees lower their muscle tension, heart rate and stomach

acidity.

36
Participative Management

It allows individual to take part in decision making so that there is greater sense of

control over their jobs. It is strongly recommended as a stress management

intervention strategy so that employees are able to reduce the level of

strain(frustration) they may face especially while working in a bureaucratic

organization.

Temporary Withdrawal Strategies

Removing stress may be the ideal solution, but it is not always feasible. An alternative

strategy can be to permanently or temporarily remove employees from stress.

Permanent withdrawal of stress occurs when employees are transferred to jobs that

better fit their competencies and values.

“Women, when tied between work and family, find it difficult to manage both

simultaneously and take irrational decision of quitting the job.”

37
 Review of Literature

Beehr and Newman (1978) define occupational stress as "A condition arising from the

interaction of people and their jobs and characterised by changes within people that force

them to deviate from their normal functioning."

Cobb (1975) has the opinion that, "The responsibility load creates severe stress among

workers and managers." If the individual manager cannot cope with the increased

responsibilities it may lead to several physical and psychological disorders among them.

Brook (1973) reported that qualitative changes in the job create adjustmental problem

among employees. The interpersonal relationships within the department and between the

departments create qualitative difficulties within the organisation to a great extent.

Miles and Perreault (1976) identify four different types of role conflict:

1. Intra-sender role conflict

2. Inter sender role conflict.

3. Person- role conflict;

4. Role over load.

The use of role concepts suggests that job related stress is associated with individual,

interpersonal, and structural variables (Katz and Kahn, 1978; Whetten, 1978). The

presence of supportive peer groups and supportive relationships with super visors are

negatively correlated with R.C. (Caplan et al., 1964).

There is evidence that role incumbents with high levels of role ambiguity also respond to

their situation with anxiety, depression, physical symptoms, a sense of futility or lower

38
self esteem, lower levels of job involvement and organisational commitment, and

perceptions of lower performance on the part of the organisation, of supervisors, and of

themselves (Brief and Aldag, 1976; Greene, 1972).

Ivancevich and Matteson (1950) indicate, "Lack of group cohesiveness may explain

various physiological and behavioural outcomes in an employ desiring such sticks

together." Workplace interpersonal conflicts and negative interpersonal relations are

prevalent sources of stress (Dewe, 1993; Lang, 1984; Long et al., 1992), and are existed

with negative mood depression, and symptoms of ill health (Israel et al., 1989; Karasek,

Gardell and Lindell, 1987; Snap, 1992).

Lack of participation in the decision making process, lack of effective consultation and

communication, unjustified restrictions on behaviour, office politics and no sense of

belonging are identified as potential sources of stressors. Lack of participation in work

activity is associated with negative psychological mood and behavioural responses,

including escapist drinking and heavy smoking (Caplan et al., 1975).

According to French and Caplan (1975), "Pressure of both qualitative and quantitative

overload can result in the need to work excessive hours, which is an additional source of

stress." Having to work under time pressure in order to meet deadlines is an independent

source of stress. Studies shown that stress levels increase as difficult deadlines draw near.

Stress is often developed when an individual is assigned a major responsibility without

proper authority and delegation of power. Interpersonal factors such as group

cohesiveness, functional dependence, communication frequency, relative authority and

39
organizational distance between the role sender and the focal persons are important topics

in organizational behavior (Vansell, Brief, and Schuler).

Stress develops when an individual feels he is not competent to undertake the role

assigned to him effectively. The individual feels that he lacks knowledge, skill and

training on performing the role (stress, conflict management and counseling, p.283).

Occupational stress is an increasingly important occupational health problem and a

significant cause of economic loss. Occupational stress may produce both overt

psychological and physiologic disabilities. However it may also cause subtle

manifestation of morbidity that can affect personal well-being and productivity (Quick,

Murphy, Hurrel and Orman, 1992). A job stressed individual is likely to have greater job

dissatisfaction, increased absenteeism, increased frequency of drinking and smoking,

increase in negative psychological symptoms and reduced aspirations and self esteem

(Jick and Payne, 1980). The use of role concepts suggests that occupational stress is

associated with individual, interpersonal and structural variables (Kutz and Kahn, 1978;

Whetten, 1978).

Research carried out in Sweden found that the total workload of women employed full

time is much higher than that of men employed full time, and that the total workload for

women employed part time is as much as that of men employed full time. Sweden is a

country in which 86 per cent of women are in the workforce, but the division of labor

between spouses at home has remained much the same.

Total workload of women and men as related

to the number of children living at home

40
 Source: The measurement of the total workload of men and women
M. Frankensteiner, Stockholm, 1991

In a survey carried out in 1992 of nearly 1,300 full-time employees in a random sample

of private companies in the United States, it was found that gender, among other factors

(the level of the employee in the organization, income, occupation and family situation),

accounted for differences in job stress at the workplace.

The survey found that stress affects women more than men, and that they are significantly

more likely to report burnout, stress-related illnesses or a desire to resign from their jobs.

The researchers suggested several reasons for this. In the first place, women are often

41
paid less than men for their work, even if they have college degrees. Many organizations

also lack policies which respond to family issues.

Single women with children, along with low-paid college graduates, are at highest risk of

burnout. Some 50 per cent of single women with children reported burnout, compared to

31 per cent of married women with children.

[Employee burnout: Causes and cures, Part 1:

Employee stress levels,

Northwestern National Life Insurance, Minneapolis, 1992,

as reported in Work in America, Vol. 17, No. 6, June 1992.]

42
43
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Undertaken:-

Research Methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. It

involves the study of the various steps that are generally adopted by a research in

studying the research problem along with the logic behind them.

Sample Size:-

Total Sample
Employees 25 20

Sample Area:
Employees were sampled on the basis of stratified random sampling in which people

are sampled by dividing into different groups on the basis of department in which

they work.

Research Design
It is based on questionnaire data, their description and charts.

Type of Study:-
Research work is based on exploratory studies: This takes in to

consideration three types of survey or research:

i. Search of Primary data based on Questionnaire and personal views.

ii. Search of secondary data by books, Journals published.

44
 iii. Interview through knowledgeable person.

Data Collection Method

Data is collection though questionnaires given to the women employees working in AXIS

Bank.

SAMPLING PLAN

I. Universe or target population

All People working in AXIS Bank.

II. Sampling unit

H.R. Women Executive, Office Staff.

III. Sampling size

Sample size consists of 20 respondents.

IV. Sampling method

Random sampling

45
46
 Question 1: You feel run down and drained of physical or emotional energy?

Comment By Option Percentage

Women employees Not at All 0%

Rarely 2%

Sometimes 20%
Often 73%
Very Often 5%

Implications: Mostly women agree a certain level of stress exists, they feel very tired

and huge workload that causes them health problems. 73% of the women feel run down

of the emotional and physical energy.

Question 2: Prone to negative thinking about the job?

47
 Comment By Option Percentage
Women employees Not at All 1%

Rarely 15%

Sometimes 65%
Often 13%
Very Often 6%

Implication: Women employees sometimes feel negative thoughts about the job and
there are certain discriminations today made in the corporate world. There are certain
risks associated with the stress.

Question 3: Harder and less sympathetic with people than perhaps they
deserve?

48
 Comment By Option Percentage
Women employees Not at All 1%

Rarely 15%

Sometimes 65%
Often 13%
Very Often 6%

Implication: There is so much of irritation and work pressure that the women
employees feel irritated and 65% of the employees become harder and sympathetic to
face challenges.

Question 4: Get easily irritated by small problems or by your co-workers and

team?

Comment By Option Percentage

49
 Women employees Not at All 5%

Rarely 15%

Sometimes 20%
Often 20%
Very Often 40%

Implications: If the employee or co-worker does not perform his function well enough
the women employee gets irritated and they have to perform the dual role.

Question 5: Feel misunderstood or unappreciated by your co-workers?

Comment By Option Percentage

Women employees Not at All 5%

Rarely 20%

Sometimes 25%

50
 Often 40%
Very Often 10%

Implications: Due to the wrong attitude towards their performance some of the partners
feel misunderstood and this is the problem of the most of women employees.

51
 Question 6: Feel that you have no one to talk to?

Comment By Option Percentage

Women employees Not at All 25%

Rarely 20%

Sometimes 30%
Often 15%
Very Often 10%

Implication: About 30% of the women employees feel that there is no one to share their
problems. They are not able to proper communicate their problems to anyone and this
causes stress.

Question 7: Feel that you are achieving less than you should?

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 Comment By Option Percentage
Women employees Not at All 5%

Rarely 10%

Sometimes 20%
Often 35%
Very Often 30%

Implication: The women employees are not satisfied with the monetary value the
company offer in terms of the work. The most of the employees are not satisfied and thus
this can cause hindrance in the performance.

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 Question 8: An unpleasant level of pressure to succeed?

Comment By Option Percentage

Women employees Not at All 5%

Rarely 15%

Sometimes 25%
Often 25%
Very Often 30%

Implication: Most of the people think that there is pressure for performance responsible
for stress.30% of the women employees are in high level of pressure to become
successful.

Question 9: Not getting what you want out of your job?

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 Comment By Option Percentage
Women employees Not at All 10%

Rarely 10%

Sometimes 20%
Often 15%
Very Often 45%

Implication: The desired level of recognition and approval is the most determinant
needed by the women employees. About 45% women realized that they are not getting
out of the job what they need.

Question 10: Feel that you are in the wrong organization or the wrong profession?

Comment By Option Percentage

55
 Women employees Not at All 15%

Rarely 10%

Sometimes 35%
Often 10%
Very Often 30%

Implication: Much of the women employees are satisfied with the organization though
they sometimes feel they are in the wrong field.

56
 Question 11: Feel that you are in the wrong profession?

Comment By Option Percentage

Women employees Not at All 25%

Rarely 25%

Sometimes 20%
Often 15%
Very Often 15%

Implication: Most of the women are satisfied that they are in the right profession and
they are highly satisfied with their work and field area.

Question 12: Are you becoming frustrated with parts of your job?

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 Comment By Option Percentage
Women employees Not at All 10%

Rarely 15%

Sometimes 20%
Often 35%
Very Often 15%

Implication: A certain level of stress is there and this causes frustration and
nervousness in performing the tasks. The work environment is responsible for the stress.

58
Question 13: Organizational politics or bureaucracy frustrates your ability to do a
good job?

Comment By Option Percentage

Women employees Not at All 10%

Rarely 10%

Sometimes 15%
Often 25%
Very Often 40%

Implication: The organization politics very much affect the working efficiency of the
employees. Mostly women are affected and this causes the lack of control over the risk
and financial planning.

Question 14: Do you feel that there is more work to do than you practically
have the ability to do?

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 Comment By Option Percentage
Women employees Not at All 5%

Rarely 25%

Sometimes 25%
Often 10%
Very Often 35%

Implication: Most of the employees think that there is more work is assigned than the
ability. There are much work responsibilities and leads to job dissatisfaction.

60
 Question 15: Feel that you do not have time to do many of the things that are
important to doing a good quality job?

Comment By Option Percentage

Women employees Not at All 20%

Rarely 5%

Sometimes 15%
Often 40%
Very Often 20%

Implication: Due to work pressure and the work life balance creates the problem of the
time management to better organize things. This reduces ability to do things necessary for
a good job.

Question 16: You do not have time to plan as much as you would like to?

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 Comment By Option Percentage
Women employees Not at All 5%

Rarely 15%

Sometimes 10%
Often 20%
Very Often 50%

Implication: Uncertainity in the future is the main cause of the stress and lack of proper
planning causes high level of stress. Most of the women employees go through this stage.

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Major Findings

63
The study indicates that the women bank employees have high workload. The members

feel that the work allotted is taxing to the employees and it is beyond their expertise and

limit. Cobb (1975) has the rightly pointed out in the context that "The responsibility load

creates severe stress among workers and managers." Member's confidence on his or her

own performance expectations and contributions at work are affected because of hurry

nature of work. A feeling of incongruity between the skills they have the workload given

to them is the factor behind high stress among members in private sector bank.

The study indicates that the private bank employees have high role conflict. This

indicates that a set of expectations applied to the incumbent by the organization and the

role they perform within the organization is not in congruence with each other. Lower the

levels of role clarity members feel at work higher the level of stress.

The women executives have to establish the family and work life balances and this has

caused high level of stress between them. The study indicates that there is huge pressure

on them to better perform due to high level of competition between banks and there is

lack of clarity about what to do, when to do, where to do and how to do.

The study indicates that the women executives are often compared and benchmarked

against the performance criteria and attributes of their male counterparts. In contrast to

the findings of the research study, pointing towards directly proportionate relationship

between gender balanced management team and firm’s performance,bank has still not

developed sufficiently flexible policies to relieve women managers of the tension of

having to combine family with work.

64
The burden of a “dual” role sometimes takes a toll on women’s lives, leaving them

strained and disappointed.

“Family –friendly policies are those policies that facilitate the reconciliation of work

and family life by fostering adequacy of family resources and child development

that facilitate parental choice about work and care, and promote gender equality in

employment opportunities.”

65
66
 SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Some measures can be taken to reduce the high level of stress among women employees.

 Providing a supportive culture which offers women an opportunity to share their

experience and practice skills through individual or group mentoring, coaching or
networking.

 Providing flexible work arrangements either on the basis of time, place or work
such as flexi working options on the basis paid leaves, job sharing etc.

 Annual employee performance reviews on attaining diversity related goals by all

the managers.

 Providing forums for women to express their feelings with like minded people
and reduce their feeling of isolation.

 Proper motivation through providing them proper working conditions, respect and
recognition and opportunities for promotion.

 Job autonomy relives stress.

 Women’s employment and appraisal in the organization should be done on merit

rather than gender disparity.

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 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY

Although I got the wholehearted cooperation from the employees of the

organization but still every coin has got understanding the views of some employee as

well as their disinterest towards research works. Not every respondent could give much

information due to busy in his or her activities .

68
 CONCLUSION

The role of women in the 21st century has undergone a transition as she has been able to

break the bondages of her family restrictions and corporate glass ceiling and make her

presence felt in male dominated professions even. Despite women managers having

requisite qualification and job experience, their progression to the next level of hierarchy

or corporate leadership positions is sluggish and depends upon numerous factors

pertaining to gender and societal perceptions. This adversely affects their morale and

motivation levels thereby lowering their degree of job satisfaction.

Stress can be both positive and negative, which has an impact on the employee’s

performance at work. If taken positively, the results are positive, and if taken in a

negative way, may yield disastrous results.

Organizations need to take an active part in attracting and retaining the talented women

professionals as they may equally serve as genuine assets in the knowledge era. The

organizations which successfully address these challenges and tackle the issues of

diversity, ultimately receive a winning edge in this competitive world.

69
70
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gupta, C.B. (2006).”Management of Stress and Burnout”. Human Resource

Mnagement,Sultan Shand & Sons, New Delhi.

Nigam, Divya (Sept 2008). “Women Executives: Career Restraints and Career
Facilitators.” Journal of HRM Review “Women at Workplace”, The ICFAI University
Press, Vol.34, pp. 19-24.

Budhraja, Jyoti & Jyoti, Anand (Sept 2008).”Workplace Challenges for Women in
21stCentury.” Journal of HRM Review “Women at Workplace”, The ICFAI University
Press, Vol.34, pp. 32-36.

Bhatia, Arun & Bhatia, Rashmi (Dec 2007).”Work Life Balance.” Journal of HRM
Review “Work Life Balance”, The ICFAI University Press, Vol.26, pp.42-45.

Mishra, Sunaina (May 2007).”Stress Management”. Journal of HRM Review, The

ICFAI University Press, Vol. 20, pp.26-30.

Nuthan, L.T & Christopher, Moses.T (May 2007).”Organizational Strategies for

Effective Stress Management.” Journal of HRM Review, The ICFAI University Press,
Vol. 20, pp.21-25.

Sandhar,Simranjeet.,Nathani,Navita &Holani, Umesh (2007).”Effect of Motivation on

Executive Stress”. Journal of Knowledge Hub, Vol 3(No. 2), pp.42-54.

71
 QUESTIONNAIRE

Respected Respondents,

This survey is being conducted to get an idea of stress level prevailing at AXIS

BANK; AGRA.Your response will give required input to the study undertaken.

Please spare your precious time to respond to the questions. The information gathered

is just for study purposes and will be treated absolutely confidential.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Please put a tick in front of relevant questions that you feel best matches with your

perception about the associated statement.

NA : Not at all

R : Rarely

S : Sometimes

O : Often

VO : Very Often

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# QUESTION Not at Rarely Some Often Very
All times Often
1 Feel run down and drained of
physical or emotional energy?

2 Prone to negative thinking about the

job?

3 Harder and less sympathetic with

people than perhaps they deserve?

4 Get easily irritated by small

problems, or by your co-workers and
team?

5 Feel misunderstood or unappreciated

by your co-workers?

6 Feel that you have no one to talk to?

7 Feel that you are achieving less than

you should?

8 An unpleasant level of pressure to

succeed?

9 Not getting what you want out of

your job?

10 Feel that you are in the wrong

organization?

11 Feel that you are in the wrong

profession?

12 Are you becoming frustrated with

parts of your job?

13 Organizational politics or
bureaucracy frustrates your ability to

73
 do a good job?

14 Is there more work to do than you

practically have the ability to do?

15 Feel that you do not have time to do

many of the things that are important
to doing a good quality job?

16 You do not have time to plan as

much as you would like to?

74