Stress Management PDF

STRESS MANAGEMENT
M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)
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:
Introduction to Human resource
Introduction and Definition of stress
Stress in biological terms
What is stress?
Coping with stress at work place.
Stress management
Workplace stress
Reducing of stress.
After the theoretical part I have included the research part. My research work includes questionnaires.
Stress analysis Questionnaire
KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce
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My research includes the research methodology which contains the information as follows:
Research objectives
Sampling (types and methods of sampling)
Research instrument
Data analysis and interpretation
Employees opinion to reduce stress.
Research Analysis
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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, BPO & the growing stress level at the degree college professors. Now a day the corporate sector is booming in a high speed that the people have to work for prolonged hours to maintain the standard of living and achieve their basic needs. So is the condition in the hospitals, colleges, BPOs and banks and lots of other places. In spite 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 BPOs and other industries such as Banks and College. Stress arises because of unfulfilled wants, lack of job satisfaction etc. before starting the topic of stress lets first understand the importance of human resource.
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research Objectives: Stress is a dynamic condition in which 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.
Stress is not necessarily bad in and of itself. Although stress is typically discussed in a negative context, it also has a positive value. Its an opportunity when it offers potential gain. Consider for example, the superior performance that an athlete or stage performer gives in clutch situations. Such individuals often use stress positively to rise to the occasion and perform at or near their maximum. Similarly, many professionals see the pressures of heavy workloads and deadlines as positive challenges that enhance the quality of their work and the satisfaction the get from their job but it is different in the case of bank employees. The bank employees are the people who also have to achieve the certain target and so for the non achievement of target the employees remain stressed and tensed. The employees who have the simple table work also have to face the problem of stress. Due to recession the banking sector is also facing the problem of employee cutoffs 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 commonlyreferred to type of stress, having negative implications, whereas eustress is a positive form of stress, usually related to desirable events in person's life. Both can be equally taxing on the body, and are cumulative in nature, depending on a person's way of adapting to a change that has caused it. Stress management is the need of the hour. However hard we try to go beyond a stress situation, life seems to find new ways of stressing us out and plaguing us with anxiety attacks. Moreover, be it our anxiety, mindbody 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.
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 15 to 17 employees are selected from all the three sectors for the research of stress among them.
Sampling
Sample: I have taken the sample of 15-17 employees from three different domains i.e. Banks, BPO and College. 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 domains which are affiliated to the public and are specialized in consumer needs fulfillment and societal benefits.
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It is to be said that 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.
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 non-random 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.
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.
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Stratified sampling is commonly used probability method that is superior to random sampling because it reduces sampling error. A stratum is a subset of the population that shares at least one common characteristic. The researcher first identifies the relevant stratums and their actual representation in the population. Random sampling is then used to select subjects from each stratum until the number of subjects in that stratum is proportional to its frequency in the population. Stratified sampling is often used when one or more of the stratums in the population have a low incidence relative to the other stratums.
Convenience sampling is used in exploratory research where the researcher is interested in getting an inexpensive approximation of the truth. As the name implies, the sample is selected because they are convenient. This non-probability method is often used during preliminary research efforts to get a gross estimate 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 an extension of convenience sampling. For example, a researcher may decide to draw the entire sample from one "representative" city, even though the population includes all cities. When using this method, the researcher must be confident that the chosen sample is truly representative of the entire population.
Quota sampling is the non-probability equivalent of stratified sampling. Like stratified sampling, the researcher first identifies the stratums and their proportions as they are represented in the population. Then convenience or judgment sampling is used to select the required number of subjects from each stratum. This differs from stratified sampling, where the stratums are filled by random sampling.
Snowball sampling is a special non- probability method used when the desired sample characteristic is rare. It may be extremely difficult or cost prohibitive to locate respondents in these situations. Snowball sampling relies on referrals from initial subjects to generate
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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.
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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
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 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, motars, 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 the quantitative aspects of employees working in an
employees must be consistent with other human resource decisions. Decision made must influence the effectiveness of organization. Effectiveness of an organization must result in betterment of services to customers in the form of highquality product supplied at reasonable costs. HRM function s is not confined to business establishment only. They are applicable to non-business organizations, too such as education, health care, recreation etc. The scope of HRM is indeed vast. All major activities in the working life of his or her entry into an organization until he or she leaves-come under the previews of HRM. specifically, the activities included are HR planning, job analysis, recruitment and selection, orientation and placement, training and development, performance appraisal
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and job evaluation, employee and executive remuneration, motivation and communication, welfare, safety and health and industrial relations. HRM is a broad concept Personnel management and human resource development is a part of HRM. Before we define Human Resource Management, it seems good to first define heterogeneous in the sense that they differ in personality, perception, emotions, values, attitudes, motives, and modes of thoughts. Human resource management plays an important role in the development process of modern economy. In fact it is said that all the development comes from the human mind. Human Resource Management is a process of producing development, maintaining and controlling human resources for effective achievement of organization goals.
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CONCEPT OF STRESS
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 obviousexcept that it is not. Definition: Hans Selye was one of the founding fathers of stress research. His view in 1956 was that stress is not necessarily something bad it all depends on how you take it. The stress of exhilarating, creative successful work is beneficial, while that of failure, humiliation or infection is detrimental. Selye believed that the biochemical effects of stress would be experienced irrespective of whether the situation was positive or negative. Since then, a great deal of further research has been conducted, and ideas have moved on. Stress is now viewed as a "bad thing", with a range of harmful biochemical and long-term effects. These effects have rarely been observed in positive situations. The most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly attributed to Richard S Lazarus) is that stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize. In short, it's what we feel when we think we've lost control of events.
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This is the main definition used by this section of Mind Tools, although we also recognize that there is an intertwined instinctive stress response to unexpected events. The stress response inside us is therefore part instinct and part to do with the way we think. The types of stress are as follows Mechanical 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: Chronic stress, persistent stress which can lead to illness and mental disorder Eustress, positive stress that can lead to improved long-term functioning Workplace stress, stress caused by employment 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.
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Chronic Stress Chronic stress is stress that lasts a long time or occurs frequently. Chronic stress is potentially damaging. Symptoms of chronic stress can be:
Upset stomach
Headache
Backache
Insomnia
Anxiety
Depression
Anger
In the most severe cases it can lead to panic attacks or a panic disorder. There are a variety of methods to control chronic stress, including exercise, healthy diet, stress management, relaxation techniques, adequate rest, and relaxing hobbies. 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. 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.
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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, shortterm 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. 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.
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What is Stress?
Stress refers to the strain from the conflict between our external environment and us, leading to emotional and physical pressure. In our fast paced world, it is impossible to live without stress, whether you are a student or a working adult. There is both positive and negative stress, depending on each individuals unique perception of the tension between the two forces. Not all stress is bad. For example, positive stress, also known as eustress, can help an individual to function at optimal effectiveness and efficiency. Hence, it is evident that some form of positive stress can add more color and vibrancy to our lives. The presence of a deadline, for example, can push us to make the most of our time and produce greater efficiency. It is important to keep this in mind, as stress management refers to using stress to our advantage, and not on eradicating the presence of stress in our lives. On the other hand, negative stress can result in mental and physical strain. The individual will experience symptoms such as tensions, headaches, irritability and in extreme cases, heart palpitations. Hence, whilst some stress may be seen as a motivating force, it is important to manage stress levels so that it does not have an adverse impact on your health and relationships. Part of managing your stress levels include learning about how stress can affect you emotionally and physically, as well as how to identify if you are performing at your optimal stress level (OSL) or if you are experiencing negative stress. This knowledge will help you to identify when you need to take a break, or perhaps seek professional help. It is also your first step towards developing techniques to managing your stress levels. Modern day stresses can take the form of monetary needs, or emotional frictions. Competition at work and an increased workload can also cause greater levels of stress. How do you identify if you are suffering from excessive stress? Psychological symptoms commonly experienced include insomnia, headaches and an inability to focus. Physical
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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 boss, or giving a speech. Threat stressors are usually when the current situation poses a dangerous threat, such as an economic downturn, or from an accident. Lastly, bereavement stressors occur when there is a sense of loss such as the death of a loved one, or a prized possession. Thus, there are various stressors, and even more varied methods and techniques of dealing with stress and turning it to our advantages. In order to do so, we must learn to tell when we have crossed the line from positive to negative stress. Good stress v/s Bad stress: Stress has often been misunderstood to be negative, with few people acknowledging the importance and usefulness of positive stress. In our everyday lives, stress is everywhere and definitely unavoidable; hence our emphasis should be on differentiating between what is good stress, and what is bad. This will help us to learn to cope with negative stress, and harness the power of positive stress to help us achieve more. There are 4 main categories of stress, namely eustress, distress, hyper stress and hypo stress. Negative stress can cause many physical and psychological problems, whilst positive stress can be very helpful for us. Heres how we differentiate between them.
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Eustress This is a positive form of stress, which prepares your mind and body for the imminent challenges that it has perceived. Eustress is a natural physical reaction by your body which increases blood flow to your muscles, resulting in a higher heart rate. Athletes before a competition or perhaps a manager before a major presentation would do well with eustress, allowing them to derive the inspiration and strength that is needed.
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 break downs over insignificant issues, the proverbial straws that broke the camels back. It is important for you to recognize that your body needs a break, or you may end up with severe and chronic physical and psychological reactions. Hypo stress: Lastly, hypo stress occurs when a person has nothing to do with his time and feels constantly bored and unmotivated. This is due to an insufficient amount of stress; hence some stress is inevitable and helpful to us. Companies should avoid having workers who
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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 commonlyreferred to type of stress, having negative implications, where as 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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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. 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.
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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 risen stress. These stressors can be external and internal. External stressors refer to things beyond your control, such as the environment or your colleagues artwork. Internal stressors refer to your own thinking and attitude. Often, we only start reacting to stress when a combination of stressors working together exceeds our ability to cope. Keep a diary or a list of events that have caused you to feel strong negative emotions, or that are likely stressors. This will help you to identify the causes of your stress. Whilst it is not always possible to eradicate them, we can change the way that we cope with it. Step 3: Coping with Stress In order to deal with the situation that is causing you stress, you need to calm your mind and body so as to stave off the reactions and cope with it in a positive way. This can be through different methods, such as taking time off. If a situation is triggering your stress and you are unable to calm down, remove yourself from it. Go outside and take a walk to calm down. Alternatively, you can try implementing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing. If it is an internal stressor, stop your thought process until you are able to deal with it logically. The key to making these 3 steps work for you is to practice them. These are not instantaneous solutions, and you need to condition your mind and practice them so that you can implement it when you are feeling stressed.
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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. 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 are lavation 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 fours to get habituated to them. The body constantly tries to tell us through symptoms such as rapid palpitation, dizzy spells, tight muscles or various body aches that something is wrong. It is important to remain attentive to such symptoms and to learn to cope with the situations.
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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 neuro chemical 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 Lymphocytesthe natural killer cells. Laughter also increases the number of cells that have suppresser receptors.
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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 hormonesepinephrine, cortical, dope, 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 endorphinsbody's natural painkillers. Produces a general sense of well-being.
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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 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 upperextremity 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, healthcare 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
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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 occupation a 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 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, and2000. 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 19952000 (data not collected in 1990) in the percentage of workers reporting sufficient time to complete tasks. A substantial percentage of Americans work very long hours. By one estimate, more than 26% of men and more than 11% of women worked 50 hours per week or more in 2000. These figures represent a considerable increase over the previous three decades, especially for women. According to the Department of Labor,
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there has been an upward trend in hours worked among employed women, an increase in extended work weeks (>40 hours) by men, and a considerable increase in combined working hours among working couples, particularly couples with young children. Signs of Workplace Stress: 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.
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How to Change the Organization to Prevent Job Stress?

Ensure that the workload is in line with workers' capabilities and resources. Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers to use their skills. Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities. Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their jobs. Improve communications-reduce uncertainty about career development and future employment prospects. Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers. Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities outside the job. Discrimination inside the workplace. (e.g. nationality and language ) St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company conducted several studies on the effects of stress prevention programs in hospital settings. Program activities included (1) Employee and management education on job stress, (2) Changes in 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 700bed 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.
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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 ob 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: We are thinking negatively when we fear the future, put yourself down, criticize ourself for errors, doubt your abilities, or expect failure. Negative thinking damages confidence, harms performance and paralyzes mental skills. Unfortunately, negative thoughts tend to fit 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
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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 our head. One approach to it is to observe our "stream of consciousness" as we think about the thing we're trying to achieve which is stressful. Do not suppress any thoughts. Instead, just let them run their course while we 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 we analyze our diary at the end of the period, we 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 we might experience when preparing to give a major presentation: Fear about the quality of our performance or of problems that may interfere with it; Worry about how the audience (especially important people in it like your boss) or the press may react to us; 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 we cannot manage thoughts that we are unaware of. Rational Thinking The next step in dealing with negative thinking is to challenge the negative thoughts that we identified using the Thought Awareness technique. Look at every thought we wrote down and challenge it rationally. Ask yourself whether the thought is reasonable. What
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evidence is there for and against the thought? Would our 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 we trained yourself as well as we reasonably should have? Do we have the experience and resources we need to make the presentation? Have we planned, prepared and rehearsed enough? If we have done all of these, we've done as much as we can to give a good performance. Worries about performance during rehearsal: If some of your practice was less than perfect, then remind our self 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 our control: Have we identified the risks of these things happening, and have we taken steps to reduce the likelihood of them happening or their impact if they do? What will we do if they occur? And what do we need others to do for us? Worry about other people's reactions: If we have prepared well, and we do the best we can, then we should be satisfied. If we perform as well as we 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, we made a mistake at work, but that doesn't mean we're bad at our job. Similarly, make sure we take the long view about incidents that we're finding stressful. Just because we're finding these new responsibilities stressful now, doesn't mean that they will ALWAYS be so for us in the future.
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Tip: If we find it difficult to look at our negative thoughts objectively, imagine that we are our 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 we would challenge these thoughts. When we challenge negative thoughts rationally, we 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 our negative thoughts are genuinely important to achieving our 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, we 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 our affirmations on the clear, rational assessments of facts that we made using Rational Thinking, we can use them to undo the damage that negative thinking may have done to our self-confidence. Tip: Our 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."
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Worries about performance: "I have prepared well and rehearsed thoroughly. I am well positioned to give an excellent performance." Problems issues outside our 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 our worksheet so that we cause them when you need them. As well as allowing us to structure useful affirmations, part of Positive Thinking is to look at opportunities that the situation might offer to us. In the examples above, successfully overcoming the situations causing the original negative thinking will open up opportunities. We will acquire new skills, we will be seen as someone who can handle difficult challenges, and we may open up new career opportunities. Make sure that identifying these opportunities and focusing on them is part of our positive thinking
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STUDY OF THE DATA ANALYSIS (BPO) Do you feel run down and drained of physical emotional energy
Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very Often
7% 27%
33%
20%
13%
Options Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very Often
Drained of physical emotional energy 5 2 3 4 1
Do you find that you are prone to negative thinking about your job
Not at all Rarely, Sometimes Often Very Oftenr
7% 27%
33%
20%
13%
Negative thinking about your job 5 2 3 4 1
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Do you feel misunderstood or unappreciated by your co-workers?

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very often
13% 20% 20%
27% 20%
Misunderstood or unappreciated by your coworkers 4 3 3 3 2
Do you feel that you are achieving less than you should?
33%
27%
40%
Achieving less than you should 4 6 0 5 0
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Do you feel under an unpleasant level of pressure to succeed?

27%
7%
13%
20%
33%
An unpleasant level of pressure to succeed 1 2 5 3 4
Do you feel that you are not getting what you want out for your job?
13% 20%
27%
40%
Getting what you want out for your job 0 4 6 3 2
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Do you feel that you are in the wrong organization or the wrong professing?
7% 6% 27% 40% 20%
The wrong organization or the wrong profession 1 6 3 4 1
Do you feel that organizational politics or bureaucracy frustrate your ability to do a good job? Options Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very Often Organizational politics or bureaucracy frustrate your ability to do a good job 2 2 3 5 3
20% 34%
13%
13% 20%
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STUDY OF THE DATA ANALYSIS ( HDFC BANK)
Are you satisfied with the performance you give at your work? Satisfied with the performance 7 8
Yes No
YES NO
47% 53%
Do you think that you are suffering from depression? Suffering from depression YES 12 NO 3
Yes No
20%
80%
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Do you worry about your colleagues opinion about you? Your colleagues opinion about you YES 9 NO 6
Yes
No
40% 60%
Do you discuss your problem with your spouse or your friend or any other close to you? Discuss your problem with your spouse or your friend or any other close to you? YES 12 NO 3
Yes No
20%
80%
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You have an important function at your home and your boss asks to give 2 hours over time, Will you work for him? OverTime YES NO
Yes No
2 13
13%
87%
Is your social life balanced? Social life balanced YES NO

Yes No 7%
1 14
93%
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STUDY OF THE DATA ANALYSIS (Professors at KES College of Arts and Commerce)
Do you maintain a good work-life balance? Yes 13 No 4
Yes No
Do you enjoy teaching and handling students? Yes 14 No 3
Yes No
Which of the following makes you feel irritated? a) Poor student behavior and results b) Management politics c) Interference of work with personal life d) None e) other reasons like ________________________
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A 5
B 7
C 5
D 0
E 0
A B C D E
How many leaves on an average do you take per year? a) Less than 2 b) Between 2-5 c) Between 5-10 d) More than 10 A 2 B 2 C 8 D 5
A B C D
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Do you get headache and/or digestive problems due to stress? Yes 9 No 2 Rarely 6
Yes No Rarely
Do you take time out for practicing Yoga and/or meditation? No time 3
Yes 10
No 4
Yes No No time
With whom do you share your stressful problems? Family 3 Friends Colleagues 9 2 None 1 Others 2
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Family Friends Colleagues None Others
Do your spouse/partner/parents help you share your work to reduce stress? Yes 10 No 7
Yes No
Do you at time feel when you are back home after hectic schedule in college, you feel same Im back to work because you have to manage family life and many time doing college work at home as well? Yes 3 No 2 Sometimes Many times 5 7
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Yes No Sometimes Many times
Now since there is new pattern of completing syllabus like project assignments, viva, arranging externals and at the same time completing curriculum before the deadline, Do you feel stressed out and because of it you throw anger on your colleagues, family members or many time students as well? Many Sometimes times 2 8
Yes 5
No 2
Yes No Sometimes Many times
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CONCLUSIONS: Stress issue has become contemporary, being an occupational hazard in the fast pacing companies it needs to be addressed without delay hence, the importance of the study of stress and managing at various levels has become need of the day. At organizational level well designed coping strategies has become the attention of the companies. Stress can make an individual productive and constructive when it is identified and well managed. In times of great stress or diversity its always best to keep busy, to plough anger and energy into something positive. Positive attitude and meditation will be helpful in coping the stress. Having broader perspective of life will definitely change the perception of stress.
Taking an instance of professor at KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce we get to see that professor are more stressed of completing the syllabus because of number of students in each class has to be managed by accepting their project, presentation and viva.
This stress at the professor level could be reduced by habituating daily 30 minutes yoga, balancing social and professional life by taking sabbatical leave, if any.
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Appendix I Questionnaires
For BPO Employees
1) Do you feel run down and drained of physical emotional energy? 2) Do you find that you are prone to negative thinking about your job? 3) Do you feel misunderstood or unappreciated by your co-workers? 4) Do you feel that you are achieving less than you should? 5) Do you feel under an unpleasant level of pressure to succeed? 6) Do you feel that you are not getting what you want out for your job? 7) Do you feel that you are in the wrong organization or the wrong profession? 8) Do you feel that organizational politics or bureaucracy frustrate your ability to do a good job?
Not at all, Rarely, Sometimes, Often and Very Often
For HDFC Bank Employees

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 colleagues opinion about you? 4) Do you discuss your problem with your spouse or your friend or any other close to you? 5) You have an important function at your home and your boss asks to give 2 hours over time, Will you work for him? 6) Is your social life balanced? YES or NO
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For KES College of Arts & Commerce Professors

Q1: Do you maintain a good work-life balance? a) Yes b) No Q2. Do you enjoy teaching and handling students? a) Yes b) No Q3. Which of the following makes you feel irritated? a) Poor student behavior and results b) Management politics c) Interference of work with personal life d) None e) other reasons like ________________________ Q4. How many leaves on an average do you take per year? a) Less than 2 b) Between 2-5 c) Between 5-10 d) More than 10 Q5. Do you get headache and/or digestive problems due to stress? a) Yes b) No c) Rarely Q6. Do you take time out for practicing Yoga and/or meditation? a) Yes b) No c) I have no time for these. Q7: With whom do you share your stressful problems? a) Family b) Friends c) Colleagues d) None e) Others
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Q8. Do your spouse/partner/parents help you share your work to reduce stress? a) Yes b) No Q9. Do you at time feel when you are back home after hectic schedule in college, you feel same Im back to work because you have to manage family life and many time doing college work at home as well? a) Yes b) No c) Sometimes d) Many times Q10. Now since there is new pattern of completing syllabus like project assignments, viva, arranging externals and at the same time completing curriculum before the deadline, do you feel stressed out and because of it you throw anger on your colleagues, family members or many time student as well. a) Yes b) No c) Sometimes d) Many times
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APPENDIX II
Bibliography

www.stressmanagementreview.com
www.indianjournals.com
The Stress Management Handbook: Strategies for health and Inner Peace by Lori. A. Leyden Rubenstein.
Acknowledgement from Principal Dr. Lily Bhushan for completion of project on Stress Management carried on the professors at K.E.S College of Arts & Commerce.
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STRESS MANAGEMENT

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

Introduction to Human resource

Introduction and Definition of stress

Stress in biological terms

Coping with stress at work place.

Stress analysis Questionnaire

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

Sampling (types and methods of sampling)

Data analysis and interpretation

Employees opinion to reduce stress.

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

Stress in Biological terms:

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

Coping with Stress at Work place

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)

KES Shroff College of Arts and Commerce

M.COM - I (SEMESTER II)