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Stress Management Among Bank Employees Project Report 111201112054 Phpapp01
Stress Management Among Bank Employees Project Report 111201112054 Phpapp01
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT
BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
MESRA-835215, RANCHI
2009-11
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The satisfaction that accomplishes the successful completion of any work is when we say
thank you to the people who made it possible, whose constant encouragement and
guidance has been a source of inspiration throughout the course of the my project.
I would like to express my deep sense of gratitude to the management of the State Bank
Of India, Axis Bank and HDFC Bokaro Steel City for giving me an opportunity to
complete my training.
I
also
express
my
deep
senses
of
gratitude
to
my
project
guide
Jyoti
MBA/1101/09-IVth sem
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this project report entitled Study Of Stress Management among
Bank Employees is the result of my own efforts in and as a part of the curriculum in
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra,
Ranchi.
I hereby declare that this is an authentic pieces of work carried out under my
supervision .To the best of my knowledge the content of this project does not form a basis
for the award of any previous degree to any one else.
Jyoti
MBA/1101/09
Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra.
CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL
The foregoing project entitle Study Of Stress Management among Bank Employees
is hereby approved as a creditable study of research topic and has been presented in a
satisfactory manner to warranty its acceptance as pre-requisite to the degree for which it
submitted .
It understood that by this approval ,the undersigned do not necessarily endorse any
conclusion drawn or opinion expressed therein, but approve the project for which it is
submitted .
(Internal Examiner)
(External Examiner)
Preface
The study of human resource management is one of the major criteria in the corporate
sector. Human resource is the heart of the organization. By this research project we will
be able to know to reduce the stress level of the employees working in the bank. By this
way the productivity of the employee increases.
Now a day the corporate sector is booming in a high speed that the people have to work
for prolonged hours to maintain the standard of living and achieve their basic needs. So is
the condition in the hospitals, colleges, BPOs and lots of other places. In spit of having
the modern technologies and facilities, people are feeling themselves to be work loaded
and stressed. Stress arises because of many reasons which are discussed in the following
project. The project report also contain techniques how to reduce the stress and overcome
such problems.
To identify the level of stress among the people who work I have tried to survey the
people working in hospitals, BPOs and other industries as well as institutes. Stress arises
because of unfulfilled wants, lack of job satisfaction etc. before starting the topic of
stress; lets first understand the importance of human resource.
Executive Summery
TITLE OF THE PROJECT: Study Of Stress Management among Bank Employees
This project gives us a detailed idea of what is stress and also the definition of stress is
been defined. For more detailed study the types of the stress is also defined. By looking at
the starting of the project you will find:
o Introduction to Human resource
o Introduction and Definition of stress
o Stress in biological terms
o What is stress?
o Coping with stress at work place.
o Stress management
o Workplace stress
o Reducing of stress.
After the theoretical part I have included the research part. My research work includes
two questionnaires.
o Burn out test
o Stress analysis Questionnaire
My research includes the research methodology which contains the
information as follows:
o Research objectives
o Sampling (types and methods of sampling)
o Research instrument
o Data analysis and interpretation
o Employees opinion to reduce stress.
o Research flowchart
o Limitation of survey
o Advantages and disadvantages of written questionnaire
o Finding
INDEX
No
1
1.1
1.2
1.2.1
1.2.2
1.2.3
1.2.4
1.2.5
1.2.6
1.2.7
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.8.1
2.8.2
2.9
3
4
Content
Conceptual Framework
Introduction to HR
Concept of stress
Introduction to stress
Stress in Biological terms
What is stress
Coping with stress at workplace
Stress Management
Workplace stress
Reduce your stress
Research Methodology
Research objective
Sampling
Research instrument
Data analysis and interpretation
Employees opinion about how to reduce stress
Research flowchart
Time consideration
Limitation of the survey
Advantages of Written Questionnaires
Disadvantages of Written Questionnaires
Findings
Bibliography
Annexure
Page no
1
1
3
3
8
9
11
15
18
22
27
27
29
32
36
48
50
51
52
52
53
55
58
59
1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
(1.1) INTRODUCTION TO HR
Resource
and
Management
controlling
is
human
process
resources
of
for
producing
effective
achievement
organization goals.
development,
of
A lot of research has been conducted into stress over the last hundred years. Some of the
theories behind it are now settled and accepted; others are still being researched and
debated. During this time, there seems to have been something approaching open warfare
between competing theories and definitions: Views have been passionately held and
aggressively defended.
What complicates this is that intuitively we all feel that we know what stress is, as it is
something we have all experienced. A definition should therefore be obviousexcept
that it is not.
Definition:
Hans Selye was one of the founding fathers of stress research. His view in 1956 was that
stress is not necessarily something bad it all depends on how you take it. The stress of
exhilarating, creative successful work is beneficial, while that of failure, humiliation or
infection is detrimental. Selye believed that the biochemical effects of stress would be
experienced irrespective of whether the situation was positive or negative.
Since then, a great deal of further research has been conducted, and ideas have moved on.
Stress is now viewed as a "bad thing", with a range of harmful biochemical and long-term
effects. These effects have rarely been observed in positive situations.
The most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly attributed to Richard S
Lazarus) is that stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives
that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to
mobilize. In short, it's what we feel when we think we've lost control of events.
This is the main definition used by this section of Mind Tools, although we also
recognize that there is an intertwined instinctive stress response to unexpected events.
The stress response inside us is therefore part instinct and part to do with the way we
think.
10
Stress (physics), the average amount of force exerted per unit area.
Biological
Stress (biological), physiological or psychological stress; some types include:
Chronic stress, persistent stress which can lead to illness and mental
disorder
Music
Accent (music).
Stress (band), an early '80s melodic rock band from San Diego.
Stress (punk band), an early '80s punk rock band from Athens.
Other
Stress (physics), the average amount of force exerted per unit area.
Stress is a measure of the average amount of force exerted per unit area. It is a
measure of the intensity of the total internal forces acting within a body across
11
imaginary internal surfaces, as a reaction to external applied forces and body forces.
It was introduced into the theory of elasticity by Cauchy around 1822. Stress is a
concept that is based on the concept of continuum. In general, stress is expressed as
Where
Is the average stress, also called engineering or nominal stress, and
Is the force acting over the area .
Chronic Stress
Chronic stress is stress that lasts a long time or occurs frequently. Chronic stress is
potentially damaging.
Symptoms of chronic stress can be:
upset stomach
headache
backache
insomnia
anxiety
depression
anger
In the most severe cases it can lead to panic attacks or a panic disorder.
There are a variety of methods to control chronic stress, including exercise, healthy diet,
stress management, relaxation techniques, adequate rest, and relaxing hobbies.
Ensuring a healthy diet containing magnesium may help control or eliminate stress, in
those individuals with lower levels of magnesium or those who have a magnesium
12
deficiency. Chronic stress can also lead to a magnesium deficiency, which can be a factor
in continued chronic stress, and a whole host of other negative medical conditions caused
by a magnesium deficiency.
It has been discovered that there is a huge upsurge in the number of people who suffer
from this condition. A very large number of these new cases suffer from insomnia.
In a review of the scientific literature on the relationship between stress and disease, the
authors found that stress plays a role in triggering or worsening depression and
cardiovascular disease and in speeding the progression of HIV/AIDS.
Compressive stress:
Compressive stress is the stress applied to materials resulting in their
compaction (decrease of volume). When a material is subjected to compressive stress,
then this material is under compression. Usually, compressive stress applied to bars,
columns, etc. leads to shortening.
Loading a structural element or a specimen will increase the compressive stress until the
reach of compressive strength. According to the properties of the material, failure will
occur as yield for materials with ductile behavior (most metals, some soils and plastics)
or as rupture for brittle behavior (geometries, cast iron, glass, etc).
In long, slender structural elements -- such as columns or truss bars -- an increase of
compressive force F leads to structural failure due to buckling at lower stress than the
compressive strength.
Compressive stress has stress units (force per unit area), usually with negative values to
indicate the compaction. However in geotechnical engineering, compressive stress is
represented with positive values.
13
Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or
animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats to the organism,
whether actual or imagined. It includes a state of alarm and adrenaline production, shortterm resistance as a coping mechanism, and exhaustion. It refers to the inability of a
human or animal body to respond. Common stress symptoms include irritability,
muscular tension, inability to concentrate and a variety of physical reactions, such as
headaches and accelerated heart rate.
The term "stress" was first used by the endocrinologist Hans Selye in the 1930s to
identify physiological responses in laboratory animals. He later broadened and
popularized the concept to include the perceptions and responses of humans trying to
adapt to the challenges of everyday life. In Selye's terminology, "stress" refers to the
reaction of the organism, and "stressor" to the perceived threat. Stress in certain
circumstances may be experienced positively. Eustress, for example, can be an adaptive
response prompting the activation of internal resources to meet challenges and achieve
goals.
The term is commonly used by laypersons in a metaphorical rather than literal or
biological sense, as a catch-all for any perceived difficulties in life. It also became a
euphemism, a way of referring to problems and eliciting sympathy without being
explicitly confessional, just "stressed out". It covers a huge range of phenomena from
mild irritation to the kind of severe problems that might result in a real breakdown of
health. In popular usage almost any event or situation between these extremes could be
described as stressful.
14
and negative stress, depending on each individuals unique perception of the tension
between the two forces. Not all stress is bad. For example, positive stress, also known as
eustress, can help an individual to function at optimal effectiveness and efficiency.
Hence, it is evident that some form of positive stress can add more color and vibrancy to
our lives. The presence of a deadline, for example, can push us to make the most of our
time and produce greater efficiency. It is important to keep this in mind, as stress
management refers to using stress to our advantage, and not on eradicating the presence
of stress in our lives.
On the other hand, negative stress can result in mental and physical strain. The individual
will experience symptoms such as tensions, headaches, irritability and in extreme cases,
heart palpitations. Hence, whilst some stress may be seen as a motivating force, it is
important to manage stress levels so that it does not have an adverse impact on your
health and relationships.
Part of managing your stress levels include learning about how stress can affect you
emotionally and physically, as well as how to identify if you are performing at your
optimal stress level (OSL) or if you are experiencing negative stress. This knowledge will
help you to identify when you need to take a break, or perhaps seek professional help. It
is also your first step towards developing techniques to managing your stress levels.
Modern day stresses can take the form of monetary needs, or emotional frictions.
Competition at work and an increased workload can also cause greater levels of stress.
How do you identify if you are suffering from excessive stress? Psychological symptoms
commonly experienced include insomnia, headaches and an inability to focus. Physical
symptoms take the form of heart palpitations, breathlessness, excessive sweating and
stomachaches.
What causes stress? There are many different causes of stress, and that which causes
stress is also known as a stressor. Common lifestyle stressors include performance, threat,
and bereavement stressors, to name a few. Performance stressors are triggered when an
individual is placed in a situation where he feels a need to excel. This could be during
15
performance appraisals, lunch with the boss, or giving a speech. Threat stressors are
usually when the current situation poses a dangerous threat, such as an economic
downturn, or from an accident. Lastly, bereavement stressors occur when there is a sense
of loss such as the death of a loved one, or a prized possession.
Thus, there are various stressors, and even more varied methods and techniques of
dealing with stress and turning it to our advantages. In order to do so, we must learn to
tell when we have crossed the line from positive to negative stress.
Good stress v/s Bad stress:
Stress has often been misunderstood to be negative, with few people acknowledging the
importance and usefulness of positive stress. In our everyday lives, stress is everywhere
and definitely unavoidable; hence our emphasis should be on differentiating between
what is good stress, and what is bad. This will help us to learn to cope with negative
stress, and harness the power of positive stress to help us achieve more.
There are 4 main categories of stress, namely eustress, distress, hyper stress and hypo
stress. Negative stress can cause many physical and psychological problems, whilst
positive stress can be very helpful for us. Heres how we differentiate between them.
Eustress:
this is a positive form of stress, which prepares your mind and body for the imminent
challenges that it has perceived. Eustress is a natural physical reaction by your body
which increases blood flow to your muscles, resulting in a higher heart rate. Athletes
before a competition or perhaps a manager before a major presentation would do well
with eustress, allowing them to derive the inspiration and strength that is needed.
Distress
We are familiar with this word, and know that it is a negative form of stress. This occurs
when the mind and body is unable to cope with changes, and usually occurs when there
16
are deviations from the norm. They can be categorized into acute stress and chronic
stress. Acute stress is intense, but does not last for long. On the other hand, chronic stress
persists over a long period of time. Trigger events for distress can be a change in job
scope or routine that the person is unable to handle or cope with.
Hyper stress
This is another form of negative stress that occurs when the individual is unable to cope
with the workload. Examples include highly stressful jobs, which require longer working
hours than the individual can handle. If you suspect that you are suffering from hyper
stress, you are likely to have sudden emotional breakdowns over insignificant issues, the
proverbial straws that broke the camels back. It is important for you to recognize that
your body needs a break, or you may end up with severe and chronic physical and
psychological reactions.
Hypo stress
Lastly, hypo stress occurs when a person has nothing to do with his time and feels
constantly bored and unmotivated. This is due to an insufficient amount of stress; hence
some stress is inevitable and helpful to us. Companies should avoid having workers who
experience hypo stress as this will cause productivity and mindfulness to fall. If the job
scope is boring and repetitive, it would be a good idea to implement some form of job
rotation so that there is always something new to learn.
The types of stress are named as eustress and distress. Distress is the most
commonly-referred to type of stress, having negative implications, whereas eustress is a
positive form of stress, usually related to desirable events in person's life. Both can be
equally taxing on the body, and are cumulative in nature, depending on a person's way of
adapting to a change that has caused it.
17
Help yourself to identify when you are facing rising levels of stress, tipping the scales
from positive to negative. This is important, as being able to identify signs of being
stressed can help you to take steps to ensure that your overall quality of life does not
18
drop. If left unacknowledged, the problem will only snowball, leading to disastrous
consequences to your health and overall wellbeing.
You can identify if you are feeling stressed by checking if you have any physical or
psychological reactions, such as excessive sweating or heart palpitations, or the onset of
headaches, irritability or the need to escape. If you experience any of these reactions,
identify if you are feeling any overwhelming negative emotions, and if you are constantly
worried.
Step 2: Identify the Cause
You need to be able to analyze the situation and identify what is causing the rise in stress.
These stressors can be external and internal. External stressors refer to things beyond
your control, such as the environment or your colleagues at work. Internal stressors refer
to your own thinking and attitude. Often, we only start reacting to stress when a
combination of stressors working together exceeds our ability to cope.
Keep a diary or a list of events that have caused you to feel strong negative emotions, or
that are likely stressors. This will help you to identify the causes of your stress. Whilst it
is not always possible to eradicate them, we can change the way that we cope with it.
Step 3: Coping with Stress
In order to deal with the situation that is causing you stress, you need to calm your mind
and body so as to stave off the reactions and cope with it in a positive way. This can be
through different methods, such as taking time off. If a situation is triggering your stress
and you are unable to calm down, remove yourself from it. Go outside and take a walk to
calm down. Alternatively, you can try implementing relaxation techniques such as deep
breathing. If it is an internal stressor, stop your thought process until you are able to deal
with it logically.
19
The key to making these 3 steps work for you is to practice them. These are not
instantaneous solutions, and you need to condition your mind and practice them so that
you can implement it when you are feeling stressed.
Recognizing a stressor:
It is important to recognize whether you are under stress or out of it. Many times, even if
we are under the influence of a stressful condition and our body reacts to it internally as
well as externally, we fail to realize that we are reacting under stress. This also happens
20
when the causes of stress are there long enough for us to get habituated to them. The
body constantly tries to tell us through symptoms such as rapid palpitation, dizzy spells,
tight muscles or various body aches that something is wrong. It is important to remain
attentive to such symptoms
We cope better with stressful situation, when we encounter them voluntarily. In cases of
relocation, promotion or layoff, adventurous sports or having a baby, we tend to respond
positively under stress. But, when we are compelled into such situations against our will
or knowledge, more often than not, we wilt at the face of unknown and imagined threats.
For instance, stress may mount when one is coerced into undertaking some work against
one'swill.
Laughter:
Adopting a humorous view towards life's situations can take the edge off everyday
stressors. Not being too serious or in a constant alert mode helps maintain the equanimity
of mind and promote clear thinking. Being able to laugh stress away is the smartest way
to ward off its effects.
A sense of humor also allows us to perceive and appreciate the incongruities of life and
provides moments of delight. The emotions we experience directly affect our immune
system. The positive emotions can create neurochemical changes that buffer the
immunosuppressive effects of stress.
During stress, the adrenal gland releases corticosteroids, which are converted to cortical
in the blood stream. These have an immunosuppressive effect. Dr. Lee Berk and fellow
researcher Dr. Stanley Tan at Loma Linda University School of Medicine have produced
carefully controlled studies showing that the experience of laughter lowers serum cortical
21
levels, increases the amount and activity of T lymphocytesthe natural killer cells.
Laughter also increases the number of T cells that have suppresser receptors.
Laughter
lowers
blood
pressure
and
reduces
hypertension.
It provides good cardiac conditioning especially for those who are unable to perform
physical exercise.
Reduces stress hormones (studies shows, laughter induces reduction of at least four of
neuroendocrine hormonesepinephrine, cortical, dopac, and growth hormone, associated
with stress response).
Laughter cleanses the lungs and body tissues of accumulated stale air as it empties more
air than it takes in. It is beneficial for patients suffering from emphysema and other
respiratory ailments.
It increases muscle flexion, relaxation and fluent blood circulation in body.
Boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting
proteins called Gamma-interferon and disease-destroying antibodies called B-cells.
Laughter triggers the release of endorphinsbody's natural painkillers.
Produces a general sense of well-being.
22
other types of emotional strain (e.g., dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc.), maladaptive
behaviors (e.g., aggression, substance abuse), and cognitive impairment (e.g.,
concentration and memory problems). In turn, these conditions may lead to poor work
performance or even injury. Job stress is also associated with various biological reactions
that may lead ultimately to compromised health, such as cardiovascular disease.
Stress is a prevalent and costly problem in today's workplace. About one-third of workers
report high levels of stress. One-quarter of employees view their jobs as the number one
stressor in their lives. Three-quarters of employees believe the worker has more on-thejob stress than a generation ago. Evidence also suggests that stress is the major cause of
turnover in organizations.
Health and Healthcare Utilization
Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other
life stressor-more so than even financial problems or family problems. Many studies
suggest that psychologically demanding jobs that allow employees little control over the
work process increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. On the basis of research by the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and many other organizations, it is
widely believed that job stress increases the risk for development of back and upperextremity musculoskeletal disorders. High levels of stress are associated with substantial
increases in health service utilization. Workers who report experiencing stress at work
also show excessive health care utilization. In a 1998 study of 46,000 workers, health
care costs were nearly 50% greater for workers reporting high levels of stress in
comparison to low risk workers. The increment rose to nearly 150%, an increase of
more than $1,700 per person annually, for workers reporting high levels of both stress
and depression. Additionally, periods of disability due to job stress tend to be much
longer than disability periods for other occupational injuries and illnesses.
Causes of Workplace Stress
Job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work. Views
differ on the importance of worker characteristics versus working conditions as the
23
primary cause of job stress. The differing viewpoints suggest different ways to prevent
stress at work. According to one school of thought, differences in individual
characteristics such as personality and coping skills are most important in predicting
whether certain job conditions will result in stress-in other words, what is stressful for
one person may not be a problem for someone else. This viewpoint leads to prevention
strategies that focus on workers and ways to help them cope with demanding job
conditions. Although the importance of individual differences cannot be ignored,
scientific evidence suggests that certain working conditions are stressful to most people.
Such evidence argues for a greater emphasis on working conditions as the key source of
job stress, and for job redesign as a primary prevention strategy. Personal interview
surveys of working conditions, including conditions recognized as risk factors for job
stress, were conducted in Member States of the European Union in 1990, 1995, and 2000.
Results showed a trend across these periods suggestive of increasing work intensity. In
1990, the percentage of workers reporting that they worked at high speeds at least onefourth of their working time was 48%, increasing to 54% in 1995 and to 56% in 2000.
Similarly, 50% of workers reported they work against tight deadlines at least one-fourth
of their working time in 1990, increasing to 56% in 1995 and 60 % in 2000. However, no
change was noted in the period 19952000 (data not collected in 1990) in the percentage
of workers reporting sufficient time to complete tasks. A substantial percentage of
Americans work very long hours. By one estimate, more than 26% of men and more than
11% of women worked 50 hours per week or more in 2000. These figures represent a
considerable increase over the previous three decades, especially for women. According
to the Department of Labor, there has been an upward trend in hours worked among
employed women, an increase in extended work weeks (>40 hours) by men, and a
considerable increase in combined working hours among working couples, particularly
couples with young children.
Signs of Workplace Stress
Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed relationships
with family; friends and girlfriends or boyfriends are examples of stress-related problems.
The effects of job stress on chronic diseases are more difficult to see because chronic
24
diseases take a long time to develop and can be influenced by many factors other than
stress. Nonetheless, evidence is rapidly accumulating to suggest that stress plays an
important role in several types of chronic health problems-especially cardiovascular
disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and psychological disorders.
Prevention
A combination of organizational change and stress management is often the most useful
approach for preventing stress at work.
How to Change the Organization to Prevent Job Stress
Ensure that the workload is in line with workers' capabilities and resources.
Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers to use
their skills.
Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities
outside the job.
St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company conducted several studies on the effects of
stress prevention programs in hospital settings. Program activities included (1) employee
and management education on job stress, (2) changes in hospital policies and procedures
to reduce organizational sources of stress, and (3) establishment of employee assistance
programs. In one study, the frequency of medication errors declined by 50% after
prevention activities was implemented in a 700-bed hospital. In a second study, there was
a 70% reduction in malpractice claims in 22 hospitals that implemented stress prevention
25
The first of the action-oriented skills that we look at is Job Analysis. Job Analysis is a key
technique for managing job overload an important source of stress.
To do an excellent job, you need to fully understand what is expected of you. While this
may seem obvious, in the hurly-burly of a new, fast-moving, high-pressure role, it is
oftentimes something that is easy to overlook.
By understanding the priorities in your job, and what constitutes success within it, you
can focus on these activities and minimize work on other tasks as much as possible. This
helps you get the greatest return from the work you do, and keep your workload under
control.
Job Analysis is a useful technique for getting a firm grip on what really is important in
your job so that you are able to perform excellently. It helps you to cut through clutter
and distraction to get to the heart of what you need to do.
2. Rational & positive thinking: You are thinking negatively when you fear the future, put yourself down, criticize
yourself for errors, doubt your abilities, or expect failure. Negative thinking damages
confidence, harms performance and paralyzes mental skills.
26
Unfortunately, negative thoughts tend to flit into our consciousness, do their damage and
flit back out again, with their significance having barely been noticed. Since we barely
realize that they were there, we do not challenge them properly, which means that they
can be completely incorrect and wrong.
Thought Awareness is the process by which you observe your thoughts and become
aware of what is going through your head.
One approach to it is to observe your "stream of consciousness" as you think about the
thing you're trying to achieve which is stressful. Do not suppress any thoughts. Instead,
just let them run their course while you watch them, and write them down on our free
worksheet as they occur. Then let them go.
Another more general approach to Thought Awareness comes with logging stress in your
Stress Diary. When you analyze your diary at the end of the period, you should be able to
see the most common and the most damaging thoughts. Tackle these as a priority using
the techniques below.
Here are some typical negative thoughts you might experience when preparing to give a
major presentation:
Fear about the quality of your performance or of problems that may interfere with
it;
Worry about how the audience (especially important people in it like your boss) or
the press may react to you;
Thought awareness is the first step in the process of managing negative thoughts, as you
cannot manage thoughts that you are unaware of.
Rational Thinking
The next step in dealing with negative thinking is to challenge the negative thoughts that
you identified using the Thought Awareness technique. Look at every thought you wrote
27
down and challenge it rationally. Ask yourself whether the thought is reasonable. What
evidence is there for and against the thought? Would your colleagues and mentors agree
or disagree with it?
Looking at the examples, the following challenges could be made to the negative
thoughts we identified earlier:
Worries about performance during rehearsal: If some of your practice was less
than perfect, then remind yourself that the purpose of the practice is to identify
areas for improvement, so that these can be sorted out before the performance.
Problems with issues outside your control: Have you identified the risks of
these things happening, and have you taken steps to reduce the likelihood of them
happening or their impact if they do? What will you do if they occur? And what
do you need others to do for you?
Worry about other people's reactions: If you have prepared well, and you do
the best you can, then you should be satisfied. If you perform as well as you
reasonably can, then fair people are likely to respond well. If people are not fair,
the best thing to do is ignore their comments and rise above them.
Tip:
Don't make the mistake of generalizing a single incident. OK, you made a mistake at
work,
but
that
doesn't
mean
you're
bad
at
your
job.
Similarly, make sure you take the long view about incidents that you're finding stressful.
Just because you're finding these new responsibilities stressful now, doesn't mean that
they will ALWAYS be so for you in the future.
28
Tip:
If you find it difficult to look at your negative thoughts objectively, imagine that you are
your best friend or a respected coach or mentor. Look at the list of negative thoughts and
imagine the negative thoughts were written by someone you were giving objective advice
to. Then, think how you would challenge these thoughts.
When you challenge negative thoughts rationally, you should be able to see quickly
whether the thoughts are wrong or whether they have some substance to them. Where
there is some substance, take appropriate action. However, make sure that your negative
thoughts are genuinely important to achieving your goals, and don't just reflect a lack of
experience, which everyone has to go through at some stage.
Positive Thinking & Opportunity Seeking
By now, you should already be feeling more positive. The final step is to prepare rational,
positive thoughts and affirmations to counter any remaining negativity. It can also be
useful to look at the situation and see if there are any useful opportunities that are offered
by it.
By basing your affirmations on the clear, rational assessments of facts that you made
using Rational Thinking, you can use them to undo the damage that negative thinking
may have done to your self-confidence.
Tip:
Your affirmations will be strongest if they are specific, are expressed in the present tense
and have strong emotional content.
Continuing the examples above, positive affirmations might be:
Problems during practice: "I have learned from my rehearsals. This has put me
in a position where I can deliver a great performance. I am going to perform well
and enjoy the event."
29
Worries about performance: "I have prepared well and rehearsed thoroughly. I
am well positioned to give an excellent performance."
Problems issues outside your control: "I have thought through everything that
might reasonably happen and have planned how I can handle all likely
contingencies. I am very well placed to react flexibly to events."
Worry about other people's reaction: "Fair people will react well to a good
performance. I will rise above any unfair criticism in a mature and professional
way."
If appropriate, write these affirmations down on your worksheet so that you can use them
when you need them.
As well as allowing you to structure useful affirmations, part of Positive Thinking is to
look at opportunities that the situation might offer to you. In the examples above,
successfully overcoming the situations causing the original negative thinking will open
up opportunities. You will acquire new skills, you will be seen as someone who can
handle difficult challenges, and you may open up new career opportunities.
2. Research Methodology
(2.1) Research Objective:
Stress is a dynamic condition in witch an individual is confronted with an
opportunity, demand or resource related to what the individual desires and for which the
outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important. This is a complicated definition.
Stress is not necessarily bad in and of itself. Although stress is typically
discussed in a negative context, it also has a positive value. Its an opportunity when it
offers potential gain. Consider for example, the superior performance that an athlete or
stage performer gives in clutch situations. Such individuals often use stress positively
to rise to the occasion and perform at or near their maximum. Similarly, many
professionals see the pressures of heavy workloads and deadlines as positive challenges
that enhance the quality of their work and the satisfaction the get from their job.
30
But it is different in the case of bank employees. The bank employees are the
people who also have to achieve the certain target and so for the non achievement of
target the employees remain stressed and tensed. The employees who have the simple
table work also have to face the problem of stress. Due to recession the banking sector is
also facing the problem of employee cut-offs and so the work load of the existing
employees increases and the feel stressed.
The types of stress are named as eustress and distress. Distress is the most
commonly-referred to type of stress, having negative implications, whereas eustress is a
positive form of stress, usually related to desirable events in person's life. Both can be
equally taxing on the body, and are cumulative in nature, depending on a person's way of
adapting to a change that has caused it. Stress management is the need of the hour.
However hard we try to go beyond a stress situation, life seems to find new ways of
stressing us out and plaguing us with anxiety attacks. Moreover, be it our anxiety, mindbody exhaustion or our erring attitudes, we tend to overlook causes of stress and the
conditions triggered by those. In such unsettling moments we often forget that stressors,
if not escapable, are fairly manageable and treatable.
Stress, either quick or constant, can induce risky body-mind disorders.
Immediate disorders such as dizzy spells, anxiety attacks, tension, sleeplessness,
nervousness and muscle cramps can all result in chronic health problems. They may also
affect our immune, cardiovascular and nervous systems and lead individuals to habitual
addictions, which are inter-linked with stress.
Like "stress reactions", "relaxation responses" and stress management techniques are
some of the body's important built-in response systems. As a relaxation response the body
tries to get back balance in its homeostasis. Some hormones released during the 'fight or
flight' situation prompt the body to replace the lost carbohydrates and fats, and restore the
energy level. The knotted nerves, tightened muscles and an exhausted mind crave for
31
looseness. Unfortunately, today, we don't get relaxing and soothing situations without
asking. To be relaxed we have to strive to create such situations.
This research is to carry out the study that how much stressed the employees of
the banks are and how do their stress affect their work life, social life, output etc. so a
sample of 14 to 15 employees are selected from all the three banks for the research of
stress among them.
(2.2) Sampling
Sample: I have taken the sample of 35 employees from three different banks of Bokaro
Steel City . All the employees were of the same designations.
Reason: As we find the employees of the bank to be more stressful as more and more
employees are taking VRS and are dismissed because of inflation. I have selected only
those three banks which are affiliated to the public and are specialized in consumer needs
fulfillment.
It is incumbent on the researcher to clearly define the target population. There are no
strict rules to follow, and the researcher must rely on logic and judgment. The population
is defined in keeping with the objectives of the study.
32
Sometimes, the entire population will be sufficiently small, and the researcher can
include the entire population in the study. This type of research is called a census study
because data is gathered on every member of the population.
Usually, the population is too large for the researcher to attempt to survey all of its
members. A small, but carefully chosen sample can be used to represent the population.
The sample reflects the characteristics of the population from which it is drawn.
Sampling methods are classified as either probability or non probability. In probability
samples, each member of the population has a known non-zero probability of being
selected. Probability methods include random sampling, systematic sampling, and
stratified sampling. In non probability sampling, members are selected from the
population in some nonrandom manner. These include convenience sampling, judgment
sampling, quota sampling, and snowball sampling. The advantage of probability sampling
is that sampling error can be calculated. Sampling error is the degree to which a sample
might differ from the population. When inferring to the population, results are reported
plus or minus the sampling error. In non probability sampling, the degree to which the
sample differs from the population remains unknown.
33
34
each stratum. This differs from stratified sampling, where the stratums are
filled by random sampling.
35
Fill in values appropriately on the sheet. This will automatically calculate scores
for you and interpret these scores, showing the score and interpretation in row 30.
If you choose to use the manual method, then calculate the total of the scores as described
in the instructions (note that this uses a slightly different scoring method from the
spreadsheet). Apply the score to the scoring table underneath to get the interpretation.
The project report shows the information of the level of stress which the employees
are facing as the period of recession is going the employee cut-off and turnover
ratios are found to be high so the workload for the existing employees are high.
So they are facing the problem of work overload and thus they get stressed.
Lets have a watch on the basic data of the survey:
>=
-1
5
18
35
45
response
0
6
8
0
0
response
No sign of burnout here!
0
Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly severe
3
Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several scores 10
are high
You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this urgently
0
You are at very severe risk of burnout - do something about this 0
urgently
37
response
No sign of burnout here!
0
Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly severe
5
Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several scores 3
are high
You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this urgently
0
You are at very severe risk of burnout - do something about this 0
urgently
Analysis:
It is seen from the above data that the employees working in the banks are at the risk of
two levels that is a little sign of burn out and be careful. Taking a look on the data of
all the three banks, it is seen that the employees working in SBI are found less stressed
out compared to other banks. This can be because its a public sector. If all the graphs are
compared, it is seen that the ratio of stressed employees in AXIS banks are high as
compared to all the other banks.
Overall result of the survey
38
>=
-1
5
18
response
0
14
21
0
0
no sign
little sign
Be carefull
severe risk
Very high
Analysis:
From the above graph it can be seen that maximum employees of all the banks are at a
moderate level of risk of burnout while the employees who were found with a little sign
of burnout is less. So the ratio of little sign of burnout and moderate level of burnout is
2:3.
1. Are you satisfied with the performance you give at your work?
Analysis:
From the diagram it is clear that 77 % of the employees are satisfied with the
performance they give in the work while 23 % of the employees are not satisfied.
39
Yes
No
28
No response
0
Analysis:
20 % of the employee feel that they are
No response
suffering from depression while
3
0
80 % of the employee feel that that they are free from the depression
Yes
32
No
No
26
No response
0
Analysis:
26% of the employees worry about their colleagues opinion about them while 74% of the
employees are not concern with the opinion about their colleague.
4. Do you discuss your problem with your
spouse or friend or any other close to you?
Analysis:
40
91% of the employees of the bank discuss their problem and share their feelings with
their spouse or friends or others while 9 % of the employee is not concerned with it.
5. Do you work more than 8 hours?
Yes
14
No
19
No response
2
Analysis:
89% of the employees work for more than 8 hours which is the starting point of the stress
while 11 % of the employees dont work for more than 8 hours.
6. You have an important function at your home and your boss asks to give a 4 hour
over time, what will be your response?
Yes
20
No
15
No response
0
Analysis:
40 % of the employees are proved to be work dedicated and they are ready to miss the
important function at their house while 54 % of the employees said no and 6 % of the
employee did not gave any answer.
41
Analysis:
57% of the employee spent regular time on entertainment which helps us to remain stress
free while 43 % of the employees dont do that.
Yes
22
No
No response
0
No
No response
0
13
Yes
31
Analysis:
4 % of the employees find their social
Yes
19
No
14
No response
2
Analysis:
It is a good habit to plan the work
you do. 89 % of the employees
plan their work before doing while 11 % of the employees dont plan their work.
10. Do you fear about the quality of your performance?
42
Analysis:
63% of the employees
fear the quality of
Yes
Yes
22
11
No
No
13
18
No
Noresponse
response
60
.
11.Do you try to find any solution for the problem of your stress?
.
Analysis:
69% of employees found the
solution of there of stress
Yes
19
No
16
No response
12. (IF YES) Do you practice yoga
Analysis:
31% of the employees try
the yoga and other ayurvedic techniques to reduce their stress while 51 % of the
employees use other techniques to reduce stress.
Yes
24
No
6
No response
5
43
44
These opinions are seemed to be valuable and effective as one of the effective
things has been noticed that the employees who have got less than 18 marks in the
Burnout test have given their opinions about reducing the stress.
It is also noticed that in the AXIS bank Bokaro in the time of afternoon slow instrumental
music are been played so that the employees can work stress free. This is one of the
positive things which are seen in the organization who is caring for their employees. This
will help the organization to boost up the productivity.
From the certain sample of employees selected for the research, only 10 employees have
given their opinion how to reduce stress. So we can understand that how overloaded the
employees of the bank are.
45
Conduct Research
Analyze Data
Prepare Report
The questionnaires were filled be 35 employees working in the three major Banks of
Bokaro i.e. Axis Bank, HDFC Bank and SBI Bank. So the scope of sample findings
was less.
The employees from whom the questionnaires are filled are in a heavy workload so
some of the questionnaires filled by the employees who are in stress cannot be called
reasonable.
The responses of the employees cannot be accurate as the problem of language and
understanding arises. (These problems are not in all cases.)
One of the other problems of questionnaire is the cost. Some times it may be possible
that even by spending so much the result may not be reasonable.
46
Many a times the employees may not be really conscious or may not be bothered about
the questionnaire. This may create a problem in the research.
47
being
requested. A questionnaire
requesting
factual
48
Finally, questionnaires are simply not suited for some people. For
example, a written survey to a group of poorly educated people might not
work because of reading skill problems. More frequently, people are
turned off by written questionnaires because of misuse.
(2.9) Findings
It is analyzed from the questionnaire filled by the employees that the
employees who have scored more than 20 marks in the burnout test are not satisfied with
the performance which they give in the organization. Thus it is proved that the employees
who are desired to give better performance than their original performance are found
more stressful than the others. While at the same time the employ that have scored less
than 20 marks in the burnout test are satisfied with the performance. From the sample of
35 bank employees who have been surveyed, one is found to be a heart patient. This can
be because of high level of stress.
Very rare of the employee are to be found suffering from depression. It is proved from the
survey that the employees who have scored more than 25 marks in the burnout test are
concern about the opinion of their colleagues. And the employees who got less than 25
marks do not mind about their colleagues opinion. Thus it is proved that the colleagues
49
opinion also play a lead role in the increase and decrease of the stress level. Those who
mind about their colleagues opinion are found to be more stressful.
The employees who have scored 28-29 marks in the burnout test dont believe in sharing
their problems with their spouse or friend or any closed one. Thus we can say that sharing
your problems with your spouse or close friends is a better idea to reduce stress.
In the second questionnaire one of the question was You have an important function at
your home and your boss asks to give a 4 hour over time what will be your response Yes
or No? the employees have given their opinion as per their mood.
While considering the point of view of entertainment it depends upon the mood of the
employees. The entertainment is considered one of the most ultimate solutions to reduce
stress. Most of the employees do not spend regular time in entertainment. This may be
because they may not be getting time for entertainment or they may not be interested in
the same.
One of the questions was asked that were their social life balanced? It is observed that the
employees who have scored above 20 marks in the burnout test did not have their social
life balanced. Thus we can conclude that the employees who are above 20 dont have
their social life balanced. Thus it is proved that stress may affect our social life also.
The employees were asked weather they plan their work or not, moderate answers were
given. The employees scoring more than 25 marks were not found their work planned.
Thus the employees who plan their work have scored below 25 marks in the burnout test
except some cases as there are always some drawbacks in making plan. Failure of a plan
may also lead a person to stress. Thus we can conclude that planning of the work may
help to reduce stress level.
Most of the employees who have scored more than 20 marks fear about their quality of
work they give. This aspect is not dependent of the burnout level. This aspect depends
50
upon the dedication of work. So it is meaningless to compare this question with the
burnout test.
A question was asked that weather you get stressed at the non-achievement of their
target? All the employees have responded positively. But this is not concern with the
burnout score. From this we can conclude that all the employees are given achievable
target and naturally by the non-achievement of the target all the employees may get
stressed. One of the other possibilities is that the employees have responded positively to
show themselves to be good.
The employees having more than 10 marks in the burnout test says that they are under
stress. Out of 35 employees of the sample 20 of the employees accepted that the reason
for their stress is workload. 10 employees are not stressed because of the workload but
because of their family problem. 5 of the employees are not suffering from stress. 14
employees out of 30 employees who are stressed feel stressful when their boss scolds
them while 16 employees refused that they are not stressed because their boss scolds
them. All the 30 employees have accepted that they try to find the solution of their stress.
10 employees out of 30 employees practice yoga to reduce their stress and the other 20
employees dont practice yoga. The burnout scores of the employees who practice yoga
are either more than 25 or less than 20. Thus we can conclude that the employees have
reduced their stress by yoga therapy and other employees have just started the yoga
because of high level of burnout
The above analysis is done by the data received from the questionnaire. So the accuracy
of data depends upon the response of the employees.
51
3. BIBILIOGRAPHY
o www.mindtool.com
o Organizational Behavior Stephen P. Robbins
o Burn Out tool Questionnaire
o Self analysis of questionnaire
52
4. ANNEXURE
Questionnaire
No Questions
1
2
3
Not at
all
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Very
often
54
Answer
Not at all
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Very often
>=
-1
5
18
35
Number
Weight
0
1
2
3
4
Weighted Total
55
45
You are at very severe risk of burnout - do something about this urgently
56
No Questions
Yes
Are you satisfied with the performance you give at your work?
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
57
No
58