STRESS AT WORK PLACE OF EMPLOYEES

CONTENTS

CHAPTE R * PREFACE

TOPIC

PAGE NO. ***** ***** ***** 1-43 44-65 66-74 75-147 148-159 *****

* *
I II III IV V

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LIST OF TABLE INTRODUCTION & RESEARCH METHODOLOGY REVIEW OF LITERATURE RESEARCH SETTING DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS & SUGGESTIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY

ANNEXURE

*****

LIST OF TABLES
TABLE NO 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DISCRIPTION Table showing distribution of respondents based on designation Table showing distribution respondents based on age Table showing distribution respondents based on gender of of the the the PAGE NO 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85

Table showing educational status of the respondents Table showing total work experience of the respondents Table showing organization work experience in of of this the the

Table showing distribution respondents to department Table showing respondents monthly income

Table showing opinion of the respondents of feeling secure and satisfied Table showing whether respondents ideas have always been rejected or not Table showing whether respondents have stained relation with supervisor or not

12 13

Table showing whether respondents have stained relation with co-worker or not Table showing whether respondents happy with commute or not are

86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Table showing whether respondents having fear of termination Table showing whether respondents life and the work is a kind of burden or not Table showing whether respondents have to work for hours or not Table showing whether respondents get less salary as compare to people in organization of similar size Table showing respondents expenses are more over income Table showing whether respondents dont get salary when it is due or not Table showing whether respondents get less payment at retirement or not Table showing whether respondents given well deserved promotion or not not

22

Table showing whether respondents given enough opportunity to improve display abilities or not Table showing whether respondents learning and developing in organization or not Table showing whether strictness for following rules in organization which need to abide and become headache or not Table showing whether respondents share more responsibility than authority or not Table showing whether job responsibility creates tension or not

96

23 24 25 26

97 98 99 100

27 28

Table showing organization

rapid

change

in

the

101 102

Table showing whether respondents satisfied with designation or not Table showing respondents dont get along well with the people they have to deal Table showing respondents lack of cohesiveness and cooperativeness with the other colleagues Table showing whether respondents are always neglected and disregarded by colleagues or not Table showing whether respondents doing physical exercise or not Table showing whether respondents indulge regular breathing exercise or not Table showing whether respondents practice meditation or not Table showing whether respondents smoke or not Table showing whether respondents drink or not Table showing whether respondents increase salt and sugar intake or not Table showing whether respondents increase of intake caffeine or not (Coffee, tea, cola) Table showing whether respondents accept others limitation or not Table showing whether respondents take decision without undue anxiety or not Table showing whether respondents allow others to share task and responsibilities or not

29

103

30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115

42

Table showing whether helping others or not

respondents

try

116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123

43 44 45 46 47 48 49

Table showing efforts of changing situation of respondents. Table showing respondents observed the situation as opportunity to learn Table showing respondents compromise to get something positive out of the situation Table showing respondents themselves oneself with hope that things will go better Table showing respondent often try to use humor to diffuse tension Table showing whether people helps at times of need to the respondents or not Table showing whether respondents includes relaxation time or not Table showing maintaining good relationship with others Table showing whether respondents discussing personal problems or not Table showing whether respondents become aggressive or not Table showing whether respondents feel angry or not Table showing whether respondents blaming oneself or not Table showing respondents deny that there is a problem Table showing whether respondents feel guilty or not

50

124

51 52 53

125 126 127

54

128

55 56

129 130

57

Table showing whether respondents suffers from headache or not Table showing whether respondents suffers from chest pain or not Table showing whether respondents suffers from indigestion or not Table showing whether respondents suffers from sleeplessness or not Table showing whether respondents suffers from irritability or not Table showing whether respondents suffer from backache or not Table showing whether respondents suffers from stomach disorder or not Table showing whether respondents suffers from blood pressure or not Table showing respondents Table showing physically weak increasing of weight of

131 132 133

58 59

60

134

61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71

135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145

respondent

become

Table showing whether respondents feel frustrated or not Table showing anxiety respondents developing

Table showing respondents feeling restless Table showing whether respondents suffer from inability to concentrate or not Table showing respondents feeling that whether those closest to me at home are supportive towards me or not

72 73

Table showing whether respondents are able to laugh or not Table showing whether respondents able to express their thoughts and ideas or not

146 147

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 persons inability to meet these demands. Stress is the bodys way of reacting to any situation and it can have serious repercussions on an individuals 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 persons 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 bodys 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 bodys 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 bodys 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). Selyes 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. 2. B. A. Somatic-weakness theory Specific-reaction theory

Psychological Theories

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 biochemical 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--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 environmenteven a pleasant change, such as a vacation- demands some coping; and a little stress is useful in helping us adapt.

STRESS CYCLES

Where stress come s from

Change Stressors Chemical Stressors Commuting Stressors Decision Stressors

Disease Stressors Phobic Stress Emotional Stressors Physical Stress Environmental Stressors Social Stress Family Stressors Work Stress
Pain Stressors

Stress Overloading

Immediate effects

Behavioral (e.g. over eating and excessive alcohol consumption

Physiological (e.g. heightened muscle tension, elevated blood pressure and rapid heart beat)

Emotional (e.g. heightened anxiety, depression and anger)

Cognitive (e.g. increased distraction and decreased concentration

Long term effects

Behavioral disorders (e.g. obesity and alcoholism)

Medical disorders (e.g. headaches, hypertension and heart disease)

Emotional disorders e.g. chronic anxiety and depression, phobias, personality changes mental illness)

Cognitive disorders (e.g. many problems, obsessive thoughts and sleep disorder).

Over all costs

Decreased Productivity

Decreased Enjoyment Decreased Intimacy

Distress
Where stress come sfrom

Change Stressors Chemical Stressors Commuting Stressors Decision Stressors

Disease Stressors Phobic Stress Emotional Stressors Physical Stress Environmental Stressors Social Stress Family Stressors Work Stress Pain Stressors Stress Overloading

Immediate effects

Behavioral (e.g. over eating and excessive alcohol consumption

Physiological (e.g. heightened muscle tension, elevated blood pressure and rapid heart beat)

Emotional (e.g. heightened anxiety, depression and anger)

Cognitive (e.g. increased distraction and decreased concentration

Long term effects

Behavioral disorders (e.g. obesity and alcoholism)

Medical disorders (e.g. headaches, hypertension and heart disease)

Emotional disorders e.g. chronic anxiety and depression, phobias, personality changes mental illness)

Cognitive disorders (e.g. many problems, obsessive thoughts and sleep disorder).

Over all costs

Decreased Productivity 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 individuals 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 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. and tear on the system, stress can also have positive consequences. The following are some of the possible positive effects of

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 persons 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 individuals 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 wellbeing 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 workrelated 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 personenvironment 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 ones stress level. In particular, living in extreme climates can heighten an individuals 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 persons likes, values, and job requirements. For instance, a manager may have to take a decision regarding firing a subordinate keeping the organizations interest in mind even though he/she may like the subordinates 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 includes management planning, are interdependent. Time management delegating,

organizing, and performing tasks as per schedule. Working against deadlines can start to create stress in a persons 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 bodys 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 persons 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 individuals 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 individuals 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 nights 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 undereating. 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 nights 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 worklife balance.

The importance of work-life balance is due to the following reasons: Changing social scene: In todays 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. Todays 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 ones well being and thereby tax ones 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 ones 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 days 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 bodys biochemical 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 bodys 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 bodys 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 todays 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 ones 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 todays 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 dont 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 dont 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. abide & this become headache.

40 (50%) of respondents have

disagreed that there are many rules in organization which need to

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 dont 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.

Majority of respondents i.e. 41(57.25%) of respondents have agreed 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.

Majority of respondents i.e. 49 (61.25%) of respondents have disagreed that they smoke.

Majority of respondents i.e. 49 (61.25%) of respondents have disagreed that they have drinking habit.

Majority of respondents i.e. 49 (61.25%) of respondents have 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.

Majority of respondents i.e. 51(63.75%) of respondents have agreed 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.

Majority of respondents i.e. 46(57.50%) of respondents have agreed 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.

Majority of respondents i.e. 37(46.25%) of respondents have agreed that they try to change the situation.

Majority of respondents i.e.

45(56.25%) of respondents have

agreed that they take situation as an opportunity to learn.

Majority of respondents i.e. 47(55.75%) of respondents have agreed that they compromise to get something positive out of the situation.

Majority of respondents i.e. 51(63.75%) of respondents have agreed 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.

Majority of respondents i.e. 42(52.50%) of respondents agree that they include some relaxation time in the daily routine.

Majority of respondents i.e. 51(63.75%) of respondents agree that they maintain good relationship with others especially those closest to them.

Majority of respondents i.e. 45(56.25%) of respondents agree that they 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.

Majority of respondents i.e. 35(43.75%) of respondents have disagreed that they blame themselves.

Majority of respondents i.e. 38(47.50%) of respondents have disagreed that they deny that there is a problem.

Majority of respondents i.e. 38(47.50%) of respondents have disagreed that they feel guilty.

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

Majority of respondents i.e. 38(47.50%) of respondents have disagreed that they suffer from chest pain.

Majority of respondents i.e. 39(48.75%) of respondents have disagreed that they suffer from indigestion.

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

Majority of respondents i.e. 39(48.75%) of respondents have agreed that they suffer from irritability.

Majority of respondents i.e. 31(38.75%) of respondents have agreed that they suffer from backache

Majority of respondents i.e. 45 (56.25%) of respondents have disagreed that they suffer from stomach disorder.

Majority of respondents i.e. 42 (52.50%) of respondents have disagreed that they suffer from blood pressure.

Majority of respondents i.e. 42 (52.50%) of respondents have disagreed that they put on lot of weight.

Majority of respondents i.e. 38(47.50%) of respondents have disagreed that they become weak.

Majority of respondents i.e. 36(45%) of respondents have agreed that they feel frustrated.

Majority of respondents i.e. 36(45%) of respondents have disagreed that they develop lot of anxiety.

Majority of respondents i.e. 39(48.75%) of respondents have disagreed that they feel restless.

Majority of respondents i.e. 44(55%) of respondents have agreed that 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.

Majority of respondents i.e. 37(46.25%) of respondents have agreed that they are not able to laugh.

Majority of respondents i.e. 35(43.75%) of respondents have agreed 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 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 dont 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. variable producing stress among employees in the

 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 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 (An international perspective) by MICHAEL W. EYSENCK Year In 2004, Published by psychology press Ltd. 1st

Website
www.apahelpcenter.org www.pwclegal.com www.icmrindia.org www.ccoh.ca

ANNEXURE -B

Interview Schedule
STRESS AT WORK PLACE

Section: 1
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Name of the Respondent: ___________________________________ Designation: ________________________________________________ Age : ________________________________________________________ Gender: _____________________________________________________ Educational Qualification : _________________________________ Years of work experience ( Total ) : _________________________ Years of work experience : __________________________________ (In this organization) Name of the organization : _________________________________ Name of the department : __________________________________ Income per month : ________________________________________ (In Rs.)

8. 9. 10.

Section: 2

SR. NO

PARTICULAERS

STRONGLY AGREE

AGREE

DISAGREE

STRONGLY DISAGREE

I
11. 12 13

experience

stress because
I dont feel secure and satisfied with my job. My pet ideas have always been rejected. I have strained relationship 14 supervisor. I have relationship 15 with my

strained with my

co-worker. I am happy with the commute between work and home. I usually fear that I might be terminated from the job. I feel that the life and the work is a kind of burden. I have to

16.

17.

18. 19.

work

for

hours. I feel that I get less salary as compared to people in Org. of similar size. My expenses are more than my income. I dont get the salary when its due. I would receive very

20. 21. 22.

less amount of money 23. on my retirement. I feel that i am not given 24. well deserved enough my promotion. I dont get and 25. display

opportunity to improve abilities. I worry that I am not learning 26. and developing in the Org. There are many rules in my Org., which I need to abide and this 27. becomes headache. I feel that I share more responsibilities 28. 29. 30. 31. than authority. My job responsibility creates tension. There is rapid change in the Org. I am not satisfied with my designation. I dont get along well with the people I have 32. to deal with. I lack cohesiveness and 33. cooperativeness with other colleagues. I feel that I am always neglected disregarded by and my

colleagues.

Section: 3
SR. NO PARTICULAERS When I am under stress I try to cope with the situation using the following. I exercise I indulge in regular breathing exercises. I practice meditation. I smoke. I drink. I increase my salt and sugar intake. I increase my caffeine intake ( Coffee, tea, cola ) I accept my and others limitations. I take decisions without undue anxiety. I allow others to share tasks and responsibilities. I try helping others. I try to change situations. I take situation as an opportunity to learn. I compromise to get something positive out of the situation. I console myself with the hope that things will go better. I often try to use humor to diffuse tension. People around me help
STRONGLY AGREE AGREE DISAGREE STRONGLY DISAGREE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25

me in times of needs. I include some relaxation time in my daily routine. I maintain good relationship with others, especially those closest to me. I have someone with whom I can discuss personal problems. I became aggressive. I feel angry. I blame myself. I deny that there is a problem. I feel guilty.

Section: 4
SR. NO PARTICULAERS
STRONGLY AGREE AGREE DISAGREE STRONGL Y DISAGREE

When place,
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

am

stressed at work
I suffer from headache. I suffer from chest pain. I suffer indigestion. I suffer from from

sleeplessness. I suffer from irritability. I suffer from backache I suffer from stomach disorder I suffer pressure. from blood

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

I I I I I I

put on lot of weight. become weak. feel frustrated. develop lot of anxiety. feel restless. suffer from inability to

concentrate. I feel that those closest to me at home are not supportive towards me. I am not able to laugh. I am not able to express my thoughts and ideas. I feel that my life has got no sense of purpose.

16. 17.

18.