Research

International Journal of Science, Technology & Management
www.ijstm.com
Volume No 04, Special Issue No. 01, May 2015
ISSN (online): 2394-1537
A STUDY ON STRESS MANAGEMENT AMONG THE

EMPLOYEES OF BANKS
Nirmala. R.
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, Govt. College, Hisar, Haryana, (India)
ABSTRACT
The productivity of the work force is the most decisive factor as far as the success of an
organization is concerned. The productivity in turn is dependent on the psychosocial well being
of the employees. The banking organization, have been facing greater challenges in terms of
technological revolution, service diversification and global banking. Stress is unavoidable on the
part of the employees as the systems, procedures; techniques are getting complicated with the
use of advance technology. Every employee cannot cope with such rapid changes taking place in
the jobs. This will lead to arising of stress among employees. Stress can affect ones health, work
performance, social life and the relationship with family members. The stressors and its
consequences are to be understood at individual and organizational level. An attempt has been
made through this research paper to know the reasons of stress among the bank employees and
the ways used by employees to cope with the stress generated at workplace The aim of this paper
is to provide insight that will help the reader further improve his/her management competencies
in managing stress in the workplace.
Keywords: Stress Management, Employees, Yoga & Meditation.
I. INTRODUCTION
Stress is a natural human response to its environment. Stress has become significant due to
dynamic social factor and changing needs of life styles. Stress is mans adaptive reaction to an
outward situation which would lead to physical, mental and behavioral changes., In fact,
moderate levels of stress are considered essential motivators. However, high levels of stress have
the capacity to greatly impact physical and emotional health, not all stresses are destructive in
nature. Appropriate amount of stress can actually trigger passion for work, tap latent abilities and
even ignite inspirations. Stress can make a person productive and constructive, when it is
identified and well managed.[1]
II.OBJECTIVES
1.To study the causes of stress among employees.

2.To know the level of stress on employees.
3.To study the effects of stress on the health of employees.
4.To analyze the importance of interventional strategies to manage stress among bank
employees.
5.To study effectiveness of stress management programme organized by the banks.
III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Both primary and secondary method is used to collect information. The sample size is 50. It was
collected from the employees of various bank situated in Hissar. Data was collected through selfstructured questionnaire.
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Books, internet web sites, journals etc were used as a source of secondary data.[2] Percentage
Analysis method was used to analyze and interpret results and achieves research objectives.
3.1 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.
IV. FINDINGS
Most of the employees fear with the fact that they lack quality in their work. This puts stress on
them. It is found that maximum number of employees in banks remains in stress. 50% employees
feel that they are overloaded with work. 42% employees feel tensed due to their nonachievement of their target of work. 36% employees accepted that they will obey the order of
their boss by sacrificing their important domestic function. It\ indicates fear and stress among
employees. 37% employees feel stress due to their family related problems. It means such
employees feel greater level of stress as compared to other employees. Half of the employees
accepted that there is conflict among the employees[3]. It is a concern for top management. Only
44% employees feel that strategies used by banks to manage stress of employees are effective.
Majority of the employees try to find solution to relieve them from stress.47% employees use
YOGA or other ways to relieve them from stress. In spite of stress, majority of the employees
balance in their social life.
Causes and Consequences of Workplace Stress Table
Causes
Consequences of distress
1) Work related stressors:
1) Physiological
Inter-personal stressors
Heart diseases
Role related stressors
Ulcers
Task control stressors
High blood pressure
Organizational-physical environment
Head aches
stressors
Sleep disturbances
Increased illness
Certain cancers
Back pain
2) Non-work stressors:
2) Psychological:
Time-based
Job Dis-satisfaction
Strain based
Low commitment
Role basedconflict
Exhaustion
Depression
Moodiness
Burnout
3) Individual Differences :
3) Behavioral :
Personal health
Low job performance
Knowledge-skill
More accidents
Coping skills
Faulty decisions
Resilience work holism.
Higher absenteeism
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Workplace aggressionTurnover/Absenteeism
4.1 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. Stressors, if not escapable, are fairly manageable.
Effective management of job stress can only be achieved under two conditions. First, the
individual worker must be able to recognize stressors and understand their consequences and
second, organizations must develop stress prevention, as well as stress reduction techniques[4].
Stress Management is important for both individual and from the point of view of the
organization. It is generally assumed that there are two basic approaches to cope with stress i.e.
individual oriented approach and organizational oriented approach[5].
4.2Individual Oriented Strategies for Coping with Stress
Solo-Active - Reading, Writing, Photography, Art, Playing a musical instrument, Collection of
different things, Running, Hobbies, Vacations.
Group- Activities: - Sports, Games, Eating out, Vacations.
Solo-Passive/Group-Passive: - Television, Movies, Shows &Theatre, Listening to music,
Concepts, opera, Sporting events, Vacations.
Yoga & Meditation: - it is helpful in overcoming the stress
4.3The Organizational Oriented Strategies for Coping with Stress
Flex time. Allowing workers to start or end the workday earlier or later can reduce work/life
stress, especially for working parents. Flex time can also reduce the stress of commuting in rush
hour traffic.
Job sharing. This allows at least two people trained to perform each job, enabling each
employee to have time off without losing productivity.
Work from home. Working from home results in higher morale and job satisfaction and lower
employee stress and turnover, The prime reason is that working at home provides employees
more control over how they do their work, Working at home also helps workers better manage
work/family demands.
Longer lunch hours. Extending the lunch hour may help discourage snacking and fast food.
Adequate time may also encourage time for calming or other stress-reduction activities such as
walking.
Healthcare advocacy. Offering an expert who can personally address healthcare issues, such as
helping to resolve medical bills and interacting with insurance and providers, can help employees
reduce worry and stay focused on their job[6].
EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs) EAPs are typically offered by the HR department as
part of the employers health insurance plan to assess and address personal issues that affect
employee performance and productivity. Issues can range from substance abuse to family
problems, and EAPs often include counseling benefits. EAPs for substance abuse can reduce
workers compensation claims, employer healthcare costs, and absenteeism[7].
Stress management programs Conducting stress management programs at organizational level,
with the objective of creating awareness about stress and making employees to learn stress
management techniques.
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Physical activities planned in job design The body can release stress, better through physical
exertion, as physicians were suggesting, indulging any kind of physical activity is recommended
while job design.
IV. CONCLUSION
Stress can make an individual productive and constructive when it is identified and well
managed. In times of great stress or adversity, its always best to keep busy, to plow anger and
energy into something positive.
Positive attitude and meditation will be helpful for coping the stress. Stress can be minimized if
companies take the right steps. Stressfree employees perform better, work harder, feel happier
and have a long term commitment to the organization as compared to their counterparts. Having
broader perspective of life will definitely change the perception of stress. Let us hope that we
will be successful in making distress into eustress for our healthy lifestyle as well as
organizational well being.
REFERENCE
[1].Dr. K. Chandrasekar (2011), "Workplace environment and its impact on organisational
performance in public sector organisations", International Journal of Enterprise Computing and
Business Systems, Vol. 1, Issue 1, January 2011
[2].Kathirvel N,(2009), The IUP Journal of Management Research, Vol. VIII, No. 11, 28-44
[3].Anne Marie Berg et al, stress burnout. (2006), Journal of Occupational Medicine and
Toxicology, 1:26 doi: 10.1186/1745- 6673-1-26
[4].Selys, H., (1936), Quoted by Pestonjee, DM(1999), Stress and Coping: the Indian
Experience, Sage Publication, 2nd Edition, p 15
[5].Steven L. Sauter PhD, Occupational stress and work-related upper extremity disorders:
Concepts and models, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
[6].Keeley,K and Harcourt, M., (2001), Occupational Stress: A Study of the New Zealand and
Reserve Bank, Research and Practice in Human Resource Management, 9(2), pp 109-118.
[7].Bhole (1977), Psycho Physiological importance of some yoga practices, paper presented at
the international seminar, stress in Health and Diseases, Banaras Hindu University, Varansi.
[8].Dr. K.N Udupa., (1997), Biochemical studies on meditation, Paper presented at the
international seminar on stress in Health and Diseases, BHU, Varansi.
[9].Pestonjee (1999), Stress and coping: the Indian experience, 2nd edition, New Delhi, Sage
Publications.
[10].www.stressmanagementreview.com
[11].Www.Stress.org
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A Project
Report on
Stress Management among Bank Employees

Submitted to the Bhavnagar University of Bhavnagar in partial fulfillment for the
degree of Bachelor of business administration
By
Guided By
Prince Thomas
MR. JAY PANDYA
Ty. B.B.A.
Faculty KPES college
Roll No
The KPES college, Bhavnagar University, Bhavnagar
Preface
1
The study of human resource management is one of the major criteria in the
corporate sector. Human resource is the heart of the organization. By this research
project we will be able to know to reduce the stress level of the employees working
in the bank. By this way the productivity of the employee increases.
Now a day the corporate sector is booming in a high speed that the people have to
work for prolonged hours to maintain the standard of living and achieve their basic
needs. So is the condition in the hospitals, colleges, BPOs and lots of other places.
In spit of having the modern technologies and facilities, people are feeling
themselves to be work loaded and stressed. Stress arises because of many reasons
which are discussed in the following project. The project report also contain
techniques how to reduce the stress and overcome such problems.
To identify the level of stress among the people who work I have tried to survey the
people working in hospitals, BPOs and other industries as well as institutes. Stress
arises because of unfulfilled wants, lack of job satisfaction etc. before starting the
topic of stress; lets first understand the importance of human resource.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
2
To carry out this research work I have got the help from my parents who have given
full support to carry out this research work. They are the one who motivated and
helped for the completion of this project report.
Further, I would like to thank Mr. Chetan Trivedi (Branch Manager, HDFC Bank) and
their employees who have given full supported and co operated with me to carry
out this research work. Then I would like to thank Mr. M.N. Rathod (SBS Bank
Sardarnagar Branch Bhavnagar) who has supported me to fill the questionnaire and
carry on my research work. I am also thankful to the employees of SBS bank who
have supported me. The Branch Manager of AXIS bank and their employees who
have helped me for the project work by filling the questionnaire.
Executive Summery
3
This project gives us a detailed idea of what is stress and also the definition of
stress is been defined. For more detailed study the types of the stress is also
defined. By looking at the starting of the project you will find:
oIntroduction to Human resource
oIntroduction and Definition of stress
oStress in biological terms
oWhat is stress?
oCoping with stress at work place.

oStress management
oWorkplace stress
oReducing of stress.
After the theoretical part I have included the research part. My research work
includes two questionnaires.
oBurn out test
oStress analysis Questionnaire
My research includes the research methodology which contains the information as
follows:
oResearch objectives
oSampling (types and methods of sampling)
oResearch instrument
oData analysis and interpretation
oEmployees opinion to reduce stress.
oResearch flowchart
oTime consideration
oLimitation of survey
oAdvantages and disadvantages of written questionnaire
oFinding
INDEX
4
No
Content
Page no
Conceptual Framework
1.1
Introduction to HR
1.2
Concept of stress
1.2.1
Introduction to stress
1.2.2
Stress in Biological terms
1.2.3
What is stress
1.2.4
Coping with stress at workplace
11
1.2.5
Stress Management
15
1.2.6
Workplace stress
18
1.2.7
Reduce your stress
22
Research Methodology
27
2.1
Research objective
27
2.2
Sampling
29
2.3
Research instrument
32
2.4
Data analysis and interpretation
36
2.5
Employees opinion about how to reduce stress
48
2.6
Research flowchart
50
2.7
Time consideration
51
2.8
Limitation of the survey
52
2.8.1
Advantages of Written Questionnaires
52
2.8.2
Disadvantages of Written Questionnaires
53
2.9
Findings
55
Bibliography
58
Annexure
59
1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
(1.1) INTRODUCTION TO HR
Human Resource Management
is an art
of managing people
at
work in such a manner that they give
their best to the organization.
In
simple word human resource management refers
to
the quantitative
aspects of employees working in an organization.

5
Human Resource Management is also a management function concerned with
hiring, motivating, and maintains people in an organization. It focuses on people in
organization.
Organizations are not mere bricks, mortar, machineries or inventories. They are
people. It is the who staff and manage organizations.
HRM involves the application of management functions and principles. The
functions and principles are applied to acquisitioning, developing, maintain, and
remunerating employees in organizations.
Decisions relating to employees must be integrated. Decision on different aspect of

employees must be consistent with other human resource decisions.
Decision made must influence the effectiveness of organization. Effectiveness of an
organization must result in betterment of services to customers in the form of highquality product supplied at reasonable costs.
HRM function s is not confined to business establishment only. They are applicable
to non-business organizations, too such as education, health care, recreation etc.
The scope of HRM is indeed vast. All major activities in the working life of his or her
entry into an organization until he or she leaves-come under the previews of
HRM.specifically, the activities included are HR planning, job analysis and be sign,
recruitment and selection, orientation and placement, training and development,
performance appraisal and job evaluation, employee and executive remuneration,
motivation and communication, welfare, safety and health, industrial relations and
the like.
6
HRM is a broad concept Personnel management and human resource development
is a part of HRM.
Before we define Human Resource Management, it seems good to first define
heterogeneous in the sense that they differ in personality, perception, emotions,
values, attitudes, motives, and modes of thoughts.
Human resource management plays an important role in the development process
of modern economy. In fact it is said that all the development comes from the
human mind.
Human Resource Management is a process of producing development,
maintaining and controlling human resources for effective achievement of
organization goals.
(1.2) CONCEPT OF STRESS
(1.2.1) INTRODUCTION TO STRESS
A lot of research has been conducted into stress over the last hundred years. Some
of the theories behind it are now settled and accepted; others are still being
researched and debated. During this time, there seems to have been something
approaching open warfare between competing theories and definitions: Views have
been passionately held and aggressively defended.
7
What complicates this is that intuitively we all feel that we know what stress is, as it
is something we have all experienced. A definition should therefore be obvious
except that it is not.
Definition:
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.
Since then, a great deal of further research has been conducted, and ideas have
moved on. Stress is now viewed as a "bad thing", with a range of harmful
biochemical and long-term effects. These effects have rarely been observed in
positive situations.
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.
This is the main definition used by this section of Mind Tools, although we also
recognize that there is an intertwined instinctive stress response to unexpected
events. The stress response inside us is therefore part instinct and part to do with
the way we think.
The types of stress are as follows
Mechanical
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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:
o Chronic stress, persistent stress which can lead to illness and
mental disorder
oEustress, positive stress that can lead to improved long-term functioning
oWorkplace stress, stress caused by employment

Music
Accent (music).
Stress (band), an early '80s melodic rock band from San Diego.
Stress (punk band), an early '80s punk rock band from Athens.
Stress (Neo-Psychedelic band), from the late 1980's.
Stress, a song by the French band Justice on their debut album
Other
Stress (game), card game
Stress (linguistics), phonological use of prominence in language
Stress (physics), the average amount of force exerted per unit area.
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
9
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
acting over the area .
Is the force
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 variety of methods to control chronic stress, including exercise, healthy
diet, stress management, relaxation techniques, adequate rest, and relaxing
hobbies.
10
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.
11
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.
(1.2.2) 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
12
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.
(1.2.3) what is Stress?
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 individuals unique
perception of the tension between the two forces. Not all stress is bad. For
13
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
14
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.
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. Heres 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.
15
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 camels 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.
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The types of stress are named as eustress and distress. Distress is the most
commonly-referred to type of stress, having negative implications, whereas eustress
is a positive form of stress, usually related to desirable events in person's life. Both
can be equally taxing on the body, and are cumulative in nature, depending on a
person's way of adapting to a change that has caused it.
(1.2.4) 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.
17
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
18
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.
(1.2.5) 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.
19
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.
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.
20
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.
Laughter:
Adopting a humorous view towards life's situations can take the edge off everyday
stressors. Not being too serious or in a constant alert mode helps maintain the
equanimity of mind and promote clear thinking. Being able to laugh stress away is
the smartest way to ward off its effects.
A sense of humor also allows us to perceive and appreciate the incongruities of life
and provides moments of delight. The emotions we experience directly affect our
immune system. The positive emotions can create neurochemical changes that
buffer the immunosuppressive effects of stress.
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.
21
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 hormonesepinephrine, 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, diseasefighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and disease-destroying antibodies called
B-cells.
Laughter triggers the release of endorphinsbody's natural painkillers.
Produces a general sense of well-being.
(1.2.6) 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, posttraumatic 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
22
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
23
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 onefourth of their working time in 1990, increasing to 56% in 1995 and 60 % in 2000.
However, no change was noted in the period 19952000 (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
24
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
25
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.
(1.2.7) Reduce your 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.
26
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.
27
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
28
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.
Tip:
Don't make the mistake of generalizing a single incident. OK, you made a mistake at
work, but that doesn't mean you're bad at your job.
Similarly, make sure you take the long view about incidents that you're finding
stressful. Just because you're finding these new responsibilities stressful now,
doesn't mean that they will ALWAYS be so for you in the future.
Tip:
If you find it difficult to look at your negative thoughts objectively, imagine that you
are your best friend or a respected coach or mentor. Look at the list of
29
negative thoughts and imagine the negative thoughts were written by someone you
were giving objective advice to. Then, think how you would challenge these
thoughts.
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.
Tip:
Your affirmations will be strongest if they are specific, are expressed in the present
tense and have strong emotional content.
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."
30
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."
If appropriate, write these affirmations down on your worksheet so that you can use
them when you need them.
As well as allowing you to structure useful affirmations, part of Positive Thinking is
to look at opportunities that the situation might offer to you. In the examples above,
successfully overcoming the situations causing the original negative thinking will
open up opportunities. You will acquire new skills, you will be seen as someone who
can handle difficult challenges, and you may open up new career opportunities.
Make sure that identifying these opportunities and focusing on them is part of your
positive thinking.
2. Research Methodology
(2.1) Research Objective: -
Stress is a dynamic condition in witch 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.
31
Stress is not necessarily bad in and of itself. Although stress is typically discussed in
a negative context, it also has a positive value. Its 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.
The types of stress are named as eustress and distress. Distress is the most
commonly-referred to type of stress, having negative implications, whereas eustress
is a positive form of stress, usually related to desirable events in person's life. Both
can be equally taxing on the body, and are cumulative in nature, depending on a
person's way of adapting to a change that has caused it. 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.
32
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.
This research is to carry out the study that how much stressed the employees of the
banks are and how do their stress affect their work life, social life, output etc. so a
sample of 14 to 15 employees are selected from all the three banks for the research
of stress among them.
(2.2) Sampling
Sample: I have taken the sample of 35 employees from three different banks of
Bhavnagar. All the employees were of the same designations.
Reason: As we find the employees of the bank to be more stressful as more and
more employees are taking VRS and are dismissed because of inflation. I have
33
selected only those three banks which are affiliated to the public and are specialized
in consumer needs fulfillment.
It is incumbent on the researcher to clearly define the target population. There are
no strict rules to follow, and the researcher must rely on logic and judgment. The
population is defined in keeping with the objectives of the study.
Sometimes, the entire population will be sufficiently small, and the researcher can
include the entire population in the study. This type of research is called a census
study because data is gathered on every member of the population.
Usually, the population is too large for the researcher to attempt to survey all of its
members. A small, but carefully chosen sample can be used to represent the
population. The sample reflects the characteristics of the population from which it is
drawn.
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.
34
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.
Systematic sampling is often used instead of random sampling. It is also called an
Nth name selection technique. After the required sample size has been calculated,
every Nth record is selected from a list of population members. As long as the list
does not contain any hidden order, this sampling method is as good as the random
sampling method. Its only advantage over the random sampling technique is
simplicity. Systematic sampling is frequently used to select a specified number of
records from a computer file.
Stratified sampling is commonly used probability method that is superior to random
sampling because it reduces sampling error. A stratum is a subset of the population
that shares at least one common characteristic. The researcher first identifies the
relevant stratums and their actual representation in the population. Random
sampling is then used to select subjects from each stratum until the number of
subjects in that stratum is proportional to its frequency in the population. Stratified
sampling is often used when one or more of the stratums in the population have a
low incidence relative to the other stratums.
Convenience sampling is used in exploratory research where the researcher is
interested in getting an inexpensive approximation of the truth. As the name
implies, the sample is selected because they are convenient. This non-probability
method is often used during preliminary research efforts to get a gross estimate
35
of the results, without incurring the cost or time required to select a random
sample.
Judgment sampling is a common non- probability method. The researcher selects
the sample based on judgment. This is usually and 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.
Quota sampling is the non-probability equivalent of stratified sampling. Like
stratified sampling, the researcher first identifies the stratums and their proportions
as they are represented in the population. Then convenience or judgment sampling
is used to select the required number of subjects from each stratum. This differs
from stratified sampling, where the stratums are filled by random sampling.
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.
(2.3) Research Instrument: 36
Checking Yourself for Burnout
Burnout occurs when passionate, committed people become deeply disillusioned
with a job or career from which they have previously derived much of their identity
and meaning. It comes as the things that inspire passion and enthusiasm are
stripped away, and tedious or unpleasant things crowd in. This tool can help you
check yourself for burnout.
Introduction:
This tool can help you check yourself for burnout. It helps you look at the way you
feel about your job and your experiences at work, so that you can get a feel for
whether you are at risk of burnout.
Using the Tool:
Work through the table on paper and calculate values manually.
Fill in values appropriately on the sheet. This will automatically calculate scores for
you and interpret these scores, showing the score and interpretation in row 30.
If you choose to use the manual method, then calculate the total of the scores as
described in the instructions (note that this uses a slightly different scoring method
from the spreadsheet). Apply the score to the scoring table underneath to get the
interpretation.
Checking Yourself for Burnout
Questionnaire
37
No Questions
Not at
Rarely Sometimes Ofte
Very
all
often
1Do you feel run down and drained of physical or emotional energy?
2Do you find that you are prone to negative thinking about your job?
3Do you find that you are harder and less sympathetic with people than perhaps
they deserve?
4Do you find yourself getting easily irritated by small problems, or by your coworkers and team?
5Do you feel misunderstood or unappreciated by your co-workers?
6Do you feel that you have no-one to talk to?
7Do you feel that you are achieving less than you should?
8Do you feel under an unpleasant level of pressure to succeed?
9Do you feel that you are not getting what you want out of your job?
10Do you feel that you are in the wrong organization or the wrong profession?
11Are you becoming frustrated with parts of your job?
12Do you feel that organizational politics or bureaucracy frustrate your ability to do
a good job?
13Do you feel that there is more work to do than you practically have the ability to
do?
14Do you feel that you do not have time to do many of the things that are
important to doing a good quality job?
15 Do you find that you do not
have time to plan as much
as you would like to?
Total
38
Instructions: For each question, put an 'X' in the column that most applies. Put one
'X' only in each row.
Please write the total number of x at the space given at the bottom of each column
Answer
Number
Weight
Not at all
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Weighted Total
Very often
>=
N Questions Yes No
-1 No sign of burnout here!
5Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly severe
18
Are you satisfied with the performance you give at your work?
Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several scores are
high
Do you think that you are suffering from depression?
35 You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this urgently

45 DoYuyouareworryat veryaboutsevereyourriskcolleague'sof burnoutopinion- do
3 somethingabout you?about this urgently
4Do you discuss your problem with your spouse or friend or any other close to you?
5Do you work more than 8 hours?
39
6 You have an important function at your home and your boss

asks to give a 4 hour over time, what will be your response?
7
Do you regularly spend time for entertainment?
Is your social life balanced?
9 Do you plan your work before doing?

10 Do you fear about the quality of your performance?
11 Are you a heart patient?
12 Do you get tensed at your non achievement of your target?
13 Do you feeling stress some times?
If the answer of the above question is Yes then answer the
following:
a) Is the reason of your stress your work load?
b) Are you stressed because of your family problems?

c) Do you get stressed when your boss scolds You?
d) Do you try to find any solution for the problem of your stress?
e) (IF YES) Do you practice yoga or any other ayurvedic therapy
for reducing stress?
To make the survey report more clear the above questionnaire was also filled. As a
result the employees have given proper response and the report of the
questionnaire is presented in the project.
(2.4) Data analysis and Interpretation
The project report shows the information of the level of stress which the employees
are facing as the period of recession is going the employee cut-off and turnover
ratios are found to be high so the workload for the existing employees are high. So
they are facing the problem of work overload and thus they get stressed.
40
Lets have a watch on the basic data of the survey:

The report of a bank
>
response
=
5 Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly
severe
18 Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several
scores are high

35 You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this
urgently
45 You are at very severe risk of burnout - do something about this
urgently
no sign of burn out
little sign of burnout
Be careful
severe risk
Very high
The Report of a Bank
>
=
response
severe
10
scores are high

urgently
urgently
41
N o s ig n
L it t le s ig
Becaref
Severe
V e r y h ig
The report of a Bank
>
=
response
severe
scores are high

urgently
urgently
No sign
little sign
be careful
Severe risk
Very high
It is seen from the above data that
the employees working in the banks are at the risk of two levels that is a little sign
of burn out and be careful. Taking a look on the data of all the three banks, it is
seen that the employees working in SBS are found less stressed out compared to
other banks. This can be because its a public sector. If all the graphs are compared,
it is seen that the ratio of stressed employees in AXIS banks are high as compared
to all the other banks.
42
Lets have a look on the overall result of the survey

>= Yes
-1
No sign of burnout here!

27
No
No response
Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly
response
0
14
severe
18
Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several
21
scores are high

35
You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this
urgently
45
You are at very severe risk of burnout - do something about this
urgently
no sign
little sign
Be carefull
severe risk
Very high
From the above graph it can be seen that maximum employees of all the banks are
at a moderate level of risk of burnout while the employees who were found with a
little sign of burnout is less. So the ratio of little sign of burnout and moderate level
of burnout is 2:3.
1. Are you satisfied with the performance you give at your work?
43
Yes
No
No response
From the diagram it is clear that 77 % of the employees are satisfied with the
performance they give in the work while 23 % of the employees are not satisfied.
2. Do you think that you are suffering from depression?
Yes
7
28
No
No response
0
Yes
No
No response
20 % of the employee feel that they are suffering from depression while 80 % of the
employee feel that that they are free from the depression
3. Do you worry about your colleague's opinion about you?
Yes
9
26
Yes
No
No response
No
No response
0
Yes
31
No
No response
0
26% of the employees worry about their colleagues opinion about them while 74%
of the employees are not concern with the opinion about their colleague.
4. Do you discuss your problem with your spouse or friend or any other close to
you?
Yes
32
No
No response
0
Yes
No
No response
91% of the employees of the bank discuss their problem and share their feelings
with their spouse or friends or others while 9 % of the employee is not concerned
with it.
5. Do you work more than 8 hours?
45
89% of the employees work for more than 8 hours which is the starting point of
No
No response
0
Yes
No
No response
the stress while 11 % of the employees dont work for more than 8 hours.
6. You have an important function at your home and your boss asks to give a 4 hour
over time, what will be your response?
Yes
14
19
No
No response
2
Yes
No
No response
40 % of the employees are proved to be work dedicated and they are ready to miss
the important function at their house while 54 % of the employees said no and 6 %
of the employee did not gave any answer.
7. Do you regularly spend time for entertainment?
46
Yes
No
No response
57% of the employee spent regular time on entertainment which helps us to remain
stress free while 43 % of the employees dont do that.
8. Is your social life balanced?
19
Yes
response
Yes
No
No response
54 % of the employees find their social life to be balanced while 40 % of the
employees dont have their social life balanced. 6% of the employees remain silent.
9. Do you plan your work before doing?
Yes
31
47
No
No response
0
No
It
No response
0
is
Yes
No
No response
good habit to plan the work you do. 89 % of the employees plan their work before
doing while 11 % of the employees dont plan their work.
10. Do you fear about the quality of your performance?
No response
22
Yes
No
No response
63% of the employees fear the quality of performance which they give while 37 %
of the employees dont fear the quality of their work.
11. Are you a heart patient?
48
Yes
No
No response
Here 3 % of the employees are heart patient which is partially the result of stress.
12. Do you get tensed at your non achievement of your target?
Yes
25
10
Yes
No
No response
No
No response
0
71% of the employees get tensed at the non achievement of the target while 29 %
of the employees work casually.
13. Do you feeling stress some times?
49
Yes
No
No response
28
Yes
No
No response
80% of the employees feel stressed sometimes while 17 % of the employees are not
feeling stressed. 3 % of the employees did not respond.
If the answer of the above question is Yes then answer the following: a) Is the
reason of your stress your work load?
Yes
20
No
No response
6
Yes
No
No response
57% of the employees find themselves to be stressed by their work over load. 26 %
of the employees are not stressed because of the work overload. 17 % of the
employees did not answer.
b) Are you stressed because of your family problems?
50
Yes
40 % of the
14
No
14
No response
7
Yes
No
No response
employees are stressed because of their family problems 40% by other problems
while 20% of the employees did not responded.
c) Do you get stressed when your boss scolds you?

Yes
10
18
No
No response
7
Yes
No
No response
20% of the employee did not responded when they were asked weather their get
stressed because of the scolding of their boss. 51% of the employees dont get
stress because of the scolding of their boss. 29 % of the employees get stressed
because of the scolding of their boss.
d) Do you try to find any solution for the problem of your stress?
51
Yes
24
No
No response
5
Yes
No
No response
69 % of the employees try to find the solution of their stress.
e)(IF YES) Do you practice yoga or any other ayurvedic therapy for reducing stress?
Yes
11
18
No
No response
6
31% of the employees try the yoga and other ayurvedic techniques to reduce
Yes
No
No response
their stress while 51 % of the employees use other techniques to reduce stress.
52
(2.5) Employees opinion about how to reduce stress
This project consist of the information about the employees undergoing from stress
who working in the banks. So considering this factor this 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. In short it was a direct interview of the employees who gave
their opinion about how to reduce stress. The response of employees in the major
banks of Bhavnagar like State Bank of Saurashtra, The AXIS Bank, and The HDFC
bank was marvelous and they have given their valuable opinion about reducing
stress as a result of the last question included in the questionnaire 2. So the opinion
if the employees were as follows:
Just smile away An employee- HDFC Bank
Just believe in your self and just do what your heart wants An employee- HDFC
Bank
-Talking to family members, - Watching TV or listening good music, - Going for a
walk or long drive An employee- HDFC Bank
Believe in God An employee- HDFC Bank
Respect yourself and give time to yourself An employee- HDFC Bank
Working in environment welfares, lot of positive attitude. 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- AXIS Bank
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- AXIS
Bank
Play and watch cricket An employee- AXIS Bank
53
Listen music and spend time with family An employee- SBS
Bank
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- SBS Bank
These opinions are seemed to be valuable and effective as one of the effective
things has been noticed that the employees who have got less than 18 marks in the
Burnout test have given their opinions about reducing the stress.
It is also noticed that in the AXIS bank Bhavnagar in the time of afternoon slow
instrumental music are been played so that the employees can work stress free.
This is one of the positive things which are seen in the organization who is caring for
their employees. This will help the organization to boost up the productivity.
From the certain sample of employees selected for the research, only 10 employees
have given their opinion how to reduce stress. So we can understand that how
overloaded the employees of the bank are.
54
(2.6) Research Flowchart

Questionnaire research design proceeds in an orderly and specific manner. Each
item in the flow chart depends upon the successful completion of all the previous
items. Therefore, it is important not to skip a single step. Notice that there are two
feedback loops in the flow chart to allow revisions to the methodology and
instruments.
Design Methodology
Determine Feasibility
Develop Instruments
Select Sample
Conduct Pilot Test
Revise Instruments
Conduct Research
Analyze Data
Prepare Report
55
(2.7) Time Considerations
Many researchers underestimate the time required to complete a research project.

The following form may be used as an initial checklist in developing time estimates.
The best advice is to be generous with your time estimates. Things almost always
take longer than we think they should.
This checklist contains two time estimates for each task. The first one (Hours) is
your best estimate of the actual number of hours required to complete the task. The
second one (Duration) is the amount of time that will pass until the task is
completed. Sometimes these are the same and sometimes they are different. Most
researchers and business-people have to divide their time among many projects.
They simply cannot give all their time to any one project. For example, my estimate
of goal clarification may be four hours, but other commitments allow me to spend
only two hours a day on this study. My "hours" estimate is four hours, and my
"duration" estimate is two days.
To arrive at your final time estimates, add the individual estimates. The hours
estimate is used for budget planning and the duration estimate is used to develop a
project time line.
56
(2.8) Limitation of the survey
The questionnaires were filled be 35 employees working in the three major Banks of
Bhavnagar i.e. Axis Bank, HDFC Bank and SBS Bank. So the scope of sample
findings was less.
The questionnaire was filled by 35 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.)
One of the other problems of questionnaire is the cost. Some times it may be
possible that even by spending so much the result may not be reasonable.
Many a times the employees may not be really conscious or may not be bothered
about the questionnaire. This may create a problem in the research.
(2.8.1) Advantages of Written Questionnaires
57
Questionnaires are very cost effective when compared to face-to- face interviews.
This is especially true for studies involving large sample sizes and large geographic
areas. Written questionnaires become even more cost effective as the number of
research questions increases.
Questionnaires are easy to analyze. Data entry and tabulation for nearly all surveys
can be easily done with many computer software packages.
Questionnaires are familiar to most people. Nearly everyone has had some
experience completing questionnaires and they generally do not make people
apprehensive.
Questionnaires reduce bias. There is uniform question presentation and no middleman bias. The researcher's own opinions will not influence the respondent to answer
questions in a certain manner. There are no verbal or visual clues to influence the
respondent.
Questionnaires are less intrusive than telephone or face-to-face surveys. When a
respondent receives a questionnaire in the mail, he is free to complete the
questionnaire on his own time-table. Unlike other research methods, the respondent
is not interrupted by the research instrument.
(2.8.2) Disadvantages of Written Questionnaires
One major disadvantage of written questionnaires is the possibility of low response
rates. Low response is the curse of statistical analysis. It can dramatically lower our
confidence in the results. Response rates vary widely from one questionnaire to
another
58
(10% - 90%), however, well-designed studies consistently produce high response
rates.
Another disadvantage of questionnaires is the inability to probe responses.
Questionnaires are structured instruments. They allow little flexibility to the
respondent with respect to response format. In essence, they often lose the "flavor
of the response" (i.e., respondents often want to qualify their answers). By allowing
frequent space for comments, the researcher can partially overcome this
disadvantage. Comments are among the most helpful of all the information on the
questionnaire, and they usually provide insightful information that would have
otherwise been lost.
Nearly ninety percent of all communication is visual. Gestures and other visual cues
are not available with written questionnaires. The lack of personal contact will have
different effects depending on the type of information being requested. A
questionnaire requesting factual information will probably not be affected by the
lack of personal contact. A questionnaire probing sensitive issues or attitudes may

be severely affected.
When returned questionnaires arrive in the mail, it's natural to assume that the
respondent is the same person you sent the questionnaire to. This may not actually
be the case. Many times business questionnaires get handed to other employees for
completion. Housewives sometimes respond for their husbands. Kids respond as a
prank. For a variety of reasons, the respondent may not be who you think it is. It is a
confounding error inherent in questionnaires.
59
Finally, questionnaires are simply not suited for some people. For example, a written
survey to a group of poorly educated people might not work because of reading skill
problems. More frequently, people are turned off by written questionnaires because
of misuse.
(2.9) Findings
It is analyzed from the questionnaire filled by the employees that the employees
who have scored more than 20 marks in the burnout test are not satisfied with the
performance which they give in the organization. Thus it is proved that the
employees who are desired to give better performance than their original
performance are found more stressful than the others. While at the same time the
employ that have scored less than 20 marks in the burnout test are satisfied with
the performance. From the sample of 35 bank employees who have been surveyed,
one is found to be a heart patient. This can be because of high level of stress.
Very rare of the employee are to be found suffering from depression. It is proved
from the survey that the employees who have scored more than 25 marks in the
burnout test are concern about the opinion of their colleagues. And the employees
who got less than 25 marks do not mind about their colleagues opinion. Thus it is
proved that the colleagues opinion also play a lead role in the
60
increase and decrease of the stress level. Those who mind about their colleagues
opinion are found to be more stressful.
The employees who have scored 28-29 marks in the burnout test dont believe in
sharing their problems with their spouse or friend or any closed one. Thus we can
say that sharing your problems with your spouse or close friends is a better idea to
reduce stress.
In the second questionnaire one of the question was You have an important
function at your home and your boss asks to give a 4 hour over time what will be
your response Yes or No? the employees have given their opinion as per their
mood.
While considering the point of view of entertainment it depends upon the mood of
the employees. The entertainment is considered one of the most ultimate solutions
to reduce stress. Most of the employees do not spend regular time in entertainment.
This may be because they may not be getting time for entertainment or they may
not be interested in the same.
One of the questions was asked that were their social life balanced? It is observed
that the employees who have scored above 20 marks in the burnout test did not
have their social life balanced. Thus we can conclude that the employees who are
above 20 dont have their social life balanced. Thus it is proved that stress may
affect our social life also.
The employees were asked weather they plan their work or not, moderate answers
were given. The employees scoring more than 25 marks were not found their work
planned. Thus the employees who plan their work have scored below 25 marks in
the burnout test except some cases as there are always some drawbacks in making
plan. Failure of a plan may also lead a person
61
to stress. Thus we can conclude that planning of the work may help to reduce stress
level.
Most of the employees who have scored more than 20 marks fear about their
quality of work they give. This aspect is not dependent of the burnout level. This
aspect depends upon the dedication of work. So it is meaningless to compare this
question with the burnout test.
A question was asked that weather you get stressed at the nonachievement of
their target? All the employees have responded positively. But this is not concern
with the burnout score. From this we can conclude that all the employees are given
achievable target and naturally by the non-achievement of the target all the
employees may get stressed. One of the other possibilities is that the employees
have responded positively to show themselves to be good.
The employees having more than 10 marks in the burnout test says that they are
under stress. Out of 35 employees of the sample 20 of the employees accepted that
the reason for their stress is workload. 10 employees are not stressed because of
the workload but because of their family problem. 5 of the employees are not
suffering from stress. 14 employees out of 30 employees who are stressed feel
stressful when their boss scolds them while 16 employees refused that they are not
stressed because their boss scolds them. All the 30 employees have accepted that
they try to find the solution of their stress. 10 employees out of 30 employees
practice yoga to reduce their stress and the other 20 employees dont practice
yoga. The burnout scores of the employees who practice yoga are either more than
25 or less than 20. Thus we can conclude that the employees have reduced their
stress by yoga therapy and other employees have just started the yoga because of
high level of burnout
62
The above analysis is done by the data received from the questionnaire. So the
accuracy of data depends upon the response of the employees.
3. BIBILIOGRAPHY
owww.mindtool.com
oOrganizational Behavior Stephen P. Robbins
oBurn Out tool Questionnaire
oSelf analysis of questionnaire
63
4. ANNEXURE
Questionnaire
64
No Questions
Not at
Rarely Sometimes Ofte
Very
Instructions: For each question, put an 'X' in the column that most applies. Put
all
often
1Do you feel run down and drained of physical or emotional energy?
2Do you find that you are prone to negative thinking about your job?
3Do you find that you are harder and less sympathetic with people than perhaps
they deserve?
4Do you find yourself getting easily irritated by small problems, or by your coworkers and team?
5Do you feel misunderstood or unappreciated by your co-workers?
6Do you feel that you have no-one to talk to?
7Do you feel that you are achieving less than you should?
8Do you feel under an unpleasant level of pressure to succeed?
9Do you feel that you are not getting what you want out of your job?
10Do you feel that you are in the wrong organization or the wrong profession?
11Are you becoming frustrated with parts of your job?
12Do you feel that organizational politics or bureaucracy frustrate your ability to do
a good job?
13Do you feel that there is more work to do than you practically have the ability to
do?
14Do you feel that you do not have time to do many of the things that are
important to doing a good quality job?
15 Do you find that you do not
have time to plan as much
as you would like to?
Total
65
Please write the total number of x at the space given at the bottom of each column
N Questions
1 Are you satisfied with the performance you give at your work?
2 Do you think that you are suffering from depression?
3 Do you worry about your colleague's opinion about you?
4 Do you discuss your problem with your spouse or friend or
any other close to you?
5Do you work more than 8 hours?
Yes No
Answer
6
Number
Weight
Weighted Total
You have an important function at your home and your boss
Not at all
asks to give a 4 hour over time, what will be your response?

Rarely
7
Do you regularly spend time for entertainment?
Sometimes
Often
Is your social life balanced?
Very often
9
Do you plan your work before doing?
10 Do you fear about the quality of your performance?

11 Are you a heart patient?
12 Do you get tensed at your non achievement of your target?
13 Do you feeling stress some times?
>= If the answer of the above question is Yes then answer the
5
following:
Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly severe
a) Is the reason of your stress your work load?

18 Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several scores are
b) Arehighyou stressed because of your family problems?
c)3 DoYouyouaregetatstressseveredriskwhenof burnoutyourboss5 doscoldssomethingYou? about this urgently
d)4 DoYouyouaretryatoveryfindsevereanysolutionrisk offorburnoutthe problem- do
5 somethingof your stress?about this urgently
e) (IF YES) Do you practice yoga or any other ayurvedic therapy
for reducing stress?
66

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International Journal of Science, Technology & Management

Volume No 04, Special Issue No. 01, May 2015

ISSN (online): 2394-1537

A STUDY ON STRESS MANAGEMENT AMONG THE

1.To study the causes of stress among employees.

International Journal of Science, Technology & Management

Volume No 04, Special Issue No. 01, May 2015

ISSN (online): 2394-1537

1) Work related stressors:

Role related stressors

Task control stressors

High blood pressure

Low job performance

Resilience work holism.

International Journal of Science, Technology & Management

Volume No 04, Special Issue No. 01, May 2015

ISSN (online): 2394-1537

International Journal of Science, Technology & Management

Volume No 04, Special Issue No. 01, May 2015

ISSN (online): 2394-1537

Stress Management among Bank Employees

MR. JAY PANDYA

Faculty KPES college

oCoping with stress at work place.

Stress in Biological terms

Coping with stress at workplace

Reduce your stress

Data analysis and interpretation

Employees opinion about how to reduce stress

Limitation of the survey

Advantages of Written Questionnaires

Disadvantages of Written Questionnaires

work in such a manner that they give

their best to the organization.

simple word human resource management refers

aspects of employees working in an organization.

Decisions relating to employees must be integrated. Decision on different aspect of

oWorkplace stress, stress caused by employment

Good stress v/s Bad stress:

We cope better with stressful situation, when we encounter them voluntarily. In

Self-criticism over a less-than-perfect rehearsal.

Stress is a dynamic condition in witch an individual is confronted with an

Rarely Sometimes Ofte

35 You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this urgently

6 You have an important function at your home and your boss

Do you regularly spend time for entertainment?

Is your social life balanced?

9 Do you plan your work before doing?

b) Are you stressed because of your family problems?

Lets have a watch on the basic data of the survey:

5 Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly

scores are high

-1 No sign of burnout here!

5 Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly

scores are high

-1 No sign of burnout here!

5 Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly

scores are high

Lets have a look on the overall result of the survey

No sign of burnout here!

Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly

Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several

scores are high

You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this