A Project Report On

“Stress Management in the Banking Industry”

SUBMITTED BY
JYOTHI SIVARAMAN

ROLL NO: 8031

MMS (HUMAN RESOURCES)

BATCH 2017-2019

TO

UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI

FOR THE DEGREE OF

THE MASTERS OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

Prof. RAJVILAS KADAM

Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Management Studies &

Research
WADALA (WEST), MUMBAI – 400031

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 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the study presented by JYOTHI SIVARAMAN to the

UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI in part completion of the two year full time degree of
MMS specializing in Human Resource under the title of Project Report on “STRESS
MANAGEMENT IN THE BANKING INSUTRY” has been done under my
guidance.
To the best of my knowledge, this project is in the nature of original work that has
not so far been submitted for any degree in this institute or any other university.

Signature of the Candidate

Jyothi Sivaraman

Signature of the Guide

(Prof. Rajvilas Kadam)

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 DECLARATION

I, JYOTHI SIVARAMAN, studying in the Second Year of Masters of Management

Studies course in the academic year 2017- 2019 at Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of
Management Studies & Research, Wadala (WEST) hereby declare that I have
completed the project titled, “STRESS MANAGEMENT IN THE BANKING
INSUTRY”.
As a part of the course requirements of Masters of Management Studies of University
of Mumbai.
I further declare that the information presented in this project is true and original to
the best of my knowledge.

Date:
Place: Mumbai

JYOTHI SIVARAMAN

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 ACKNOWLEGDEMENT

First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and thanks towards
the UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI for introducing a course like MMS and giving all
the students a base and a platform to keep a breast with the changing business
scenario.
I would like to express my gratitude and sincere thanks to my Project Guide
Prof. Rajvilas Kadam, Faculty–(HUMAN RESOURCE), SVIMS, for instilling
confidence in me to carry out this study and extending valuable guidance and
encouragement from time to time, without which it would not have been possible to
undertake and complete this project.

JYOTHI SIVARAMAN

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

SR NO. CONTENTS PG. NO.

1 INTRODUCTION 6-15

2 INDUSTRY PROFILE 16-19

3 SCOPE & OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 20

4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 21

5 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 22-23

6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 38-41

7 DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATIONS 42-54

8 FINDINGS 55

9 SUGGESTIONS 56-57

10 CONCLUSION 58

11 BIBLIOGRAPHY 59

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INTRODUCTION
 20TH century has been regarded as the period of incredible change in
human history. Philosophers and scientists have been various names to
this period. Peter Drucker has called it “The Age of Discontinuity”, John
Galbraith has called it “The Age of Future Shock” and Hari Albrecht
called it “The Age of Anxiety”.
 Stress has become the 21 century buzz word, from the high pervading
corporate echelons to the bassinets of teaching infants’ nurseries we find
this world liberally used. Stress is part of modern life. Various events in
life cause stress, starting with the birth of a child and enduring with the
death of a dear one.
 Urbanization, industrialization and the increase scale of operations in
society are some of the reasons for rising stress. It is an inevitable
consequence of socio-economic complexity and to some extent, its
stimulant as well. People experience stress as they can no longer have
complete control over what happen in their lives. The telephone goes out
of order, power is shut down, water supply is disrupted, children perform
poorly at school etc, we feel frustrated and then stressed.
 The word stress is derived from a Latin word “STRINGERE”, meaning
to draw tight. From the view point of physical sciences, the phenomena of
stress are evident in all materials when they are subjected to “force,
pressure, strain or strong-front”. Every material steel, rock or wood has
its own limit up to which it can withstand stress without being damaged.
Similarly human beings can tolerate certain level of stress. Stress is
highly individualistic in nature. Some people have high levels of stress
tolerance for stress and thrive very well in the face of several stressors in
the environment. In fact, some individuals will not perform well unless
they experience a level of stress which activates and energizes then to put
forth their best results.
 For every individual there is an optimum level of stress under which he or
she will perform to full capacity. If the stress experience is below the
optimum level, then the individual gets bored, the motivational level of
work reaches a low point and it results to careless mistakes, forgetting to
do things and thinking of things other than work during work hours and
also leads to absenteeism which may ultimately lead to turnover.

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  If on the other hand, stress experience is above the optimum level, it leads
to too many conflicts with the supervisor or leads to increase of errors,
bad decisions and the individual may experience insomnia, stomach
problems, and psychosomatic illness.
 The present world is fast changing and there are lots of pressures and
demands at work. These pressures at work lead to physical disorders.
Stress refers to individual’s reaction to a disturbing factor in the
environment. It is an adaptive response to certain external factor or
situation or what can be called environmental stimuli as reflected in an
opportunity, constraint, or demand the outcome of which is uncertain but
important. In short stress is a response to an external factor that results in
physical, emotional, behavioural deviations in a person.
 Stress is an all pervading modern phenomenon that takes a heavy toll of
human life. Different situations and circumstances in our personal life
and in our job produce stress. Those can be divided into factors related to
the organization and factors related to the person which include his
experience and personality traits. Job related factors are work overload,
time pressures, poor quality of supervision, insecure political climate, role
conflict and ambiguity, difference between company values and
employee values. Person related factors are death of spouse, or of a close
friend, family problems, change to a different line of work, prolonged
illness in the family, change in social activities, eating habits, etc.,
 Personality traits are ‘Type A’ personality. They are impatient, ambitious,
competitive, aggressive, and hardworking. They set high goals and
demands of themselves and others. And they are particularly prone to
stress inducing anticipatory emotions such as anxiety.

 REMEDIES TO REDUCE STRESS:

There are two major approaches to reduce stress. They are,

 Individual approaches.
 Organizational approaches.

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  INDIVIDUAL APPROACHES:

An employee can take individual responsibility to reduce his/her stress level.

Individual strategies that have proven effective include, implementing time
management techniques, increasing physical exercise, relaxation training, and
expanding the social support network.

 Time management:
Many people manage their time very poorly. Some of well-known time
management principles include,
o Making daily list of activities to be accomplished
o Scheduling activities according to the priorities set
o Prioritizing activities by importance and urgency
o Knowing your daily cycle and handling the most demanding parts
of your job.

 Physical exercise:
Practicing physical exercises like aerobics, brisk walking, jogging, swimming,
and riding a bi-cycle.

 Relaxation training:
Relaxation techniques such as meditation, hypnosis and bio-feedback. The
objective is to reach in state of deep relaxation, where one feels physically
relaxed, somewhat from detached from the immediate environment. Fifteen or
twenty minutes a day of deep relaxation releases tension and provides a person
with a pronounced sense of peacefulness.

 Social support:
Having families, friends or work colleagues to talk provides an outlet, when
stress levels become excessive. So expand your social support network that
helps you with someone to hear your problems.

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 ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACHES:
 Several of the factors that cause stress particularly task and role demands
and organizations structure are controlled by management. As such they
can be modified or changed. Some of the strategies that management
want to consider include improved personal self-section and job
placement, use of realistic goal setting, redesigning of jobs, improved
organizational communication and establishment of corporate wellness
programmes.
 Certain jobs are more stressful than others. Individual with little
experience or an external lower of control tend to be more proven to
stress. Selection and placement decisions should take these facts into
consideration. Goal setting helps to reduce stress. It also provides
motivation. Designing jobs to give employees more responsibility, more
meaningful work, more autonomy, and increased feedback can reduce
stress, because these factors give the employee greater control over work
activities and lessen dependence on others.
 Increasingly formal organizational communication with employees
reduces uncertainty by reducing role ambiguity and role conflict.
Wellness programs like employee counselling form on the employee’s
total physical and mental condition. They typically proud work ships to
help people quit smoking, control alcohol usage, eat better and develop a
regular exercise program.
 Another remedy for reducing stress is Cognitive Restructuring. It
involves two step procedures. First irrational or maladaptive thought
processes that create stress are identified. For example, Type A
individuals may believe that they must be successful at everything they
do. The second step consists of replacing these irrational thoughts with
more rational or reasonable ones.
 One important remedy to reduce stress is the maintenance of good sleep.
Research conducted on laboratory specimen to have met with startling
discoveries. Sleep starved rats have developed stress syndrome. The
amount of sleep one requires varies from person to person and is
dependent on one’s lifestyle. The American National Sleep Foundation
claims that a minimum of eight hours of sleep is essential for good health.
 Generally studies shows that young adults can manage with about 7-8
hours. After the age of 35, six hours of sleep is sufficient whereas people
over 65 years may just need three or four hours.

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  TYPES OF STRESSES:

The different 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:

 Stress (biological), physiological or psychological stress; some types

include.
 Chronic stress, persistent stress which can lead to illness and mental
disorder.
 Eustress, positive stress that can lead to improved long-term functioning
 Workplace stress, stress caused by employment.

Other:

 Stress (game), card game.

 Stress (linguistics), phonological use of prominence in language.

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STRESS IN MECHANICAL TERMS:

 Stress (physics):

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,

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 number of methods to control chronic stress, which include,

exercise, healthy diet, stress management, relaxation techniques, adequate rest,
and relaxing hobbies.

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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 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.

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  STRESS IN BIOLOGICAL TERMS:

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, short-term 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.

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  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. 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 when 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.

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  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.

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INDUSTRY PROFILE
HISTORY OF BANKING INDUSTRY:

Modern Western economic and financial history is usually traced back to the
coffee houses of London. The London Royal Exchange was established in 1565.
At that time moneychangers were already called bankers, though the term
"BANK" usually referred to their offices, and did not carry the meaning it does
today. There was also a hierarchical order among professionals; at the top were
the bankers who did business with heads of state, next were the city exchanges,
and at the bottom were the pawn shops or "Lombard’s". Some European cities
today have a Lombard street where the pawn shop was located. After the siege
of Antwerp trade moved to Amsterdam. In 1609the Amsterdamsche Wissel
bank (Amsterdam Exchange Bank) was founded which made Amsterdam the
financial center of the world until the Industrial Revolution.Banking offices
were usually located near centers of trade, and in the late 17th century, the
largest centers for commerce were the ports of Amsterdam, London,
and Hamburg. Individuals could participate in the lucrative East India trade by
purchasing bills of credit from these banks, but the price they received for
commodities was dependent on the ships returning (which often didn't happen
on time) and on the cargo they carried (which often wasn't according to plan).
The commodities market was very volatile for this reason, and also because of
the many wars that led to cargo seizures and loss of ships.

 MAJOR EVENTS IN BANKING HISTORY:

 1602 - First joint-stock company, the Dutch East India Company founded.
 1720 - The South Sea Bubble and John Law's Mississippi Scheme, which caused a
European financial crisis and forced many bankers out of business.
 1781 - The Bank of North America was found by the Continental Congress.
 1930-33 In the wake of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, 9,000 banks close, wiping out
a third of the money supply in the United States.
 1986 - The "Big Bang" (deregulation of London financial markets) served as a
catalyst to reaffirm London's position as a global center of world banking.
 2008 - Washington Mutual collapses. It was the largest bank failure in history.

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  HISTORY OF BANKING IN INDIA:

The first bank in India, though conservative, was established in 1786. From
1786 till today, the journey of Indian Banking System can be segregated into
three distinct phases. They are as mentioned below:

 Early phase from 1786 to 1969 of Indian Banks.

 Nationalization of Indian Banks and up to 1991 prior to Indian banking
sector Reforms.
 New phase of Indian Banking System with the advent of Indian Financial
& Banking Sector Reforms after 1991.

 Phase I:

The General Bank of India was set up in the year 1786. Next came Bank of
Hindustan and Bengal Bank. The East India Company established Bank of
Bengal (1809), Bank of Bombay (1840) and Bank of Madras (1843) as
independent units and called it Presidency Banks. These three banks were
amalgamated in 1920 and Imperial Bank of India was established which started
as private shareholders banks, mostly Europeans shareholders.

In 1865 Allahabad Bank was established and first time exclusively by Indians,
Punjab National Bank Ltd. was set up in 1894 with headquarters at Lahore.
Between 1906 and 1913, Bank of India, Central Bank of India, Bank of Baroda,
Canada Bank, Indian Bank, and Bank of Mysore were set up. Reserve Bank of
India came in 1935.

During the first phase the growth was very slow and banks also experienced
periodic failures between 1913 and 1948. There were approximately 1100
banks, mostly small. To streamline the functioning and activities of commercial
banks, the Government of India came up with The Banking Companies Act,
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  Phase II

Government took major steps in this Indian Banking Sector Reform after
independence. In 1955, it nationalized Imperial Bank of India with extensive
banking facilities on a large scale especially in rural and semi-urban areas. It
formed State Bank of India to act as the principal agent of RBI and to handle
banking transactions of the Union and State Governments all over the country.

Seven banks forming subsidiary of State Bank of India was nationalized in 1960
on 19th July, 1969, major process of nationalization was carried out. It was the
effort of the then Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi. 14 major
commercial banks in the country was nationalized. Second phase of
nationalization Indian Banking Sector Reform was carried out in 1980 with
seven more banks. This step brought 80% of the banking segment in India under
Government ownership.

The following are the steps taken by the Government of India to Regulate
Banking Institutions in the Country:

 1949: Enactment of Banking Regulation Act.

 1955: Nationalization of State Bank of India.
 1959: Nationalization of SBI subsidiaries.
 1961: Insurance cover extended to deposits.
 1969: Nationalization of 14 major banks.
 1971: Creation of credit guarantee corporation.
 1975: Creation of regional rural banks.
 1980: Nationalization of seven banks with deposits over 200 crores.

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After the nationalization of banks, the branches of the public sector bank India
rose to approximately 800% in deposits and advances took a huge jump by
11,000%.
Banking in the sunshine of Government ownership gave the public implicit faith
and immense confidence about the sustainability of these institutions.

 Phase III:

This phase has introduced many more products and facilities in the banking
sector in its reforms measure. In 1991, under the chairmanship of M
Narasimham, a committee was set up by his name which worked for the
liberalization of banking practices.

The country is flooded with foreign banks and their ATM stations. Efforts are
being put to give a satisfactory service to customers. Phone banking and net
banking is introduced. The entire system became more convenient and swift.
Time is given more importance than money.

The financial system of India has shown a great deal of resilience. It is sheltered
from any crisis triggered by any external macroeconomics shock as other East
Asian Countries suffered. This is all due to a flexible exchange rate regime, the
foreign reserves are high, the capital account is not yet fully convertible, and
banks and their customers have limited foreign exchange exposure.

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SCOPE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
STUDY

The world today is fast changing and every individual faces a lot of pressure
and demand at work. These pressures at work lead to mental and physical
disorders. Stress refers to an individual’s response to a disturbing factor in the
environment and the consequences of such a reaction. This study will help
organizations know what causes stress and how to reduce the same in
employees since it is a well-known fact that a healthy and sound employee is a
productive employee.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Primary objective:

 To undergo an in-depth study about the existence of stress among the

employees of the BANKING INDUSTRY Post - Recession.

Secondary objective:

 To identify the factors causing stress among the employees.

 To find out the level of stress among the employees of different age
groups.
 To study about the effects of stress on employees in BANKING
INDUSTRY.
 To identify the coping strategies to manage stress.

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LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
In spite of the precautions, vigilance and scrupulousness taken by the
investigator to make the study objective, it cannot be denied that there are
certain limitations.

 The questionnaires were filled be 30 employees working in various bank.

So the scope of sample findings was less.

 The questionnaire was filled by 30 employees of different designations.

So the point of view of employees differs as per their designations.

 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).

 As the study was done within a limited time, investigator could not select
a sufficiently large sample for the study.

 The employees were reluctant to give correct information.

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REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A review on the previous studies on stress among the employees is
necessary to know the areas already covered. This will help to find our new
areas uncovered and to study them in depth. The earlier studies made on stress
among the employees are briefly reviewed here.
The research study of Jamal. M finds that job stressors were
significantly related to employees’ psychosomatic problems, job satisfaction,
unproductive time at the job, and absenteeism. Type A behavior was found to
be an important moderator of the stress outcome relationship. Hans Selye’s 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’s believed that the biochemical
effects of stress would be experienced irrespective of whether the situation was
positive or negative. 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. Brief. A. P. and J. M. Atieh,
argues that it is not safe to assume that job conditions that have an adverse
impact on affective reactions to the job will also have a negative impact on
overall subjective well-being.
Fienmann views stress as a psychological response state of negative
effect characterized by a persistent and a high level of experienced anxiety or
tension.
Hans Seyle, the endocrinologist, whose research on General Adaptation
Syndrome (GAS), for the first time, revealed how human beings adapt

22
themselves to emotional strives and strains in their lives. According to him
emotional stress occurs in three important stages.
1. Alarm reaction stage.
2. Resistance stage.
3. Exhaustion stage.
Alarm reaction is caused by physical or psychological stressors.
Resistances are brought about by ACTH hormone of the body. Exhaustion
follows when ACTH dwindles as a result of continual stress. (ACTH-
Adrenocorticotropic)
According to Stephen .P. Robbins*, stress related headaches are the
leading cause of loss of work time in U. S. industry.
Cooper and Marshall* visualize stress as characteristics of both the focal
individual and his environment. They designate the internal and external
conclusive forces as ‘pressures’ or ‘stressors’ and the resulting stalk of the
organism on stress.
Recent research into the interaction between the mind and body show that
we may place our body on stress ‘alert’ quite unconsciously, because of our
psychological and emotional attitudes to stress. Anticipatory emotions like
impatience, anxiety, and anger can produce the same nerve impulses and
chemical reactions as being faced with a concrete challenge. So when faced
with a stressful situation, we must either use up the energy created by the body
to challenge or learn how to “turn off”, the response using a conscious
relaxation technique.

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WHAT IS STRESS?
Stress is a dynamic condition in which 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. It’s 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.
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.

Stress refers to the strain from the conflict between our external environment
and us, leading to emotional and physical pressure. In our fast paced world, it is
impossible to live without stress, whether you are a student or a working adult.
There is both positive and negative stress, depending on each individual’s
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.

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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.

25
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.

26
STRESS MANAGEMENT
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.
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 looseness.
Unfortunately, today, we don't get relaxing and soothing situations without
asking. To be relaxed we have to strive to create such situations.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF STRESSORS:

As mentioned previously, stressors can come in a variety of forms, including
extreme heat or lighting, lack of sleep, risk of injury or death, or time pressure.
The description of stressors and their impact on behavior is an open-ended task,
and current research considers an increasing number of events and conditions to
be stressors.

27
Although stressors can be:
 Physical (Biological or Chemical demands on the body) or
 Cognitive (Threat of Death, Personal Assault)
in form, they are always external and produce similar physiological responses
within the body. These physiological effects, defined as a stress response, can
include increased blood pressure, dilated pupils and increased heart rate.

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 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's will.

28
WORKPLACE STRESS:

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) and 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-the-job 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 upper-
extremity musculoskeletal disorders. High levels of stress are associated with

29
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 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%

30
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.

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 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.

31
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.
32
REDUCING STRESS:

1. Job analysis:

We have all experienced that appalling sense of having far too much work to do
and too little time to do it in. We can choose to ignore this, and work
unreasonably long hours to stay on top of our workload. The risks here are that
we become exhausted, that we have so much to do that we do a poor quality job
and that we neglect other areas of our life. Each of these can lead to intense
stress.
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.
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.

33
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

 Self-criticism over a less-than-perfect rehearsal.

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 down and challenge it rationally. Ask yourself whether

34
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:

 Feelings of inadequacy: Have you trained yourself as well as you

reasonably should have? Do you have the experience and resources you
need to make the presentation? Have you planned, prepared and
rehearsed enough? If you have done all of these, you've done as much as
you can to give a good performance.

 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.

 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

35
 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:

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.
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."

 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."

36
3. LAUGHTER
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.

What Laughter Can Do Against Stress And Its Effects?

•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 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.
• 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 endorphins—body's natural painkillers.
• Produces a general sense of well-being.

37
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research is defined as human activity based on intellectual application in the
investigation of matter. The primary purpose for applied research is discovering,
interpreting, and the development of methods and systems for the advancement
of human knowledge on a wide variety of scientific matters of our world and the
universe. Research can use the scientific method, but need not do so.

Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem.

The research methodology in the present study deals with research design, data
collection methods, sampling methods, survey, analysis and interpretations.

APPROACHES TO RESEARCH:
Descriptive approach is one of the most popular approaches these days. In this
approach, a problem is described by the researcher by using questionnaire or
schedule. This approach enables a researcher to explore new areas of
investigation.

RESEARCH DESIGN:
A research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and analysis of
data in a manner that aims to combine relevance to the research purpose with
economy in procedure.
 A well-structured questionnaire is framed.
 Data is collected from the employees in the BANKING INDUSTRY.
 Findings are made and necessary suggestions and recommendations are
given.

38
DATA SOURCES:
There are two types of data collection namely primary data collection and
secondary data collection.
 PRIMARY DATA:

The primary data is defined as the data, which is collected for the primary data
is defined as the data, which is collected for the first time and fresh in nature,
and happen to be original in character through field survey.

 SECONDARY DATA:

The secondary data are those which have already been collected by someone
else and have been passed through statistical process.

 DATA COLLECTION METHOD:

The data collection method used in this research is questionnaire method. Here
the data are systematically recorded from the respondents.

RESEARCH TOOL:
A structured questionnaire has been prepared to get the relevant information
from the respondents. The questionnaire consists of a variety of questions
presented to the respondents for their despondence.

SAMPLING:
Sampling is that part of statistical practice concerned with the selection of
individual observations intended to yield some knowledge about a population of
concern, especially for the purposes of statistical inference. Each observation
measures one or more properties (weight, location, etc.) of an observable entity
enumerated to distinguish objects or individuals. Survey weights often need to

39
be applied to the data to adjust for the sample design. Results from probability
theory and statistical theory are employed to guide practice.
SAMPLE UNIT:
The employees of the BANKING INDUSTRY are the sample unit in the
survey.
SAMPLE SIZE:
The sample size chosen for this study is 30 as instructed by the department since
it is a MINI RESEARCH PROJECT.

SAMPLING METHOD:
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.
In this research, the sampling methods used are Random sampling,
Convenience sampling and Snowball sampling

Random sampling is the purest form of probability sampling. Each member of

the population has an equal and known chance of being selected. When there
are very large populations, it is often difficult or impossible to identify every
member of the population, so the pool of available subjects becomes biased.

40
Judgment sampling is a common non-probability method. The researcher
selects the sample based on judgment. This is usually an extension of
convenience sampling. For example, a researcher may decide to draw the entire
sample from one "representative" city, even though the population includes all
cities. When using this method, the researcher must be confident that the chosen
sample is truly representative of the entire population.

Snowball sampling is a special non-probability method used when the desired

sample characteristic is rare. It may be extremely difficult or cost prohibitive to
locate respondents in these situations. Snowball sampling relies on referrals
from initial subjects to generate additional subjects. While this technique can
dramatically lower search costs, it comes at the expense of introducing bias
because the technique itself reduces the likelihood that the sample will represent
a good cross section from the population.

STATISTICAL METHODS USED:

 Percentage analysis
 Pie diagrams

PERCENTAGE ANALYSIS:
Percentage refers to a special kind of ratio. Percentages are used in making
comparison between two or more series of data. Percentage is used to describe
relative terms the distribution of two or more series of data.
No. of Respondents
Percentage of Respondents = ------------------------ X 100
Total Respondents

41
DATA INTREPRATATION AND
ANALYSIS
DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

Q1. AGE PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS:

TABLE 1
AGE.
Frequency Percentage
Valid 25 – 30 6 20.0
30 – 35 14 46.7
35 – 40 10 33.3
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:

Maximum respondents were in the age group of 30 – 35.

42
Q2. GENDER PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS:

TABLE 2
GENDER.

Frequency Percentage
Valid MALE 15 50.0
FEMALE 15 50.0
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
There is equal number of male & female respondents.

43
Q3. WORK EXPERIENCE OF RESPONDENTS:

TABLE 3
EXPERIENCE.
Frequency Percentage
Valid < 5 YEARS 9 30.0
5 - 10
17 56.7
YEARS
> 10 YEARS 4 13.3
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
More than 50% of the respondents had a work experience of about 5 – 10
years.

44
 Q4. EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION OF RESPONDENTS:

TABLE 4
QUALIFICATION.
Frequency Percentage
Valid UG 21 70.0
PG 9 30.0
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
70% of the respondents are PG qualified with an MBA or equivalent
degree.

45
Q5. Do you suffer with difficulty in sleeping?

TABLE 1.1
RESPONDENTS WITH DIFFICULTY IN SLEEPING.

Frequency Percentage
Valid NOT AT AL 8 26.7
RARELY 8 26.7
SOMETIMES 7 23.3
OFTEN 5 16.7
VERY OFTEN 2 6.7
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
From the above table, it is understood that 26.7% of the employees rarely
have any trouble in sleeping, 23.3% find it difficult sometimes ,16.7% face
the problem very often and 6.7% of the employees find extreme difficulty
in sleeping. Therefore, it is observed that for most parts, the employees do
not have any problems with sleeping.

46
Q6. Do you find it difficult to concentrate?

TABLE1.2
RESPONDENTS WITH DIFFICULTY IN
CONCENTRATING.
Frequenc
y Percentage
Valid NOT AT ALL 5 16.7
RARELY 11 36.7
SOMETIMES 10 33.3
OFTEN 4 13.3
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
It is clear that 16.7% of the employees have absolutely no difficulty in
concentrating,36.7% of them rarely have a problem ,33.3% sometimes and
only a small group of 13.3% find it difficult to concentrate at work.
Therefore, it can be said that mostly the employees have no trouble in
concentrating at work.

47
Q7. Do financial problems get you down?

TABLE 1.3
RESPONDANTS WITH FINANCIAL
PROBLEMS.
Frequency Percentage
Valid NOT AT ALL 10 33.3
SOMETIMES 12 40.0
OFTEN 8 26.7
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
The table shows that, 40% of the employees feel that financial problems
put them down sometimes, 30% felt that it did not affect them at all and
26.7% of them felt that very often it caused them problems. Therefore, it is
identified that financial trouble does put down people sometimes.

48
Q5. Do you get angry quickly?
TABLE 1.5
RESPONDENTS AND FREQUENCY OF
ANGER.
Frequency Percentage
Valid NOT AT ALL 10 33.3
SOMETIMES 12 40.0
VERY
8 26.7
OFTEN
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
40% of the employees claim that they sometimes get angry often while
33.3% feel that they do not get angry very often. Also 26.7% of them say
that they get very angry most of the time.
Therefore, it is inferred that most of the employees are relatively calm and
get angry only sometimes.

49
 Q6. Do you find you are prone to negative thinking about your job?
TABLE 1.6
RESPONDENTS WITH JOB
PESSIMISM.
Frequency Percentage
Valid NOT AT AL 10 33.3
RARELY 13 43.3
SOMETIMES 7 23.3
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
The table clearly shows that the employees have no negative thoughts about
their job since 40% of them feel that it happens only rarely and 33.3.% say
that it never happens.
Therefore, the rate of job pessimism or negative thinking about one’s job is
very low.

50
Q7. When you have been ill with relatively minor illnesses, does it take you
a long time to recover?
Table 1.7
RESPONDENTS WITH SLOW RECOVERY DURING ILLNESS.
Frequency Percentage
Valid NOT AT ALL 11 36.7
RARELY 11 36.7
SOMETIMES 8 26.7
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
From the table, it is seen that most of the employees (36.7%) recuperate
pretty quickly from an illness while only 26.7% of them say that sometimes a long slow
recovery period is taken.
It is inferred that most of the employees get back to their feet pretty soon after an illness
and do not stay in bed for excessive periods of time.

51
Q8. Do you feel you are isolated, with no-one to talk to?
TABLE 1.8
RESPONDENTS WHO FEEL ISOLATED.
Frequency Percentage
Valid NOT AT ALL 14 46.7
RARELY 10 33.3
SOMETIMES 6 20.0
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
This table shows that majority of the people do not feel isolated or lonely.
46.7% of them do not feel any isolation while 33.3% say it happens rarely.
Therfore,it is seen that most of the employees have someone to talk to and
relate with and are not isolated or alone.

52
 Q9. Do you feel out of control and as if you're not in the driving seat of
your life and health?
TABLE 1.9
RESPONDENTS WITH NO CONTROL
OF LIFE.
Frequency Percentage
Valid RARELY 12 40.0
SOMETIMES 12 40.0
OFTEN 6 20.0
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
This table shows that most of the employees have control of their lives and
are in the driving seat of their own lives while only 20% felt that they are
being controlled by others and not themselves.

53
 Q10. Do you 'snack' instead of eating 'wholesome' meals?
TABLE 1.10
RESPONDENTS WITH BAD EATING HABITS.

Frequency Percentage
Valid SOMETIMES
9 30.0

OFTEN 12 40.0
VERY OFTEN 9 30.0
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
The values in the table clearly indicate that all the employees indulge in
snacking rather than in consumption of wholesome nutritious meals due
heavy work pressure ,time constraints and job demands.

54
FINDINGS

1. Most of the respondents have many years of

long association with the organisation.
2. Most of the employees feel that they have no
time for themselves and their personal lives
because of work overload.
3. The respondents are sociable and have no
problems interacting with their colleagues.
4. Employees’ are satisfied with the working
conditions.
5. Role overload is the major cause of stress.
6. The respondents face a moderate level of
stress.

55
SUGGESTIONS

 The employees must give importance to time management techniques

thereby they can complete their work within the specified time.
 Many tasks can be delegated to subordinates without losing effectiveness
so that we can reduce the overload of work.
 Introduce Flexi time
 Organizations must introduce recreational zones within the premises for
the employees to unwind.
 Adopt the work to home transition strategy. It means instead of carrying
the pressures of the work to home, the suggestion is to start the
unwinding process during the work day and enter the home in a relaxed
and peaceful mind.
 Counseling the employees when they face problems, because counseling
is the discussion of a problem that usually has emotional content with an
employee in order to help the employee cope better.
 The organization must introduce Employee Assistance Programme
(EAPs) and stress control workshops accordingly to the level of
employees, because there is a strong relation between the level of stress
and level of employees. EAP includes counseling employees who seek
assistance on how to deal with alcohol and drug abuse, managing
personal finances, handling conflicts at the work place, dealing with
marital and other family problems, and coping with health problems.
 Engaging the bored employee in aerobic exercise, because it stimulates
the brain and the body. Also the employee must practice meditation and
yoga regularly.

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  EMPLOYEES’ SUGGESTION TO REDUCE STRESS

This project consists of the information about the employees, working in the
banking industry, who are undergoing stress. So considering this factor, the
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. The response of employees
from major banks in the city was marvelous as they gave their valuable opinion
about reducing stress as a result of the last question included in the
questionnaire. The opinion of the employees was as follows:
 “Just smile away” An employee- HDFC Bank.
 “Just believe in yourself and just do what your heart wants” An
employee- HDFC Bank.
 -“Talking to family member “- Watching TV or listening good music,
- Going for a walk or long drive” An employee- HDFC Bank.
 “Believe in God” An employee- Bank of Baroda..
 “Respect yourself and give time to yourself” An employee- Citibank
 “Working in environment welfares, lot of positive attitude. Positive
attitude is only that reduces stress and achieves success. Most of the
people frustrate due to lack of positivity and stress level climbs up due
to that. So get positive attitude about work, about life, and forget the
stress” An employee- Citibank.
 “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- ICICI Bank.
 “Play and watch cricket” An employee- ICICI Bank.
 “Listen music and spend time with family” An employee- Deutsche
Bank.

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CONCLUSION

Stress in the work place has become the black plague of the
present century. Much of the stress at work is caused not only
by work overload and time pressure but also by lack of
rewards and praise, and more importantly, by not providing
individuals with the autonomy to do their work as they would
like.
Organization must begin to manage people at work
differently, improve physical work environment, treat them
with respect and value their contribution. If we enhance the
psychological well-being and health of the employees, the
organizational revenue increases and there is employee
retention as well because it is said that,

“A Healthy Employee is a Productive Employee”

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS:

1. Jamal M. “Job stress-prone Type A behaviour, personal and organizational

consequences”, Canadian Journal Administration Sciences, 1985. pp 360-
74.
2. A. P and J. M. Atieh, “Studying job stress: Are we making mountains out
of molehills?” Journal of occupational behaviour, 1987 pp115-26.
3. Paul Hersey, Kenneth H. Blanchard, Dewey E. Johnson –“Organizational
Behaviour”, Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd, 1998.
4. Stephen P. Robbins, “Organizational Behaviour”, Prentice Hall, U .K.
1999.
5. Cooper. C. L. and Marshall. J, “Understanding Executive Stress”, The
McMillan Press Ltd, 1978 p 4.
6. K. Aswathappa, “Organizational Behavior”, Himalaya Publishing House

WEBSITES:
1. http://www.lifepositive.com/Mind/psychology/stress/stress.asp
2. http://www.medicinenet.com/stress/article.htm
3. http://helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm
4. http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm
5. http://stress.about.com/
6. http://www.studygs.net/stress.htm
7. www.wikipedia.com
8. www.finance.indiamart.com

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