“STRESS MANAGEMENT AT WORKPLACE DURING COVID-19”

A
PROJECT REPORT

SUBMITTED TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

IN THE PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF

U.G DEGREE OF

B.COM (HONS.)

SUPERVISED BY: SUBMITTED BY:

MS RENU BENIWAL KANIKA

ROLL NO: 3090420003

UNIVERSITY ROLL NO:

GOVERNMENT PG COLLEGE FOR WOMEN , ROHTAK

Session 2021 -2022

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 DECLARATION
I, KANIKA, hereby declare that the Project Report entitled “STRESS MANAGEMENT AT WORKPLACE
DURING COVID-19” is my original work and submitted by me in the Department of Commerce,
Government PG College for Women (Rohtak) for the partial fulfillment of UG degree of B.Com (Hons.). I
also declare that this project has not been submitted earlier in any other University and Institution.

Date: Signature of Student

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have taken efforts in this project. However. It would not have been possible without the kind support and
help of many individuals. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of them.
I am highly indebted to Ms Renu Beniwal for his guidance and constant supervision as well as for providing
necessary information regarding the report and also for his support in completing the report. I would like to
express my special gratitude towards my teachers of Government P.G.College For Women, Rohtak for their
kind co-operation and encouragement which help in completion of this report.

My thanks and appreciation also goes to my friends in developing the report and people who have willingly
helped me out with their abilities.

KANIKA

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 CONTENTS

Chapter-1 Introduction
 Meaning of Stress Management
 Types of Stress
 Origination of Covid-19
 Stressors during corona virus pandemic
 Stress at workplace during pandemic
 Causes and outcomes of Covid-19 at workplace
 How to measure Stress
 Effects of Stress
 How to combat Stress

Chapter-2 Review of literature and Research gap

Chapter-3 Research Methodology
 Scope of the study
 Objectives of the study
 Design of the study
 Area of the study
 Sample Size
 Limitations of the study

Chapter-4Analysisof data
Chapter-5 Result interpretation and Conclusion of the study

-References
-Bibliography

-Annexure

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 CHAPTER – 1
INTRODUCTION

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 INTRODUCTION

In our everyday lives we get to hear the word ‘stress’ from our peers, colleagues, teachers and doctors. Even
the word ‘stress’ can be heard now a days in the news, in the magazines and on other social media too. But
exactly what is stress?? In the layman’s language stress is’ frustration or anxiety or nervousness or change in
regular function of mind or body due to negative or positive influences around us’. So the definitions of
stress by different experts are as followsArnod (1960) thinks that “Stress is any condition that disturbs
normal functioning”. Selye (1974) defines stress as “Stress is a non-specific response of the body to any
demand”. According to Beehr & Newman (1978) “Stress is a condition arising from the interaction of people
and their jobs and characterized by changes within people that force them to deviate from their normal
functioning”. A recent report by the National Association of Mental Health distinguishes stress from
pressure, where pressure can be defined as a subjective feeling of tension or arousal that is triggered by a
potentially stressful situation. But, where pressure exceeds an individual’s ability to cope, the result is stress.

Workplace stress is a mounting problem in the organisations as it not only affects the employees work life
but also impact on employees’ family life as well. Work stress refers to the pressure or tension people feel in
their life. It is considered as an important fact influencing the organisational wellbeing and health of its
employees. It affects the behaviour of employees in organisations. It has a far-reaching impact on the
motivation and satisfaction of employees. The productivity of employees and the overall productivity of the
organisation is affected by levels of stress and motivation. Work stress causes various psychological
problems like anger, depression, anxiety, irritability and tension, the organisation is affected by levels of
stress and motivation.

Stress Management
Stress Management has become a most important and valuable technique to boost the employee morale and
the company’s productivity in all companies. There are varieties of techniques to manage stress in
organizations. High stress jobs refer to work, which involves hectic schedule and complex job
responsibilities that result into imbalance between personal and work life. Overwork may affect physical
health of individual resulting into ineffective work and dissatisfaction among employees leading to
imbalance in family or personal life also. There are lots of individual stressors like role ambiguity,
psychological hardiness, and type of personality that affect the morale of the employees as a whole.
Effective stress management should overcome the stressors and it is obvious that no technique can
completely remove stress but only can minimize it to negligible level. And the organizations are trying to
minimize and cope up with the stress factors by implementing various trends and techniques in minimizing
stress.

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Types of Stress
Based on its impact on body mind and performance, stress can be categorized into four types:
1.Eu-stress(Desired stress)- Eu-stress is just a reasonable amount of stress that an individual can take. This
stress has positive after effects. Eu-stress can create passion for work. It may be able to provoke hidden
abilities and talents. It inspires humans to take on new activities. Such well quantified stress can lead to
success.

2. Distress(Undesired stress)- Distress is an excessive quantity of stress. This amount of stress is harmful to
the individual. Distress can cause negative effects on body and mind of individual. Such stress causes effects
as depression, heart attack etc.

3.Hyper-Stress(Over stress)- If the person pushed beyond what one can handle, which turns in to Hyper-
stress. More times it occurs because workload or over worked. This type of stress occurs when constant
heavy financial difficulties, work both at home and office, Continuous tension, travelling day and night etc.
4.Hypostress(Under stress)- This is directly opposite to Hyperstress. This type of stress experienced by
people when they constantly feel bored, same task over and over again, restless work and lack of inspiration.

MODEL OF STRESS BASED ON HANS SEYLE (1956) FOUR DIMENSIONS

Eu- stress(desired)

Distress
(undesired) Stress Hyper-stress(over)

Hypostress(under)

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Signs That May Point Toa Stress Problem In The Organisation
Employees suffering from work place stress show it in a variety of ways:-

Work performance
Reduction in output and productivity
Increase in wastage and error rates
Poor decision making

Deterioration in planning and control of work

Staff attitude and behaviour

Loss of motivation and commitment
Staff working increasingly long hours but for diminishing returns

Erratic or poor timekeeping

Relationships at work
Tension and conflict between colleagues
Poor relationships with customers
Increase in industrial relations or disciplinary problems

Staff absence
Increase in overall sickness absence, in particular frequent short

periods of absence.
Workplace stress needs to be managed from the organizational, managerial and individual levels. The
employment of strategies for the management of stress at each level, on its own, is likely to be less effective.

OriginationOf Covid-19
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic.
Which means a global disease outbreak threatening the whole planet. COVID-19 is an infectious disease
caused by coronavirus. ‘Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the
common cold to more severe diseases| such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been
previously identified in humans.’ (WHO, 2020a).They include fever, dry cough, shortness of breath and
breathing difficulties, tiredness with possible symptoms of aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose,
sore throat or diarrhea (WHO, 2020a) Coronavirus is a new virus which has been discovered with its
outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Now, it has spread at a lightning speed to affect several
countries. According to WHO (2020b), on March 31, 2020, this virus has reached 202 countries, areas or
territories with 693,224 confirmed cases and 33,391 deaths.

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Stress, Health, and the Covid-19 pandemic
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global public health crisis of a scale not
previously experienced in modern times. Governmental ‘lockdown’ measures aimed at minimizing virus
transmission including ‘stay at home’ orders, closure of businesses and places of congregation, and travel
restrictions have had a substantive societal impact that permeates almost every facet of daily life. These
widespread changes represent considerable sources of stress in the population and will have deleterious
effects on mental and physical health going forward. As nations begin to emerge from ‘lockdown’, the
collateral damage to human health caused by these restrictions has taken center stage, and mental health
issues, particularly stress-related conditions and outcomes, are prominent among them. The imperative for
strategies to assist in managing stress and minimizing concomitant health problems has become a priority.
In this commentary, we outline how stress reappraisal interventions, which have come to the fore in recent
years, may be a potentially efficacious, cost effective way to manage stress during and post-pandemic, and
minimize the health consequences. The health threat posed by the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19,
and concerns about its effects on family, friends, and colleagues, represents a substantive source of stress
itself.

Beyond this, the social effects of the lockdown measures such as concerns over availability of food and
household goods and social isolation also present as important stressors. In addition, enforced closure of all
but essential services has left many at-risk of unemployment and facing economic uncertainty. Economic
uncertainty, therefore, represents a further source of stress particularly invulnerable groups. Individuals
employed in frontline workforces are also among those at higher risk. These workers have been directly
responsible for maintaining essential services during the lockdown, and have been shown to experience
substantive increases in stress and vicarious traumatization.
However, the pace of the emergence from lockdown is understandably gradual, given the high extant
infection rates in many areas and the omnipresent threat of a ‘second wave’ of infections (Day, 2020). This
means that the financial difficulties and economic concerns remain a very real threat, and will do so for a
substantive period of time after the pandemic itself has passed. The prolonged exposure to stress arising from
the crisis is likely to have insidious long-term health effects including increased risk of physical (e.g., chronic
disease risk) and mental (e.g., depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder) health problems,
impaired cognitive function , and reduced productivity and absenteeism in the workplace.
Chronic stress is, therefore, an important parallel public health concern during the current pandemic and in its
aftermath. The development of effective means to mitigate and manage stress arising from the pandemic and
afterwards should, therefore, be considered a priority. It is also important that means applied to manage stress
do not place increased burden on healthcare services already at or exceeding capacity. The ones lies on
behavioral scientists to develop effective low cost means to assist with the management during and after the
crisis.

Stressors during corona virus pandemic

The main stressors during a pandemic are the 1) Perception of safety, threat and risk of contagion 2)
Infobesity and the Unknown 3) Quarantaine and confinement 4) Stigma and social exclusion and 5) Financial
loss and job insecurity.

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Perception of safety, threat and risk of contagion
During pandemic, fear and panic set in. In fact, individuals’ anxiety may increase following the first death
and an increased media reporting related to the number of new cases. In this case, individuals are afraid about
their own health and the health of the members of their family. The outbreak of COVID-19 itself and the
control measures taken may lead to widespread fear and panic.

Infobesity versus the unknown

During pandemic outbreak, individuals face an infobesity or an information overload. They become
overwhelmed by the known lethality of the infection as well as the intensity of media coverage of this
pandemic outbreak, which exacerbates their perception of danger, increases their anxiety and undermines
their mental health. In this case, misinformation spreads faster than COVID-19.
In fact, it may spread rumours or false information leading to misinformation overload, which stokes
unfounded fears among many individuals. The study showed that there was a high prevalence of mental
health problems (depression and anxiety or a combination of both) which was positively associated with
frequent social media exposure during the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China. Furthermore, news
coverage of a pandemic outbreak may contain an amount of conflicting information which can shake an
individual’s trust , creates confusion, uncertainty and increases the level of stress felt by the individual and
his incapacity to cope with the intensity of the current situation.
Moreover, the lack of clear information about the different levels of risks may lead individuals to imagine
the worst, which exacerbates their anxiety. In fact, insufficient clear information about the pandemic and
clear explanation about the necessity of quarantine have been identified as important sources of stress for
individuals during the pandemic.

Quarantine and confinement

Quarantine refers to separating individuals (or communities) who have potentially been exposed to an
infectious disease from the rest of the community.COVID-19 is an infectious disease, as it spreads around the
world, governments like China, Italy and many other countries have adopted draconian measures, such as
imposing quarantines and travel bans, on an unexpected and unprecedented scale. Although quarantines are
generally established for the public good, they may result in a heavy psychological, emotional and financial
burden for individuals. In fact, individuals quarantined might experience boredom, anger and loneliness.
Some studies pointed out that quarantine during a pandemic, like COVID-19, is associated with poorer
mental health, with high prevalence of symptoms of psychological distress and disorder. This association can
be worse due to the duration of the quarantine. Furthermore, the study on health care workers showed that
quarantined employees were significantly more likely to report exhaustion, anxiety when dealing with febrile
patients, insomnia, irritability, low levels of work performance and poor concentration. There can be long-
term negative psychological outcomes of quarantine experiences; not only for the individuals quarantined,
but also for the health care system administrating the quarantine, as well as the politicians and public health
officials mandating it.

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Stigma and social exclusion
Stigma is one of the common social consequences of a pandemic. Being afraid of the risk of a potentially
lethal contagious disease, people develop a form of stereotyping toward individuals associated with the
epicentre of the disease, by avoiding them, blaming new disease outbreaks on them ; and spreading
misleading rumours about them on social media. Furthermore, stigma and social exclusion can be directed
towards confirmed patients, survivors and their relations, and individuals who have been quarantined or who
have been in contact with those who have been quarantined. Rejection, isolation, and discrimination are
associated with poor psychological outcomes .The study showed that health care workers were more likely to
feel stigmatized and rejected in their neighbourhood because of their work at the hospital. This stigmatization
may lead to a high level of psychological distress and depression.

Financial loss and job insecurity

Pandemics lead to business disruption. The outbreak of a pandemic causes the closure of schools and
workplaces , as well as the shortening of working hours as measures to mitigate the severity and spread of the
disease. This situation will have a negative impact on the individuals’ financial capacity due to the loss of
income. Financial loss can also be an issue for individuals who are quarantined, since they are not able to
work or to maintain their professional activities, often without the prior ability to plan for this eventuality
long-term, with potential long-lasting effects . The study showed that individuals who stopped working due
to Covid-19 outbreak reported worse health and distresswhich can have a negative impact on the mental
health of employees who are affected by the organizational reforms of closure and reduction of working
hours during COVID-19. The negative effect of job insecurity has been widely documented in literature on
mental health in the workplace.

Stress at workplace during pandemic

Covid-19 is exerting unprecedented pressure on health and social care services, with particular challenges for
frontline staff. Care providers will not only feel the burden of their professional duty, with long hours, often
understaffed and insufficient time for recovery, but anxiety around shortages of personal protective
equipment and the risk of infection. This sits alongside the fear of spreading the virus to their families.
The COVID-19 crisis has created a new workplace hazard that will be a significant source of stress and
anxiety for many workers. This is especially true where infection risks are greatest, where workers are
deemed essential to continue working, and for workers who are particularly vulnerable. Opening of
workplaces during COVID-19 is occurring against a backdrop of heightened levels of psychological distress
in the community that crosses all sociodemographic divides. Distress may result from increased personal
fnancial pressure, social isolation, fear of infection, or the threat of job loss. Returning to an uncertain
working environment presents an additional stressor that will further affect the mental health of workers.
Workers who experience COVID-19 symptoms and return to work after a period of illness and quarantine
may experience fatigue, anxiety, and/or reduced work tolerance. They may face difculties in access to work,
restrictions in social contact with others, and new training, equipment, or responsibilities. The social stigma

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associated with a COVID-19 diagnosis may alter social relationships and access to or interactions with
colleagues. It is unclear how conjoint work that necessitates close physical proximity will be managed,

though it seems that mandatory physical distancing will be a condition for workplace opening. The social
support of longstanding colleagues may fracture, and it may be difficult or impossible to work side-by-side
with peers for any prolonged duration. The workplace has never had such seismic shifts at a global level.

Moderators: what are the mitigating or aggravating factors of Covid-19’s that effects on
employees’ mental health
 organizational factors
 institutional factors
 individual factors.

Organizational factors
Organizational factors are related to occupational role, occupational safety and health management as well as
teleworking.

Occupational role
In this context, besides their work overload, health care employees have a very high exposure to the virus
since they are in constant contact with the general public, which makes their occupation high risk in terms of
mental health, especially during a pandemic.

Occupational safety and health management

Employers have the responsibility to protect their employees and to ensure a workplace free from hazards
that may physically harm them or cause their death. The current situation caused by COVID-19 is
challenging for organizations all over the world. In this context, managers should work closely with human
resource practitioners and health institutions in order to develop a safety and health plan which will prevent
the risk of contagion and coronavirus spread within the organization. Organization’s policies play an
important role in this context in minimizing the spread of the virus. For this purpose, they need to follow the
guidelines of health officials, of their country’s government and of the World Health Organization . They
need to educate and train their employees about prevention behaviours and to provide the required protection
material for those who need to be present in the workplace (e.g. Masks, Sanitizers, social distancing…).
Having clear preventive measures in the workplace will build trust which will help to reduce employees’
level of stress. They will feel protected and supported by their employer.

Institutional factors
In this paper institutional factors refer to the governmental programs that aim to support employees
financially and psychologically during and after the pandemic. Governmental programs, mainly financial
security programs, help to reduce the incidence of psychological disorder during pandemics. Furthermore,
the presence of an effective mental health system can mitigate the consequences of COVID-19 on
individuals’ mental health. The absence of mental health and psychosocial support systems, paired with an
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absence of well-trained mental health professionals, have increased the risks of psychological distress during
covid. In fact, during and immediately after the pandemic outbreak, psychosocial support is crucial for
quarantined people and health workers . During the COVID-19 outbreak in China mental health services
have been provided using various channels like hotlines, online consultations, online courses and telemental
health services. Mental health care for patients and health workers affected by COVID-19 has been
underaddressed. To provide psychologicalsupport during COVID-19, most health professionals working in
isolation units and hospitals have not received training in how to provide mental health care. Regular
screening for depression, anxiety and suicidal tendencies should be performed for COVID-19 patients as well
as health workers. In this context, public health officials should develop a nationwide strategic planning for
psychological first aid through telemedicine and provide effectively clear messages that will help individuals
to have an accurate understanding of the situation.

Individual factors
In this paper, individual factors encompass sociodemographic factors (gender, age and education), the history
of the individual’s mental illness, and the perception of physical health vulnerability. There are no specific
studies which investigate this moderating role of these factors in the relationship between COVID-19
outbreak and employees’ mental health. However, it is possible to make some predictions based on
workplace mental health’s literature. In fact, research has shown that women are more prone to depression
than men) and they have greater psychological vulnerability to stress, which suggest that they may react more
intensely to stress compared to men, in the case of a pandemic.Education is supposed to have a buffer effect
because more educated people have better cognitive skills which may help them to cope with the
consequences. In addition, a history of mental illness is a risk factor during pandemics. An individual’s
perception of their physical health, if poor, is also associated with higher stress and psychological morbidity
It is also the case if they have a history of chronic illnesses

Optimize communication and transparency

In this context, a communication plan should be developed in order to provide clear information to
employees about what will happen after COVID-19, what are the main actions that will be taken to resume
organizational operations, and the potential impact of these actions on employees’ work. Indeed, providing
clear and transparent information about the organization’s future plans may reduce the fear of the unknown.
Prevention of stigma
Stigmatization can be minimized by providing accurate and timely COVID-19 information and training to
employees and managers during and after the pandemic outbreak. Furthermore, organizations should develop
or reinforce workplace policies that address stigma prevention

Training
Training is also essential during and after the pandemic. It is considered as a protective factor against mental
health issues . It helps to educate employees about thenecessary behaviours and their importance in the
prevention of viral spread. General education about COVID-19 and the reasons for quarantine can reduce
stigmatization in the workplace. COVID-19 is an unexpected crisis, managers need to be coached and trained
on how to properly manage it, which may reduce their level of stress. Co-development programs should be
implemented in this context, to develop employees and managers’ abilities to cope with the COVID-19
impact on the workplace.
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Social support
Social support at work is largely documented in the literature as a protective factor against workplace mental
health issues. The development and implementation of mental health support and services are crucial to
prevent mental health outcomes of COVID-19. Some studies pointed out that inadequate psychological
support from the employer represents a risk factor for poor mental health.Mobilization of resources for
emotional support may enhance resilience of Covid survivors. In order to mitigate the potential negative
impact of quarantine, social isolation, fear of contagion and uncertainty on employees, managers should
foster a supportive environment in the workplace . In this context, social support programs need to be
developed during and after COVID-19, by maintaining continuous communication with employees.

Development of return-to-work plan

Employers should also develop a return-to-work plan for employees who have been quarantined or was in a
teleworking mode, during COVID-19. This type of plan may reduce the employees’ level of stress and the
risk of mental health issues. In this case, the employer should discuss expectations and the company’s future
plans with the employee prior to his return to work.

Causes and outcomes of Covid-19 at workplace

Covid-19 is exerting unprecedented pressure on health and social care services, with particular challenges for
frontline staff. Care providers will not only feel the burden of their professional duty, with long hours, often
understaffed and insufficient time for recovery, but anxiety around shortages of personal protective
equipment and the risk of infection. This sits alongside the fear of spreading the virus to their families. Even
the most resilient staff members, experienced in breaking bad news to relatives may be overwhelmed by
having to do this many times a day for weeks on end, especially if they have feelings of guilt on the care
they’re able to provide. In these circumstances moral injury and burnout may affect mental health. Interviews
with American healthcare professionals held during the first week of the Covid-19 pandemic explored 3 key
concerns: what health care professionals were most concerned about, what messaging and behaviours they
needed from their leaders, and what other tangible sources of support they believed would be most helpful to
them .
These discussions consistently centred on 8 sources of anxiety:

● access to appropriate personal protective equipment

● being exposed to Covid-19 at work and taking the infection home to their family

● not having rapid access to testing if they develop symptoms, and fear of spreading infection at work
● uncertainty around organisational support, particularly if taking care of their personal and family needs

● access to childcare during increased work hours and school closures

● support for other personal and family needs as work hours and demands increase (food, hydration,
lodging, transportation)

● being able to provide competent medical care if deployed to a new area

● lack of access to up-to-date information and communication

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These are much the same issues identified across the social care sector as causes of stress and anxiety among
workers. It is crucial to manage workplace stress effectively given the close links to a range of physical and
mental health problems, reduced work performance and absenteeism.

Opening the Workplace After Covid-19: What Lessons Can be Learned

from Return-to-Work Research
Those most susceptible to the virus and its efects are the elderly or medically vulnerable, but physical
distancing, stay-at-home orders, and isolation have produced drastic social, economic and health
consequences for workers of all ages, with a disproportionate impact on those more disadvantaged. Some
businesses and workplaces are beginning to reopen, with under extraordinary rules pertaining to physical
distancing, personal protective equipment, and physical guards. The efcacy of such measures in the
workplace are unknown, and we have much to learn about how workers adapt and function under these
circumstances. A recurring theme in the work disability literature is the heterogeneity of return-to-work
outcomes forworkers with a wide range of injuries, illnesses, and medical procedures (e.g., cardiac arrest,
major trauma). Within medical conditions, this variation has been attributed to demographic and health
variables (age, ftness, health status, anthropometry), to workplace factors (e.g., supervisor support, ability to
accommodate, physical demands), to psychological factors (e.g., perceived impairment, job stress, coping,
fears of re-injury or worsening health conditions, catastrophizing), and to social factors (e.g., family
caregiving roles, social support, economic factors) . The COVID-19 workplace opening process may also
need to address this complexity of factors.

Worker Factors
Just as injury and illness have variable efects on workability, the COVID-19 crisis is likely to impact
workers diferently because of issues like threat of viral infection, health vulnerability, organizational
perceptions, income levels, and seniority/job tenure. Perhaps we can learn from studies in occupational
rehabilitation that have demonstrated how job stress, depressed feelings, job dissatisfaction, fears of injury or
retaliation, catastrophizing, perceived incivility, and other factors can complicate rehabilitation and
recovery.The COVID-19 crisis has created a new workplace hazard that will be a signifcant source of stress
and anxiety for many workers. This is especially true where infection risks are greatest, where workers are
deemed essential to continue working, and for workers who are particularly vulnerable. Opening of
workplaces during COVID-19 is occurring against a backdrop of heightened levels of psychological distress
in the community that crosses all sociodemographic divides. Distress may result from increased personal
fnancial pressure, social isolation, fear of infection, or the threat of job loss. Returning to an uncertain
working environment presents an additional stressor that will further afect the mental health of workers.

15
Workplace Factors
The COVID-19 crisis has led to an unprecedented need for employers to provide fexibility so their workers
can continue to work productively from home, adoptdiferent work habits, or work in a new or rapidly
changing environment. From the occupational rehabilitation literature, we know that workers are highly
variable in their need for job modifcation after injuries. Similarly, workers will have substantially diferent
needs for job modifcation related to COVID-19. Supervisors will be an important resource for information
and individual worker problem solving. With COVID-19, workers will rely heavily on immediate supervisors
to interpret the policies and practices of owners and corporations. In providing support and guidance,
managers will be asked to address a wide range of efects not only of the virus, but of the impact of physical
distancing as well. This is particularly true if they are required to monitor and enforce new working
arrangements.

Societal Factors
The COVID-19 pandemic will have a long-term societal impact both in and out of work. Changes in social
interaction will require that many standard practices within employing organizations be re-evaluated and
revised. A substantial change in workplace interactions and work habits will require accommodation and
leeway in workers with the most signifcant concerns, those with the greatest illness risks, and those who are
working in the highest risk work environments. Just as with return-to-work after injury, employers may
struggle to maintain uniform and fair practices while also being responsive to the concerns of individual
workers, and it will be important to involve multiple stakeholders in this process. The existing occupational
rehabilitation literature has shown how return-to-work and other worker health andsafety outcomes are
stratifed by income, language, immigration status, social rank, and other measures of socioeconomic
advantage or disadvantage. Data from the COVID-19 pandemic will no doubt refect that disadvantaged
workers are overrepresented among essential workers and those deemed necessary for businesses to remain
open or reopen.

How to measure Stress

There are many methods to measure stress. Measuring stress is quantifying the response by the body
responds to a stressful situation. These indicators for stress involve measurement of an array of properties of
body which are changed during stress.
1. Psychological measurements- Each person has a different psychology and way of reacting towards any
stressor. Hence to gather those responses in stress many questionnaires were prepared which contain
questions which measure response to stress.
2. Physiological measurements- When someone comes across any situation which induces stress, the HPA
axis of the person is activated which contains Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Adrenal glands of endocrine system.
On stimulation, these glands produce their hormones i.e. Cortisol and catecholamines. Elevated levels of
those hormones are found in blood, urine and plasma of the person undergoing through stress.
3. Autonomic measures- These include changes in various constants of body and concentration of various
enzymes.

Blood pressure- When a person is undergoing through stress, blood pressure is elevated from its normal
120/80 values.
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Vagal tone- Vagal tone is a parasympathetic response which leads to prevention of reducing heart rate
during sleep or rest. Which means that during sleep, the person’s heart beats with the same force as it beats
when he is awake.

Salivary alpha amylase- This enzyme in saliva is major indication for stress. The levels of this enzyme are
elevated during exercise. And the link between level of catecholamines and salivary alpha amylase is proven.
Also this enzyme can be used to measure action of parasympathetic nervous system.

Salivary Cortisol- Salivary Cortisol represents amount of Cortisol not bound with any receptor. This
concentration can pass through blood brain barrier and alter high order cognitive functions such as learning,
memory, emotional processing.

Effects of Stress
Humans are most intelligent animals on earth. But still they fall prey to stress created by their own
organizations and companies. This situation is equally dangerous for companies because excessive stress in
employees cause employee turnover. Highly stressed employees choose to remain absent to avoid stressful
environment in organization. Employees who are highly stressed lack motivation. When body encounters any
threatening or stressful situation, body shows three distinct phases to combat the stress
1. Alarming stage- Here body prepares to execute fight/flight action. Here blood pressure increases, blood
vessels are dilated, process of digestion slows down, and breathing is faster and deeper. Body stores energy
for upcoming response.

2. Resistance- Here the stimulus of threat persists. The body adjusts towards the stimulus and tries to reduce
the effects of stress. Body uses its capability of adaption as a shield to fight against the threat. Body becomes
habituated towards the stimulus of stress and is able to tolerate it.
3. Exhaustion stage- In this stage, the body cannot cope up further with stressing stimulus. Theadaptation
power of body decreases and body is susceptible to symptoms of stress.

How can you combat Stress

There are many effective ways which help an individual to combat stress and live a happy and healthy life.
These methods include-

• Get more sleep- which provides proper rest to body and helps combat the effect of stress.
• Relaxation techniques- such as arts, dance, music help people to get more creative and relieves the stress.
• Talking to a close one- talking to a close one helps to relieve stress and provides comfort.

• Time management- allows efficient usage of time. And which helps persons to organize his/her activities.
And which helps to maintain daily course of activities and it reduces stress.
• Say ‘NO’ to additional unimportant request- taking additional, unimportant requests which are not
necessary, increases the workload and causes additional stress.
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• Take adequate rest if you are ill- taking adequate rest helps people recover from the symbols of stress and
helps to improve the mood.
• Facing the cause- facing the cause of stress is one of the major solutions to reduce the stress. When you
face the stressor, the reason of stress is no more and the person is free from stress.

Organisational Measures to Combat Stress

The following measures can be taken by organisations to combat stress:
A. Reducing Long working hours-Organisations should see that long working hours of employees should
be reduced and proper time management techniques are taught to them.
B. Teaching Employees to do Work-Required trainings should be given to employees to maintain the
work-life balance and to cope-up the situations arises due to pandemic.

C. Communication - The organizations should encourage communication and always asks for feedback,
where the HR manager should always directly accessible to any employee to listen to. The organization
always try to follow up with all corporate and business news, in addition to new studies published regarding
work stress, how to spot it and solve it.
D. Security Fears - The Organizations should take efforts in making employees and people feel safe by
applying laws for security checks, proper screening of visitors whether they are infected or not and not
allowing unauthorized people to enter.

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 CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
AND
RESEARCH GAP

19
 1. CoV-19/SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus 2019/severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is a virus
that has caused a pandemic with high numbers of deaths worldwide. To contain the diffusion of
infection, several governments have enforced restrictions on outdoor activities on the population.
Today, we are witnessing the so-called “second wave” COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) with an
increasing number of cases similar to the one reported at the beginning of the current year. It is
plausible that further restrictions will be applied to contain the “second wave” of infections. The
present commentary evaluated the effects of stress on lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic in
women. We briefly suggest practical recommendations for women to reduce stress and recovery for a
healthy lifestyle after quarantine. Quarantine is associated with stress and depression, which lead to
unhealthy lifestyle, including unhealthy diet, smoking, alcohol, and reduced physical activity. Women
are more likely to suffer from depression and stress and quarantine has acted as a trigger. The
prolongation of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world requires decisive action to correct the
unhealthy lifestyle that has developed in recent months1.
2. Julie M. McCarthy(2020) aimed at highlighting the detrimental impact of the anxiety stemming from
the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are proactive means (i.e., handwashing) by which the
consequences of this anxiety can be mitigated. While there is still much to be understood about the
impact of the current pandemic on employees and organizations, the present study offers critical
insights into people’s experiences during the initial phases of this crisis, especially in regards to the
role of CovH anxiety.

3. Sarah K. Schäfer(2020) aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on mental health and to
investigate the ability of pre-outbreak SOC levels to predict changes in psychopathological symptoms.
Although mental health was stable in most respondents, a small group of respondents characterized by
low levels of SOC experienced increased psychopathological symptoms from pre-to post Outbreak. Thus,
SOC training might be a promising approach to enhance the resistance to stressors.
4. Kevin M. Kniffin (June 9, 2020) focused on: (i) emerging changes in work practices (e.g., working from
home, virtual teams) and (ii) economic and socialpsychological impacts (e.g, unemployment, mental well-
being). In addition, we examine the potential moderating factors of age, race and ethnicity, gender, family
status, personality, and cultural differences to generate disparate effects.

Illustrating the benefits of team science, our broad-scope overview provides an integrative approach for
considering the implications of COVID-19 for work and organizations while also identifying issues for future
research and insights to inform solutions.
4. Yingfei Zhang 1, and ZhengFeeiMa(2020) aimed to investigate the immediate impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on mental health and quality of life among local Chinese residents. An online survey was
distributed through a social media platform between January and February 2020. Participants completed a
modified validated questionnaire that assessed the Impact of Event Scale (IES), indicators of negative
mental health impacts, social and family support, and mental health- related lifestyle changes. In conclusion,
the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mild stressful impact in our sample, even though the COVID-
19 pandemic is still ongoing. These findings would need to be verified in larger population studies.

5. J.E. Agolla(2020) in his research article titled “Occupational Stress Among Police Officers has conducted
a study among the police to find out work stress symptoms and coping strategies among he police service.
This study reveals that the police work stressors are; getting infected while on duty and the use of force when

20
the job demands to do so, etc. The coping strategies were identified as exercising, socializing, healthy eating
or diets, employee training.

6. Schmidt, Denise Rodrigues Costa; (2020) In their work title on “Occupational stress among nursing staff ”
This study aimed at evaluating the presence of occupational stress among nursing professionals working and
investigating the relations between occupational stress and work characteristics.
9. Viljoen, J.P., and Rothmann, S.8(2019) aimed at studying and investigating the relationship between
“Occupational stress, ill health and organizational commitment” The results were that organizational
stressors contributed significantly to ill health and low organizational commitment. Stress about job security
contributed to both physical and psychological ill health. Low individual commitment to the organization was
predicted by five stressors, namely work-life balance, overload, control, job aspects and pay.

21
 CHAPTER – 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

22
Scope of study
This research paper aims to present a deeper insight to analyze the stress at workplace during COVID -19
and what all measures are required by employers and employees to be take into consideration for proper
organizational functioning and to get over from the stress in current situation of COVID -19 crisis.
Companies are trying to run offices and how authentic leaders are driving the new normal by bringing new
concepts of Social distancing, . This research paper is basically descriptive and analytical in nature. Data
collection is based on primary data. Primary data is collected by questions asked from the people working at
workplace during this pandemic.In this study, the data were collected through Google Forms with the help of
Social Media.

Objectives of Study
 To study the stress among people at workplace during pandemic.
 To study the stress management techniques followed by people at workplace during Covid-19.

Area of Study
The area of study is restricted to the . Respondents are both male and female, teachers, doctors,
government employees, non-government employees.

23
 REFERENCES

1. Julie M. McCarthy (2020). Working in a Pandemic: Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 Health
Anxiety on Work, Family, and Health Outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology., Vol. 105, No. 11,
1234 –1245 ISSN: 0021-9010 http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/apl0000739
2. Anderson, C. R. (1977). Locus of control, coping behaviors and performance in a stress
setting.Journal of AppliedPsychology,62(4),ISSN:446–451. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-
9010.62.4.446
3. Aldwin, C. M., & Revenson, T. A. (1987). Does coping help? A reexamination of the relation
between coping and mental health. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 337–348.
http://dx.doi.org/10 .1037/0022-3514.53.2.337
4. Sarah K. Schäfera (2020).Impact of COVID-19 on Public Mental Health and the Buffering Effect of a
Sense of Coherence. Psychother Psychosom 2020;89:386–392
https://doi.org/10.1159/000510752
5. Viljoen, J.P., & Rothmann, S. (2020). Occupational stress, ill health and organisational commitment
of employees at a university of technology. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 35(1), Art. #730
DOI: 10.4102 /sajip.v35i1.730.
6. Bowman, R.; Beck, K. D; Luine, V. N.Chronic Stress Effects on Memory: Sex differences in
performance. Hormones and Behavior, 2003, 43 (1): 48–59.
7. Hardy, S. Occupational Stress: Personal and Professional Approaches. 1998, United Kingdom:
Stanley Thornes Ltd, 18–43.
8. Lazarus, R.S., & Folkman, S. Stress, Appraisal and Coping. 1984, New York: Springer
9. Lehrer, P. M.; David, H., Barlow, R. L. Woolfolk, W. E. Principles and Practice of Stress
Management, Third Edition. 2007, pp. 46–47. McGonagle, K.; Ronald, K. Chronic Stress, Acute
Stress, Depressive Symptoms. American Journal of Community Psychology, 1990,18 681–706.
10. Schultz&Schultz, D . Psychology and work today. 2010, New York: Prentice Hall. p. 374.
11. Selye, H . Stress and the general adaptation syndrome. Br. Med. J., 1950, 1 : 1383–92.
12. Somaz, W. H. & Tulgan, B. Performance under Pressure: Managing Stress in the Workplace. 2003,
Canada. HRD Press Inc
13. Jones, D. L., Tanigawa, T., & Weiss, S. M. (2003). Stress management and workplace disability in
the US, Europe and Japan. Journal of occupational health, 45(1), 1-7.
14. Jolly Sahni (2016).An assessment of employee perception regarding workplace Stress-causes and
remedies. International Journal of Management, IT and Engineering. Volume 6, Issue 7 ISSN: 2249-
0558.http://www.ijmra.us
15. Schmidt, Denise Rodrigues Costa“Occupational stress among nursing staff”, Texto contexto - enferm.
[online]. 2009, vol.18, n.2, pp.ISSN 330-337.
16. J.E. Agolla, Occupational Stress Among Police Officers: The Case of Botswana Police Service”,
ccupational Stress Among Police Officers. Research General of Business Management. ISSN- 1819-1932
The Case of Botswana Police Service, Vol. 3, Issue 1, pp. 25-35.
17. Bogg, Janet and Cooper, Cary “Job Satisfaction, Mental Health, and Occupational Stress Among Senior
Civil Servants”, Human Relations; Mar95, Vol. 48 Issue 3, p327-341, 15p.
18. Yingfei Zhang and Zheng FeeiMa.Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Quality of
Life among Local Residents in Liaoning Province, China. International Journal of Environmental

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 QUESTIONNAIRE
Section A
Q- Name:-_____________________
Q- Gender
i) Male
ii) Female
iii) Prefer not to say
Q- Age-Group
i) Less than 18
ii) 18 - 25
iii) 25 – 35
iv) 35 – 45

Q- In which sector do you work?

i) Education
ii) Banking
iii) Health/Medical care
iv) Others

Section B
Q1Do you feel stressed at work during Covid-19?
i) Yes
ii) No
Q2If `Yes` , can you please select the symptoms you experience due to stress at workplace?
i) Frequent headaches
ii) Anxiety attacks
iii) Depression
iv) Irritability
v) Fatigue
Q3How many hours do you work in a day in this pandemic?
i) Less than 2
ii) 2 – 5 hours
iii) 5 – 8 hours
iv) More than 8

26
Q4 How would you rate the level of your job stress during Covid 19?
i) Mild
ii) Moderate
iii) Extreme

Q5Do you have any fear from the following at workplace during Covid-19 crises?

i) Fear of termination
ii) Excessive working hours
iii) Reduction in salary
iv) Risk of being infected and transmitted to family
Q6Are you worried being infected from Covid-19 due to work?
i) Not worried at all
ii) A bit worried
iii) Moderately worried
iv) Very worried
v) Extremely worried
Q7 Which safety measures do you want to see at workplace ?
Yes No
i) Required Masks
ii) Face shields
iii) Hand sanitizer stations
iv) Physical distancing protocols
v) Employees testing for Covid-19
Q8Does Staff Reducing Policy affected you mentally or physically?
i) Yes
ii) No
Q9 Are you engage in any extra activity to reduce stress?
i) Yes
ii) No
Q10 What is the best stress relief method according to you?
i) Meditate
ii) Communicate with family members
iii) Getting more sleep
iv) Relaxation techniques(Art, Dance, Music)

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