Global Journal of Finance and Management.

ISSN 0975-6477 Volume 6, Number 5 (2014), pp. 469-472

© Research India Publications
http://www.ripublication.com

Stress Management At Workplace

Soni Kushwaha

Department of Psychology, M.G. Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi

Abstract

Stress management is the most important subject of contemporary

competitive world wherein every individual, irrespective of gender,
race, religion, caste, class etc. is undergoing stress and strain due to a
multiplicity of factors-specially ever growing cut throat competition in
today’s achieving society in which every sky is not the limit of
success. Varied kinds of artificial needs have been created in the quest
of leading a luxurious life and tendency of showing of material
possessions. It is high time when social scientists must seriously come
out with certain well tested strategies of preventing and coping stress
(Lazarus & Folkman, 1984).Stress is the reaction that people have to
excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them. It arises
when they worry that they cannot cope. The pressures of working life
can lead to stress if they are excessive or long-term. Examples of long-
term or chronic stress are the fear, frustration and anger that may be
produced by an unhappy relationship with one’s boss or with a difficult
customer, and the unhappiness of an unsuitable job. Up to a certain
point an increase in pressure will improve performance and the quality
of life. However, if pressure becomes excessive it loses its beneficial
effect and becomes harmful. Employers should become more aware of
the factors that are most likely to lead to excessive pressure and stress
in the workplace(.Somaz & Tulgan,2003).While it will not be possible
for organizations to remove all these stressors it is important that they
work with employees and managers to identify which aspects of the
working environment are causing most difficulties and work together
for improvements.
This paper will discuss various techniques of stress management at
workplace, measures to reduce workplace stress and interventions
when sources of stress cannot be eliminated.

Keywords: Signs of stress, Organisational stressors, Stress-Related

Illnesses, workplace stress.
470 Soni Kushwaha

Introduction
Stress management is the most important subject of contemporary competitive world
wherein every individual, irrespective of gender, race, religion, caste, class etc. is
undergoing stress and strain due to a multiplicity of factors-specially ever growing cut
throat competition in today’s achieving society in which every sky is not the limit of
success. Varied kinds of artificial needs have been created in the quest of leading a
luxurious life and tendency of showing of material possessions. It is high time when
social scientists must seriously come out with certain well tested strategies of
preventing and coping stress.
Stress is the reaction that people have to excessive pressure or other types of
demand placed on them. It arises when they worry that they cannot cope. The
pressures of working life can lead to stress if they are excessive or long-term.
Examples of long-term or chronic stress are the fear, frustration and anger that may be
produced by an unhappy relationship with one’s boss or with a difficult customer, and
the unhappiness of an unsuitable job. Up to a certain point an increase in pressure will
improve performance and the quality of life( Selye,1950).
However, if pressure becomes excessive it loses its beneficial effect and
becomes harmful.

Signs of Stress:
The first signs that indicate individuals may be suffering from excessive pressure or
stress are changes in behaviour or appearance (Lehrer et al., 2007). A guide on the
kind of changes is following:

Work performance Regression

 Declining/inconsistent performance  Crying
 Uncharacteristic errors  Arguments
 Loss of control over work  Undue sensitivity
 Loss of motivation/commitment  Irritability/moodiness
 Indecision  Over-reaction to problems
 Lapses in memory  Sulking
 Increased time at work  Immature behaviour

Withdrawal Aggressive behaviour

 Arriving late to work  Malicious gossip
 Leaving early  Criticism of others
 Extended lunches  Vandalism
 Absenteeism  Shouting
 Resigned attitude  Bullying or harassment
 Reduced social contact  Poor employee relations
 Elusiness/evasiveness  Temper outbursts
Stress Management At Workplace 471

Other behaviours Physical signs

 Out of character behaviour  Nervous stumbling speech
 Difficulty in relaxing  Sweating
 Increased consumption of alcohol  Tiredness/lethargy
 Increased smoking  Upset stomach
 Lack of interest in appearance  Tension headaches
 Accidents at home or work  Hand tremor
 Reckless driving  Rapid weight gain or loss

Organisational stressors
Employers should become more aware of the factors that are most likely to lead to
excessive pressure and stress in the workplace. According to McGonagle and Ronald
(1990), problems identified most frequently by employees as causing stress at work
are:
 Heavy targets and workloads  Poor communication
 Insufficient resources  Lack of involvement
 Long working hours  Poor delegation
 Rapid change  Lack of trust in management
 Conflicting priorities  Management style
 Uncertainty/insecurity  Lack of control

Techniques of Stress Management

 Become knowledgeable about stress
Understand the process and effects of stress. Identify your major sources of
stress Anticipate stressful periods and plan for them. Find your optimum stress
levels in all the areas of your life-be honest about what you really can cope with.
 Develop a healthy life style
Drink in moderation. Eat a balanced diet, have regular meals and always begin
the day with an adequate breakfast. Cut out to reduce smoking. Minimize you
use of foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fats. Increase you fiber intake.
Maintain your recommended weight. Adopt yoga as a way of life.
 Manage your time
Determine your priorities, distinnguish between what must be done and what it
would be desirable to do.

Measures to reduce workplace stress

Schultz & Schultz (2010) have stated that,it is in a manager's best interest to keep
stress levels in the workplace to a minimum. Managers can act as positive role
models, especially in times of high stress, by following the tips outlined in this article.
If a respected manager can remain calm in stressful work situations, it is much easier
for his or her employees to also remain calm( Hardy,1998). According to Boman et
al.(2003) there are a number of organizational changes that managers and employers
can make to reduce workplace stress. These include:
472 Soni Kushwaha

Improve communication
 Share information with employees to reduce uncertainty about their jobs and
futures.
 Clearly define employees’ roles and responsibilities.
 Make communication friendly and efficient, not mean-spirited or petty.
Consult your employees
 Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their jobs.
 Consult employees about scheduling and work rules.
 Be sure the workload is suitable to employees’ abilities and resources; avoid
unrealistic deadlines.
 Show that individual workers are valued.
 Offer rewards and incentives.
 Praise good work performance, both verbally and officially, through schemes
such as Employee of the Month.
 Provide opportunities for career development.
 Promote an “entrepreneurial” work climate that gives employees more control
over their work.
Cultivate a friendly social climate
 Provide opportunities for social interaction among employees.
 Establish a zero-tolerance policy for harassment.
 Make management actions consistent with organizational value

References
[1] Bowman, R.; Beck, K. D; Luine, V. N.Chronic Stress Effects on Memory: Sex
differences in performance. Hormones and Behavior, 2003, 43 (1): 48–59.
[2] Hardy, S. Occupational Stress: Personal and Professional Approaches. 1998,
United Kingdom: Stanley Thornes Ltd, 18–43.
[3] Lazarus, R.S., & Folkman, S. Stress, Appraisal and Coping. 1984, New York:
Springer
[4] Lehrer, P. M.; David, H., Barlow, R. L. Woolfolk, W. E. Principles and
Practice of Stress Management, Third Edition. 2007, pp. 46–47. McGonagle,
K.; Ronald, K. Chronic Stress, Acute Stress, Depressive Symptoms. American
Journal of Community Psychology, 1990,18 (5): 681–706.
[6] Schultz&Schultz, D . Psychology and work today. 2010, New York: Prentice
Hall. p. 374.
[7] Selye, H . Stress and the general adaptation syndrome. Br. Med. J., 1950, 1 :
1383–92.
[8] Somaz, W. H. & Tulgan, B. Performance under Pressure: Managing Stress in
the Workplace. 2003, Canada. HRD Press Inc.