Preface

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, BPO’s 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, BPO’s and other

industries as well as institutes. Stress arises because of unfulfilled

wants, lack of job satisfaction etc. before starting the topic of stress;

let’s first understand the importance of human resource.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It is essential to acknowledge the help received from

the people of various quarters. I find myself at a loss as to how

to thank them. These words are not a formality but a sincere

voice of my heart & I owe gratitude to all of them.

At the onset I would like to thank Mr.. for providing me a

wonderful opportunity to work on this project. Their valuable

time and guidance went a long way in helping to make a quality

work out of this project. I also owe my regards to my Faculty

Members, who has helped me in every possible way to make

this project a success.

Last but not the least, I would like to thank all the

Faculty members and Staff members who all helped me in

completing my Project successfully.

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Executive Summary

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:

o Introduction to Human resource

o Introduction and Definition of stress

o Stress in biological terms

o What is stress?

o Coping with stress at work place.

o Stress management

o Workplace stress

o Reducing of stress.

After the theoretical part I have included the research part. My

research work includes two questionnaires.

o Burn out test

o Stress analysis Questionnaire

My research includes the research methodology which contains the

information as follows:

o Research objectives

o Sampling (types and methods of sampling)

o Research instrument

o Data analysis and interpretation

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o Employee’s opinion to reduce stress.

o Research flowchart

o Time consideration

o Limitation of survey

o Advantages and disadvantages of written

questionnaire

o Finding

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INDEX

No Content Page no

1 Conceptual Framework 1

1.1 Introduction to HR 1

1.2 Concept of stress 3

1.2.1 Introduction to stress 3

1.2.2 Stress in Biological terms 8

1.2.3 What is stress 9

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

2 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

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2.8.1 Advantages of Written Questionnaires 52

2.8.2 Disadvantages of Written Questionnaires 53

2.9 Findings 55

3 Bibliography 58

4 Annexure 59

1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

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(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.

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.

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Decision made must influence the effectiveness of organization.

Effectiveness of an organization must result in betterment of services to

customers in the form of high-quality 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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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The types of stress are as follows

Mechanical

Stress (physics), the average amount of force exerted per unit area.

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

Compressive stress, the stress applied to materials resulting in their

compaction.

Biological

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

include:

o Chronic stress, persistent stress which can lead to illness and

mental disorder

o Eustress, positive stress that can lead to improved long-term

functioning

o Workplace 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

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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

and body forces. It was introduced into the theory of elasticity by Cauchy

around 1822. Stress is a concept that is based on the concept of continuum.

In general, stress is expressed as

Where

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

Is the force acting over the area .

Chronic Stress

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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.

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.

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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.

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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

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.

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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 individual’s unique

perception of the tension between the two forces. Not all stress is bad. For

example, positive stress, also known as eustress, can help an individual to

function at optimal effectiveness and efficiency.

Hence, it is evident that some form of positive stress can add more color and

vibrancy to our lives. The presence of a deadline, for example, can push us to

make the most of our time and produce greater efficiency. It is important to keep

this in mind, as stress management refers to using stress to our advantage, and

not on eradicating the presence of stress in our lives.

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On the other hand, negative stress can result in mental and physical strain. The

individual will experience symptoms such as tensions, headaches, irritability and

in extreme cases, heart palpitations. Hence, whilst some stress may be seen as

a motivating force, it is important to manage stress levels so that it does not have

an adverse impact on your health and relationships.

Part of managing your stress levels include learning about how stress can affect

you emotionally and physically, as well as how to identify if you are performing at

your optimal stress level (OSL) or if you are experiencing negative stress. This

knowledge will help you to identify when you need to take a break, or perhaps

seek professional help. It is also your first step towards developing techniques to

managing your stress levels.

Modern day stresses can take the form of monetary needs, or emotional frictions.

Competition at work and an increased workload can also cause greater levels of

stress. How do you identify if you are suffering from excessive stress?

Psychological symptoms commonly experienced include insomnia, headaches

and an inability to focus. Physical symptoms take the form of heart palpitations,

breathlessness, excessive sweating and stomachaches.

What causes stress? There are many different causes of stress, and that which

causes stress is also known as a stressor. Common lifestyle stressors include

performance, threat, and bereavement stressors, to name a few. Performance

stressors are triggered when an individual is placed in a situation where he feels

a need to excel. This could be during performance appraisals, lunch with the

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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. Here’s how we

differentiate between them.

Eustress:

this is a positive form of stress, which prepares your mind and body for the

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imminent challenges that it has perceived. Eustress is a natural physical reaction

by your body which increases blood flow to your muscles, resulting in a higher

heart rate. Athletes before a competition or perhaps a manager before a major

presentation would do well with eustress, allowing them to derive the inspiration

and strength that is needed.

Distress

We are familiar with this word, and know that it is a negative form of stress. This

occurs when the mind and body is unable to cope with changes, and usually

occurs when there are deviations from the norm. They can be categorized into

acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is intense, but does not last for

long. On the other hand, chronic stress persists over a long period of time. 

Trigger events for distress can be a change in job scope or routine that the

person is unable to handle or cope with.

Hyper stress

This is another form of negative stress that occurs when the individual is unable

to cope with the workload. Examples include highly stressful jobs, which require

longer working hours than the individual can handle. If you suspect that you are

suffering from hyper stress, you are likely to have sudden emotional breakdowns

over insignificant issues, the proverbial straws that broke the camel’s back. It is

important for you to recognize that your body needs a break, or you may end up

with severe and chronic physical and psychological reactions.

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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.

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.

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(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.

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.

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Step 1: Raising Awareness

Help yourself to identify when you are facing rising levels of stress, tipping the

scales from positive to negative. This is important, as being able to identify signs

of being stressed can help you to take steps to ensure that your overall quality of

life does not drop. If left unacknowledged, the problem will only snowball, leading

to disastrous consequences to your health and overall wellbeing.

You can identify if you are feeling stressed by checking if you have any physical

or psychological reactions, such as excessive sweating or heart palpitations, or

the onset of headaches, irritability or the need to escape. If you experience any

of these reactions, identify if you are feeling any overwhelming negative

emotions, and if you are constantly worried.

Step 2: Identify the Cause

You need to be able to analyze the situation and identify what is causing the rise

in stress. These stressors can be external and internal. External stressors refer

to things beyond your control, such as the environment or your colleagues at

work. Internal stressors refer to your own thinking and attitude. Often, we only

start reacting to stress when a combination of stressors working together

exceeds our ability to cope.

Keep a diary or a list of events that have caused you to feel strong negative

emotions, or that are likely stressors. This will help you to identify the causes of

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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.

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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

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aches that something is wrong. It is important to remain attentive to such

symptoms and to learn to cope with the situations.

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

cases of relocation, promotion or layoff, adventurous sports or having a baby, we

tend to respond positively under stress. But, when we are compelled into such

situations against our will or knowledge, more often than not, we wilt at the face

of unknown and imagined threats. For instance, stress may mount when one is

coerced into undertaking some work against one's will.

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

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lymphocytes—the natural killer cells. Laughter also increases the number of T

cells that have suppresser receptors.

What Laughter Can Do Against Stress And Its Effects ?

• Laughter lowers blood pressure and reduces hypertension.

• It provides good cardiac conditioning especially for those who are unable to

perform physical exercise.

• Reduces stress hormones (studies shows, laughter induces reduction of at

least four of neuroendocrine hormones—epinephrine, cortical, dopac, and growth

hormone, associated with stress response).

• Laughter cleanses the lungs and body tissues of accumulated stale air as it

empties more air than it takes in. It is beneficial for patients suffering from

emphysema and other respiratory ailments.

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

• Boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-

fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and disease-destroying antibodies

called B-cells.

• Laughter triggers the release of endorphins—body's natural painkillers.

• Produces a general sense of well-being.

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(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,

post-traumatic stress disorder) and other types of emotional strain (e.g.,

dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc.), maladaptive behaviors (e.g., aggression,

substance abuse), and cognitive impairment (e.g., concentration and memory

problems). In turn, these conditions may lead to poor work performance or even

injury. Job stress is also associated with various biological reactions that may

lead ultimately to compromised health, such as cardiovascular disease.

Stress is a prevalent and costly problem in today's workplace. About one-third of

workers report high levels of stress. One-quarter of employees view their jobs as

the number one stressor in their lives. Three-quarters of employees believe the

worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago. Evidence also

suggests that stress is the major cause of turnover in organizations.

Health and Healthcare Utilization

Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are

any other life stressor-more so than even financial problems or family problems.

Many studies suggest that psychologically demanding jobs that allow employees

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little control over the work process increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

On the basis of research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health and many other organizations, it is widely believed that job stress

increases the risk for development of back and upper-extremity musculoskeletal

disorders. High levels of stress are associated with substantial increases in

health service utilization. Workers who report experiencing stress at work also

show excessive health care utilization. In a 1998 study of 46,000 workers, health

care costs were nearly 50% greater for workers reporting high levels of stress in

comparison to “low risk” workers. The increment rose to nearly 150%, an

increase of more than $1,700 per person annually, for workers reporting high

levels of both stress and depression. Additionally, periods of disability due to job

stress tend to be much longer than disability periods for other occupational

injuries and illnesses.

Causes of Workplace Stress

Job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work.

Views differ on the importance of worker characteristics versus working

conditions as the primary cause of job stress. The differing viewpoints suggest

different ways to prevent stress at work. According to one school of thought,

differences in individual characteristics such as personality and coping skills are

most important in predicting whether certain job conditions will result in stress-in

other words, what is stressful for one person may not be a problem for someone

else. This viewpoint leads to prevention strategies that focus on workers and

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ways to help them cope with demanding job conditions. Although the importance

of individual differences cannot be ignored, scientific evidence suggests that

certain working conditions are stressful to most people. Such evidence argues for

a greater emphasis on working conditions as the key source of job stress, and for

job redesign as a primary prevention strategy. Personal interview surveys of

working conditions, including conditions recognized as risk factors for job stress,

were conducted in Member States of the European Union in 1990, 1995, and

2000. Results showed a trend across these periods suggestive of increasing

work intensity. In 1990, the percentage of workers reporting that they worked at

high speeds at least one-fourth of their working time was 48%, increasing to 54%

in 1995 and to 56% in 2000. Similarly, 50% of workers reported they work

against tight deadlines at least one-fourth of their working time in 1990,

increasing to 56% in 1995 and 60 % in 2000. However, no change was noted in

the period 1995–2000 (data not collected in 1990) in the percentage of workers

reporting sufficient time to complete tasks. A substantial percentage of

Americans work very long hours. By one estimate, more than 26% of men and

more than 11% of women worked 50 hours per week or more in 2000. These

figures represent a considerable increase over the previous three decades,

especially for women. According to the Department of Labor, there has been an

upward trend in hours worked among employed women, an increase in extended

work weeks (>40 hours) by men, and a considerable increase in combined

working hours among working couples, particularly couples with young children.

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Signs of Workplace Stress

Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed

relationships with family; friends and girlfriends or boyfriends are examples of

stress-related problems. The effects of job stress on chronic diseases are more

difficult to see because chronic diseases take a long time to develop and can be

influenced by many factors other than stress. Nonetheless, evidence is rapidly

accumulating to suggest that stress plays an important role in several types of

chronic health problems-especially cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal

disorders, and psychological disorders.

Prevention

A combination of organizational change and stress management is often the

most useful approach for preventing stress at work.

How to Change the Organization to Prevent Job Stress

Ensure that the workload is in line with workers' capabilities and

resources.

Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers

to use their skills.

Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.

Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting

their jobs.

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Improve communications-reduce uncertainty about career development

and future employment prospects.

Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers.

Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and

responsibilities outside the job.

Discrimination inside the workplace. (e.g. nationality and language )

St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company conducted several studies on the

effects of stress prevention programs in hospital settings. Program activities

included (1) employee and management education on job stress, (2) changes in

hospital policies and procedures to reduce organizational sources of stress, and

(3) establishment of employee assistance programs. In one study, the frequency

of medication errors declined by 50% after prevention activities was implemented

in a 700-bed hospital. In a second study, there was a 70% reduction in

malpractice claims in 22 hospitals that implemented stress prevention activities.

In contrast, there was no reduction in claims in a matched group of 22 hospitals

that did not implement stress prevention activities.

31

(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

32

job and that we neglect other areas of our life. Each of these can lead to intense

stress.

The alternative is to work more intelligently, by focusing on the things that are

important for job success and reducing the time we spend on low priority tasks.

Job Analysis is the first step in doing this.

The first of the action-oriented skills that we look at is Job Analysis. Job Analysis

is a key technique for managing job overload – an important source of stress.

To do an excellent job, you need to fully understand what is expected of you.

While this may seem obvious, in the hurly-burly of a new, fast-moving, high-

pressure role, it is oftentimes something that is easy to overlook.

By understanding the priorities in your job, and what constitutes success within it,

you can focus on these activities and minimize work on other tasks as much as

possible. This helps you get the greatest return from the work you do, and keep

your workload under control.

Job Analysis is a useful technique for getting a firm grip on what really is

important in your job so that you are able to perform excellently. It helps you to

cut through clutter and distraction to get to the heart of what you need to do.

2. Rational & positive thinking: -

33

You are thinking negatively when you fear the future, put yourself down, criticize

yourself for errors, doubt your abilities, or expect failure. Negative thinking

damages confidence, harms performance and paralyzes mental skills.

Unfortunately, negative thoughts tend to flit into our consciousness, do their

damage and flit back out again, with their significance having barely been

noticed. Since we barely realize that they were there, we do not challenge them

properly, which means that they can be completely incorrect and wrong.

Thought Awareness is the process by which you observe your thoughts and

become aware of what is going through your head.

One approach to it is to observe your "stream of consciousness" as you think

about the thing you're trying to achieve which is stressful. Do not suppress any

thoughts. Instead, just let them run their course while you watch them, and write

them down on our free worksheet as they occur. Then let them go.

Another more general approach to Thought Awareness comes with logging

stress in your Stress Diary. When you analyze your diary at the end of the period,

you should be able to see the most common and the most damaging thoughts.

Tackle these as a priority using the techniques below.

Here are some typical negative thoughts you might experience when preparing to

give a major presentation:

Fear about the quality of your performance or of problems that may

interfere with it;

34

Worry about how the audience (especially important people in it like your

boss) or the press may react to you;

Dwelling on the negative consequences of a poor performance; or

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

Thought awareness is the first step in the process of managing negative

thoughts, as you cannot manage thoughts that you are unaware of.

Rational Thinking

The next step in dealing with negative thinking is to challenge the negative

thoughts that you identified using the Thought Awareness technique. Look at

every thought you wrote down and challenge it rationally. Ask yourself whether

the thought is reasonable. What evidence is there for and against the thought?

Would your colleagues and mentors agree or disagree with it?

Looking at the examples, the following challenges could be made to the negative

thoughts we identified earlier:

Feelings of inadequacy: Have you trained yourself as well as you

reasonably should have? Do you have the experience and resources you

need to make the presentation? Have you planned, prepared and

rehearsed enough? If you have done all of these, you've done as much as

you can to give a good performance.

35

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.

36

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

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.

37

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."

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

38

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.

39

Stress is not necessarily bad in and of itself. Although stress is typically

discussed in a negative context, it also has a positive value. It’s an opportunity

when it offers potential gain. Consider for example, the superior performance that

an athlete or stage performer gives in “clutch” situations. Such individuals often

use stress positively to rise to the occasion and perform at or near their

maximum. Similarly, many professionals see the pressures of heavy workloads

and deadlines as positive challenges that enhance the quality of their work and

the satisfaction the get from their job.

But it is different in the case of bank employees. The bank employees

are the people who also have to achieve the certain target and so for the non

achievement of target the employees remain stressed and tensed. The

employees who have the simple table work also have to face the problem of

stress. Due to recession the banking sector is also facing the problem of

employee cut-offs and so the work load of the existing employees increases and

the feel stressed.

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

40

stress situation, life seems to find new ways of stressing us out and plaguing us

with anxiety attacks. Moreover, be it our anxiety, mind-body exhaustion or our

erring attitudes, we tend to overlook causes of stress and the conditions triggered

by those. In such unsettling moments we often forget that stressors, if not

escapable, are fairly manageable and treatable.

Stress, either quick or constant, can induce risky body-mind disorders.

Immediate disorders such as dizzy spells, anxiety attacks, tension,

sleeplessness, nervousness and muscle cramps can all result in chronic health

problems. They may also affect our immune, cardiovascular and nervous

systems and lead individuals to habitual addictions, which are inter-linked with

stress.

Like "stress reactions", "relaxation responses" and stress management

techniques are some of the body's important built-in response systems. As a

relaxation response the body tries to get back balance in its homeostasis. Some

hormones released during the 'fight or flight' situation prompt the body to replace

the lost carbohydrates and fats, and restore the energy level. The knotted

nerves, tightened muscles and an exhausted mind crave for looseness.

Unfortunately, today, we don't get relaxing and soothing situations without

asking. To be relaxed we have to strive to create such situations.

41

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

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.

42

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.

43

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

44

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 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

45

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: -

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:

46

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

47

Questionnaire

No Questions Not at

all

Rarel

y

Sometimes Often Very

often

1 Do you feel run down and

drained of physical or

emotional energy?

2 Do you find that you are

prone to negative thinking

about your job?

3 Do you find that you are

harder and less

sympathetic with people

than perhaps they deserve?

4 Do you find yourself getting

easily irritated by small

problems, or by your co-

workers and team?

5 Do you feel misunderstood

or unappreciated by your

48

co-workers?

6 Do you feel that you have

no-one to talk to?

7 Do you feel that you are

achieving less than you

should?

8 Do you feel under an

unpleasant level of

pressure to succeed?

9 Do you feel that you are not

getting what you want out of

your job?

10 Do you feel that you are in

the wrong organization or

the wrong profession?

11 Are you becoming

frustrated with parts of your

job?

12 Do you feel that

organizational politics or

bureaucracy frustrate your

ability to do a good job?

13 Do you feel that there is

49

more work to do than you

practically have the ability

to do?

14 Do 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

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 Weighted Total

Not at all 0

Rarely 1

Sometimes 2

Often 3

Very often 4

50

>=

-1 No sign of burnout here!

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

51

N

o

Questions Yes No

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?

5 Do you work 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?

7 Do you regularly spend time for entertainment?

8 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:

52

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.

53

Let’s have a watch on the basic data of the survey:

The report of a bank

>= response

-1 No sign of burnout here! 0

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

severe

6

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

scores are high

8

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

urgently

0

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

urgently

0

no sign of burn out

little sign of burnout

Be careful

severe risk

Very high

54

The Report of a Bank

>= response

-1 No sign of burnout here! 0

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

severe

3

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

scores are high

10

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

urgently

0

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

urgently

0

No sign

Little sign

Be careful

Severe risk

Very high

The report of a Bank

>= response

-1 No sign of burnout here! 0

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

55

severe

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

scores are high

3

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

urgently

0

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

urgently

0

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 it’s 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.

Let’s have a look on the overall result of the survey

No sign

little sign

be careful

Severe risk

Very high

56

>= response

-1 No sign of burnout here! 0

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

severe

14

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

scores are high

21

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

urgently

0

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

urgently

0

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.

no sign

little sign

Be carefull

severe risk

Very high

57

1. Are you satisfied with the

performance you give at

your work?

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

No

No response

58

Yes No No response

27 8 0

Yes No No response

7 28 0

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 No No response

9 26 0

26% of the employees worry about their colleague’s opinion about them while

74% of the employees are not concern with the opinion about their colleague.

Yes

No

No response

Yes

No

No response

59

4. Do you discuss your problem with your spouse or friend or any other

close to you?

Yes No No response

32 3 0

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?

YesNoNo response

60

89% of the employees work

for

more than 8 hours which is the starting point of the stress while 11 % of the

employees don’t 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 No No response

14 19 2

Yes

No

No response

Yes

No

No response

61

Yes No No response

31 4 0

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?

57% of the employee spent regular time on entertainment which helps us to

remain stress free while 43 % of the employees don’t do that.

8. Is your social life balanced?

Yes No No response

19 14 2

Yes

No

No response

62

Yes No No response

20 15 0

54 % of the employees find their social life to be balanced while 40 % of the

employees don’t have their social life balanced. 6% of the employees remain

silent.

9. Do you plan your work before doing?

It is a good habit to plan the work you do. 89 % of the employees plan their work

before doing while 11 % of the employees don’t plan their work.

10. Do you fear about the quality of your performance?

63% of the employees fear the quality of performance which they give while 37 %

of the employees don’t fear the quality of their work.

63

11. Are you a heart patient?

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 No No response

25 10 0

71% of the employees get tensed at the non achievement of the target while 29

% of the employees work casually.

Yes No No response

64

Yes No No response

1 34 0

13. Do you feeling stress some times?

Yes No No response

28 6 1

80% of the employees feel stressed sometimes while 17 % of the employees are

not feeling stressed. 3 % of the employees did not respond.

Yes

No

No response

Yes

No

No response

65

If the answer of the above question is ‘Yes’ then answer the following:

a) Is the reason of your

stress your work load?

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?

Yes

No

No response

66

Yes No No response

20 9 6

Yes No No response

14 14 7

40 % of the 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?

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 don’t get

Yes

No

No response

Yes

No

No response

67

Yes No No response

10 18 7

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?

Yes No No response

24 6 5

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 No No response

11 18 6

31% of the employees try the yoga and other ayurvedic techniques to reduce

their stress while 51 % of the employees use other techniques to reduce stress.

Yes

No

No response

68

(2.5) Employee’s 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

Yes

No

No response

69

“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

“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.

70

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.

71

(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

72

Analyze Data

Prepare Report

(2.7) Time Considerations

73

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.

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(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.

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(2.8.1) Advantages of Written Questionnaires

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 middle-man 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

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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

(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.

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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.

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.

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(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 colleague’s

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opinion. Thus it is proved that the colleagues opinion also play a lead role in the

increase and decrease of the stress level. Those who mind about their

colleague’s opinion are found to be more stressful.

The employees who have scored 28-29 marks in the burnout test

don’t 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

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the employees who are above 20 don’t 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

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 non-

achievement 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.

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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 don’t 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

The above analysis is done by the data received from the

questionnaire. So the accuracy of data depends upon the response of the

employees.

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3. BIBILIOGRAPHY

o www.mindtool.com

o Organizational Behavior “Stephen P. Robbins”

o Burn Out tool – Questionnaire

o Self analysis of questionnaire

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4. ANNEXURE

Questionnaire

No Questions Not at

all

Rarel

y

Sometimes Often Very

often

1 Do you feel run down and

drained of physical or

emotional energy?

2 Do you find that you are

prone to negative thinking

about your job?

3 Do you find that you are

harder and less

sympathetic with people

than perhaps they deserve?

4 Do you find yourself getting

easily irritated by small

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problems, or by your co-

workers and team?

5 Do you feel misunderstood

or unappreciated by your

co-workers?

6 Do you feel that you have

no-one to talk to?

7 Do you feel that you are

achieving less than you

should?

8 Do you feel under an

unpleasant level of

pressure to succeed?

9 Do you feel that you are not

getting what you want out of

your job?

10 Do you feel that you are in

the wrong organization or

the wrong profession?

11 Are you becoming

frustrated with parts of your

job?

12 Do you feel that

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organizational politics or

bureaucracy frustrate your

ability to do a good job?

13 Do you feel that there is

more work to do than you

practically have the ability

to do?

14 Do 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

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 Weighted Total

Not at all 0

Rarely 1

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Sometimes 2

Often 3

Very often 4

>=

-1 No sign of burnout here!

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

87