“STRESS MANAGEMENT AT WORK PLACE DURING

COVID-19”

A
PROJECT REPORT
SUBMITTED IN THE PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT
FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF COMMERCE
(HONS COURSE)

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF: SUBMITTED BY:

MR. SACHIN SAPRA TAMANNA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR B.COM (HONS.)5TH SEM.
(DEPT. OF COMMERCE) COLLEGE ROLL NO.-2209120017
UNIVERSITY ROLL NO.-

GOVT. P.G COLLEGE FOR WOMEN , ROHTAK

Session 2020-2021

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 DECLARATION
I, Tamanna 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, Govt. P.G College for Women (Rohtak) for the partial fulfillment
of U.G 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 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 Mr.Sachin Sapra 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
GOVT.P.G.COLLEGE FOR WOMEN, ROHTAK for their kind co-operation and
encouragement which help in completing 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 theie abilities.

TAMANNA

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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
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-4 Analysis of data
Chapter-5 Result interpretation and Conclusions of the study
➢ References
➢ Bibliography
➢ Annexure

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 CHAPTER -1
INTRODUCTION

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STRESS MANAGEMENT
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 follows Arnod (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 well being 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.
Therefore,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 TO A 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.

ORIGINATION OF 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,

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this virus has reached 202 countries, areas or territories with 693,224 confirmed cases and
33,391 deaths.

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 in vulnerable 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

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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 (Brooks et al., 2020; Xiang et al., 2020) ; 2) Infobesity and the Unknown (Gao et al.,
2020; Garfin et al., 2020) 3) quarantaine and confinement (Brooks et al., 2020; Qiu et al., 2020;
Wang et al., 2020), 4) stigma and social exclusion (Brooks et al., 2020; Xiang et al., 2020) and
5) financial loss and job insecurity (Brooks et al., 2020; Zhou et al., 2020).
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.

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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.
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 distress which 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.

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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 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.
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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 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 psychological support 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

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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 the necessary 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.
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.

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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
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.

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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 for
workers with a wide range of injuries, illnesses, and medical procedures (e.g., cardiac arrest,
major trauma) [1, 2]. 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.

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, adopt diferent 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-

16
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
and safety 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.

• 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.

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• 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.
The adaptation 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.

18
 • 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.

19
 CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

20
REVIEW

1. Kevin M. Kniffin, Jayanth Narayanan, and Mark van Vugt (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.

2. Michael Christian1 , Edi Purwanto2*, Suryo Wibowo3”(2020) aims to identify

factors in technostress on the teaching performance of 228 lecturers in Jakarta province,
Indonesia. The instrument used in this study was a questionnaire. The results of this
study explained that this techno-complexity factor influenced the online teaching
performance of lecturers in the condition of the Covid-19 pandemic. But on the other
hand, other factors, namely technooverload, techno insecurity, and techno-uncertainty,
have different results.

3. Yingfei Zhang 1, and Zheng Feei Ma(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.

4. Dr. Jolly Sahni(2020) presented an integrated Stress Model with key triggers, coping
strategies (resources), organization support and outcome. The triggers inducing stress
includes fear of unknown, ineffective communication at work, lack of clarity and
direction. All this might disturb employee’s mental health leading to prolonged stress
or even psychosomatic diseases. Therefore, it is an important issues which need to be
given priority in all organizations. The findings support the notion that there is a dire
need for psycho-social support, community support and an effective system of
organizational support to sustain employee’s emotional and mental wellbeing. The
findings of the study are valuable and have urgent policy implications for devising a
special EAP for crisis like COVID-19 and any future cases.

21
5. J.E. Agolla(2020) in his research article titled “Occupational Stress Among Police
Officershas conducted a study among the police to find out work stress symptoms and
coping strategies among the police service. This study reveals that the police work
stressors are; getting infected while on duty and the use of force when 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.

7. Connolly, John F and Willock, Joyce and Hipwell, Michele and Chisholm,
Vivienne13(2020) in their research titled “Occupational Stress & Psychological Well
Being” described and analyzed that management standards for work related stress
(demand, support, control, role, relationships and change) can be analysed by
examining 1) overall levels of psychological strain 2) job satisfaction, and 3) the
psychosocial working conditions.

8. Bogg, Janet and Cooper, Cary96 (2020) In their review titled, “Job Satisfaction,
Mental Health, and Occupational Stress Among Senior Civil Servants”, had indicated
that the main sources of stress among the senior civil servants were "factors intrinsic to
the job" such as poor pay during pandemic and changes in working conditions, and a
strong feeling of possessing little control over their job and their organization.

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.

10. Noblet, Andrew78 (2003) In his article titled, “Building health promoting work
settings: identifying the relationship between work characteristics and occupational
stress”, revealed that the work characteristics, viz, ‘social support’ and ‘job control’
accounted for large proportions of explained variance in job satisfaction and
psychological health. In addition to these generic variables, several job-specific
stressors were found to be predictive of the strain experienced by employees during
pandemic.

22
 CHAPTER-3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

23
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Methodology is a systematic way to solve a problem. It is a science of studying how
research is to be carried out. Research is an organized and systematic way of finding answer to
questions. Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problems.
Research in a common sense refers to the search for knowledge. The primary aim for research
is discovery, interpretation and development for system & methods for the advancement of
human knowledge. Research is an academic activity and as such the term should be used in
technical sense, some journey to discovery the primary aim for research is discovering &
development of method of studying how research is to be carried out. In fact, research is a
scientific investigation.

SCOPE OF THE 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 THE 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.

DESIGN OF THE STUDY

This research applies a quantitative approach. This approach follows deductive logic in order
to test the theory. The present study employs descriptive research design. This design is for
summarizing the set of factors and variables. The survey method is followed in the study, and
a set of questionnaire was used to collect primary data.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

• Large number of sample size has not been used in this study.

• As the researcher has to complete this study within a prescribed limited time, the
shortage of time limits the scope of the study.

• Some of the respondents did not read the questionnaire carefully, they may have marked
some answer incorrectly.

24
AREA OF STUDY
The area of study is restricted to the Rohtak. Respondents are both male and female, teachers,
doctors, government employees, non-government employees.

SAMPLE SIZE
A total of 55 questionnaires were distributed out of which 50 questionnaire were usable.
Majority of respondents were related to educational sector i.e. 23 , Respondents of
Health/medical care were 12 , Respondents of Service sector were 6 and Other sector`s were
9.

COLLECTION OF DATA
A. Primary Data
B. Secondary Data

Primary Data Collection

Primary data was collected with the help of questionnaire framed keeping in view the
objectives of the study. The questionnaire consists of 2 parts, i.e. the part-1 includes
background details of the respondents & the part-2 includes various information related to
stress and stress management techniques adopted by different people working at the workplace
during this pandemic of Covid-19.

Secondary Data Collection

Secondary data, which is already collected & organized, can be taken for better results & to
supplement primary data. They can be achieved through following ways:
➢ Internet
➢ Books
➢ Websites

SOURCES OF DATA
Data source - Primary data
Area of research - Rohtak
Research instrument - Questionnaire
Sample unit - General public
Sample method - Random sample method
Sample size - 50 respondents

25
 CHAPTER-4

ANALYSIS OF DATA

26
The following section presents analysis made on the data collected
from the questionnaire.

Table-1
Gender
Gender No. of respondents Percentage
Male 23 46
Female 25 50
Prefer not to say 2 4
Total 50 100
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-1

Gender

4%

46%
Male
50%
Female
Prefe not to say

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that 46% of the respondents are male, 50% of the
respondents are female and 4% people prefer not to say about their gender.

27
Table-2
Age-Group
Age No. of respondents Percentage
Less than 25 20 40
25-35 12 24
35-45 12 24
More than 45 6 12
Total 50 100
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-2

Age group

12%

40% Less than 25

24%
25-35
35-45
24% More than 45

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that age group of 40% of the respondents is less than 25 , 24%
of the respondents are between the age group of 25 and 35, another 24% of the respondents are
between the age group of 35 and 45 & the age group of remaining 12% respondents is more
than 45.

28
Table-3
Sectors in which people work
Sectors No. of respondents Percentage
Education 23 46
Service 6 12
Health/Medical Care 12 24
Others 9 18
Total 50 100
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-3

Sectors in which people work

18%

46% Education

24% Service
Health/Medical care

12% Others

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that 46% of the respondents work in educational sector, 12%
of the respondents work in service sector, 24% of the respondents work in health/medical care
and 18% of the respondents work in other sectors.

29
Table-4

People feel stressed at workplace during covid-19

Opinion No. of respondents Percentage

Yes 38 76
No 12 24
Total 50 100
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-4

People stressed at workplace during Covid-

19

No
24%

Yes
No
Yes
76%

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that 76% of the respondents were stressed at
workplace during Covid-19 & 24% are not.

30
Table-5
Symptoms that people face at workplace during Covid-19

Symptoms No. of respondents Percentage

Frequent headaches 21 42
Anxiety attacks 6 12
Depression 12 24
Irritability 8 16
Fatigue 3 6
Total 50 100
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-5

Symptoms people face at workplace

during Covid-19

6%
16% Frequent headaches
42% Anxiety attacks

24% Depression
12% Irritability
Fatigue

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that 42% of the respondents are facing frequent
headaches ,12% of the respondents are facing anxiety attacks , 24% of the respondents
are facing depression problem, 16% of the respondents felt irritability and 6% of the
respondents felt fatigue.

31
Table-6
How many hours people work during this pandemic

Hours No. of respondents Percentage

Less than 2 1 2
2 – 5 hours 11 22
5 – 8 hours 21 42
More than 8 17 34
Total 50 100
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-6

No. of hours people work during pandemic

2%
22%
34%
Less than 2
2 -5 hours
5 - 8 hours
42% More than 8

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that 2% of the respondents work for less than 2 hours
, 22% of the respondents work for 2 to 5 hours , 42% of the respondents work for 5 to
8 hours and remaining 34% of the respondents work for more than 8 hours.

32
Table-7
How would people rate the level of job stress at workplace during Covid-19

Levels No. of Respondents Percentage

Mild 12 24
Moderate 29 58
Extreme 9 18
Total 50 100
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-7

Job stress level at workplace during Covid-19

18% 24%

Mild
Moderate
Extreme
58%

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that 24% of the respondents feels job stress at mild level, 58%
of the respondents feels job stress at moderate level and remaining 18% of the respondents
feels job stress at an extreme level.

33
Table-8
Fear that the people are facing at workplace during Covid-19
Fear No. of respondents Percentage
Fear of termination 7 14

Excessive working hours 12 24

Reduction in salary 5 10

Risk of being infected and

transmitting to family 26 52
Total
50 100
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-8

Fear that people are facing at workplace during

Covid-19

Fear of termination
14%
Excessive working hours
52% 24%
Reduction in salary
10%
Risk of being infected and
transmitted to family

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that during pandemic 14% of the respondents having the fear
of termination, 24% of the respondents having stress because of excessive working hours, 10%
of the respondents having fear of reduction in salary, and remaining 52% of the respondents
having risk of being infected and transmitted to family.

34
Table-9
Respondents feel worried about being infected from Covid-19 due to work
Frequency No. of respondents Percentage
Extremely worried 3 6

Very worried 11 22

Moderately worried 18 36

A bit worried 9 18

Not worried at all 9 18

Total 50 100

Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-9

Respondents feel worried about being infected

18% 6%
22% Extremely worried
Very worried
18%
Moderately worried

36% A bit worrie

Not worried at all

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that 6% of the respondents are extremely worried of being
infected due to Covid-19, 22% of the respondents are very worried, 36% of the respondents
are moderately worried, 18% of the respondents are a bit worried and remaining 18% of the
respondents are not worried at all.

35
Table-10
Safety measures people wants to see in the workplace during Covid-19
Safety measures No. of respondents No. of respondents Total
(Yes) (No)
Required masks
48 2 50
Face shields
29 21 50
Hand sanitizer
stations 47 3 50

Physical distancing
protocols 48 2 50
Employees testing for
Covid-19 30 20 50
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-10

Safety measures people want to see in

workplace during Covid-19
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Required Face Hand Physical Employees
masks shields sanitizer distancing testing for
stations protocols Covid-19

Yes No

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows the opinion of the respondents about the safety measures
to be followed at workplace during Covid-19:

• 48 respondents want mask safety while 2 respondents do not.

• 29 respondents need face shield while 21 respondents do not.
• 47 respondents need hand sanitizer stations while 3 respondents do not.
• 48 respondents need physical distancing protocols while 2 respondents do not.
• 30 respondents want employees testing for Covid-19 while 20 respondents do not.

36
Table-11
Respondents affected by staff reducing policy mentally or physically

Opinion No. of respondents Percentage

Yes 26 52
No 24 48
Total 50 100
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-11

People affected by staff reducing policy

48%
52%
Yes
No

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that 52% respondents are affected by staff reducing
policy while 48% are not.

37
Table-12
Respondents engaged in any extra activity to reduce stress
Opinion No. of respondents Percentage
Yes 29 58
No 21 42
Total 50 100
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-12

Responents engaged in extra activity to reduce

stress

42%

58% Yes
No

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that 58% respondents are engaged in extra activity to reduce
stress while 42% respondents are not.

38
Table-13
Best stress relief method according to respondents

Stress relief method No. of respondents Percentage

Meditate 12 24
Communicate with family
members 18 36
Getting more sleep 3 6
Relaxation
techniques(Music,Art,Dance) 17 34
Total 50 100
Source: Primary data collected through questionnaire.

Chart-13

Best stress relief method according to

respondents

24% Meditate
34%
Communicate with family
members

6% Getting more sleep

36%
Relaxation
techniques(Music,Art,Dance)

Explaination:
The above table and chart shows that 24% of the respondents are of the view that
best stress relief method is to meditate, for 36% of the respondents is communication
with their family members,for 6% of the respondents is getting more sleep,for 34% of
the respondents is relaxation techniques like art; music; dance.

39
 CHAPTER-5
RESULT INTERPRETATION
AND
CONCLUSION OF THE STUDY

40
 INTERPRETATION
The study observed that most of the people are stressed at workplace during Covid-19.
Perception with respect to different attributes is:
➢ Most of the respondents in this study are females i.e. 50% while 46% are man and 4%
people who prefer not to say.
➢ Majority of the respondents are of the age group of less than 25 i.e. 40% , 24% of the
respondents are between the age group of 25 and 35, another 24% of the respondents
are between the age group of 35 and 45 & the age group of remaining 12% respondents
is more than 45.
➢ Most of the respondents work in educational sector i.e. 46% , 12% of the respondents
work in service sector, 24% of the respondents work in health/medical care and 18% of
the respondents work in other sectors.
➢ By this study we came to know that 76% of the respondents are stressed at workplace
during Covid-19 & 24% are not stressed.
➢ Around 42% of the respondents are facing frequent headaches ,12% of the respondents
are facing anxiety attacks , 24% of the respondents are facing depression problem, 16%
of the respondents felt irritability and 6% of the respondents felt fatigue.
➢ Majority of the respondents work for 5 to 8 hours i.e. 42% ,2% of the respondents work
for less than 2 hours , 22% of the respondents work for 2 to 5 hours and remaining 34%
of the respondents work for more than 8 hours.
➢ Most of the respondents feels job stress at moderate level i.e. 58%, 24% of the
respondents feels job stress at mild level, and remaining 18% of the respondents feels
job stress at an extreme level.
➢ Around 52% of the respondents having fear of risk of being infected from Covid-19
and transmitted to family, 14% of the respondents having the fear of termination, 24%
of the respondents having stress because of excessive working hours, 10% of the
respondents having fear of reduction in salary.
➢ In this study, most of the respondents are moderately worried of being infected due to
Covid-19 i.e. 36%, 22% of the respondents are very worried, 18% of the respondents
are not worried at all, 18% of the respondents are a bit worried and remaining 6% of
the respondents are extremely worried.
➢ In this study, majority of the respondents require masks safety i.e. 48 respondents ;
majority of respondents need face shield i.e. 29 respondents ; majority of the
respondents need hand sanitizer stations i.e. 47 respondents ; majority of the
respondents need physical distancing protocols i.e. 48 respondents ; majority of the
respondents want employees testing for Covid-19 i.e. 30 respondents.
➢ Around 52% of the respondents are affected by staff reducing policy and 48% are not.
➢ Around 58% of the respondents are engaged in extra activity to reduce stress while 42%
respondents are not.

41
 ➢ Most of the respondents are of the view that best stress relief method is communication
with their family members i.e. 36% , 24% of the respondents think that the best stress
relief method is to meditate, ,for 6% of the respondents is getting more sleep and for
34% of the respondents is relaxation techniques like art; music; dance.

CONCLUSION

In this era of uncertainity, it seems that everyone in today`s workplace is under more pressure.
Study after study reveals that managing stress is a growing challenge. People usually think of
stress as something entirely negative, but as we have seen, stress has tangible benefits whwn
managed properly. As it is seen that Covid-19 pandemic has led to an increase in stress level
of the people working at workplace. People are also worried of being infected from Covid-19
which brings a rise in their stress level. Stress is a leading cause to employee behaviour. Stress
can lead to depression and other health problems.Managers have to be very interactive in
providing intervention methods for relieving stress in employees. When the employees learn
how to peacefully deal with stress,they can enhance their personal and workplace performance
while maintaining a healthy balance of life.
Stress can be managed by yoga and meditation, relaxation, physical exercise, massage therapy,
hydro therapy, laughter therapy, music therapy, behavior self-control, cognitive
therapy,networking, enriching of task given and involving in other interested hobbies or sports,
etc.

42
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43
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

➢ Mike Taigman, Sascha Liebowitz · (2020) “Super- Charge Your Stress Management
in the Age of Covid-19”
➢ Brian Luke Seaward ·(2020) “Managing stress: Skills for self care , Personal
Resiliency and Work life balance in the rapidly changing world”
➢ Joe Martin (2014) “Managing stress in the workplace”

MAGAZINES/NEWSPAPERS

➢ The Hindustan Times

➢ The Hindu
➢ Safety and health magazine
➢ The Times of India

WEBSITES

➢ www.google.com
➢ www.googlescholar.com
➢ www.who.int
➢ www.wikipedia.com

44
 ANNEXURE
QUESTIONNAIRE
Section A
Q-1 Name:-_____________________
Q-2 Gender
i) Male
ii) Female
iii) Prefer not to say
Q-3 Age-Group
i) Less than 25
ii) 25 – 35
iii) 35 – 45
iv) More than 45
Q-4 In which sector do you work?
i) Education
ii) Service
iii) Health/Medical care
iv) Others

Section B
Q-1 Do you feel stressed at work during Covid-19?
i) Yes
ii) No
Q-2 If `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
Q-3 How 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

45
Q-4 How would you rate the level of your job stress during Covid 19?
i) Mild
ii) Moderate
iii) Extreme
Q-5 Do 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
Q-6 Are 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
Q-7 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
Q-8 Does Staff Reducing Policy affected you mentally or physically?
i) Yes
ii) No
Q-9 Are you engage in any extra activity to reduce stress?
i) Yes
ii) No
Q-10 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)

46