“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:

MR. SACHIN SAPRA TAMANNA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ROLL NO: 2209120017
(DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE) UNIVERSITY ROLL NO:

GOVERNMENT PG COLLEGE FOR WOMEN , ROHTAK

Session 2020-2021

1
 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,
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 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 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.

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

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 List Of Tables

Particulars Page no.

Table 1: Gender of Respondents 24

Table 2: Age group of respondents 25

Table 3: Sectors in which people work 26

Table 4: People feel stressed at workplace during Covid-19 27

Table 5: Symptoms that people face at workplace during Covid-19 28

Table 6: How many hours people work during this pandemic 29

Table 7: People rate the level of job stress at workplace during Covid-19 30

Table 8: Fear that the people are facing at workplace during Covid-19 31

Table 9: Respondents feel worried about being infected from Covid-19 32

due to work

Table 10: Safety measures people wants to see in the workplace during 33
Covid-19

Table 11: Respondents affected by Staff Reducing Policy mentally or 34

physically

Table 12: Respondents engaged in any extra activity to reduce stress 35

Table 13: Best stress relief method according to respondents 36

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 List Of Graphs

Particulars Page no.

Graph 1: Gender of Respondents 24

Graph 2: Age group of respondents 25

Graph 3: Sectors in which people work 26

Graph 4: People feel stressed at workplace during Covid-19 27

Graph 5: Symptoms that people face at workplace during Covid-19 28

Graph 6: How many hours people work during this pandemic 29

Graph 7: People rate the level of job stress at workplace during Covid- 30
19

Graph 8: Fear that the people are facing at workplace during Covid-19 31

Graph 9: Respondents feel worried about being infected from Covid- 32

19 due to work

Graph 10: Safety measures people wants to see in the workplace 33

during Covid-19

Graph 11: Respondents affected by Staff Reducing Policy mentally or 34

physically

Graph 12: Respondents engaged in any extra activity to reduce stress 35

Graph 13: Best stress relief method according to respondents 36

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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 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.

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 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, 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 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 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 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.

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,
13
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
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
14
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 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

15
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
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). 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-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.

17
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.

• 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.

18
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.
• 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.

19
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.

20
 CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
AND
RESEARCH GAP

21
 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 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.

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.
22
7. Connolly, John F and Willock, (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(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. Dr. Jolly Sahni(2016) 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.

11. Noblet, Andrew78 (2003) In his article titled, “Building health promoting work settings:
identifying 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.

12. Anderson, C. R. (1977) examined the relationship between managerial locus of control (Rotter's
Internal–External Control Scale), perceived stress (Subjective Stress Scale), coping behaviors, and
performance (credit ratings). Changes in performance were related to changes in locus of control.
The nature of locus of control as a possible cause of task behavior and as an effect of
environmental experience is examined.

23
 RESEARCH GAP

A research gap is defined as a topic or area for which missing or insufficient information limits the ability
to reach a conclusion for a question. From the study of several past research papers following shortcomings
are observed:

• Unavailability of resources at time.

• Problems faced by employees were not properly identified.
• Factors that affected employees mental health during COVID-19 pandemic Era.
In the present study it was felt that a descriptive research design to investigate the stress symptoms
and stress management techniques used by people during Covid-19 pandemic, firstly identified through this
study.

24
 CHAPTER-3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

25
Meaning
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 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.

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.

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 .

26
Limitation 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.

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

27
 CHAPTER-4

ANALYSIS OF DATA

28
 ANALYSIS OF DATA

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.

Graph-1

Gender
60

50

40

30
50
46
20

10

4
0
Male Female Prefe not to say

Explanation:
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.

29
 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.

Graph-2

Age group
45

40

35

30

25

20 40

15
24 24
10

5 12

0
Less than 25 25-35 35-45 More than 45

Explanation:
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.

30
 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.

Graph-3

Sectors in which people work

50

45

40

35

30

25
46
20

15
24
10
18
5 12

0
Education Service Health/Medical care Others

Explanation:
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.

31
 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.

Graph-4

People stressed at workplace during Covid-19

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
Yes No

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

32
 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.

Graph-5

Symptoms people face at workplace during Covid-19

45
40
35
30
25
20 42

15
24
10
16
5 12
6
0
Frequent Anxiety attacks Depression Irritability Fatigue
headaches

Explanation:
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.

33
 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.

Graph-6
No. of hours people work during pandemic
45

40

35

30 34

25

42
20

15

22
10

5
2
0
Less than 2 2 -5 hours 5 - 8 hours More than 8

Explanation:
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.

34
 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.

Graph-7

Job stress level at workplace during Covid-19

70

60

50

40

30 58

20

10 24
18

0
Mild Moderate Extreme

Explanation:
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.

35
 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.

Graph-8

Fear that people are facing at workplace

5

4.5

3.5

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
Fear of termination Excessive working hours Reduction in salary Risk of being infected and
transmitting to family

Explanation:
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.

36
 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.

Graph-9

Respondents feel worried about being infected

40

35

30

25

20
36
15

10 22
18 18
5
6
0
Extremely worried Very worried Moderately worried A bit worrie Not worried at all

Explanation:
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.

37
 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.

Graph-10

Safety measures people want to see in workplace during

Covid-19
60

50

40 48 47 48

30
29 30
20
21 20
10
2 3 2
0
Required Face Hand Physical Employees
masks shields sanitizer distancing testing for
stations protocols Covid-19

Yes No

Explanation:
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.

38
 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.

Graph-11
People affected by staff reducing policy
53

52

51

50

49 52

48

47 48

46
Yes No

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

39
 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.

Graph-12

Respondents engaged in extra activity to reduce stress

70

60 58

50
42
40

30

20

10

0
Yes No

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

40
 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.

Graph-13
Best stress relief method according to respondents
40
35
30
25
20
36 34
15
24
10
5
6
0

Explanation:
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.

41
 CHAPTER-5
RESULT INTERPRETATION
AND
CONCLUSION OF THE STUDY

42
 RESULT 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.
➢ 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.

43
 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.

44
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 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

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

Section B
Q1 Do you feel stressed at work during Covid-19?
i) Yes
ii) No
Q2 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
Q3 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
Q4 How would you rate the level of your job stress during Covid 19?
i) Mild
ii) Moderate
iii) Extreme

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Q5 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
Q6 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
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
Q8 Does 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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