CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION

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STRESS MANAGEMENT TOPIC OVERVIEW

The word stress is derived from the Latin word "stringi", which means, "to be drawn
tight".
In medical terms stress is described as, "a physical or psychological stimulus that can
produce mental tension or physiological reactions that may lead to illness."
According to Richard S Lazarus, stress is a feeling experienced when a person thinks that
"the demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to
mobilize."
Your body tries to adjust to different circumstances or continually changing environment
around you. In this process, the body is put to extra work resulting in "wear and tear". In
other words, your body is stressed. Stress disturbs the body's normal way of functioning.
Most of us experience stress at one time or another. Without stress, there would be no
life. However, excessive or prolonged stress can be harmful. Stress is unique and
personal. A situation may be stressful for someone but the same situation may be
challenging for others. For example, arranging a world level symposium may be
challenging for one person but stressful to another. Some persons have habit of worrying
unnecessarily.

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FEATURES OF STRESS:
Following are the features of stress :
1.

Stress may result into any kind of deviation physical, psychological, or

behavioral in the person. This deviation is from the usual state of affairs.

2.

Stress may be result of individuals interaction with environmental stimuli. Such

stimuli may be in any form, interpersonal interaction, event, and so on. The
impact of the stimuli produces deviation in the individual.

3.

It is not necessary that stress is always dysfunctional. There may be some stresses,
called eustresses, like stress for creative work, keen competition, entrepreneurial
activities, etc., which stimulate better productivity. It is only the dysfunctional
stress, called distress, which is bad and must be overcome.

4.

Stress can be temporary or long-term, mild or severe, depending mostly on how

long its causes continue, how powerful they are, and how strong the individuals
powers are. If stress is temporary and mild, most people can handle it or at least
recover from its effects rather quickly. Similarly, persons who have strong power
for tolerating stress can cope with stress more quickly.

5.

At one point or the other everybody suffers from stress. Relationship demands,
physical as well as mental health problems, pressure at workplaces, traffic snarls,
meeting deadlines, growing-up tensionsall of these conditions and situations are
valid causes of stress. People have their own methods of stress management. In
some people, stress-induced adverse feelings and anxieties tend to persist and
intensify. Learning to understand and master stress management techniques can
help prevent the counter effects of this urban malaise.

Who is most susceptible to stress?

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Stress comes in all forms and affects people of all ages and all walks of life. No external
standards can be applied to predict stress levels in individuals -- one need not have a
traditionally stressful job to experience workplace stress, just as a parent of one child may
experience more stress related to parenting than a parent of several children.

The degree of stress in our lives is highly dependent upon individual factors such as our
physical health, the quality of our interpersonal relationships, the number of
commitments and responsibilities we carry, the degree of others' dependence upon and
expectations on us, the amount of support we receive from others, and the number of
changes or traumatic events that have recently occurred in our lives.

Some generalizations, however, can be made. People with strong social support networks
(consisting of family, friends, religious organizations, or other social groups) report less
stress and overall improved mental health in comparison to those without these social
contacts. People who are poorly nourished, who get inadequate sleep, or who are
physically unwell also have reduced capabilities to handle the pressures and stresses of
everyday life and may report higher stress levels. Some stressors are particularly
associated with certain age groups or life stages. Children, teens, working parents, and
seniors are examples of the groups who often face common stressors related to life
transitions.
People who are providing care for elderly or infirm loved ones may also experience a
great deal of stress as caregivers. Having a loved one or family member who is under a
great deal of stress often increases our own stress levels as well.

Different Types of Stress

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Stress is highly individualistic in nature. Generally stress is viewed as something bad,

having negative consequences. Stress is not always bad. It is only the degree or level
of the stress which produces positive or negative consequences. Nothing can be far
from truth! A little stress is absolutely necessary for our survival in this highly
competitive world!
Thus, we can classify stress into two groups the good stress or 'eustress' or the
bad stress or 'distress'.
Eustress: The Good Stress
Eustress is the good stress which helps us to improve our performance. Eustress is
the healthy, positive and developmental stress response. This may lead employees
to new and better ways of doing their work. It denotes the presence of optimum
level of stress in an individual.
For example, if there is no stress of performing well in the exams or athletic
events, students will not study harder or the athletes will not sweat it out on the
tracks. A certain amount of positive stress keeps us pepped up to meet all
challenges and is necessary for our survival and progress in life.

Distress: The Bad Stress

Distress is the unhealthy and negative stress response. It denotes the presence of
high level of stress in an individual which affects his performance and efficiency
adversely.

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Errors will increase, bad decision will be made and the individual will experience
insomnia, stomach problems, and psychosomatic illnesses. When stress gets out
of hand, it becomes bad stress or distress, which will bring out the weakness
within us and make us vulnerable to fatigue and illness. If distress is continued
unchecked, this will lead to all the ill-effects of stress.
Organizational performance and individual health are at their peak at optimum
levels of experienced stress (Eustress). It is explained with the help of following
figure:
TABLE 1.1
Low stress

Optimum stress

High stress

Reactions

Boredom

High Energy

Exhaustion

Behaviors

Low
High motivation
High involvement
motivation
Carelessnes
s Physical
withdrawal
Inactivity

Anxiety
Nervousness
Bad judgment

Performance

Low
performanc
e

High performance

Poor performance

Health effects

Dull health

Good health

Insomnia,
illnesses

Measuring Stress levels

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE STRESSED?

Stress is what you feel when you have to handle more than you are used to.
When you are stressed, your body responds as though you are in danger.
It makes hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster , and give
you a burst of energy. This is called the fight or-flight stress response.

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Some stress is normal and even useful. It can help if you need to work hard or
react quickly. For example, it can help you win a race or finish an important job
on time.
But if stress happens too often or lasts too long, it can have bad effects. It can
lead to headaches, an upset stomach, back pain, or trouble sleeping. It can weaken
your immune system, making it harder to fight off disease. If you already have a
health problem, stress may make it worse. It can make you moody, tense, or
depressed. Your relationships may suffer, and you may not do well at work.

ASSESING LEVELS OF STRESS:

There are several ways by which an organization can diagnose the levels of stress
affecting its employees. Surveying employees, either by using a questionnaire or
by directly questioning them, can reveal a lot about the work place. Similarly,
conducting focus groups can be just as effective, not only in diagnosing but also
in providing ways to manage or minimize the impact of stress.
Some employees may be comfortable with interviews, others may not. In such
cases, consultants or stress management experts can simply observe the working
styles of employees over a period of time, either at an individual level or at an
organizational level and make recommendations to prevent stress. There are also
several stress measurement scales that can be used to measure employees stress.

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Some of well-known and frequently used scales by Human Resource consultants

are:
1

The Michigan Stress assessment(French & Khan,1962)

Occupational

stress

indicator

(Cooper,

Sloan

&

Williams,1988)
3

Job stress survey

Life even scale

The usage of stress indicator scales has proven to be a good measure to assess
stress. These scales provide organizations a point in time score card that can be used as
a bench mark indicator for future measurement and growth.

HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT YOUR STRESS LEVEL?

Sometimes it is clear where stress is coming from. You can count on stress
during a major change in life such as the death of a loved one, getting married, or having
a baby. But other times it may not be so clear why you feel stressed.
It may help to keep a stress journal. Get a note book and write down when something
makes you feel stressed. Then write how you reacted and what you did to deal with the
stress. Keeping a stress journal can help you find out what is causing your stress and how
much stress you feel. Then you can take steps to reduce the stress or handle it better.

THE DYNAMICS OF STRESS:

"Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool
and unruffled under all circumstances."

In a challenging situation the brain prepares the body for defensive actionthe

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fight or flight response by releasing stress hormones, namely, cortisone and adrenaline.
These hormones raise the blood pressure and the body prepares to react to the situation.
With a concrete defensive action (fight response) the stress hormones in the blood get
used up, entailing reduced stress effects and symptoms of anxiety.
When we fail to counter a stress situation (flight response) the hormones and chemicals
remain unreleased in the blood stream for a long period of time. It results in stress related
physical symptoms such as tense muscles, unfocused anxiety, dizziness and rapid
heartbeats. We all encounter various stressors (causes of stress) in everyday life, which
can accumulate, if not released. Subsequently, it compels the mind and body to be in an
almost constant alarm-state in preparation to fight or flee. This state of accumulated stress
can increase the risk of both acute and chronic psychosomatic illnesses and weaken the
immune system of the human body.
Stress can cause headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, eating disorder, allergies,
insomnia, backaches, frequent cold and fatigue to diseases such as hypertension, asthma,
diabetes, heart ailments and even cancer. In fact, Sanjay Chugh, a leading Indian
psychologist, says that 70 per cent to 90 per cent of adults visit primary care physicians
for stress-related problems.
Just about everybodymen, women, children and even fetusessuffer from stress.
Relationship demands, chronic health problems, pressure at workplaces, traffic snarls,
meeting deadlines, growing-up tensions can trigger stress conditions. People react to it in
their own ways. In some people, stress-induced adverse feelings and anxieties tend to
persist and intensify. Learning to understand and manage stress can prevent the counter
effects of stress.
Methods of coping with stress are plenty. The most significant or sensible way out is a
change in lifestyle. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, physical exercises,
listening to soothing music, deep breathing, various natural and alternative methods,
personal growth techniques, visualization and massage are some of the most effective of
the known non-invasive stress busters.

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CAUSES OF STRESS
Whenever our body feels something not favorable, then it tries to defend itself. If this
situation continues for a long time, then our body is working overtime.
There are several causes of stress. For example, you are under stress when you are
worried about something, worried about your children, worried about the illness of your
father, worried about your job security, or worried about your loans or similar things.
You may be under stress due to several causes. Look at the following causes of stress.
Causes of Stress at Home:
1

Death of spouse, family, near relative or friend.

Injury or illness of any family member.

Marriage of self or son or daughter or brother or sister.

Separation or divorce from partner.

Pregnancy or birth of a new baby.

Children's behavior or disobedience.

Children's educational performance.

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Argument or heated conversations with spouse, family members or

friends or neighbors.

Not sufficient money to meet out daily expenses or unexpected

expenditure.

10

Loss of money in burglary, pick-pocketed or share market.

11

Change of place or change of city or change of country.

Causes of Stress at Work

1

To meet out the demands of the job.

Your relationship with colleagues.

To control staff under you.

To train your staff and take work from them.

Support you receive from your boss, colleagues and juniors.

Excessive work pressure.

To give new results.

To produce new publications if you are in research area.

Working overtime and on holidays.

10 New work hours.

11 Promotion or you have not been promoted or your junior has
superseded you.
12 Argument or heated conversations with co-workers or boss.
13 Change of job.
14 Work against will.
15 Harassment

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Symptoms of stress
While mild stress can actually be beneficial it can spur you into action, motivate and
energize you it's often the buildup of the little things that can really "stress you out."
Persistent stress can lead to many adverse health problems, including:
1 Physical symptoms, such as headache and fatigue
2 Mental symptoms, such as poor concentration
3 Emotional symptoms, such as irritability and depression
4 Social symptoms, such as isolation and resentment

STAGES OF STRESS:
There are three stages of stress:
1
2
3

Alarm
Resistance
Exhaustion
Gas (General Adaptation syndrome) as termed by Hans Selve is another name for
stress. He has given three stages of stress as stated above.

Stage 1: Alarm
The first stage of stress is Alarm where in the stress mobilizes the internal stress system.
Many psychological and chemical reactions are observed during the alarm stage.
Increased respiration, heart trouble, and high blood pressure are observed during the
alarm stage. Many employees prevent themselves from becoming more stressed through
physiological and psychological treatment.
Stage2: Resistance
If the alarm stage is not prevented, resistance develops. The body organs become
resistant but it paves the ways for the development of other stressors.
Nervousness and tension are increased making individuals unable to relax.
Individuals develop conflicts, frustration and uneasiness. Illness and diseases attached

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with stress are developed under resistance. It is essential to know the causes of stress and
avoid them at the beginning stage.
Stage3: Exhaustion
Resistance or resistant stress creates Exhaustion. The immunity of the body is reduced.
Individuals feel fatigue and inability. Exhaustion develops moodiness, negative emotions
and helplessness. Consequently, the success of an organization is adversely affected.
Stressed employees cannot contribute significantly. A large number of organizations have
started stress education to prevent stress from negatively affecting the employees.

How Does Stress Affect Performance?

Answering the question "how does stress affect performance" is very important in pacing
out your life changing events and limiting exposure to stressors. It will also help you in
planning a timely stress management program.

Nixon P in 1979 charted out the stress performance curve to explain how stress affects
performance.
FIGURE 1.1

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Look at the curve. Our ability to perform increases up to a certain level of stress arousal.
This is the healthy tension or eustress. But if this stress continues uncontrolled and a
fatigue point is reached, any further stress arousal will take the performance level down,
ultimately leading to exhaustion, ill-health and, finally breakdown.

The good news is this: If stress management is applied daily and regularly before the
fatigue point is reached, the stress performance curve can be straightened up dramatically.
Meaning, you can improve your performance level even up to 50% just by learning to
relax. Take a printout of this graph and keep it with you. If your boss is pushing you too
hard without providing a break, show him/her the graph.
Look at the stress performance curve again and mark out where your position is now. If it
is above the danger level, take immediate steps to bring it to normal.

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JOB STRESS:
Stress at work is a relatively new phenomenon of modern lifestyles. The nature of work
has gone through drastic changes over the last century and it is still changing at
whirlwind speed. They have touched almost all professions, starting from an artist to a
surgeon, or a commercial pilot to a sales executive. With change comes stress, inevitably.
Professional stress or job stress poses a threat to physical health. Work related stress in
the life of organized workers, consequently, affects the health of organizations.
Job stress is a chronic disease caused by conditions in the workplace that negatively
affect an individuals performance and/or overall well-being of his body and mind. One
or more of a host of physical and mental illnesses manifests job stress. In some cases, job
stress can be disabling. In chronic cases a psychiatric consultation is usually required to
validate

the

reason

and

degree

of

work

related

stress.

Working on a project on stress at work, Andy Ellis, Ruskin College, Oxford, UK, has
shown in a chart how stress can adversely affect an employee`s performance. In the early
stages job stress can `rev up` the body and enhance performance in the workplace, thus
the term `I perform better under pressure`. However, if this condition is allowed to go
unchecked and the body is revved up further, the performance ultimately declines and the
person`s health degenerates.

Symptoms:

The signs of job stress vary from person to person, depending on the particular situation,
how long the individual has been subjected to the stressors, and the intensity of the stress
itself.

Typical

symptoms

of

1 Insomnia
2 Loss of mental concentration,
3 Anxiety, stress

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job

stress

can

be:

4 Absenteeism
5 Depression,
6 Substance abuse,
7 Extreme anger and frustration,
8 Family conflict
9 Physical illnesses such as heart disease, migraine, headaches, stomach problems, and
back problems.

Causes of Workplace Stress

Job stress may be caused by a complex set of reasons. Some of the most visible causes of
workplace stress are:
Job Insecurity
Organized workplaces are going through metamorphic changes under intense economic
transformations and consequent pressures.
Reorganizations, takeovers, mergers, downsizing and other changes have become major
stressors for employees, as companies try to live up to the competition to survive. These
reformations have put demand on everyone, from a CEO to a mere executive.
High Demand for Performance
Unrealistic expectations, especially in the time of corporate reorganizations, which,
sometimes, puts unhealthy and unreasonable pressures on the employee, can be a
tremendous source of stress and suffering. Increased workload, extremely long work
hours and intense pressure to perform at peak levels all the time for the same pay, can
actually leave an employee physically and emotionally drained. Excessive travel and too
much time away from family also contribute to an employee`s stressors.

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Technology
The expansion of technologycomputers, pagers, cell phones, fax machines and the
Internethas resulted in heightened expectations for productivity, speed and efficiency,
increasing pressure on the individual worker to constantly operate at peak performance
levels. Workers working with heavy machinery are under constant stress to remain alert.
In this case both the worker and their family members live under constant mental stress.
There is also the constant pressure to keep up with technological breakthroughs and
improvisations,

forcing

employees

to

learn

new

softwares

all

the

times.

Workplace Culture
Adjusting to the workplace culture, whether in a new company or not, can be intensely
stressful. Making one adapt to the various aspects of workplace culture such as
communication patterns, hierarchy, dress code if any, workspace and most importantly
working and behavioral patterns of the boss as well as the co-workers, can be a lesson of
life. Maladjustment to workplace cultures may lead to subtle conflicts with colleagues or
even with superiors. In many cases office politics or gossips can be major stress inducers.

Personal or Family Problems

Employees going through personal or family problems tend to carry their worries and
anxieties to the workplace. When one is in a depressed mood, his unfocused attention or
lack

of

motivation

affects

his

ability

to

carry

out

job

responsibilities.

Job Stress and Women

Women may suffer from mental and physical harassment at workplaces, apart from the
common job stress. Sexual harassment in workplace has been a major source of worry for

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women, since long. Women may suffer from tremendous stress such as `hostile work
environment harassment`, which is defined in legal terms as `offensive or intimidating
behavior in the workplace`. This can consist of unwelcome verbal or physical conduct.
These can be a constant source of tension for women in job sectors. Also, subtle
discriminations at workplaces, family pressure and societal demands add to these stress
factors.

Following are some of the long-term tips to survive stress:

1 Even if we feel secured in a habituated life, the truth remains that changing with the
times makes one`s position more secure. In today`s business climate, you must
continually be prepared for changes to avoid stress and survive in the competitive world.
2 Find and protect whatever time you get to refresh, re-energize and re-motivate
yourself. Spend quality time with your family. This can be an excellent source of
emotional
and
moral
support.
3 Avoid giving in to alcohol, smoking and other substance abuses while under constant
stress.
4 Develop positive attitudes towards stressful situations in life. Give up negative mental
traits such as fear, anger and revengeful attitudes, which actually germinate stress. Try to
revert to holistic relaxation and personal growth techniques such as meditation, breathing
and exercises, to remodel your lifestyles.
5 In case of chronic stress consult a health professional.
6 Reduce workplace stress by celebrating yours or your colleagues` accomplishments.
7 Adapting to demands of stress also means changing your personality. Improve your line
of communication, efficiency and learn from other`s experiences.
8 Don`t be complacent. Be prepared for any change physically, emotionally and
financially.
But, when you are under stress at work, some simple practices can help:
9 Sit straight and comfortably on your seat, and try breathing exercises. It will relax your
nerves
and
muscles.
10 Relax and count backwards (20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15)

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Strategies for Managing Job Stress

While many of the methods of preventing job stress need to be developed and supported
by the organization, there are things that workers can do to help you better manage job
stress.
Here are 10 tips for dealing with the stress from your job:
1. Put it in perspective. Jobs are disposable. Your friends, families, and health are
not. If your employer expects too much of you, and it's starting to take its toll
on you, start looking for a new job/new employer.
2. Modify your job situation. If you really like your employer, but the job has
become too stressful (or too boring), ask about tailoring your job to your
skills. And if you got promoted into a more stressful position that you are just
not able to handle, ask about a lateral transfer -- or even a transfer back to
your old job (if that's what you want).
3. Get time away. If you feel the stress building, take a break. Walk away from
the situation, perhaps walking around the block, sitting on a park bench,
taking in a little meditative time. Exercise does wonders for the psyche. But
even just finding a quiet place and listening to your iPod can reduce stress.
4. Fight through the clutter. Take time to organize your desk or workspace, it can
help ease the sense of losing control that comes from too much clutter.
Keeping a to-do list -- and then crossing things off it -- also helps.
5. Talk it out. Sometimes the best stress-reducer is simply sharing your stress
with someone close to you. The act of talking it out - and getting support and
empathy from someone else -- is often an excellent way of blowing of steam
and reducing stress. Have a support system of trusted people.

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6. Cultivate allies at work. Just knowing you have one or more co-workers who
are willing to assist you in times of stress will reduce your stress level. Just
remember to reciprocate and help them when they are in need.
7. Find humor in the situation. When you - or the people around you -- start
taking things too seriously, find a way to break through with laughter. Share a
joke or funny story.
8. Have realistic expectations. While Americans are working longer hours, we
can still only fit so much work into one day. Having unrealistic expectations
for what you can accomplish sets you up for failure -- and increased stress.
9. Nobody is perfect. If you are one of those types that obsess over every detail
and manage to make sure "everything is perfect," you need to stop. Change
your motto to performing your best, and leave perfection to the gods.
10. Maintain a positive attitude (and avoid those without one). Negativism sucks
the energy and motivation out of any situation, so avoid it whenever possible.
Instead, develop a positive attitude -- and learn to reward yourself for little
accomplishments (even if no one else does).

Effective Stress Management

It happens to all of us and sometimes, we feel there is no way out. I'm talking about stress
which is one of the leading challenges that the human kind is constantly grappling with,
and trying to understand and deal with it effectively. There might be simple words to
describe stress and sometimes it does not need any definition because we all go through
it.
Experts have been working on effective stress management methods which would seek to
remedy all harmful effects that stress is associated with and eradicate it all together. So
far, some models have been devised and, they might hold the key to deal with stress and
they include the following.

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Models of Stress Management:

1

Transactional Model: The first model in effective stress management is the transactional model. The
first thing it seeks to do is to explain what stress is. This model was designed by
Richard Lazarus and Susan Folk man who defined stress in the following way.
According to them, stress is simply an imbalance between the resources that are in
possession of a person and the demands that they have to meet every day. Usually,
when one has to offer more than they have, the next logical thing that will happen
is that they will be drained out. Therefore, the imbalance can be viewed from this
perspective. Their explanation of stress, further seeks to suggest that one will not
have stress when they have enough resources to cope with the demand.
Their perception on stress also implies that stress is not a direct result of a
stressor. The traditional view of stress is pretty different because there is a belief
that a specific cause or stressor has to be present for stress to be conceived.
Therefore, the transactional model has been designed to identify the factors that
will predispose a person to shortcomings in regard to their resources. The methods
of effective stress management in this model root from the external factors that
are unique to each individual and hence the solution to their stress problem will be
formulated to act effectively for their case.
Finally, in this model, there is a very interesting suggestion which is that if people
felt confident enough or resourceful enough to deal and cope with the demand,
then the severe stress aspect might be non existent. Therefore, people who
constantly choose to feel under pressure will find themselves more stressed.
Pressure can therefore act as a stressor although the model creators do not base
their model on stressors. The second effective stress management model is the
health realization model which is also called innate health model. This model
highly banks on the source of a thought and its ability to shape your actions and
perceptions.

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According to this model, stress is only a by product of what an individual chooses

to perceive about themselves and others. The thought process when affected by
negativity, insecurity and other factors will obviously produce stress. Therefore,
this model will seek to help individuals equip themselves with initial positivity
which will also be the outcome, escaping stress. After analyzing the above
models, it is clear that there are causes of stress or specific sources whether
external or internal and one thing that will help you manage your stress problem is
realizing what the problem is and working towards the betterment of your general
well being.

Innate Health Model :-

The health realization / innate health model of stress is also founded on the idea
that stress does not necessarily follow the presence of a potential stressor. Instead of
focusing on the individual's appraisal of so-called stressors in relation to his own coping
skills (as the transactional model does), the health realization model focuses on the nature
of thought, stating that it is ultimately a person's thought process that determine the
response to potentially stressful external circumstances. In this model, stress results from
appraising oneself and one's circumstances through a mental filter of insecurity and
negativity, whereas a feeling of well being result from approaching the world with a
"quite mind", "inner wisdom" and "common sense".
This model proposes that helping stressed individuals understand the nature of thought
especially providing them with the ability to recognize when they are in the grip of
insecure thinking, disengage from it, and access natural positive feelings will reduce this
stress.

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ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE STRESS

MANAGEMENT
Not all organizations are deficient in their management of stress, and not all
individuals need to suffer the extremely detrimental consequences of stress. It is believed
that organizations which take on initiative to assess their past actions are in fact
practicing adaptive coping in response to their environment. Both the organization and
the employees have a joint responsibility for effectively managing stress. Some of the
organizational strategies are discussed below:
1. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs):
Many large employers offer counseling services that help employees overcome
personal or organizational stress and adopt more effective stress coping
mechanisms. EAPs can be one of the most effective stress management
interventions where counseling helps employees understand stress, acquire stress
management skills and practice them.
2. Family-friendly and work-life initiatives:
Companies have introduced a variety of strategies to help employees
experience a better balance between their work and personal lives. Four of the
most common work-life balance initiatives are:

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Flexible working hours :

Some firms are flexible on the hours, days and amount of time employees
spend working. For example, HP Indias work-life program gives employees the
freedom to rearrange their work schedule to accommodate family events.

Job Sharing:
Job sharing splits a career position between two people so that they will
experience less time based stress between work and family. They typically work
in different days of the week with some overlapping work time in the weekly
schedule to coordinate activities.

Telecommuting:
Telecommuting reduces the time and stress of commuting to work and makes it
easier to fulfill family obligations, such as temporarily leaving the office to pick
up the kids from school. Research suggests that many telecommuters experience a
healthier work-life balance.

Child care support:

Nearly one-quarter of American employees have on-site or subsidized child care
facilities. The Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, has one such
facility. Child care support reduces stress because employees are less rushed to
drop off children and less worried during the day about how well they are doing.

Wellness programs:
Coping with work stress also involves controlling its consequences. For this
reason many companies have fitness centers where employees can keep in shape.
Research indicates that physical exercise reduces the psychological consequences

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of stress by helping employees lower their muscle tension, heart rate and stomach
acidity.

Social Support :
Social support in an organization can be in the form of emotional support among
colleagues, through the exchange of knowledge or information, or in the form of
actual help on the job. The most essential function of social support is to provide
an individual a network of relationships for him/her to rely on.

Participative Management:
Participative management allows individuals to take part in decision making so
that there is a greater sense of control over their jobs. It is strongly recommended
as a stress management intervention strategy so that employees are able to reduce
the level of strain they may face. The organization has to make employees feel
valued and worthy. Women especially can consider benefiting from this style of
management in order to balance work and family roles more effectively.

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COPING STRATEGTIS BY INDIVIDUALS:

Individuals can use the following techniques to overcome stress:
1

Relaxation:

Coping with stress requires adaptation. Proper relaxation is an effective way to

adapt. Relaxation can take many forms. One way to relax is to take regular
vacations. People can also, relax while on the job. For example, it has been
recommended that people take regular rest breaks during their normal work day. A
popular way of resting is to sit quietly with closed eyes for about ten minutes
every afternoon.
2 Meditation:
By meditating and observing ones thoughts which may be either good or bad, one
can be free of stress. Many companies allow employees to practice meditation
during office hours. It provides a win-win situation for both the employees and
the employers.
3 Time Management:
Time management is often recommended for managing stress. The idea is that
many daily pressures can be eased if a person does a better job of managing time.
One popular approach to time management is to make a list every morning of the
things to be done that day.
4

Yoga:

It helps in uniting body, breathe and mind. Practicing some asanas can make
stress-free. Yoga can aid in preventing heart diseases to some extent. Also the
employees are required to be aware of the types of food and the effect they have
on health. Due to busy schedule, people hardly get time at home to perform some
exercises or yoga to lead a healthy life

73

1.2 NEED OF THE STUDY:

Increased global competition and technological changes caused by liberalization

have placed greater demand on organizations. And organizations emphasis on attracting
and retaining talents and gain competitive advantage, is causing an increase in stress at
work place. The main aim of the study is to know the work stress at the organization and
diagnosis the root cause of the stress, to know its effect on the employees and to know
human resource strategies to overcome stress.

Stress management helps the management to know mental health of the employees in the
organization and how it affects employees health .To know level of stress and
performance. To know what is macro level organizational stress.
From the study we can come to know level of conflict caused due to stress in
organization and how to maintain inter-personnel relations. Also know emotional and
physical health and the degree to which they feel comfortable about themselves. It will
help the organization to take effective steps to avoid employee stress and maintain their
mental health.

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1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.3.1
1.3.2
1.3.3
1.3.4

To identify the causes for stress

To analyze external environmental factors that cause stress
To suggest methods how to reduce the stress.
To advice how to maintain work life balance.

1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

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This project mainly focuses on stress management of employees and workers. This helps
the researchers to find the factors causing stress and how to over come those factors. The
scope of research is mainly on stress management with reference to CD Equisearch Pvt
Ltd Hyderabad.

1.5 METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLING

1.5.1 SOURCES OF DATA:

73

The data has been collected from two sources with open end and close end questionnaires
and also from journals, magazines and web sites.
1.5.2

PRIMARY DATA:

The primary data is collected through:1.5.2.1 Questionnaires.

1.5.2.2 Personal interview.
1.5.3 SECONDARY DATA:
The secondary data is collected from:1.5.3.1 The text books
1.5.3.2 Websites
1.5.3.3 Magazines
1.5.3.4 Articles
1.5.4 SAMPLING METHOD:
The sample method adopted is Simple random sampling.
Simple random sampling is suitable for this study because it gives a fair and unbiased
sample for the study and also gives equal opportunity to all kinds of employees.
1.5.5 SAMPLE SIZE:
The sample size is limited to 64 employees from a total of 250 employees of INS.

73

CHAPTER-II

REVIEW
OF
LITERATURE

73

2.1 Strategies for reducing stress among employees:

An integrated physical and spiritual approach
Sukhumpong channuwong
St. Theresa International College, Thailand
In the work place of today is characterized by large amounts of stress on the part of
employees. It is argued that much of this is due to rapid changes in the business world
that have led to many economic, social, political and family problems. Stress can result in
poor work quality, poor productivity , morale problems , health problems, employee
absenteeism and turn over and accidents , each of which can coast organizations a lot of
money . This paper presents an integrated approach to dealing with employee stress,
namely physical and spiritual therapy that in many respects is an outgrowth of the way
Eastern philosophies deal with the problems. Physical therapy is a technique for reducing
stress through a programme of controlled activity and exercise. Spiritual therapy is about
teaching the ability to deal with stress through meditation and reflection on religious
teachings. Implications of this integrated approach for reducing stress among both
western and eastern employees.

73

executives job stress: A frame Work

THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
VOL.45

NO. 2

Sanjay Kumar Singh

Stress is an inevitable outcome of modern day complex life in organizations and needs to
be experienced at an optimal level, which depends upon persons characteristics, for
making life meaning-ful and productive. This does not happen most of the times in
organization lives as demands and expectations from inside and outside the organization
keep on constantly changing. Researches across the globe have found the relevance of
emotional intelligence of the employees which act as a moderator vis--vis perception of
job stress. This paper is an attempt to Meta-analyze available research findings and
develop a framework to be used by the industry practitioners. The conceptual model
based on research literature is assumed to fill-in the gap and also address the
organizational concerns.

73

2.3 Predictors of occupational stress: An exploratory

Study
Alok Chandra & Baldev R.Sharma
The Indian journal of industrial relations
vol. 46

no.2

October 2010

Based on an exploratory study using a purposive sample of 53 managerial employees of a

public sector organization, this paper has tried to assess the level of occupational stress
experienced by the respondents. A sub-sequent search for predictors of stress revealed
that, out of eight potential predicators used for the study, only two emerged as the critical
determinants of stress. Both of these predictors turned out to be aspects of the
Organization climate, suggesting thereby the greater role played by the situational
factors (as against the attributes of the person) in creating occupational stress .If
Subsequent research studies come up with similar findings, the outcomes of this
Exploratory study should be of interest to both academicians as well as practitioners.

73

2.4 Work Stress and Employee Health

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT
Daniel C. Ganster1 and John Schaubroeck2

We review and summarize the literature on work stress with particular emphasis on those
studies that examined the effects of work characteristics on employee health. Although
there is not convincing evidence that job stressors cause health effects, the indirect
evidence is strongly suggestive of a work stress effect. This evidence comes from
occupational studies that show differences in health and mortality that are not easily
explained by other factors and within-subject studies that demonstrate a causal effect of
work experiences on physiological and emotional responses. We argue that studies
relying on self-reports of working conditions and outcomes, whether cross-sectional or
longitudinal, are unlikely to add significantly to the accumulated evidence. Finally, we
make recommendations for how organizational researchers are most likely to contribute
to this knowledge.

73

2.5 Fight stress through tribal meditation

IANS Jan 19, 2013,
Stress is increasing in everyday life due to multiple social and economic factors but an
expert assures a remedy through ZeNLP - the science of creating structured change in
behaviour using simple "tribal meditation" techniques like clapping or chanting.

Internationally acclaimed ZeNLP trainer Murli Menon, a stress management guru,

believes economic stress is increasing due to price rise while people also suffer from
physical, mental and spiritual stress.

73

2.6 Bosses should be emotionally supportive

ANI Dec 16, 2012,

If an individual's supervisor offers emotional and instrumental support in case of stress

from intense workdays, the employee is more likely to recover without needing to take an
extra afternoon or day off, a new study has revealed.

In earlier studies, scholars have shown that workers who experience stress at the
workplace, due to, for example, high job demands and low control; develop
psychological strain that translates into physiological symptoms, such as headaches,
stomach aches and fatigue.

73

CHAPTER III
COMPANY PROFILE

73

Welcome to Integral Network Solutions

Overview of SAP history and evolution of SAP BW/BI
product is briefed. In a SAP life we are full time
user/developer of SAP and we have spent lot of time in
understanding the components and features of SAP but in
this competitive environment I don't know how many
people tried to know about the history of SAP.
Currently we operate as three strategic business units focusing on IT Training, IT
Services and IT Staffing. Our technological expertise, high quality standards, creativity
and efficiency are combined in our services to deliver maximum value to our customers.

Our Story so far

INS was founded by JDR in the year 2009 based at the City of Destiny Bangalore and
we aim to become one of the premium recruitment and manpower solutions. We provide
talent management solutions across a number of verticals and cater to range clients from
young dynamic companies to Fortune 500 companies. Our result-oriented approach has

73

also helped us earn nearly 100% clients referrals.

Our Strengths
INS specializes in helping clients quickly within defined turn-around time to costeffectively meet their hiring needs for various levels across all management disciplines
and across industries with quality professionals on a permanent as well as contract basis.
INS supports clients with round the-clock solutions in talent management solutions
covering all the core management disciplines across a multitude of industry domains.

TRAINING
INS has been established with primary objective in IT training services to support in
various Core business organizations.Job development and training professionals typically
possess company knowledge, instructional design and curriculum development expertise
as well as effective presentation and facilitation skills. Our Team demonstrates strong
skills in project management, team building, and problem solving and communications
skills. Determines the training needs of slot and systems customers and employees and
oversees the development of courses to meet those needs. Ensures company trainers are
able to expertly and effectively communicate key information to customers as well as
other company personnel. Responsible for developing and maintaining standards,
meeting prescribed timelines, developing and meeting budgetary objectives, continuous
improvement of department operations, developing strategic plans to meet company
goals, and managing assigned staff. Creates a highly effective training team that conducts
group and one-on-one training in the office and at customer sites. Build, develop and
administer life cycle training program that certifies ongoing position growth within the
company, and tracks progress toward learning objectives. Determines future course
offerings to improve the technical knowledge of employees and to satisfy the customer
demand for advanced training.

73

SERVICES
Our

Team

INS, the leader provider of talent management solutions, prided itself in building a team
of recruitment professionals who have established a global reputation for excellence.
Our recruitment specialists have been successfully providing quality placements in
multiple markets and industries for over a decade. Our team of recruitment professionals,
over the years, as built strong and time-tested relationships with the best in class talent
across verticals so that we can provide the best quality talent solutions on time and on
demand.
As a leading Talent Management Solution firm, we at INS Consulting:
Recognize that each organization has unique challenges and create Talent Management
solutions that are best suited for them. Provide an outside perspective to complement
your internal human resources (HR) efforts. Deliver innovative human resources and
change management solutions that provide measurable and cost-efficient results. Design
solutions

that

recognize

cultural

diversity

inherent

in

global

clients.

At INS Consulting, we provide the following advantages to each of our clients in

every

assignment

we

undertake.

Our expertise, combined with our reputation for exceptional customer service has one
clear
We

benefit:
work

we

are
in

the

people

you

Partnership

can

trust
with

for

desired
our

results.
clients

We work closely with client companies, identifying needs, culture, economic,factors, and
market trends, and then shouldering the responsibility in providing a Talent Management
solution that will add value to the client. We understand our customers need fast,
efficient and cost effective people solutions. And we deliver constantly and consistently.

OUR HR SERVICES
73

We provide Manpower Services for following Sectors:

ITES / BPO / KPO

BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES

ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING

BIO TECHNOLOGY / LIFE SCIENCES

ENTERTAINMENT / MEDIA / PUBLISHING

HOTELS / RESTAURANTS

HOSPITALS / HEALTHCARE

Our

Methodology

INS team works with clients to understand their needs and uses various strategic ways to
source & select candidates by synchronizing technology in each search. Our Recruiters
use proprietary database with customized recruitment technology solutions to pair the
deserving candidates with matching client requirements. We make sure that our
Recruiters speak with candidates before sending their short-listed profiles to respective
clients. Hence, our clients benefit from dealing with consultants who have detailed
knowledge

of

the

profession

Our

and

the

market

place.
Team

INS, the leader provider of talent management solutions, prided itself in building a team
of recruitment professionals who have established a global reputation for excellence.
Our recruitment specialists have been successfully providing quality placements in
multiple markets and industries for over a decade. Our team of recruitment professionals,
over the years, as built strong and time-tested relationships with the best in class talent
across verticals so that w

73

CHAPTER IV
DATA ANALYSIS
AND INTERPRETATION

1. Do you feel stress in your work life?

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Yes

56

87.5%

No

6.25%

Frequently

6.25%

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Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe that 87.5%% of employees
responded that they under go stress at their work, 6.25% dont feel
stress at work and there are 6.25% employees who are under stress
frequently.

If yes, which type of stress?

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Positive

52

86.66%

Negative

10%

Dont know

3.33%

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Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe that 86.66% of the respondents are experiencing
positive stress and 10% respondents are experiencing negative stress and the rest of the
respondents did not know what kind of stress they are undergoing. From the above
analysis it can be interpreted that most of the employees are under positive stress

2. What are the ways you use to overcome the stress?

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Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Physical exercise or
relaxation
Getting away from
work
Spending quality
time with family
Recreation

44

73.33%

10%

13.33%

0%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe that 73.33% of respondents overcome stress by
physical exercise or relaxation, 10% get away from work, 13.33% by spending time with
family and the remaining 0% overcome stress through recreation. From the above
analysis it can be interpreted that most of the employees overcome stress by physical
exercise or relaxation.
3. What factors do you think are responsible for stress?
Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Professional factors

56

93.33%

Personal factors

3.33%

Social factors

3.33%

Cultural factors

0%

Religious factors

Others

73

0%
0%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe that out of 60 respondents, 56 respondents agreed
that professional factors are the cause for stress, 2 respondents agreed personal factors 2
say social factors are responsible for causing stress. From the above analysis it can be
interpreted that stress is caused mostly from professional factors.

4. When do you feel more stressed?

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Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Changes in the
organizations
Changes in personal
life
Pressured from the
superior
Non cooperation of
colleague
Imbalance between
the target and
achievements

48

80%

6.66%

0%

0%

13.33%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe, 80% of respondents feel stressed when there are
any changes, 6.66% feel stressed due to changes in personal life, and 13.33% feel
stressed due to imbalance between the target and the achievements. From the above
analysis it can be interpreted that stress is caused due to changes in the organization.
5. How do you feel your work?

73

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Assuming

10%

Engaging

52

86.66%

Difficult

0%

Participative

3.33%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe, 10% of respondents feel their work as assuming,
86.66% feel work as engaging and 3.33% employees feel their work as participative.
From the above analysis it can be interpreted most of the respondents feel work as
engaged.

6. Do you feel lack of rapport with your superior?

73

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Always

6.66%

Sometimes

52

86.66%

Never

6.66%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe, 6.66% of respondents always felt lack of rapport
with their superior, 86.66% sometimes felt lack of rapport with their superior and there
are 6.66% respondents who never feel that there is lack of rapport from their superior.
From the above analysis it can be interpreted most of the respondents some times felt
lack of rapport with their superior.
7. Are you comfortable with your work environment?

73

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Totally

16

26.66%

Partially

44

73.33%

Not at all

0%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe, 16 respondents say, they are comfortable with
their work environment, 44 are partially comfortable in their work environment and there
are 0 respondents who feel uncomfortable with their work environment. From the above
analysis it can be interpreted most of the respondents are partially comfortable with their
work environment.

8. How is your relationship with other employees?

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Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Excellent

3.33%

Good

58

96.66%

Fair

0%

Poor

0%

Very poor

0%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe, 3.33% respondents have excellent relationship
with other employees, 96.66% have good relationship and there are no respondents with
fair, poor and very poor relation. From the above analysis it can be interpreted most of
the respondents have good relationship with other employees.

9.

If employer gives you over time will you accept

73

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Yes

56

93.33%

No

6.66%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe, 56 respondents accepted to do overtime work and
6.66% of respondents have said no respondents From the above analysis it can be
interpreted most of the respondents are ready to do overtime work

10. If yes, when forced to work overtime, how do you deal with it?

73

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Working on the things that need to be

done
Think first and then do the work

20

35.71%

36

64.28%

Get annoyed and bored with work

0%

Interpretation:
Out of 56 respondents 35.71% respondents say that they start working on the things
that need to be done when forced to work overtime, 64.28% respondents will think first
and then do the work and there are no respondents who get annoyed and bored with
work. From the above analysis it can be interpreted that most of respondents think first
and then do the work when forced to work overtime.

11. How do you work?

73

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

In a hurry

3.33%

With fun

54

90%

In a relaxed manner

6.66%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe that 3.33% of the respondents work in a hurry,
90% respondents work with fun, and remaining 6.66% work in a relaxed manner. From
the above analysis it can be interpreted that most of respondents work with fun

73

12. How do you manage your time?

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

With plan

60

100%

Without plan

0%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe that 100% of the respondents manage their time
with plan and non of them manage their time without plan,. From the above analysis it
can be interpreted that all the respondents manage their time with proper plan.

73

13. Whom do you seek for managing stress?

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Self

52

86.66%

Organization

13.33%

Family

0%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe that 86.66% of the respondents manage the stress
themselves, 13.33% are consulting organization. From the above analysis it can be
interpreted that most of the respondents manage stress themselves.

14. Stress-free state of an individual is like death

73

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Strongly agree

3.33%

Agree

46

76.66%

Uncertain

3.33%

Disagree

10%

Strongly disagree

6.66%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe that 3.33% of the respondents strongly agree that
stress-free state is death, 76.66% agree that stress-free state is death, 3.33% of the
respondents are uncertain about the statement, 10% of the respondents disagree with the

73

statement and 6.66% strongly disagree with the statement .From the above analysis it can
be interpreted that most of respondents agree that stress-free state is death.

15. How often are you late to the office? (In a month)
Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Two times

10%

More than two

14

23.33%

Always on time

40

66.66%

Interpretation:

73

From the above graph we can observe that 36.6% of the respondents are never late to the
office, 16.6% are late to the office more than two times in a month, and remaining 46.6%
are late to the office two times in a month. From the above analysis it can be interpreted
that most of respondents are late to the office two times in a mont

16. Does stress in your personal life effect your job performance?
Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Strongly agree

0%

Agree

56

93.33%

Uncertain

6.66%

Disagree

0%

Strongly disagree

0%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe that, non of the respondents personal stress effect
their job performance , 93.33% respondents say that there is effect of personal stress to
some extent and 6.66% say they are uncertain about personal stress on job performance.

73

From the above analysis it can be interpreted most of the respondents say that there is an
effect of personal stress on job performance.

17. The financial position of an individual is a major cause for stress?

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Strongly agree

3.33%

Agree

50

83.33%

Uncertain

6.66%

Disagree

6.66%

Strongly disagree

0%

73

Interpretation:
Out of 60 respondents 3.33% of the respondents strongly agreed that financial position
of an individual is a major cause for stress, whereas 83.33% of the respondents agreed ,
6.66% are uncertain whether there is an effect of financial position on stress or not and
6.66% disagree that financial position of an individual is a major cause for stress. From
the above analysis it can be interpreted that most of respondents agree that financial
position of an individual is a major cause for stress.

19. If you were asked to describe your life in one word it would be.

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Progressive

48

80%

Regressive

3.33%

Stable

10%

Difficult to assess

6.66%

73

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe, 48 respondents describe their life as progressive, 2
respondents describe as regressive, 6 describe as stable and 4 respondents describe their
life as difficult to assess. From the above analysis it can be interpreted most of the
respondents life is progressive.

20. Does the organization have any formal process for handling
grievances relating to stress?
Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Yes

54

90%

No

10%

73

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe that 90% of the respondents say that the
organization has the formal process for handling grievances relating to stress and 10% of
the respondents say that the organization doesnt have any formal process for handling
grievances relating to stress. From the above analysis it can be interpreted that most of
respondents say that their organization as a formal process for handling grievances
related to stress.

21. What are the strategies taken by the management to overcome

stress?

73

Responses

No of Respondents

Percentage

Wellness programs

10%

Meditation

3.33%

counseling

52

52%

Others

0%

Interpretation:
From the above graph we can observe, 52 respondents say that counseling is the
management strategy in overcoming the stress, 6 respondents overcome by wellness
programs and remaining 2 by meditation. From the above analysis it can be interpreted
that management use counseling as the strategy to overcome the stress.

73

CHAPTER-5
5.1 FINDINGS

5.1.1 From the analysis it can be observed that above 87% of the respondents
experience stress
5.1.2 Above 10% of the respondents are not aware of which type of stress
they are experiencing.
5.1.3

From the various observations it was found that 93.33% of

respondents are getting stress mainly due to professional factors.

5.1.4

Most of the respondents are feeling more stressed when there are
changes in organization.

5.1.5

Most of the respondents agree that financial position of an individual

is a major cause for stress.

73

5.2 SUGGESTIONS

5.2.1

It can be suggested that management should take effective measures to reduce

stress of the employees.

5.2.2

To reduce stress the management should set strategies like flexible work time,
participative management, etc

5.2.3

Management should help the employee in assessing level of stress and also
help in knowing which type of stress they are experiencing.

5.2.4

It is suggested that management should make the employees to know about

the changes in advance, so that they can be prepared well in advance.

5.2.5

Management should conduct physical and psychological programs to reduce

stress, so that they can improve performance at work place.

73

5.3 LIMITATIONS

A study of this nature of course, focuses on limitations and entitles constraints

Major limitations of this study are as follows

5.3.1 The number of respondents restricted to 64 only.

5.3.2

Respondent response is subject to biasness.

5.3.3

Busy schedule of employees is also one of the time constraints for collecting
the information.

73

5.4

CONCLUSION

This study measures individuals perception towards work related stress. The objective
is to identify how likely an individual may suffer with stress, what factors may cause
stress.
i. 5.4.1 Respondents say that they feel more stressed when there are
changes in organization
ii. 5.4.2 Many of the respondents manage their time with plan, since
effective time management is one of the ways to reduce stress.
iii. 5.4.3Respondents are well aware that the organization has formal
process for handling grievances relating to stress.
iv. 5.4.4 Respondent arent comfortable with the environment they are
working in.

73

BIBLIOGRAPHY

TEXT BOOKS:
Fred Luthons (2004), Organizational Behavior, MC Graw-Hill international
edition, 10th edition.
Keith Davis(2002), Organizational Behavior, Tata MC Graw-Hill, 11th
edition.

Websites:

www.relaxationreviews.org

www.Stress.com

www.jom.sagepub.com

NEWSPAPERS:

HRD Magazines

THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT

73

QUESTIONNAIRE ON STRESS MANAGEMENT

Name: Mr/Mrs/Miss _______________________________

Designation:
Gender

a) Male

b) Female

Age:
i) 18-30
ii) 31-45
iii) 45-55
iv) Above 55
1. Do you feel stress in your work life?
a) Yes

b) No

c) Frequently

2. If yes, which type of stress?

a) Positive

b) Negative

c) Dont know

3. What are the ways you use to overcome the stress?

a) Physical exercise or relaxation

b) Getting away from work

c) Spending quality time with family

d) Recreation

e) Others
4. What factors do you think are responsible for stress?
a) Personal factors

b) Professional factors

d) Cultural factors

e) Religious factors

73

c) Social factors
f) Others

5. When do you feel more stressed?

a) Changes in the organizations

b) Changes in personal life

c) Pressured from the superiors

d) Non cooperation of colleague

e) Imbalance between the target and achievements

6. How do you feel your work?
a) Assuming

b) Engaging

c) Difficult

d) Participative

7. Do you feel lack of rapport with your superior?

a) Always

b) Sometimes

c) Never

8. Are you comfortable with your work environment?

a) Totally

b) Partially

c) Not at all

9. How is your relationship with other employees?

a) Excellent

b) Good

c) Fair

d) Poor

e) Very poor

10. If employer gives you overtime will you accept

a) Yes

b) No

11. If yes, when forced to work overtime, how do you deal with it?
a) Working on the things that need to be done
b) Think first and then do the work
c) Get annoyed and bored with work
12. How do you work?
a) In a hurry

b) With fun

c) In a relaxed manner

13. How do you manage your time?

73

a) With a plan

b) With out plan

14. Whom do you seek for managing stress?

a) Self

b) Organization

c) Family

15. Stress-free state of an individual is like death

a) Strongly agree

b) Agree

c) Uncertain

d) Disagree

e) Strongly disagree

16. How often are you late to the office? (In a month)
a) Two times

b) More than two times

c) Always on time

17. Does the stress in your personal life effect your job performance?
a) Strongly agree

b) Agree

c) Uncertain

d) Disagree

e) Strongly disagree

18. The financial position of an individual is a major cause for stress?

a) Strongly agree

b) Agree

c) Uncertain

d) Disagree

e) Strongly disagree

19. If you were asked to describe your life in one word it would be.
a) Progressive

b) Regressive

c) Stable

c) Difficult to asses

20. Does the organization have any formal process for handling grievances relating to
stress?
a) Yes

b) No

21. What are the strategies taken by the management to overcome stress?
a) Wellness program

b) Meditation

c) Counseling

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d) Others