Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SUBMITTED TO
Degree of
BY
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.
UNIVERSITY. I am also indebt to my family members and friends for their valuable help
Swati kumari
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this project report entitled “Study Of Stress Management of
Indian Bank Employees” is the result of my own efforts in and as a part of the
curriculum in “Master of Business Administration (MBA)” in Sikkim Manipal
University.
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.
Swati kumari
Reg no.-1402008950
Sikkim Manipal University
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, BPO’s 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, BPO’s and other industries as well as institutes. Stress arises
because of unfulfilled wants, lack of job satisfaction etc. before starting the topic of
stress; let’s first understand the importance of human resource.
Executive Summery
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:
• What is stress?
• Stress management
• Workplace stress
• Reducing of stress.
After the theoretical part I have included the research part. My research work includes
two questionnaires.
• Research objectives
• Research instrument
• Research flowchart
• Limitation of survey
INDEX
No Content Page no
1 Conceptual Framework 1
1.1 Introduction to HR 1
1.2 Concept of stress 3
1.2.1 Introduction to stress 3
1.2.2 Stress in Biological terms 8
1.2.3 What is stress 9
1.2.4 Coping with stress at workplace 11
1.2.5 Stress Management 15
1.2.6 Workplace stress 18
1.2.7 Reduce your stress 22
2 Research Methodology 27
2.1 Research objective 27
2.2 Sampling 29
2.3 Research instrument 32
2.4 Data analysis and interpretation 36
2.5 Employees opinion about how to reduce stress 48
2.6 Research flowchart 50
2.7 Time consideration 51
2.8 Limitation of the survey 52
2.8.1 Advantages of Written Questionnaires 52
2.8.2 Disadvantages of Written Questionnaires 53
2.9 Findings 55
3 Bibliography 58
1.CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
(1.1) INTRODUCTION TO HR
modern economy. In fact it is said that all the development comes from the human mind.
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 obvious…except
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.
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.
The types of stress are as follows
Mechanical
Stress (physics), the average amount of force exerted per unit area.
Yield stress, the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically.
Compressive stress, the stress applied to materials resulting in their compaction.
Biological
• Chronic stress, persistent stress which can lead to illness and mental
disorder
• Eustress, positive stress that can lead to improved long-term functioning
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.
Stress (Neo-Psychedelic band), from the late 1980's.
Stress, a song by the French band Justice on their debut album
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
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
Chronic Stress
Chronic stress is stress that lasts a long time or occurs frequently. Chronic stress is
potentially damaging.
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.
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.
4
Compressive stress:
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.
5
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 "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.
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 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.
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. Here’s 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 there 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 camel’s 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.
With the rapid advancement of technology, the stresses faced at work have also
increased. Many people dread going to work, hence the term “Monday Blues”. What is
the reason for this? There is partly the fear from being retrenched in bad times, leading to
greater job insecurity on the part of those who remain. Undoubtedly, occupational stress
is one of the most commonly cited stressors faced by people all over the world.
Stress refers to the pressure and reactions to our environment which results in
psychological and physical reactions. Whilst some stress is good for motivation and
increasing efficiency, too much stress can result in negative impacts such as reduced
effectiveness and efficiency. More and more people are feeling isolated and disrespected
at work, and this has led to greater occupational stress. Many companies have taken to
consulting experts and professionals on ways to increase connectedness and motivation
of their employees.
Some companies organize parties and make their employees feel valued at work. These
are measures to motivate employees and help them to feel secure at their jobs, translating
into greater productivity. However, not all companies have such measures in place, and
some have not gotten it quite right. Hence, it is up to you to make sure that you can cope
with stress at your workplace, and use it to help you work better. Here are 3 simple steps
to help you with coping with stress in the workplace.
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 .
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.
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 .
If left unacknowledged, the problem will only snowball, leading to disastrous
consequences to your health and overall wellbeing.
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.
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.
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.
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, mind-body 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.
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 happen 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 and to learn to cope with the situations.
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,
levels, increases the amount and activity of T lymphocytes—the natural killer cells.
Laughter also increases the number of T cells that have suppresser receptors.
• 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 hormones—epinephrine, 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.
Workplace stress is the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there
is a poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or needs of the
worker. Stress-related disorders encompass a broad array of conditions, including
psychological disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder) .
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.
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 upper-
extremity 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.
Job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work. Views
differ on the importance of worker characteristics versus working
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 one-
fourth 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 1995–2000 (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.
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
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.
Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.
Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their
jobs.
Improve communications-reduce uncertainty about career development and future
employment prospects.
Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers.
Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities
outside the job.
Discrimination inside the workplace. (e.g. nationality and language )
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 activities. In contrast, there was no reduction in claims in a matched group of
22 hospitals that did not implement stress prevention activities.
Job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work. Views
differ on the importance of worker characteristics versus working
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 one-
fourth 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 1995–2000 (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.
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
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.
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.
Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.
Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their
jobs.
Improve communications-reduce uncertainty about career development and future
employment prospects.
Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers.
Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities
outside the job.
Discrimination inside the workplace. (e.g. nationality and language )
The alternative is to work more intelligently, by focusing on the things that are important
for job success and reducing the time we spend on low priority tasks. Job Analysis is the
first step in doing this.
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.
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.
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;
Dwelling on the negative consequences of a poor performance; or
Thought awareness is the first step in the process of managing negative thoughts, as you
cannot manage thoughts that you are unaware of.
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
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:
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
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.
Tip:
Your affirmations will be strongest if they are specific, are expressed in the present tense
and have strong emotional content.
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."
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
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, mind-
body 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.
2. Research Methodology
(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 .
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.
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.
Burnout occurs when passionate, committed people become deeply disillusioned with
a job or career from which they have previously derived much of their identity and
meaning. It comes as the things that inspire passion and enthusiasm are stripped away,
and tedious or unpleasant things crowd in. This tool can help you check yourself for
burnout.
Introduction:
This tool can help you check yourself for burnout. It helps you look at the way you
feel about your job and your experiences at work, so that you can get a feel for
whether you are at risk of burnout.
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
>= response
-1 No sign of burnout here! 0
5 Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly severe 6
18 Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several scores 8
are high
35 You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this urgently 0
45 You are at very severe risk of burnout - do something about this 0
urgently
no sign of burn
out
little sign of
burnout
Be careful
severe risk
Very high
The Report of SBI Bank
>= response
-1 No sign of burnout here! 0
5 Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly severe 3
18 Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several scores 10
are high
N o s ig n
L it t le s ig
Becaref
Severe
V e r y h ig
>= response
-1 No sign of burnout here! 0
5 Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly severe 5
18 Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several scores 3
are high
35 You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this urgently 0
1. You are at very severe risk of burnout - do something about this 0 urgently
No sign
little sign
be careful
Severe risk
Very high
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 it’s 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.
>= response
-1 No sign of burnout here! 0
Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly
5 severe 14
Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several
18 scores 21
are high
You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this
35 urgently 0
45 You are at very severe risk of burnout - do something about this 0
urgently
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
This project consist of the information about the employees undergoing from
stress who working in the banks. So considering this factor this topic
becomes one of the most important part of the project as it consists of the
opinion of the employees who work in the banks. In short it was a direct
interview of the employees who gave their opinion about how to reduce
stress. The response of employees in the major banks of Bokaro like State
Bank of India, The AXIS Bank, and The HDFC bank was marvelous and
they have given their valuable opinion about reducing stress as a result of the
last question included in the questionnaire 2. So the opinion if the employees
were as follows:
“We should do such activities from which we get happiness and also
make others happy. Pass your time with your close friends and relatives.” An
employee- AXIS Bank
“Listen music and spend time with family” An employee- SBI Bank
“Get adjusted with others, Find and spend time for prayer, Study the
scriptures, See oneness in all, All are manifested of the supreme GOD” An
employee- SBI Bank
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.
Design Methodology
Determine Feasibility
Develop Instruments
Select Sample
Revise Instruments
Conduct Research
Analyze Data
Prepare Report
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.any 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.
Questionnaires are familiar to most people. Nearly everyone has had some
experience completing questionnaires and they generally do not make
people apprehensive.
When returned questionnaires arrive in the mail, it's natural to assume that
the respondent is the same person you sent the questionnaire to. This may
not actually be the case. Many times business questionnaires get handed to
other employees for completion. Housewives sometimes respond for their
husbands. Kids respond as a prank. For a variety of reasons, the
respondent may not be who you think it is. It is a confounding error
inherent in questionnaires.
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
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 colleague’s opinion. Thus it is proved that the
colleagues opinion also play a lead role in the increase and decrease of the stress level.
Those who mind about their colleague’s opinion are found to be more stressful.
The employees who have scored 28-29 marks in the burnout test don’t 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 don’t 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
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 don’t 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.
3. BIBILIOGRAPHY
• www.mindtool.com