A STUDY ON STRESS MANAGEMENT ON MADRAS CEMENTS PVT LTD (RAMCO GROUPS) OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To undergo an in-depth study about the stress among the employees of Madras Cements Pvt Ltd Company.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE: l To study sources of stress in Madras Cements Pvt Ltd Company l To analyses on the employees view point on existing stress management Programmes l To find possible measures to reduce stress from the employees perception l To find out the negative effects of stress on the employees performance l To find out the level of stress in the workplace l To analyze the measures taken by the employee to reduce the stress

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

l The study was conducted within a short period so its not possible to Study all the aspects in detail l The sample size for the survey is less when compared to the total Population l The employees were reluctant to give correct information l Only a sample of 45 respondents is interviewed

l The respondents are not ready to disclose their real feelings, as the study

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The present world is fast changing and there are lots of pressures and demands at work. These pressures at work lead to physical disorders. Stress refers to individuals reaction to a disturbing factor in the environment. Hence this study would help the organization to know the factors of stress and to reduce the stress in employees. Since it is a well known fact that healthy employee is a productive employee.

RESEARCH DESIGN
RESEARCH DESIGN
DEFINE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

REVIEW CONCEPT AND THEORIES &PREVIOUS RESEARCH FINDING

FORMULATE HYPOTHESES.

DESIGN RESEARCH

COLLECT DATA

ANALYZE DATA.

INTERPRET &REPORT

Research can be defined as the search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, with an open mind, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method. The primary purpose for basic research (as opposed to applied research) is discovering, interpreting, and the development of methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge on a wide variety of scientific matters of our world and the universe.

A GOOD RESEARCH DESIGN HAS THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS NAMELY: 1. Problem definition. 2. Specific methods of data collections and analysis. 3. Time required for research project. 4. Estimate of expenses to in incurred. The goal of the research process is to produce new knowledge. This process takes three main forms:
l l l

Exploratory research, which structures and identifies new problems Constructive research, which develops solutions to a problem Empirical research, which tests the feasibility of a solution using empirical evidence

TYPE OF RESEARCH
Descriptive research, also known as statistical research, describes data and characteristics about the population or phenomenon being studied. Descriptive research answers the questions who, what, where, when and how... SAMPLING TECHNIQUES Sampling is that part of statistical practice concerned with the selection of a subset of individuals from within a population to yield some knowledge about the whole population, especially for the purposes of making predictions based on statistical inference. SAMPLING SIZE The survey was carried out among 25 respondents. The target group was contacted and opinions of the respondents were received with the help of questionnaire. SAMPLING AREA The survey is conducted mainly in the area in Chennai. SAMPLING PERIOD The survey is conducted during the period DECEMBER-MARCH 2012. DATA COLLECTION PRIMARY DATA:

l Data observed or collected directly from first-hand experience (collection of data that does not exist yet). l Through survey using questionnaire SECONDARY DATA: l Secondary research (also known as desk research) involves the summary, collation and/or synthesis of existing research rather than primary research, where data is collected from, for example, research subjects or experiments. l Through company resources and internet

QUESTIONNAIRE: A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Questionnaires are an inexpensive way to gather data from a potentially large number of respondents. Often they are the only feasible way to reach a number of reviewers large enough to allow statistically analysis of the results. A well-designed questionnaire that is used effectively can gather information on both the overall performance of the test system as well as information on specific components of the system. If the questionnaire includes demographic questions on the participants, they can be used to correlate performance and satisfaction with the test system among different groups of users.

TOOLS FOR DATA ANALYSIS ANALYSIS Analysis is the process of placing the data in the ordered form, combining them with the existing information and extracting the meaning from them. Only analysis brings out the information from the data. INTERPRETATION Interpretation is the process of relating various factors with other information. It brings out the relation between the findings to the research objectives and hypothesis framed for the study in the beginning.

1. CHI-SQUARE It is applied in statistics to the test the significance of association between two attributes.

2. PERCENTAGE ANALYSIS It is used to find out relationship between to variables Number of Respondents Percentage = Total no. of Respondents X 100

3. WEIGHTED AVERAGE METHOD

Weighted Average = (x1 w1 + x2 w2.. + xn wn) / (w1 + w2. . + wn) = 1 to n (xi wi) / i = 1 to n wi

i=

QUESTIONNAIRE

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
DEFINITION: Stress in individual is defined as any interference that disturbs a persons healthy mental and physical well being. It occurs when the body is required to perform beyond its normal range of capabilities. DEFINING STRESS AT WORK: Change in working practices, such as the introduction of new technology or the alternation of new technology or the alternative of targets, may cause stress, or stress may be built into an organizations structure. Organizational stress can be measured by absenteeism and quality or work. ORGANIZATIONAL STRESS:Stress affects as well as the individual within them. An organization with a high level of absenteeism, rapid staff turnover, deteriorating industrial and customer relations, a worsening safety record, or poor quality control is suffering from organizational stress. ORGANIZATIONAL STRESSORS: Besides the potential stressors that occur outside the organization, there are also those associated with the organization itself. Although the organization is made up of groups & individuals, there are also more macro-level dimensions unique to the organization that contains potential stressors. MACRO-LEVEL ORGANIZATIONAL STRESSORS: POLICIES: l Unfair, arbitrary performance reviews l Rotating works shifts l Inflexible rules l Unrealistic job descriptions STRUCTURES: l Centralization; Lack of participation in decision making

l Little opportunity for advancement l A great amount of formalization l Interdependence of departments l Line-Staff conflicts PHYSICAL CONDITIONS: l Crowding & lack of privacy l Air pollution l Safety hazards l Inadequate lighting l Excessive, heat or cold PROCESS: l Poor communication l Poor / inadequate feedback about performance l Inaccurate / ambiguous measurement of performance l Unfair control systems l Inadequate information MANAGING STRESS IN THE WORK PLACE: Every responds to stress in a different way, it is only by understanding the nature of individual responses that you can start fighting stress yourself and others. Reduction or elimination of stress is necessary for psychological and physical well being of an individual. Efficiency in stress management enables the individual to deal or cope with the stressful situations instead of avoidance. Strategies like tie management, body-mind and mind-body relaxation exercise, seeking social support help individual improve their physical and mental resources to deal with stress successfully. Apart from helping employees adopt certain coping strategies to deal with stress providing them with the service of counselor is also useful. Many strategies have been developed to help manage stress in the work place. Some are strategies for individuals, and other is geared toward organizations. INDIVIDUAL COPING STRATEGIES: Many strategies for helping individuals manage stress have been proposed. JOB STRESS

Individual coping strategies are used when an employee under stress exhibits undesirable behavior on the jobs such as performance, strained relationship with coworkers, absenteeism alcoholism and the like. Employees under stress require help in overcoming its negative effects. The strategies used are: EXERCISE:One method by which individual can manage their stress is through exercise. People who exercise regularly are known to less likely to have heart attacks than inactive people are. Research also has suggested that people who exercise regularly feel less tension and stress are more conflict and slow greater optimism. RELAXATION:A related method individual can manage stress is relaxation. Copying with stress require adaptation. Proper relaxation is an effective way to adopt. Relaxation can take many forms. One way to relax is to take regular vacations; people can also relax while on the job (i.e. take regular breaks during their normal workday). A popular way of resting is to sit quietly with closed eyes for ten minutes every afternoon. TIME MANAGEMENT:Time management is an often recommended method for managing stress, the idea is that many daily pressures can be eased or eliminated if a person does a better job of managing time. One popular approach to time management is to make a list, every morning or the thins to be done that day. Then you group the items on the list into three categories: critical activities that must be performed, important activities that should be performed, and optimal or trivial things that can be delegated or postponed, then of more of the important things done every day. ROLE MANAGEMENT:Some what related to time management in which the individual actively works to avoid overload, ambiguity and conflict.

SUPPORT GROUPS:This method of managing stress is to develop and maintain support group. A support group is simply a group of family member or friends with whom a person can spend time. Supportive family and friends can help people deal with normal stress on an ongoing basis. Support groups can be particularly useful during times of crisis. BEHAVIORAL SELF-CONTROL:In ultimate analysis, effective management if stress presupposes exercise of self-control on the part of an employee. By consciously analyzing the cause and consequences of their own behavior, the employees can achieve self-control. They can further develop awareness of their own limits of tolerance and learn to anticipate their own responses to various stressful situations. The strategy involves increasing an individuals control over the situations rather than being solely controlled by them. COGNITIVE THERAPY:The cognitive therapy techniques such as Ellis rational emotive model and Meichenbaums cognitive strategy fir modification have been used as an individual strategy for reducing job stress. COUNSELING: Personal counseling help employees understand and appreciate a diverse workforce, the holistic approach adopted by the counselor gives him a comprehensive view of the employee as client and enable him to deal the issues of work related problems in a larger context with his awareness of the inter-relationship among problems in adjustment with self, other and environment and that a work concern will effect personal life and vice-versa, the employee would receive help regarding the problem in all life. One of the advantage of the individual interventions is the individual can use these skills to improve the quality of life in offer domains like family, social support and self, thus reducing the negative carry of experiences in these domains into the work life which might effect his occupation mental health. ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES:The most effective way of managing stress calls for adopting stressors and prevent occurrence of potential stressors. Two basic organizational strategies for helping employees manage stress are institutional programs and collateral programs.

Work Design Work schedules Culture Supervision

Stress Management programs Health promotions programs Other programs

INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAMS:Institutional programs for managing stress are undertaken to established organizational mechanism for example, a properly designed job and word schedules can help ease stress. Shift work in particular can constantly have to adjust their sleep and relaxation patterns. Thus, the design of work schedules should be a focused of organizational efforts to reduce stress. The organizations culture can also used to help to manage stress. The organization should strive to foster a culture that reinforces a healthy mix of work and nonworking activities. Finally, supervision can play an important institutional role in Overload, in managing stress. A supervisor is a potential manager source of overload. If made aware of their potential for assigning stressful amounts of work, supervisors can do a better job keeping workloads reasonable. COLLATERAL PROGRAMS: In addition to their institutional efforts aimed at reducing stress, many organizations are turning to collateral programs. A collateral stress program in an organizational program specifically created to help employees deal with stress. The organizations have adopted stress management programs, Health promotion programs and other kinds of programs for this purpose