MBA Project On Stress Managament

Karnataka State Open University - Mysore
INTRODUCTION
20TH century has been regarded as the period of incredible change in human history.
Philosophers and scientists have been various names to this period. Peter Drucker has called
it “The Age of Discontinuity”, John Galbraith has called it “The Age of Future Shock” and
Hari Albrecht called it “The Age of Anxiety”.
Stress has become the 21-century buzz word, from the high pervading corporate echelons to
the bassinets of teaching infants’ nurseries we find this world liberally used. Stress is part of
modern life. Various events in life cause stress, starting with the birth of a child and enduring
with the death of a dear one.
Urbanization, industrialization and the increase scale of operations in society are some of the
reasons for rising stress. It is an inevitable consequence of socio-economic complexity and to
some extent, its stimulant as well. People experience stress as they can no longer have
complete control over what happen in their lives. The telephone goes out of order, power is
shut down, water supply is disrupted, children perform poorly at school etc, we feel frustrated
and then stressed.
The word stress is derived from a Latin word “stringere”, meaning to draw tight. From the
view point of physical sciences, the phenomena of stress are evident in all materials when
they are subjected to “force, pressure, strain or strong-front”. Every material steel, rock or
wood has its own limit up to which it can withstand stress without being damaged. Similarly
human beings can tolerate certain level of stress. Stress is highly individualistic in nature.
Some people have high levels of stress tolerance for stress and thrive very well in the face of
several stressors in the environment. In fact, some individuals will not perform well unless
they experience a level of stress which activates and energizes then to put forth their best
results.
For every individual there is an optimum level of stress under which he or she will perform to
full capacity. If the stress experience is below the optimum level, then the individual gets
bored, the motivational level of work reaches a low point and it results to careless mistakes,
forgetting to do things and thinking of things other than work during work hours and also
leads to absenteeism which may ultimately lead to turnover. If on the other hand, stress
experience is above the optimum level, it leads to too many conflicts with the supervisor or
STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 1

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

INDIVIDUAL APPROACHES
An employee can take individual responsibility to reduce his/her stress level. Individual
strategies that have proven effective include, implementing time management techniques,
increasing physical exercise, relaxation training, and expanding the social support network.
 Time management
Many people manage their time very poorly. Some of well-known time management
principles include,
o Making daily list of activities to be accomplished

o Scheduling activities according to the priorities set
o Prioritizing activities by importance and urgency
o Knowing your daily cycle and handling the most demanding parts of your job.
 Physical exercise
Practicing physical exercises like aerobics, brisk walking, jogging, swimming, and riding a
bi-cycle.
 Relaxation training
Relaxation techniques such as meditation, hypnosis and bio-feedback. The objective is to
reach in state of deep relaxation, where one feels physically relaxed, somewhat from
detached from the immediate environment. Fifteen or twenty minutes a day of deep
relaxation releases tension and provides a person with a pronounced sense of peacefulness.
 Social support
Having families, friends or work colleagues to talk provides an outlet, when stress levels
become excessive. So expand your social support network that helps you with someone to
hear your problems.
ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACHES
Several of the factors that cause stress particularly task and role demand and organizations
structure are controlled by management. As such they can be modified or changed. Some of

the strategies that management want to consider include improved personal self-section and
job placement, use of realistic goal setting, redesigning of jobs, improved organizational
communication and establishment of corporate wellness programmes.
Certain jobs are more stressful than others. Individual with little experience or an external
lower of control tend to be more proven to stress. Selection and placement decisions should
take these facts into consideration. Goal setting helps to reduce stress. It also provides
motivation. Designing jobs to give employees more responsibility, more meaningful work,
more autonomy, and increased feedback can reduce stress, because these factors give the
employee greater control over work activities and lessen dependence on others.
Increasingly formal organizational communication with employees reduces uncertainty by

reducing role ambiguity and role conflict. Wellness programs like employee counselling form
on the employee’s total physical and mental condition. They typically proud work ships to
help people quit smoking, control alcohol usage, eat better and develop a regular exercise
program.
Another remedy for reducing stress is cognitive restructuring. It involves two step
procedures. First irrational or maladaptive thought processes that create stress are identified.
For example, Type A individuals may believe that they must be successful at everything they
do. The second step consists of replacing these irrational thoughts with more rational or
reasonable ones.
One important remedy to reduce stress is the maintenance of good sleep. Research conducted
on laboratory specimen to have met with startling discoveries. Sleep starved rats have
developed stress syndrome. The amount of sleep one requires varies from person to person
and is dependent on one’s lifestyle. The American National Sleep Foundation claims that a
minimum of eight hours of sleep is essential for good health. Generally, studies shows that
young adults can manage with about 7-8 hours. After the age of 35, six hours of sleep is
sufficient whereas people over 65 years may just need three or four hours.
TYPES OF STRESSES
The different types of stress are as follows:
Mechanical
 Stress (physics), the average amount of force exerted per unit area.

 Yield stress, the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically.

 Compressive stress, the stress applied to materials resulting in their compaction.
Biological
 Stress (biological), physiological or psychological stress; some types include:

 Chronic stress, persistent stress which can lead to illness and mental disorder
 Eustress, positive stress that can lead to improved long-term functioning
 Workplace stress, stress caused by employment
Other
 Stress (game), card game

 Stress (linguistics), phonological use of prominence in language
STRESS IN MECHANICAL TERMS:
Stress (physics)
Stress is a measure of the average amount of force exerted per unit area. It is a measure of
the intensity of the total internal forces acting within a body across imaginary internal
surfaces, as a reaction to external applied forces and body forces. It was introduced into the
theory of elasticity by Cauchy around 1822. Stress is a concept that is based on the concept of
continuum. In general, stress is expressed as
Where,
is the average stress, also called engineering or nominal stress, and
is the force acting over the area .
Chronic Stress

Chronic stress is stress that lasts a long time or occurs frequently. Chronic stress is
potentially damaging. Symptoms of chronic stress can be:
 upset stomach
 headache
 backache
 insomnia
 anxiety
 depression
 anger
In the most severe cases it can lead to panic attacks or a panic disorder.
There are a number of methods to control chronic stress, which include, exercise, healthy
diet, stress management, relaxation techniques, adequate rest, and relaxing hobbies.
Ensuring a healthy diet containing magnesium may help control or eliminate stress, in those
individuals with lower levels of magnesium or those who have a magnesium deficiency.
Chronic stress can also lead to a magnesium deficiency, which can be a factor in continued
chronic stress, and a whole host of other negative medical conditions caused by a magnesium
deficiency.
It has been discovered that there is a huge upsurge in the number of people who suffer from
this condition. A very large number of these new cases suffer from insomnia.
In a review of the scientific literature on the relationship between stress and disease, the
authors found that stress plays a role in triggering or worsening depression and
cardiovascular disease and in speeding the progression of HIV/AIDS.
Compressive stress:
Compressive stress is the stress applied to materials resulting in their compaction (decrease
of volume). When a material is subjected to compressive stress, then this material is under
compression. Usually, compressive stress applied to bars, columns, etc. leads to shortening.

Loading a structural element or a specimen will increase the compressive stress until the
reach of compressive strength. According to the properties of the material, failure will occur
as yield for materials with ductile behavior (most metals, some soils and plastics) or as
rupture for brittle behavior (geometries, cast iron, glass, etc).
In long, slender structural elements -- such as columns or truss bars -- an increase of

compressive force F leads to structural failure due to buckling at lower stress than the
compressive strength.
Compressive stress has stress units (force per unit area), usually with negative values to
indicate the compaction. However in geotechnical engineering, compressive stress is
represented with positive values.
STRESS IN BIOLOGICAL TERMS:
Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or
animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats to the organism,
whether actual or imagined. It includes a state of alarm and adrenaline production, short-term
resistance as a coping mechanism, and exhaustion. It refers to the inability of a human or
animal body to respond. Common stress symptoms include irritability, muscular tension,
inability to concentrate and a variety of physical reactions, such as headaches and accelerated
heart rate.
The term "stress" was first used by the endocrinologist Hans Selye in the 1930s to identify
physiological responses in laboratory animals. He later broadened and popularized the
concept to include the perceptions and responses of humans trying to adapt to the challenges
of everyday life. In Selye's terminology, "stress" refers to the reaction of the organism, and
"stressor" to the perceived threat. Stress in certain circumstances may be experienced
positively. Eustress, for example, can be an adaptive response prompting the activation of
internal resources to meet challenges and achieve goals.
The term is commonly used by laypersons in a metaphorical rather than literal or biological
sense, as a catch-all for any perceived difficulties in life. It also became a euphemism, a way
of referring to problems and eliciting sympathy without being explicitly confessional, just
"stressed out". It covers a huge range of phenomena from mild irritation to the kind of severe

problems that might result in a real breakdown of health. In popular usage almost any event
or situation between these extremes could be described as stressful.
GOOD STRESS V/S BAD STRESS:
Stress has often been misunderstood to be negative, with few people acknowledging the
importance and usefulness of positive stress. In our everyday lives, stress is everywhere and
definitely unavoidable; hence our emphasis should be on differentiating between what is
good stress, and what is bad. This will help us to learn to cope with negative stress, and
harness the power of positive stress to help us achieve more.
There are 4 main categories of stress, namely eustress, distress, hyper stress and hypo stress.
Negative stress can cause many physical and psychological problems, whilst positive stress
can be very helpful for us. Here’s how we differentiate between them.
EUSTRESS
This is a positive form of stress, which prepares your mind and body for the imminent
challenges that it has perceived. Eustress is a natural physical reaction by your body which
increases blood flow to your muscles, resulting in a higher heart rate. Athletes before a
competition or perhaps a manager before a major presentation would do well with Eustress,
allowing them to derive the inspiration and strength that is needed.
DISTRESS
We are familiar with this word, and know that it is a negative form of stress. This occurs
when the mind and body is unable to cope with changes, and usually occurs when there are
deviations from the norm. They can be categorized into acute stress and chronic stress. Acute
stress is intense, but does not last for long. On the other hand, chronic stress persists over a
long period of time. Trigger events for distress can be a change in job scope or routine that
the person is unable to handle or cope with.
HYPER STRESS
This is another form of negative stress that occurs when the individual is unable to cope with
the workload. Examples include highly stressful jobs, which require longer working hours
than the individual can handle. If you suspect that you are suffering from hyper stress, you
are likely to have sudden emotional breakdowns over insignificant issues, the proverbial

straws that broke the camel’s back. It is important for you to recognize that your body needs a
break, or you may end up with severe and chronic physical and psychological reactions.
HYPO STRESS
Lastly, hypo stress occurs when a person has nothing to do with his time and feels constantly
bored and unmotivated. This is due to an insufficient amount of stress; hence some stress is
inevitable and helpful to us. Companies should avoid having workers who experience hypo
stress as this will cause productivity and mindfulness to fall. If the job scope is boring and
repetitive, it would be a good idea to implement some form of job rotation so that there is
always something new to learn.

History of service sector in India
Introduction
The services sector is not only the dominant sector in India’s GDP, but has also attracted
significant foreign investment, has contributed significantly to export and has provided large-
scale employment. India’s services sector covers a wide variety of activities such as trade,
hotel and restaurants, transport, storage and communication, financing, insurance, real estate,
business services, community, social and personal services, and services associated with
construction.
Market Size
Share of the services sector accounted for 55.39% of the total GVA in FY21. India’s services
sector GVA increased at a CAGR of 11.43% to Rs. 101.47 trillion (US$ 1,439.48 billion) in
FY20, from Rs. 68.81 trillion (US$ 1,005.30 billion) in FY16. Between FY16 and FY20,
financial, real estate and professional services augmented at a CAGR of 11.68% (in Rs.
terms), while trade, hotels, transport, communication and services related to broadcasting
rose at a CAGR of 10.98% (in Rs. terms).
According to RBI, in April 2021, service exports stood at US$ 21.17 billion, while imports
stood at US$ 10.61 billion.
The India Services Business Activity Index/ Nikkei/IHS Markit Services Purchasing
Managers' Index fell to 46.4 in May 2021 from 54.0 in April 2021, as output and new orders
declined due to COVID-19-induced restrictions to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Recent Industrial developments

Some of the developments in the services sector in the recent past are as follows:
 In June 2021, India's exports increased by 48.34% to US$ 32.5 billion, marking the
seventh consecutive month of growth.
 The services* category in India attracted cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI)
worth US$ 87.06 billion between April 2000 and March 2021. The services category
ranked 1st in FDI inflow as per data released by the Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
 In April 2021, the Ministry of Education (MoE) and University Grants Commission
(UGC) started a series of online interactions with stakeholders to streamline forms
and processes to reduce compliance burden in the higher education sector, as a
follow-up to the government’s focus on ease of doing business to enable ease of living
for stakeholders.

 On March 17, 2021, the Health Ministry’s eSanjeevani telemedicine services crossed
3 million (30 lakh) teleconsultations since its launch, enabling patient-to-doctor
consultations from the confines of their home and doctor-to-doctor consultations.
 In April 2021, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has started accepting pre-orders for the beta
version of its Starlink satellite internet service in India for a fully refundable deposit
of US$ 99. Currently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is screening the
move and more developments will be unveiled soon.
 In December 2020, a cohort of six health-tech start-ups—AarogyaAI, BrainSightAI,
Fluid AI, InMed Prognostics, Wellthy Therapeutics, and Onward Assist—have been
selected by the India Edison Accelerator, fuelled by GE Healthcare. India Edison
Accelerator, the company's first start-up partnership programme focused on Indian
mentors, creates strategic partners to co-develop healthcare solutions.
 The Indian healthcare industry is expected to shift digitally enabled remote
consultations via teleconsultation. The telemedicine market in India is expected to
increase at a CAGR of 31% from 2020 to 2025.
 In December 2020, Gamma Skills Automation Training introduced a unique robotics
& automation career launch programme for engineers, an ‘Industry 4.0 Hands-on
Skill Learning Centre’ located at IMT Manesar, Gurgaon in Haryana.
 In December 2020, the 'IGnITE’ programme was initiated by Siemens, BMZ and
MSDE to encourage high-quality training and technical education. 'IGnITE' aims to
develop highly trained technicians, with an emphasis on getting them ready for the
industry and future, based on the German Dual Vocational Educational Training
(DVET) model. By 2024, this programme aims to upskill ~40,000 employees.
 In October 2020, Bharti Airtel entered cloud communications market with the launch
of business-centric ‘Airtel IQ’.
Government Initiatives
The Government of India recognises the importance of promoting growth in services sector
and provides several incentives across a wide variety of sectors like health care, tourism,
education, engineering, communications, transportation, information technology, banking,
finance and management among others.
The Government of India has adopted few initiatives in the recent past, some of these are as
follows:
 According to a spokesperson, the Indian government is planning to introduce a credit

incentive programme worth Rs. 50,000 crore (US$ 6.8 billion) to boost healthcare
infrastructure in the country. The programme will allow companies to access funds to
ramp up hospital capacity or medical supplies with the government acting as a
guarantor.
 In June 2021, India and Australia announced its collaboration in cyber-enabled critical
technologies, highlighting the requirement to boost the critical information security
infrastructure such as 5G telecom networks.
 Under Union Budget 2021-22, the government allocated Rs. 7,000 crore (US$ 963.97
million) to the BharatNet programme to boost digital connectivity across India.
 FDI limit for insurance companies has been raised from 49% to 74% and 100% for
insurance intermediates.

 In May 2021, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced that India received
an FDI inflow of US$ 81.72 billion, the highest FDI during FY 2020-21.
 In March 2021, the central government infused Rs. 14,500 crore (US$ 1.99 billion)
capital in Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Bank of India and UCO Bank
through non-interest-bearing bonds.
 On January 15, 2021, the third phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
(PMKVY) was launched in 600 districts with 300+ skill courses. Spearheaded by the
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the third phase will focus on
new-age and COVID-related skills. PMKVY 3.0 aims to train eight lakh candidates.
 In January 2021, the Department of Telecom, Government of India, signed an MoU
with the Ministry of Communications, Government of Japan, to strengthen
cooperation in the areas of 5G technologies, telecom security and submarine optical
fibre cable system.
 On November 4, 2020, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Mr.
Narendra Modi, approved to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between
the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and the Department of
Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) of United Kingdom Government to
cooperate in the field of telecommunications/information and communication
technologies (ICTs).
 In October 2020, the government selected Hughes Communications India to connect
5,000 village panchayats in border and Naxal-affected states and island territories
with satellite broadband under BharatNet project by March 2021.
 In September 2020, the government announced that it may infuse Rs. 200 billion
(US$ 2.72 billion) in public sector banks through recapitalisation of bonds
 In the next five years, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is
working to increase the contribution of the digital economy to 20% of GDP. The
government is working to build cloud-based infrastructure for collaborative networks
that can be used for the creation of innovative solutions by AI entrepreneurs and start-
ups.
 On Independence Day 2020, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi announced the
National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) to provide a unique health ID to every
Indian and revolutionise the healthcare industry by making it easily accessible to
everyone in the country. The policy draft is under ‘public consultation’ until
September 21, 2020.
 In September 2020, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced a new electronics &
hardware manufacturing policy aligned with the old policy to increase the state's
electronics output to US$ 100 billion by 2025. Under the policy, it aims to meet the
requirement for incremental human resource by upskilling and training >100,000
people by 2024.
 Government of India has launched the National Broadband Mission with an aim to
provide Broadband access to all villages by 2022.
Road Ahead
By 2025, healthcare industry is expected to reach US$ 372 billion. India’s digital economy is
estimated to reach US$ 1 trillion by 2025. By end of 2023, India’s IT and business services
sector is expected to reach US$ 14.3 billion with 8% growth.

The implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has created a common national
market and reduced the overall tax burden on goods. It is expected to reduce costs in the long
run-on account of availability of GST input credit, which will result in the reduction in prices
of services.
India's software service industry is expected to reach US$ 1 trillion by 2030.
Note: Conversion rate used for April 2021 is Rs. 1 = US$ 0.01334
References: Media Reports, Press Releases, DPIIT publication, Press Information Bureau
SCOPE & SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The world today is fast changing and every individual faces a lot of pressure and demand at
work. These pressures at work lead to mental and physical disorders. Stress refers to an
individual’s response to a disturbing factor in the environment and the consequences of such
a reaction. This study will help organizations know what causes stress and how to reduce the
same in employees since it is a well-known fact that a healthy and sound employee is a
productive employee.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
Primary objective:
 To undergo an in-depth study about the existence of stress among the employees of
the Service industry post - Recession.
Secondary objective:
 To identify the factors causing stress among the employees.

 To find out the level of stress among the employees of different age groups.
 To study about the effects of stress on employees in Service industry.
 To identify the coping strategies to manage stress.
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
In spite of the precautions, vigilance and scrupulousness taken by the investigator to make the
study objective, it cannot be denied that there are certain limitations.

 The questionnaires were filled be 30 employees working in various service sectors. So

the scope of sample findings was less.
 The questionnaire was filled by 30 employees of different designations. So the point
of view of employees differs as per their designations.
 The employees from whom the questionnaires are filled are in a heavy workload so
some of the questionnaires filled by the employees who are in stress cannot be called
reasonable.
 The responses of the employees cannot be accurate as the problem of language and
understanding arises. (These problems are not in all cases.)
 As the study was done within a limited time, investigator could not select a
sufficiently large sample for the study.
The employees were reluctant to give correct information.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A review on the previous studies on stress among the employees is necessary to know
the areas already covered. This will help to find our new areas uncovered and to study them
in depth. The earlier studies made on stress among the employees are briefly reviewed here.
The research study of Jamal. M* finds that job stressors were significantly related to
employees’ psychosomatic problems, job satisfaction, unproductive time at the job, and
absenteeism. Type A behaviour was found to be an important moderator of the stress
outcome relationship.
Hans Selye was one of the founding fathers of stress research. His view in 1956 was
that “stress is not necessarily something bad – it all depends on how you take it. The stress of
exhilarating, creative successful work is beneficial, while that of failure, humiliation or
infection is detrimental.” Selye believed that the biochemical effects of stress would be
experienced irrespective of whether the situation was positive or negative.
The most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly attributed to Richard S

Lazarus) is that stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that
“demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.”
In short, it's what we feel when we think we've lost control of events.

Brief. A. P. and J. M. Atieh*, argues that it is not safe to assume that job conditions
that have an adverse impact on affective reactions to the job will also have a negative impact
on overall subjective well-being.
Fienmann views stress as a psychological response state of negative effect

characterized by a persistent and a high level of experienced anxiety or tension.
* Jamal M. “Job stress-prone Type A behaviour, personal and organizational consequences”,

Canadian Journal Administration Sciences, 1985. pp 360-74.
* A. P and J. M. Atieh, “Studying job stress: Are we making mountains out of molehills?”
Journal of occupational behaviour, 1987 pp115-26.
Hans Seyle, the endocrinologist, whose research on General Adaptation Syndrome

(GAS), for the first time, revealed how human beings adapt themselves to emotional strives
and strains in their lives. According to him emotional stress occurs in three important stages.
1. Alarm reaction stage 2. Resistance stage 3. Exhaustion stage.
Alarm reaction is caused by physical or psychological stressors. Resistances are

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

*Stephen Robbins, “Organizational Behaviour”, Prentice Hall, U.K, 1989 pp 499-501.

*Cooper. C. L. and Marshall. J, “Understanding Executive Stress”, The McMillan Press Ltd,
1978 p 4.
WHAT IS STRESS?
Stress is a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity,

demand or resource related to what the individual desires and for which the outcome is
perceived to be both uncertain and important. This is a complicated definition.
Stress is not necessarily bad in and of itself. Although stress is typically discussed in a
negative context, it also has a positive value. It’s an opportunity when it offers potential gain.
Consider for example, the superior performance that an athlete or stage performer gives in
“clutch” situations. Such individuals often use stress positively to rise to the occasion and
perform at or near their maximum. Similarly, many professionals see the pressures of heavy
workloads and deadlines as positive challenges that enhance the quality of their work and the
satisfaction the get from their job.
But it is different in the case of bank employees. The bank employees are the people who also
have to achieve the certain target and so for the non-achievement of target the employees
remain stressed and tensed. The employees who have the simple table work also have to face
the problem of stress. Due to recession the banking sector is also facing the problem of
employee cut-offs and so the work load of the existing employees increases and the feel
stressed.
Stress refers to the strain from the conflict between our external environment and us, leading
to emotional and physical pressure. In our fast-paced world, it is impossible to live without
stress, whether you are a student or a working adult. There is both positive and negative

stress, depending on each individual’s unique perception of the tension between the two
forces. Not all stress is bad. For example, positive stress, also known as eustress, can help an
individual to function at optimal effectiveness and efficiency.
Hence, it is evident that some form of positive stress can add more color and vibrancy to our
lives. The presence of a deadline, for example, can push us to make the most of our time and
produce greater efficiency. It is important to keep this in mind, as stress management refers to
using stress to our advantage, and not on eradicating the presence of stress in our lives.
On the other hand, negative stress can result in mental and physical strain. The individual will
experience symptoms such as tensions, headaches, irritability and in extreme cases, heart
palpitations. Hence, whilst some stress may be seen as a motivating force, it is important to
manage stress levels so that it does not have an adverse impact on your health and
relationships.
Part of managing your stress levels include learning about how stress can affect you
emotionally and physically, as well as how to identify if you are performing at your optimal
stress level (OSL) or if you are experiencing negative stress. This knowledge will help you to
identify when you need to take a break, or perhaps seek professional help. It is also your first
step towards developing techniques to managing your stress levels. Modern day stresses can
take the form of monetary needs, or emotional frictions. Competition at work and an
increased workload can also cause greater levels of stress. How do you identify if you are
suffering from excessive stress? Psychological symptoms commonly experienced include
insomnia, headaches and an inability to focus. Physical symptoms take the form of heart
palpitations, breathlessness, excessive sweating and stomachaches.
What causes stress? There are many different causes of stress, and that which causes stress is
also known as a stressor. Common lifestyle stressors include performance, threat, and
bereavement stressors, to name a few. Performance stressors are triggered when an individual
is placed in a situation where he feels a need to excel. This could be during performance
appraisals, lunch with the boss, or giving a speech. Threat stressors are usually when the
current situation poses a dangerous threat, such as an economic downturn, or from an
accident. Lastly, bereavement stressors occur when there is a sense of loss such as the death
of a loved one, or a prized possession.

Thus, there are various stressors, and even more varied methods and techniques of dealing
with stress and turning it to our advantages. In order to do so, we must learn to tell when we
have crossed the line from positive to negative stress.
STRESS AND DECISIONMAKING, PERCEPTION, AND COGNITION

Stress can affect an individual’s decision-making process and ability to make effective
judgments. For example, Easterbrook proposes a “cue utilization model” and argues that
when exposed to stressors, individuals experience “perceptual narrowing” — meaning that
they pay attention to fewer perceptual cues or stimuli that could contribute to their behaviour
or decision. Peripheral stimuli are likely to be the first to be screened out or ignored. Decision
making models proposed by Janis and Mann support this hypothesis and suggest that under
stress, individuals may make decisions based on incomplete information. Friedman and Mann
suggest that when under conditions of stress, individuals may fail to consider the full range of
alternatives available, ignore long-term consequences, and make decisions based on
oversimplifying assumptions. Furthermore, the individuals may suffer from performance
rigidity as a result of their reduced search behaviour and reliance on fewer perceptual cues to
make decisions. Research on decision making under stress supports these theoretical models.
Observe the decision-making processes of individuals under time pressure. We find that
individuals under time pressure tend to focus their attention only on a few salient cues.
Larsen finds that, like other types of stressors, sleep deprivation can reduce an individual’s
ability to reason, to analyse complex situations, and to make effective decisions.
Sleep-deprived (stressed) individuals in his study were more likely to obey orders without
thinking and to ignore cues that implied the presence of something unusual. Stress can also
contribute to performance decrements by slowing cognition and individual information
processing. Stress can be looked at as a form of “task overload” (e.g., asking an individual to
perform more than one task under a time constraint) and it is seen that the addition of
multiple required tasks reduces the quality of individual performance and increases the
magnitude of the performance decrement as compared with the case in which the individual
has only one task to perform.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Stress management is the need of the hour. However hard we try to go beyond a stress
situation, life seems to find new ways of stressing us out and plaguing us with anxiety

attacks. Moreover, be it our anxiety, mind-body exhaustion or our erring attitudes, we tend to
overlook causes of stress and the conditions triggered by those. In such unsettling moments
we often forget that stressors, if not escapable, are fairly manageable and treatable.
Stress, either quick or constant, can induce risky body-mind disorders. Immediate disorders
such as dizzy spells, anxiety attacks, tension, sleeplessness, nervousness and muscle cramps
can all result in chronic health problems. They may also affect our immune, cardiovascular
and nervous systems and lead individuals to habitual addictions, which are inter-linked with
stress.
Like "stress reactions", "relaxation responses" and stress management techniques are some of
the body's important built-in response systems. As a relaxation response the body tries to get
back balance in its homeostasis. Some hormones released during the 'fight or flight' situation
prompt the body to replace the lost carbohydrates and fats, and restore the energy level. The
knotted nerves, tightened muscles and an exhausted mind crave for looseness. Unfortunately,
today, we don't get relaxing and soothing situations without asking. To be relaxed we have to
strive to create such situations.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF STRESSORS
As mentioned previously, stressors can come in a variety of forms, including extreme heat or
lighting, lack of sleep, risk of injury or death, or time pressure. The description of stressors
and their impact on behaviour is an open-ended task, and current research considers an
increasing number of events and conditions to be stressors. Although stressors can be
 physical (biological or chemical demands on the body) or
 cognitive (threat of death, personal assault)
in form, they are always external and produce similar physiological responses within the
body. These physiological effects, defined as a stress response, can include increased blood
pressure, dilated pupils and increased heart rate.
RECOGNIZING A STRESSOR
It is important to recognize whether you are under stress or out of it. Many times, even if we
are under the influence of a stressful condition and our body reacts to it internally as well as
externally, we fail to realize that we are reacting under stress. This also happens when the
causes of stress are there long enough for us to get habituated to them. The body constantly

tries to tell us through symptoms such as rapid palpitation, dizzy spells, tight muscles or
various body aches that something is wrong. It is important to remain attentive to such
symptoms and to learn to cope with the situations.
We cope better with stressful situation, when we encounter them voluntarily. In cases of
relocation, promotion or layoff, adventurous sports or having a baby, we tend to respond
positively under stress. But, when we are compelled into such situations against our will or
knowledge, more often than not, we wilt at the face of unknown and imagined threats. For
instance, stress may mount when one is coerced into undertaking some work against one's
will.
WORKPLACE STRESS
Workplace stress is the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there is a
poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker.
Stress-related disorders encompass a broad array of conditions, including psychological
disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder) and other types of
emotional strain (e.g., dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc.), maladaptive behaviors (e.g.,
aggression, substance abuse), and cognitive impairment (e.g., concentration and memory
problems). In turn, these conditions may lead to poor work performance or even injury. Job
stress is also associated with various biological reactions that may lead ultimately to
compromised health, such as cardiovascular disease.
Stress is a prevalent and costly problem in today's workplace. About one-third of workers
report high levels of stress. One-quarter of employees view their jobs as the number one
stressor in their lives. Three-quarters of employees believe the worker has more on-the-job
stress than a generation ago. Evidence also suggests that stress is the major cause of turnover
in organizations.
Health and Healthcare Utilization
Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life
stressor-more so than even financial problems or family problems. Many studies suggest that
psychologically demanding jobs that allow employees little control over the work process
increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. On the basis of research by the National Institute

for Occupational Safety and Health and many other organizations, it is widely believed that
job stress increases the risk for development of back and upper-extremity musculoskeletal
disorders. High levels of stress are associated with substantial increases in health service
utilization. Workers who report experiencing stress at work also show excessive health care
utilization. In a 1998 study of 46,000 workers, health care costs were nearly 50% greater for
workers reporting high levels of stress in comparison to “low risk” workers. The increment
rose to nearly 150%, an increase of more than $1,700 per person annually, for workers
reporting high levels of both stress and depression. Additionally, periods of disability due to
job stress tend to be much longer than disability periods for other occupational injuries and
illnesses.
CAUSES OF WORKPLACE STRESS
Job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work. Views differ
on the importance of worker characteristics versus working conditions as the primary cause
of job stress. The differing viewpoints suggest different ways to prevent stress at work.
According to one school of thought, differences in individual characteristics such as
personality and coping skills are most important in predicting whether certain job conditions
will result in stress-in other words, what is stressful for one person may not be a problem for
someone else. This viewpoint leads to prevention strategies that focus on workers and ways
to help them cope with demanding job conditions. Although the importance of individual
differences cannot be ignored, scientific evidence suggests that certain working conditions
are stressful to most people. Such evidence argues for a greater emphasis on working
conditions as the key source of job stress, and for job redesign as a primary prevention
strategy. Personal interview surveys of working conditions, including conditions recognized
as risk factors for job stress, were conducted in Member States of the European Union in
1990, 1995, and 2000. Results showed a trend across these periods suggestive of increasing
work intensity. In 1990, the percentage of workers reporting that they worked at high speeds
at least one-fourth of their working time was 48%, increasing to 54% in 1995 and to 56% in
2000. Similarly, 50% of workers reported they work against tight deadlines at least one-
fourth of their working time in 1990, increasing to 56% in 1995 and 60 % in 2000. However,
no change was noted in the period 1995–2000 (data not collected in 1990) in the percentage
of workers reporting sufficient time to complete tasks. A substantial percentage of Americans

work very long hours. By one estimate, more than 26% of men and more than 11% of women
worked 50 hours per week or more in 2000. These figures represent a considerable increase
over the previous three decades, especially for women. According to the Department of
Labor, there has been an upward trend in hours worked among employed women, an increase
in extended work weeks (>40 hours) by men, and a considerable increase in combined
working hours among working couples, particularly couples with young children.
SIGNS OF WORKPLACE STRESS
Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed relationships with
family; friends and girlfriends or boyfriends are examples of stress-related problems. The
effects of job stress on chronic diseases are more difficult to see because chronic diseases
take a long time to develop and can be influenced by many factors other than stress.
Nonetheless, evidence is rapidly accumulating to suggest that stress plays an important role in
several types of chronic health problems-especially cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal
disorders, and psychological disorders.
PREVENTION
A combination of organizational change and stress management is often the most useful
approach for preventing stress at work.
How to Change the Organization to Prevent Job Stress
 Ensure that the workload is in line with workers' capabilities and resources.
 Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers to use
their skills.
 Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.
 Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their jobs.
 Improve communications-reduce uncertainty about career development and future
employment prospects.
 Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers.
 Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities
outside the job.
 Discrimination inside the workplace. (e.g. nationality and language )

St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company conducted several studies on the effects of
stress prevention programs in hospital settings. Program activities included (1) employee and
management education on job stress, (2) changes in hospital policies and procedures to
reduce organizational sources of stress, and (3) establishment of employee assistance
programs. In one study, the frequency of medication errors declined by 50% after prevention
activities was implemented in a 700-bed hospital. In a second study, there was a 70%
reduction in malpractice claims in 22 hospitals that implemented stress prevention activities.
In contrast, there was no reduction in claims in a matched group of 22 hospitals that did not
implement stress prevention activities.
COPING WITH STRESS AT WORK PLACE
With the rapid advancement of technology, the stresses faced at work have also increased.
Many people dread going to work, hence the term “Monday Blues”. What is the reason for
this? There is partly the fear from being retrenched in bad times, leading to greater job
insecurity on the part of those who remain. Undoubtedly, occupational stress is one of the
most commonly cited stressors faced by people all over the world.
Stress refers to the pressure and reactions to our environment which results in psychological
and physical reactions. Whilst some stress is good for motivation and increasing efficiency,
too much stress can result in negative impacts such as reduced effectiveness and efficiency.
More and more people are feeling isolated and disrespected at work, and this has led to
greater occupational stress. Many companies have taken to consulting experts and
professionals on ways to increase connectedness and motivation of their employees.
Some companies organize parties and make their employees feel valued at work. These are
measures to motivate employees and help them to feel secure at their jobs, translating into
greater productivity. However, not all companies have such measures in place, and some
have not gotten it quite right. Hence, it is up to you to make sure that you can cope with stress
at your workplace, and use it to help you work better. Here are 3 simple steps to help you
with coping with stress in the workplace.
Step 1: Raising Awareness
Help yourself to identify when you are facing rising levels of stress, tipping the scales from
positive to negative. This is important, as being able to identify signs of being stressed can

help you to take steps to ensure that your overall quality of life does not drop. If left
unacknowledged, the problem will only snowball, leading to disastrous consequences to your
health and overall wellbeing.
You can identify if you are feeling stressed by checking if you have any physical or
psychological reactions, such as excessive sweating or heart palpitations, or the onset of
headaches, irritability or the need to escape. If you experience any of these reactions, identify
if you are feeling any overwhelming negative emotions, and if you are constantly worried.
Step 2: Identify the Cause
You need to be able to analyze the situation and identify what is causing the rise in stress.
These stressors can be external and internal. External stressors refer to things beyond your
control, such as the environment or your colleagues at work. Internal stressors refer to your
own thinking and attitude. Often, we only start reacting to stress when a combination of
stressors working together exceeds our ability to cope.
Keep a diary or a list of events that have caused you to feel strong negative emotions, or that
are likely stressors. This will help you to identify the causes of your stress. Whilst it is not
always possible to eradicate them, we can change the way that we cope with it.
Step 3: Coping with Stress
In order to deal with the situation that is causing you stress, you need to calm your mind and
body so as to stave off the reactions and cope with it in a positive way. This can be through
different methods, such as taking time off. If a situation is triggering your stress and you are
unable to calm down, remove yourself from it. Go outside and take a walk to calm down.
Alternatively, you can try implementing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing. If it is
an internal stressor, stop your thought process until you are able to deal with it logically.
The key to making these 3 steps work for you is to practice them. These are not instantaneous
solutions, and you need to condition your mind and practice them so that you can implement
it when you are feeling stressed.

REDUCING STRESS
1. Job analysis:
We have all experienced that appalling sense of having far too much work to do and too little
time to do it in. We can choose to ignore this, and work unreasonably long hours to stay on
top of our workload. The risks here are that we become exhausted, that we have so much to
do that we do a poor quality job and that we neglect other areas of our life. Each of these can
lead to intense stress.
The alternative is to work more intelligently, by focusing on the things that are important for
job success and reducing the time we spend on low priority tasks. Job Analysis is the first
step in doing this.
The first of the action-oriented skills that we look at is Job Analysis. Job Analysis is a key
technique for managing job overload – an important source of stress.
To do an excellent job, you need to fully understand what is expected of you. While this may
seem obvious, in the hurly-burly of a new, fast-moving, high-pressure role, it is oftentimes
something that is easy to overlook.
By understanding the priorities in your job, and what constitutes success within it, you can
focus on these activities and minimize work on other tasks as much as possible. This helps
you get the greatest return from the work you do, and keep your workload under control.
Job Analysis is a useful technique for getting a firm grip on what really is important in your
job so that you are able to perform excellently. It helps you to cut through clutter and
distraction to get to the heart of what you need to do.
2. Rational & positive thinking:
You are thinking negatively when you fear the future, put yourself down, criticize yourself
for errors, doubt your abilities, or expect failure. Negative thinking damages confidence,
harms performance and paralyzes mental skills.
Unfortunately, negative thoughts tend to flit into our consciousness, do their damage and flit
back out again, with their significance having barely been noticed. Since we barely realize
that they were there, we do not challenge them properly, which means that they can be
completely incorrect and wrong.

Thought Awareness is the process by which you observe your thoughts and become aware of
what is going through your head.
One approach to it is to observe your "stream of consciousness" as you think about the thing
you're trying to achieve which is stressful. Do not suppress any thoughts. Instead, just let
them run their course while you watch them, and write them down on our free worksheet as
they occur. Then let them go.
Another more general approach to Thought Awareness comes with logging stress in your
Stress Diary. When you analyze your diary at the end of the period, you should be able to see
the most common and the most damaging thoughts. Tackle these as a priority using the
techniques below.
Here are some typical negative thoughts you might experience when preparing to give a
major presentation:
 Fear about the quality of your performance or of problems that may interfere with it;
 Worry about how the audience (especially important people in it like your boss) or the
press may react to you;
 Dwelling on the negative consequences of a poor performance; or
 Self-criticism over a less-than-perfect rehearsal.
Thought awareness is the first step in the process of managing negative thoughts, as you
cannot manage thoughts that you are unaware of.
Rational Thinking
The next step in dealing with negative thinking is to challenge the negative thoughts that you
identified using the Thought Awareness technique. Look at every thought you wrote down
and challenge it rationally. Ask yourself whether the thought is reasonable. What evidence is
there for and against the thought? Would your colleagues and mentors agree or disagree with
it?
Looking at the examples, the following challenges could be made to the negative thoughts we
identified earlier:

 Feelings of inadequacy: Have you trained yourself as well as you reasonably should
have? Do you have the experience and resources you need to make the presentation?
Have you planned, prepared and rehearsed enough? If you have done all of these,
you've done as much as you can to give a good performance.
 Worries about performance during rehearsal: If some of your practice was less
than perfect, then remind yourself that the purpose of the practice is to identify areas
for improvement, so that these can be sorted out before the performance.
 Problems with issues outside your control: Have you identified the risks of these
things happening, and have you taken steps to reduce the likelihood of them
happening or their impact if they do? What will you do if they occur? And what do
you need others to do for you?
 Worry about other people's reactions: If you have prepared well, and you do the
best you can, then you should be satisfied. If you perform as well as you reasonably
can, then fair people are likely to respond well. If people are not fair, the best thing to
do is ignore their comments and rise above them.
 When you challenge negative thoughts rationally, you should be able to see quickly
whether the thoughts are wrong or whether they have some substance to them. Where
there is some substance, take appropriate action. However, make sure that your
negative thoughts are genuinely important to achieving your goals, and don't just
reflect a lack of experience, which everyone has to go through at some stage.
Positive Thinking & Opportunity Seeking
By now, you should already be feeling more positive. The final step is to prepare rational,
positive thoughts and affirmations to counter any remaining negativity. It can also be useful
to look at the situation and see if there are any useful opportunities that are offered by it.
By basing your affirmations on the clear, rational assessments of facts that you made using
Rational Thinking, you can use them to undo the damage that negative thinking may have
done to your self-confidence.
Continuing the examples above, positive affirmations might be:

 Problems during practice: "I have learned from my rehearsals. This has put me in a
position where I can deliver a great performance. I am going to perform well and
enjoy the event."
 Worries about performance: "I have prepared well and rehearsed thoroughly. I am
well positioned to give an excellent performance."
 Problems issues outside your control: "I have thought through everything that might
reasonably happen and have planned how I can handle all likely contingencies. I am
very well placed to react flexibly to events."
 Worry about other people's reaction: "Fair people will react well to a good
performance. I will rise above any unfair criticism in a mature and professional way."
Make sure that identifying these opportunities and focusing on them is part of your positive
thinking.
3. LAUGHTER
During stress, the adrenal gland releases corticosteroids, which are converted to cortical in
the blood stream. These have an immunosuppressive effect. Dr. Lee Berk and fellow
researcher Dr. Stanley Tan at Loma Linda University School of Medicine have produced
carefully controlled studies showing that the experience of laughter lowers serum cortical
levels, increases the amount and activity of T lymphocytes—the natural killer cells. Laughter
also increases the number of T cells that have suppresser receptors.
What Laughter Can Do Against Stress And Its Effects?
•Laughter lowers blood pressure and reduces hypertension.

•It provides good cardiac conditioning especially for those who are unable to perform
physical exercise.
•Reduces stress hormones (studies shows, laughter induces reduction of at least four of
neuroendocrine hormones—epinephrine, cortical, dopac, and growth hormone, associated
with stress response).
• Laughter cleanses the lungs and body tissues of accumulated stale air as it empties more air
than it takes in. It is beneficial for patients suffering from emphysema and other respiratory
ailments.

• It increases muscle flexion, relaxation and fluent blood circulation in body.

• Boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting
proteins called Gamma-interferon and disease-destroying antibodies called B-cells.
• Laughter triggers the release of endorphins—body's natural painkillers.
• Produces a general sense of well-being.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research is defined as human activity based on intellectual application in the investigation of

matter. The primary purpose for applied research is discovering, interpreting, and the
development of methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge on a wide
variety of scientific matters of our world and the universe. Research can use the scientific
method, but need not do so.
Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. The research
methodology in the present study deals with research design, data collection methods,
sampling methods, survey, analysis and interpretations.
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
Descriptive approach is one of the most popular approaches these days. In this approach, a
problem is described by the researcher by using questionnaire or schedule. This approach
enables a researcher to explore new areas of investigation.
RESEARCH DESIGN

A research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and analysis of data in a
manner that aims to combine relevance to the research purpose with economy in procedure.
 A well-structured questionnaire is framed.

 Data is collected from the employees in the BANKING INDUSTRY.
 Findings are made and necessary suggestions and recommendations are given.
DATA SOURCES
There are two types of data collection namely primary data collection and secondary data
collection.
PRIMARY DATA
The primary data is defined as the data, which is collected for the first time and fresh in
nature, and happen to be original in character through field survey.
SECONDARY DATA
The secondary data are those which have already been collected by someone else and have
been passed through statistical process.
DATA COLLECTION METHOD
The data collection method used in this research is questionnaire method. Here the data are
systematically recorded from the respondents.
RESEARCH TOOL
A structured questionnaire has been prepared to get the relevant information from the
respondents. The questionnaire consists of a variety of questions presented to the respondents
for their despondence.
SAMPLING
Sampling is that part of statistical practice concerned with the selection of individual
observations intended to yield some knowledge about a population of concern, especially for
the purposes of statistical inference. Each observation measures one or more properties

(weight, location, etc.) of an observable entity enumerated to distinguish objects or

individuals. Survey weights often need to be applied to the data to adjust for the sample
design. Results from probability theory and statistical theory are employed to guide practice.
SAMPLE UNIT
The employees of the BANKING INDUSTRY are the sample unit in the survey.
SAMPLE SIZE
The sample size chosen for this study is 30 as instructed by the department since it is a MINI
RESEARCH PROJECT.
SAMPLING METHOD
Sampling methods are classified as either probability or non-probability. In probability

samples, each member of the population has a known non-zero probability of being selected.
Probability methods include random sampling, systematic sampling, and stratified sampling.
In non-probability sampling, members are selected from the population in some nonrandom
manner. These include convenience sampling, judgment sampling, quota sampling, and
snowball sampling. The advantage of probability sampling is that sampling error can be
calculated. Sampling error is the degree to which a sample might differ from the population.
When inferring to the population, results are reported plus or minus the sampling error. In
non-probability sampling, the degree to which the sample differs from the population remains
unknown.
In this research, the sampling methods used are Random sampling, Convenience sampling
and Snowball sampling
 Random sampling is the purest form of probability sampling. Each member of

the population has an equal and known chance of being selected. When there are
very large populations, it is often difficult or impossible to identify every
member of the population, so the pool of available subjects becomes biased.
 Judgment sampling is a common non-probability method. The researcher

selects the sample based on judgment. This is usually an extension of
convenience sampling. For example, a researcher may decide to draw the entire
sample from one "representative" city, even though the population includes all

cities. When using this method, the researcher must be confident that the chosen
sample is truly representative of the entire population.
 Snowball sampling is a special non-probability method used when the desired

sample characteristic is rare. It may be extremely difficult or cost prohibitive to
locate respondents in these situations. Snowball sampling relies on referrals
from initial subjects to generate additional subjects. While this technique can
dramatically lower search costs, it comes at the expense of introducing bias
because the technique itself reduces the likelihood that the sample will represent
a good cross section from the population.
STATISTICAL METHODS USED
 Percentage analysis
 Pie diagrams
PERCENTAGE ANALYSIS:
Percentage refers to a special kind of ratio. Percentages are used in making comparison
between two or more series of data. Percentage is used to describe relative terms the
distribution of two or more series of data.
No. of Respondents
Percentage of Respondents = ------------------------ X 100
Total Respondents

DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
1.AGE PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS

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

INFERENCE:
Maximum respondents were in the age group of 30 – 35.
2.GENDER PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS
TABLE 2
GENDER
Frequency Percent
Valid MALE 15 50.0
FEMALE 15 50.0
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
There are equal number of male & female respondents.
3.WORK EXPERIENCE OF RESPONDENTS
TABLE 3
EXPERIENCE
Frequency Percent
Valid < 5 YEARS 9 30.0
5 - 10 YEARS 17 56.7
> 10 YEARS 4 13.3
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
More than 50% of the respondents had a work experience of about 5 – 10 years.
4.EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION OF RESPONDENTS
TABLE 4
QUALIFICATION
Frequency Percent
Valid UG 21 70.0
PG 9 30.0
Total 30 100.0

INFERENCE:
70% of the respondents are PG qualified with an MBA or equivalent degree.
Q1. Do you suffer with difficulty in sleeping?
TABLE 1.1

RESPONDENTS WITH DIFFICULTY IN SLEEPING

Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT AL 8 26.7
RARELY 8 26.7
SOMETIMES 7 23.3
OFTEN 5 16.7
VERY OFTEN 2 6.7
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
From the above table, it is understood that 26.7% of the employees rarely have any trouble in
sleeping ,23.3% find it difficult sometimes ,16.7% face the problem very often and 6.7% of
the employees find extreme difficulty in sleeping.
Therefore, it is observed that for most parts, the employees do not have any problems with
sleeping.
Q2. Do you find it difficult to concentrate?
TABLE1.2

RESPONDENTS WITH DIFFICULTY

IN CONCENTRATING
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
5 16.7
ALL
RARELY 11 36.7
SOMETIME
10 33.3
S
OFTEN 4 13.3
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
It is clear that 16.7% of the employees have absolutely no difficulty in concentrating,36.7%
of them rarely have a problem ,33.3% sometimes and only a small group of 13.3% find it
difficult to concentrate at work.
Therefore, it can be said that mostly the employees have no trouble in concentrating at work.
Q3. Do financial problems get you down?
TABLE 1.3

RESPONDANTS WITH FINANCIAL

PROBLEMS
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
10 33.3
ALL
SOMETIME
12 40.0
S
OFTEN 8 26.7
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
The table shows that, 40% of the employees feel that financial problems put them down
sometimes, 30% felt that it did not affect them at all and 26.7% of them felt that very often it
caused them problems. Therefore, it is identified that financial trouble does put down people
sometimes.
Q4. Do you find yourself 'self-medicating' with additional alcohol, nicotine or other
substances?
Table 1.4 RESPONDENTS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
7 23.3
ALL
RARELY 3 10.0
SOMETIME
5 16.7
S
OFTEN 8 26.7
VERY
7 23.3
OFTEN
INFERENCE:
This table indicates that 26.7% of the employees ‘‘self-medicate’’ quite often, 23.3% resort to
alcoholism etc very frequently to relieve stress while 23.3% of them do not resort to
substance abuse at all. It shows that most employees give into excessive alcoholism or some
other forms of self-medication most times to reduce stress
Q5. Do you get angry quickly?
TABLE 1.5

RESPONDENTS AND FREQUENCY

OF ANGER
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
10 33.3
ALL
SOMETIME
12 40.0
S
VERY
8 26.7
OFTEN
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
40% of the employees claim that they sometimes get angry often while 33.3% feel that they
do not get angry very often. Also 26.7% of them say that they get very angry most of the
time.
Therefore, it is inferred that most of the employees are relatively calm and get angry only
sometimes.
Q6. Do you find you are prone to negative thinking about your job?
TABLE 1.6

RESPONDENTS WITH JOB

PESSIMISM
Frequency Percent
RARELY 13 43.3
SOMETIME
7 23.3
S
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
The table clearly shows that the employees have no negative thoughts about their job since
40% of them feel that it happens only rarely and 33.3.% say that it never happens.
Therefore, the rate of job pessimism or negative thinking about one’s job is very low.
Q7. When you have been ill with relatively minor illnesses, does it take you a long time
to recover?
Table 1.7

RESPONDENTS WITH SLOW RECOVERY DURING ILLNESS

Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
11 36.7
ALL
RARELY 11 36.7
SOMETIME
8 26.7
S
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
From the table, it is seen that most of the employees (36.7%) recuperate pretty quickly from
an illness while only 26.7% of them say that sometimes a long slow recovery period is taken.
It is inferred that most of the employees get back to their feet pretty soon after an illness and
do not stay in bed for excessive periods of time.
Q8. Do you feel you are isolated, with no-one to talk to?
TABLE 1.8

RESPONDENTS WHO FEEL

ISOLATED
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
14 46.7
ALL
RARELY 10 33.3
SOMETIME
6 20.0
S
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
This table shows that majority of the people do not feel isolated or lonely. 46.7% of them do
not feel any isolation while 33.3% say it happens rarely.
Therefore it is seen that most of the employees have someone to talk to and relate with and
are not isolated or alone.
Q9. Do you feel out of control and as if you're not in the driving seat of your life and
health?

TABLE1.9
RESPONDENTS WITH NO
CONTROL OF LIFE
Frequency Percent
Valid RARELY 12 40.0
SOMETIME
12 40.0
S
OFTEN 6 20.0
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
This table shows that most of the employees have control of their lives and are in the driving
seat of their own lives while only 20% felt that they are being controlled by others and not
themselves.
Q10. Do you 'snack' instead of eating 'wholesome' meals?
TABLE 1.10

RESPONDENTS WITH BAD EATING

HABITS
Frequency Percent
Valid SOMETIME
9 30.0
S
OFTEN 12 40.0
VERY
9 30.0
OFTEN
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
The values in the table clearly indicate that all the employees indulge in snacking rather than
in consumption of wholesome nutritious meals due heavy work pressure, time constraints and
job demand.
Q11. When conflict arises at work or at home, do you tend to over-react?

TABLE 1.11
RESPONDENTS WHO OVER REACT
TO CONFLICTS
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
9 30.0
ALL
RARELY 13 43.3
SOMETIME
8 26.7
S
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
It is seen that most people do not over react to conflicts either at home or at work. Only
26.7% of them tend to over react in some situations.

Q12. Do you feel that there is more work to do than you realistically have the capacity
to do?
TABLE 1.12
RESPONDENTS WHOSE WORK
EXCEEDS ONE'S CAPACITY
Frequency Percent
Valid RARELY 2 6.7
SOMETIME
11 36.7
S
OFTEN 12 40.0
VERY
5 16.7
OFTEN
Total 30 100.0
:
INFERENCE:
The table shows that most of the employees feel that their job demands and requires more
than what they are actually capable of doing. In most cases, their workload exceeds their
capacity. Only a small group (6.7%) felt that it was not so.

Q13. Do you feel caught between the pressures of responsibility for family and work
life?
TABLE 1.13
RESPONDENTS CAUGHT BETWEEN
FAMILY AND WORK PRESSURE
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
3 10.0
ALL
RARELY 5 16.7
SOMETIME
14 46.7
S
OFTEN 6 20.0
VERY
2 6.7
OFTEN
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
From the table it is seen that 46.7% of the employees feel that sometimes they are trapped
between the pressures of home and work ,20% feel caught often and 16.7% felt that it
happened very rarely.

Q14. Do you feel under – par at the beginning of the day?
TABLE 1.14
RESPONDENTS WHO FEEL UNDER -
PAR AT THE BEGINNING OF A
WORK DAY
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
4 13.3
ALL
RARELY 16 53.3
SOMETIME
8 26.7
S
OFTEN 1 3.3
VERY
1 3.3
OFTEN
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
The table clearly shows that 53.3% of the employees rarely feel under-par even at the
beginning of a working day and only a handful of employees (3.3%) actually feel under-par
on working days.

Q15. Do you shy away from social contact with colleagues and friends?
TABLE 1.15
RESPONDENTS WHO SHY AWAY
FROM SOCIAL CONTACT WITH
COLLEAGUES
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
18 60.0
ALL
RARELY 9 30.0
SOMETIME
3 10.0
S
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
It clearly shows that majority of the employees are actively sociable and do not shy away
from social contact especially with colleagues.

Q16. Do other people comment on your not taking care of your appearance?
TABLE 1.16
RESPONDENTS WHOSE
APPEARANCES ARE COMMENTED
UPON
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
16 53.3
ALL
RARELY 12 40.0
SOMETIME
1 3.3
S
OFTEN 1 3.3
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
From the table and the pie chart, it is clearly understood that most of the employees are well
dressed and maintain a certain level of grooming and therefore are not commented upon for
shabby appearances by their colleagues.

Q17. Do you claim you have no time for hobbies and interests?
TABLE 1.17
RESPONDENTS WITH NO TIME
FOR THEMSELVES
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
1 3.3
ALL
RARELY 1 3.3
SOMETIME
11 36.7
S
OFTEN 10 33.3
VERY
7 23.3
OFTEN
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
The pie chart and table values clearly indicate that most of the employees are so busy and
caught up with work pressure that they barely have any time for themselves. They have
almost no time for their hobbies and self-interests.

Q18. Do you feel misunderstood or unappreciated by your colleagues, friends or family

members?
TABLE 1.18
RESPONDENTS WHO FEEL
MISUNDERSTOOD/
UNAPPRECIATED BY OTHERS
Frequency Percent
RARELY 7 23.3
SOMETIME
6 20.0
S
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
Here again, most of the employees are satisfied and not misunderstood or unappreciated by
their colleagues or family members. Only 20% feel that at certain times they are
misunderstood.

Q19. Do you feel you have to be the 'coper' for the family or for colleagues, with no
option for seeking support for yourself?
TABLE 1.19
RESPONDENTS WHO ARE COPERS
FOR FAMILY/ COLLEAGUES WITH
NO SUPPORT FOR THEMSELVES
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
1 3.3
ALL
RARELY 12 40.0
SOMETIME
12 40.0
S
OFTEN 5 16.7
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
Here there are 2 strong groups- one group (40%) feel that very rarely do they have to be
copers for everyone else with no support for themselves while the other group also of 40%
feel that sometimes they have no one to seek support from.

Q20. Would you take a sick day, not because you feel ill but overwhelmed, just to keep
your 'head above water' emotionally, mentally and physically?
TABLE 1.20
RESPONDENTS WHO TAKE A DAY
OFF JUST TO RECUPERATE
EMOTIONALLY, MENTYALLY &
PHYSICALLY
Frequency Percent
Valid NOT AT
6 20.0
ALL
RARELY 1 3.3
SOMETIME
12 40.0
S
OFTEN 10 33.3
VERY
1 3.3
OFTEN
Total 30 100.0
INFERENCE:
The chart and table indicate that many employees call in a sick day at work not because they
are really sick but because they are too overwhelmed and need time to recuperate physically,
mentally and emotionally.

FINDINGS
1. Most of the respondents have many years of long association with the organisation
2. Most of the employees feel that they have no time for themselves and their personal
lives because of work overload.
3. The respondents are sociable and have no problems interacting with their colleagues.
4. Employees are satisfied with the working conditions.
5. Role overload is the major cause of stress.
6. The respondents face a moderate level of stress
SUGGESTIONS
 The employees must give importance to time management techniques thereby they
can complete their work within the specified time.
 Many tasks can be delegated to subordinates without losing effectiveness so that we
can reduce the overload of work.
 Introduce Flexi time
 Organisations must introduce recreational zones within the premises for the
employees to unwind.
 Adopt the work to home transition strategy. It means instead of carrying the pressures
of the work to home, the suggestion is to start the unwinding process during the work
day and enter the home in a relaxed and peaceful mind.
 Counselling the employees when they face problems, because counselling is the
discussion of a problem that usually has emotional content with an employee in order
to help the employee cope better.
 The organization must introduce Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) and stress
control workshops accordingly to the level of employees, because there is a strong
relation between the level of stress and level of employees. EAP includes counselling
employees who seek assistance on how to deal with alcohol and drug abuse,
managing personal finances, handling conflicts at the work place, dealing with marital
and other family problems, and coping with health problems.
 Engaging the bored employee in aerobic exercise, because it stimulates the brain and
the body. Also, the employee must practice meditation and yoga regularly.

EMPLOYEES’ SUGGESTION TO REDUCE STRESS
This project consists of the information about the employees, working in the banking
industry, who are undergoing stress. So, considering this factor, the topic becomes one of the
most important part of the project as it consists of the opinion of the employees who work in
the banks. The response of employees from major banks in the city was marvellous as they
gave their valuable opinion about reducing stress as a result of the last question included in
the questionnaire. The opinion of the employees were as follows:
 “Just smile away” An employee of private service sector

 “Just believe in yourself and just do what your heart wants” An employee of private
service sector
 “Talking to family member “- Watching TV or listening good music, - Going for a
walk or long drive” An employee of private service sector
 “Believe in God” An employee of private service sector
 “Respect yourself and give time to yourself” An employee of private service sector
 “Working in environment welfares, lot of positive attitudes. Positive attitude is only
that reduces stress and achieves success. Most of the people frustrate due to lack of
positivity and stress level climbs up due to that. So, get positive attitude about work,
about life, and forget the stress” An employee of private service sector
 “We should do such activities from which we get happiness and also make others
happy. Pass your time with your close friends and relatives.” An employee of
private service sector
 “Play and watch cricket” An employee of private service sector
 “Listen music and spend time with family” An employee of private service sector
 “Get adjusted with others, Find and spend time for prayer, Study the scriptures, See
oneness in all, All are manifested of the supreme GOD” An employee of private
service sector.

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

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Karnataka State Open University - Mysore

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 1

REMEDIES TO REDUCE STRESS

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

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 2

o Making daily list of activities to be accomplished

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 3

Increasingly formal organizational communication with employees reduces uncertainty by

The different types of stress are as follows:

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 4

 Yield stress, the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically.

 Stress (biological), physiological or psychological stress; some types include:

 Stress (game), card game

STRESS IN MECHANICAL TERMS:

is the average stress, also called engineering or nominal stress, and

is the force acting over the area .

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 5

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 6

In long, slender structural elements -- such as columns or truss bars -- an increase of

STRESS IN BIOLOGICAL TERMS:

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 7

GOOD STRESS V/S BAD STRESS:

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 8

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 9

History of service sector in India

Recent Industrial developments

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 10

 According to a spokesperson, the Indian government is planning to introduce a credit

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 11

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 12

SCOPE & SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

 To identify the factors causing stress among the employees.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 13

 The questionnaires were filled be 30 employees working in various service sectors. So

The most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly attributed to Richard S

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 14

Fienmann views stress as a psychological response state of negative effect

* Jamal M. “Job stress-prone Type A behaviour, personal and organizational consequences”,

Hans Seyle, the endocrinologist, whose research on General Adaptation Syndrome

Alarm reaction is caused by physical or psychological stressors. Resistances are

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 15

*Stephen Robbins, “Organizational Behaviour”, Prentice Hall, U.K, 1989 pp 499-501.

Stress is a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity,

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 16

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 17

STRESS AND DECISIONMAKING, PERCEPTION, AND COGNITION

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 18

DIFFERENT TYPES OF STRESSORS

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 19

Health and Healthcare Utilization

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 20

CAUSES OF WORKPLACE STRESS

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 21

SIGNS OF WORKPLACE STRESS

How to Change the Organization to Prevent Job Stress

STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO SKANDA CONSULTANTS BANGALORE 22

COPING WITH STRESS AT WORK PLACE