The Explorer Islamabad: Journal of Social Sciences

ISSN: 2411-0132(E), 2411-5487(P)

Vol-1, Issue (11): 436-441
www.theexplorerpak.org

STRESS AND JOB SATISFACTION IN WHOLESALE CENTER EMPLOYEES

Arfah Ayesha Shahid
A Level graduate from Lahore Grammar School, 55-Main Gulberg, Lahore, Pakistan
Corresponding Author:
Arfah Ayesha Shahid
A Level Graduate from Lahore Grammar School
55-Main Gulberg, Lahore, Pakistan
arfahayesha15@gmail.com
Abstract: The current research explores the relationship between stress and job satisfaction in wholesale center
employees. It also investigates the difference on stress and job satisfaction between male and female wholesale
center employees. Further, the study also investigates the impact of demographic variables on stress and job
satisfaction of wholesale center employees. Private sector plays an important role in the economic development of
a country. A general feeling among people is that usually private sector responds more efficiently to the needs of
individuals customers. Private sector is believed to be well-organized because of its efficiency of recruitment,
compensation, fund raising and resource allocation in much more controlled way (Peters 1995). Private sector
employees face heavy workload but receive low salary. Due to large amount of customers dealing and work
pressure, they feel stress and this stress leads towards job dissatisfaction. UNO (1992) described job stress as the
twentieth century disease because over 70% of worldwide employees describe their job as stressful and more than
one in five report high level of stress at work on a daily basis (Akinboye, et al. 2002). In organizational context,
occupational stress is alternatively known as job stress. Stress at workplace is common now-a-days. The stress at
workplace has gained much importance in the interest of stress researches. Occupational stress in the work place
is the growing problem, with general cost to individuals, organization and society. Families have been reported to
be affected by long working hours, as it prevents employees from giving sufficient time and attention to their
children and partner (Major, et al. 2002). All these factors lead to reduction in job-satisfaction in employees.

Key Words: Economic Growth, Stress, Job Satisfaction

INTRODUCTION
Significance of the Study
In developing countries, the economic growth
rate is not at par with developed countries.
Therefore, private sector is striving hard to
contribute in the economic growth of the
developing countries. With the increases of
private sector job opportunities also increase.
High work load leads to job stress, and therefore
the employees remain dissatisfied with their jobs.
Literature also contains evidences that job stress
negatively effects on job satisfaction. Many
researchers have conducted on exploring the
relationship between job satisfaction and stress
in employees, but the area to study the
employees of whole sale center remained
neglected in Pakistan. So the present study
focuses on exploring the relationship between
stress and job satisfaction among whole sale
centers employees. Further the study is to
explore the difference on stress and job

satisfaction between men and women of

wholesale center employees. To study the
relationship and differences of these variables
the research was conducted.
The following hypotheses have been generated
keeping in view the literature review.
Hypothesis
H.1:
There will be negative relationship
between stress and job satisfaction of
wholesale center employees.
H.2:
There will be difference in stress and job
satisfaction between men and women
wholesale center employees.
METHODS
Co relational research design was used in the
present research. The sample of 100 wholesale
center employees were taken from 2 main stores
of Lahore (N= 100). Purposive sampling was used
for data collection. Age of the participants was

436

ranged from 15-40 years (M = 26.30. SD = 3.48).

75 % of the sample were men and 25 % were
women. Fifty four percent and 40% of women
were married and 60% were single. 2% of males
were accountants, 4% cashier, 18% display
officers. 6% display head, 4% electrician, 6% of
males were floor in charge, 44% of males were
salesman. 10% of males and 4% of females were
sales worker. 4% of females were HR officers, 8%
of females were in IT department. Experience of
the respondents was ranged from 1-30 years.
Income of the respondents was ranged from
5000 - 25000. 1.3% of the participants had 6
hours duty, 1.3 % had 7 hours duty per day, 47%
had 8 hours duty, 45.3% of them had been
performing 9 hours duty per day and 5% of them
had 12 hours daily duty.
Tools for Data Collection
Following instruments will be used for
data collection:
1.
Demographic Information Form
2.
(JSS) Job Satisfaction Scale (Spector 1994)
3.
(DASS) Depression Anxiety Stress scale
(Lovibond and Lovibond 1995)
Demographic Information Form
Information regarding the age, experience,
education, monthly income, marital status,
working hours and working duration of the
participants were taken on demographic
information form.
Job Satisfaction Scale (Spector 1994)
The job satisfaction scale (Spector 1994) was
used to assess the job satisfaction in male and
female employees. The scale includes 36 items.
Some of the items are positive and some of the
items are negative. Negative items include 2, 4, 6,
8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 29, 31, 32,
34 and 36. Each item is scored from 1to6 (Likert
type scale). Higher score on the scale represent
high job satisfaction and low score represent
lower job satisfaction. Urdu translated version of
scale was used in the present research (Shahzad
2011). The nine subscales of this scale include
pay, promotion, supervision, fringe benefits,
contingent rewards, operating procedures,
coworkers, nature of work and communication.
DASS Scale (Lovibond and Lovibond 1995)
The DASS is a 42 item questionnaire which
includes three self report scales designed to
measure the negative emotional state of
depression, anxiety and stress. Only stress items

were included in the existing study which were 1,

6, 8, 11, 12, 14, 18, 22, 27, 29, 32, 33, 35and 39. It
has the reliability coefficient of 0.77. Each item is
scored from 1to 4 (Likert type scale)
Independent Variable
Stress of employees was taken as independent
variable.
Dependent Variable
Job satisfaction of employees was taken as
dependent variable.
PROCEDURE
The study was conducted to measure the stress
and job satisfaction in wholesale center
employees in Pakistan. Data was collected from 2
major private wholesale centers of Lahore.
Permission was obtained from the concerned
authorities for data collection. First of all, the
researcher got permission from managers of
centers and met with Human Resource manager
and got information about employees. Before
administration all the participants was briefed
about the nature and purpose of study, and their
consent was also obtained. HR managers and
researcher requested the employees to fill the
questionnaires. Researcher visited twenty
consecutive days in wholesale center for the
purpose of data collection. Participants were
assured that information taken from them would
be kept confidential.
RESULTS
Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the
preliminary profile of the research participants.
Correlation analysis was carried out to explore
the relationship between stress and job
satisfaction among employees f whole sale
centers and independent samples t test was used
to find the differences between male and female
employees.
Table.1: Correlation between Sub Scales of Job
Satisfaction and Stress in Wholesale Centers
Employees (N=100)
Variables
Pay
Promotion
Supervision
Fringe Benefits
Contingent
Rewards
Operating
procedure

Stress
(r)
-.21*
-.26*
.08
-.32**
-.30*

SD

14.01
14.03
14.00
14.06
14.05

2.80
3.01
2.70
3.01
3.00

0.68
0.71
0.62
0.81
0.78

.05

14.00

2.68

0.61

437

Co-workers
Nature of work
Communication
Job satisfaction
X

.07
-.24*
-.37**
-.46**
30.07

14.01
14.1
14.07
124.6
-

2.69
2.98
3.02
9.53
-

0.70
0.76
0.81
0.80
-

SD

5.10

0.79

Note: **P< .01, *P<.05, X= Arithmetic Mean of variables, SD=

Standard deviation, = reliability coefficient

Results in Table 1 indicate the relationship

between stress and sub scales of job satisfaction.
It shows statistically significant negative
relationship of stress with pay(r = -.21*),
promotion (r = -.26*), fringe benefits (r = -.32**),
contingent rewards (r = -.30*), nature of work (r =
.24*), communication (-.37**) and with jobsatisfaction (-.46**). Which means that in the
presence of stress there will be no pleasure from
getting pay, promotion, fringe benefits,
contingent
rewards,
nature
of
work,
communication and overall job-satisfaction of the
employees of whole sale centers.
Table.2: Correlation of Demographic Variables
With Stress of Wholesale Centers Employees
(N= 100)
Variables
Marital
Status
Monthly
Income
Working
Hours
Night
Shifts
Spouse
Job
X

Stress
(r)
-.22*

SD

50.11

20.16

0.71

-.20*

12905.84

4247.40

0.74

.32**

12.12

2.13

0.62

.30**

20.15

7.21

0.73

income (r= -.20*, p< .05) and with spouse job (r= .32**, p< .05). This indicates that when an
employee is married then there is no stress.
Similarly monthly income of whole sale centers
employees brings no stress in their lives. The
results also shows statistically significant positive
correlation of stress with working hours (r =
.32**, p< .01) and with night shifts (r = .30**, p<
.01). This shows that long working hours and
night shifts are positively correlated with stress
and brings stress to employees lives.
Table.3: Difference of Stress and Sub Job
Satisfaction between Men and Women
Employees (N= 100, Df = 98)
Variable
s

Gender

50.12

12.25

0.80

30.07

SD

5.10

0.79

Table 2 shows correlation of stress with

demographic variables of the research
participants. The result given in Table 2 indicates
statistically significant negative correlation of
stress with being married (r= -.21*, *p< .05)

Coh
ens
d

C.I
95%
LL

U
L

2.1
5*

0.5
5

4.
7
8
.4
0

.1
9

Men
X
S
D
30. 5.
69
0
1

Women
X
S
D
28. 4.
20
9
9

Pay

12.
30

2.
8
5

13.
28

3.
4
2

1.4
0

0.3
1

Promoti
on

13.
76

13.
12

0.2
1

14.
25

3.
2
1
2.
1
4

.94

Supervis
ion

2.
8
4
2.
8
0

1.4
0

0.3
4

Fringe
benefits

13.
92

2.
5
2

14.
52

3.
0
0

.98

0.2
1

Conting
ent
benefits

13.
66

2.
7
9

14.
80

2.
7
3

1.7
6

0.4
1

Operati
ng
conditio
n
Coworker

13.
32

3.
4
1

13.
84

2.
2
3

.71

0.1
8

13.
98

2.
9
0

15.
52

2.
5
3

2.3
5*

0.5
6

Nature
of work

14.
32

13.
52

0.2
6

13.

2.
9
1
2.

1.1
4

Commu

3.
0
5
3.

0.7

Stress

-.36**

15.
12

14.

.7
0
2.
0
8
1.
8
1
2.
4
0
1.
9
7
2.
8
2
.5
8
-

2.
3
4
1.
9
8
.3
5

.6
1

.1
4

.9
3

.2
4
2.
1
8
-

438

nication

82

0
1

80

8
5

1.4
1*

Jobsatisfact
ion

10
0.2
9

7.
0
4

12
0.1
0

9.
8
2

3.7
8**

0.8
1

2.
3
3
3.
8
3

.3
8
.7
1

Note: X= Arithmetic Mean of variables SD= Standard deviation, t= t-test, CI=

Confidence interval

Independent- sample t- test was used to find the

difference of stress and job satisfaction between
both genders of the employees. The result in
table 3 shows significant differences on stress (t=
2.15*) between men and women employees.
Results in table also indicate that there is
significant difference on sub scales of job
satisfaction co-worker (t= -2.35*) and overall job
satisfaction (t= -3.78**) between men and
women employees.
DISCUSSION
This present study was conducted to explore the
relationship between stress and job satisfaction
in wholesale center employees. The study also
examined the difference of stress and job
satisfaction among men and women employees.
The findings of the first hypothesis of the study
reveal that there is negative correlation between
stress and job satisfaction of the whole sale
centers employees. The present findings are
consistent with those researchers who have also
reported that stress and job satisfaction are
negatively correlated (Mansoor, et al. 2011; De
Nobile and McComick 2005; Chaudhry 2011).
These findings indicate that high level of job
stress is linked with low level of job satisfaction.
Job satisfaction represents a mixture of positive
and negative feelings that workers have towards
their work. Employees satisfaction with their job
is very important for any organization. Job stress
can be caused by different factors including
workload and working conditions. According to
Beehr and Newman (1978), job stress is defined
as a situation in which some features of the work
situation can cause poor psychological and
physical health problems in workers. Job stress
mostly reduces the job satisfaction of employee,
because they are not able to perform their jobs
properly. Thus, first hypothesis concluded that
when stress increases job satisfaction decreases.
Next main findings of the first hypothesis reveal
that there is significant relationship between

stress and pay, promotions, fringe benefactors,

contingent benefits and nature of work. The
present findings are consistent with (Bhatti, et al.
2010; Mahmood, et al. 2010) who have also
found that these subscales of job-satisfaction and
stress are correlated. Stress can be caused by
environmental, organizational and individual
factors. Among the environmental factors, nature
of work is very important factor for employees. If
the employees are satisfied with their nature of
job, the employee will be productive. Among the
many organizational sources of stress, five major
variables were investigated namely conflict,
blocked career, alienation, work overload and
adverse work environment. Nature of job is
related with job stress. According to the results of
Bhatti, et al. (2010) 33% of overall stress is
caused by factors outside organization whereas
67% stress is due to internal factors. It was also
found that major cause of stress is workload
(25%) because employees are been utilized more
than their capabilities. Second major cause for
stress is timings (16%) as employees work for
long hours, next cause for stress is climate (11%)
as employees especially from distribution side
have to go outside offices to meet their clients
and customers so hot weather, traveling
distances and transportation system really give
them tough time which result in stress. Thus, it is
concluded that nature of work is very important
in determining the stress of an employee. If the
employee is satisfied with the nature of work
than his job stress will be low and vice versa.
Additionally, it was also concluded that there is
significant relationship between stress and
communication. The current findings are
consistent with (Bhatti, et al. 2010; Mahmood, et
al. 2010; Butt 1990) who have also reported that
stress and communication are negatively
correlated, which means that when stress
increases communication decreases. Many
organizational problems are related to job
dissatisfaction, lack of teamwork, job-related
stress, lack of commitment, and lack of
communication, which are the five factors of
organizational communication. In a stressful
conditions employees communication level is
considerably become low. Thus, it is concluded
that when level of stress is high communication is
low.

439

The findings of the second hypothesis reveal that

there is significant difference on stress and job
satisfaction between men and women
employees. Stress is higher in men as compared
to women because men facing heavy work load
as well as customer dealing in wholesale centers.
Due to heavy work they high stress and high
dissatisfaction from their jobs. Results also
indicate significant difference on sub scale of job
satisfaction, coworker between men and women
employees. Good communication is very
important factor between coworkers in
determining level of stress. If the communication
level or relationship with coworkers are not good
then employees experience stress and job
dissatisfaction.
Thus,
second
hypothesis
concluded that there is difference in stress and
job satisfaction between men and women
wholesale center employees.
As far demographic variables are concerned
marital status appears to be a strong factor in
stress. This finding corroborates with (Cano and
Miller 2000) who also found the same result.
Men are more stressed than women because
they are not satisfied with present jobs and want
to change their job. They also face heavy
economic pressure so; men feel more stress as
compared to women. In men employees stress is
higher because they are facing heavy workload
and customer dealing with low salaries. With
excessive pressures, the job demands cannot be
met, relaxation turns to tiredness, and a sense of
satisfaction replaces with the feelings of stress,
motivation sheds away and the workers start
losing interest in the work and hence
performance chart shows a negative trend.
Moreover, gender was also found as significantly
negatively correlated with stress. Gender is
correlated with stress. It is found that in stressful
environment they are not satisfied with their
jobs.
Causes of stress are many like, work load, cuts in
staff, change at work, long work hours, shift
work, lack of supervision, insufficient training,
unsuitable working conditions, too much heavy
responsibilities and poor relations with
colleagues. Male wholesale center employees are
facing these problems more than females
workers. So, they feel stressed and show little
satisfaction towards their jobs.

Additionally, income was found as significantly

correlated with stress. The findings are consistent
with Ali, et al. 2011) who also found significant
correlation between income and stress of
employees. Extra organization stressor includes
variables such as climate, economic conditions,
and income and employees family. Income is
related with stress of employees because mostly
they belong to middle socioeconomic families.
Findings indicate that men are more stressed
than women because their salaries are less than
their monthly expenditures. They are facing
family burden as well as social responsibilities.
Qualitative record was also maintained to
investigate the impact of income on employees
level of stress as well as job satisfaction, which
reveals that income is negatively related with
stress. Men employees are facing a lot of family
pressure and if their income will be low than they
feel stress at their job, and this stress leads
towards job dissatisfaction.
CONCLUSION
Thus it is concluded from the present study that
stress affects the job satisfaction of wholesale
center employees. Stress and job satisfaction are
negatively correlates with each other.
Limitations
1. Sample was limited due to limited time. A
larger sample could provide with more
valid
results
and
increase
the
generalizability of the present research.
2. The participants were taken only from
one specific socio-economic classes
which could have affect the external
validity of the research.
Implications
This study is an important in providing scientific
data on stress and job satisfaction of wholesale
center employees finding differences in male and
female wholesale center employees.This study is
an important source for researchers to
understand the relationship between stress and
job satisfaction in wholesale center employees.
Results of the present study imply that different
organizational and psychological factors are
responsible for low job satisfaction and high level
of stress in employees.
REFERENCES
Akinboye, J. O., D. O. Akinboye, and D. A.
Adeyemo
2002 Coping With Stress in Life and

440

Workplace. Nigeria:
Publishers (Nig.)

Stirling-Horden

Ali, F., Farooqi, A., Amin N., and Amjad Z.

2011 Impact of Stress on Job
Performance. Journal of Business
Studies Quarterly 3(3): 90-105.
Beehr, Terry A., and John E. Newman
1978 Job Stress, Employee Health, and
Organizational Effectiveness: A Facet
Analysis, Model, and Literature Review
1.Personnel psychology 31(4): 665-699.
Bhatti, Nadeem, Amir Hussain Shar, Faiz M.
Shaikh, and Muhammad Suhail Nazar
2010 Causes of Stress in Organization, A
Case Study Of Sukkur. International
Journal
of
Business
and
Management 5(11):41-46.
Butt, Zahir Uddin
1990
The
Relationship
Between
Occupational Stress and Organizational
Commitment
in
Non-governmental
Organizations of Pakistan Journal of
Psychology 5(3):23-29.
Cano, Jamie, and Greg Miller
1992 A Gender Analysis of Job
Satisfaction, Job Satisfier Factors, and Job
Dissatisfied Factors of Agricultural
Education
Teachers.
Journal
of
Agricultural Education 33(3): 40-46.

Distress. Journal
of
Psychology 87(3): 427-436

Applied

Mansoor, Muhammad, Sabtain Fida, Saima Nasir,

and Zubair Ahmad
2011 The Impact of Job Stress on
Employee Job Satisfaction: A Study on
Telecommunication Sector of Pakistan
Journal of Business Studies Quarterly
2(3): 50-56.
Mahmood, Babak, Shabbir Hussain, Abdul
Hannan, and Niaz Muhammad
2010 The Relationship between Stress
and Work Performance in an Industrial
Environment of Faisalabad District.
Pakistan Journal of Life and Social
Sciences 8(1):68-72.
De Nobile, John J., and John McCormick
2005 Job Satisfaction and Occupational
Stress in Catholic Primary Schools.
Journal of Psychologies.36(2): 121-149.
Peters, B. Guy
1995 The Politics of Bureaucracy. (4th
ed.). New York. Longman Publishers.
Publication Date: Dec-1-2015
2015The Explorer Islamabad Journal of Social Sciences-Pakistan

Chaudhry, Abdul Qayyum

2011 The
Relationship
Between
Occupational Stress And Job Satisfaction:
The Case of Pakistani Universities.
International Education Studies 5(3):212221.
Lovibond, S. H., and Peter F. Lovibond
1996 Manual for The
Depression
Anxiety Stress Scales. Psychology
Foundation of Australia.
Major, Virginia Smith, Katherine J. Klein, and
Mark G. Ehrhart
2002 Work Time, Work Interference
with
Family,
and
Psychological

441