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Guide.
Year 2010-2011
Stress Management In BPO Sector
I hereby declare that this project titled “A study on stress management in BPO
sector,” submitted by me is based on actual work carried out by me under the
guidance and supervision of Mrs. Poonam Wadhwa. Any reference to work done
by any other person or institution or any material obtained from other sources have
been duly citied and reference. It is further to state that this work is not submitted
anywhere else for any examination.
Thakurli (E)-421201
Signature of student
DATE: _________
Stress Management In BPO Sector
This is to certify that SHINGANE SMRITI PRAKASH has completed the research
project “A study on stress management in BPO sector,” under by guidance and
supervision, and submitted the project work as laid down by University of Mumbai. The
material that has been obtained from other sources is duly acknowledged. It is further
certified that the work or its part has not been submitted to any other University far
examination under my supervision. I consider this work worthy for the award of the
degree of Bachelor of Management Studies.
Thakurli (E)
EVALUATION CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the undersigned have been assessed and evaluated the project
titled “A study on stress management in BPO sector,” submitted by
SHINGANE SMRITI PRAKASH The project has been accepted / rejected for
the fulfilment of the degree of Bachelor of Management Studies.
Signature: Signature:
Name: Name:
Date: Date:
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Acknowledgment
(Smriti Shingnane)
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Executive summary
Today’s age is called “The Age of Anxiety” and this century is called “The
Century of Stress”. Today vast majorities of people are in a state of Stress. Their
fast-paced lifestyle demands that they are raring to go always and are always
under pressure to perform. This pressure usually leads to Stress. Stress can be
due to various reasons. And Stress in many cases causes Tension, Depression,
Anxiety, etc.
A lot of research has been conducted into ‘stress’ over the last hundred years.
Some theories about it are now settled and accepted; others are still being
researched and debated. Hans Selye was one of the founding fathers of research
on stress. He stated in 1956 that “Stress is not necessarily something bad – it all
depends on how we take it.” The stress of exhilarating, creative successful that of
failure, humiliation or infection is detrimental. Since then, a great deal of further
research has been conducted on the subject, and new ideas have come to light.
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.
Stress 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.
This project focus on the stress among the B.P.O employees and the various
techniques used manage these stress.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
INDEX
• Objectives
• Hypothesis
• Research Methodology
• Limitations Of Study
3 Review Of Literature
7 Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Annexures
Stress Management In BPO Sector
CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION
• INTRODUCTION
• STRESS! What is it?
• TYPES OF STRESS - SOME GOOD,
SOME BAD
• SIX MYTHS ABOUT STRESS
• STRESS AND GENDER
• EFFECTS OF STRESS
• STRATEGIES FOR COPING WITH
STRESS
Stress Management In BPO Sector
CHAPTER:1
Since the origin of the term ‘stress’ it is ambiguous ‘stress’ began life as a variant
on ‘distress’ in the 14th century. It meant the experience of physical hardship,
starvation, torture, and pain. These days, however, the term revolves around the
medieval definition, in which ‘stress’ simply meant ‘hardship’. The recent
scientific developments inform us that ‘stress’ is actually good for us. Stress is
derived from the Latin word stranger, meaning to draw tight, and was used in the
17th century to describe hardships or affliction. During the late 18th century stress
denoted “force, pressure, strain or strong effort,” referring primarily to an
individual or to an individual’s organs or mental powers (Hinkle, 1973).
As has already been noted, stress has been defined as a stimulus, a response, or
the result of an interaction between the two, with the interaction described in terms
of some imbalance between the person developed, particularly that surrounding
the person-environment (P-E) interaction, researches have considered the nature of
that interaction and, more importantly, the psychological processes which it takes
place (Dewey, 1992).
At one end of a scale, stress represents those challenges that excite us and
keep us on our toes whereas on the other end, stress represents those conditions
under which individuals have demands made upon them that they cannot physically
and psychologically meet. Hence, at one end, stress is a life- saver and the other it is life-
destroyer.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
TO DEFINE STRESS…
It is a demand made upon the adaptive capacities of mind and body. This
definition is useful in three ways…
Firstly, it makes clear not only that stress can be both, good or bad, but also that
since there is wide range of things that can make demand over the mind and the
body, there is wide range of things that can cause stress.
Secondly, it infers the point that it isn’t the events that determine that we are
stressed or not, but it is our reactions to them.
And thirdly, as the definition says… that stress is a demand made upon the
body’s capacities, its nature and the extent of these capacities determine our
response to the demand. If our capacities are good enough we will respond well. If
they aren’t… we give
Stress is the “wear and tear” our bodies experience as we adjust to our
continually changing environment; it has physical and emotional effects on us and
can create positive or negative feelings. As a positive influence, stress can help
compel us to action; it can result in a new awareness and an exciting new
perspective. As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection,
anger, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems such as
headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart
disease, and stroke. With the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, a job
promotion, or a new relationship, we experience stress as we read just our lives. In
so adjusting to different circumstances, stress will help or hinder us depending on
how we react to it.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Stress is a fact of life. But too much stress can break down a person’s physical,
mental, and emotional health. Planning can help people to manage stress in their
lives. They must begin to make choices that support their values and develop a
personal plan to take charge of their lives.
Did you know that some types of stress can be good for you? That’s right! Some
forms of stress can be good for you, but other types of stress disorders can cause
major health problems and even be life threatening.
EUSTRESS
DISTRESS
1. Acute stress is an intense stress that arrives and disappears quickly. Acute
stress is the most common form of stress. It comes from demands and pressures
of the recent past and anticipated demands and pressures of the near future.
Acute stress is thrilling and exciting in small doses, but too much is exhausting.
Because it is short term, acute stress doesn’t have enough time to do the
extensive damage associated with long-term stress. Acute stress can crop up in
Stress Management In BPO Sector
2.Chronic stress is a prolonged stress that exists for weeks, months, or even
years. Someone who is constantly relocating or changing jobs may experience
distress. While acute stress can be thrilling and exciting, chronic stress is not.
This is the grinding stress that wears people away day after day, year after year.
Chronic stress destroys bodies, minds and lives. It wreaks havoc through long-
term attrition. It’s the stress of poverty, of dysfunctional families, of being
trapped in an unhappy marriage or in a despised job or career
The worst aspect of chronic stress is that people get used to it. They forget it’s
there. People are immediately aware of acute stress because it is new; they
ignore chronic stress because it is old, familiar, and sometimes, almost
comfortable.
HYPERSTRESS
Hyper stress occurs when an individual is pushed beyond what he or she can
handle. Hyper stress results from being overloaded or overworked. When someone
is hyper stressed, even little things can trigger a strong emotional response. A Wall
Street trader is likely to experience hyper stress.
HYPOSTRESS
Hypo stress is the opposite of hyper stress. Hypo stress occurs when an individual
is bored or unchallenged. People who experience hypo stress are often restless and
uninspired. A factory worker who performs repetitive tasks might experience hypo
stress.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Six myths surround stress. Dispelling them enables us to understand our problems
and then take action against them. Let’s look at these myths.
Completely wrong. Stress is different for each of us. What is stressful for one
person may or may not be stressful for another; each of us responds to stress in an
entirely different way.
According to this view, zero stress makes us happy and health. Wrong. Stress is to
the human condition what tension is to the violin string: too little and the music is
dull and raspy; too much and the music is shrill or the string snaps. Stress can be
the kiss of death or the spice of life. The issue, really, is how to manage it.
Managed stress makes us productive and happy; mismanaged stress hurts and even
kills us.
Not so. You can plan your life so that stress does not overwhelm you. Effective
planning involves setting priorities and working on simple problems first, solving
them, and then going on to more complex difficulties. When stress is mismanaged,
it’s difficult to prioritize. All your problems seem to be equal and stress seems to
be everywhere.
Myth 4: The most popular techniques for reducing stress are the best ones.
Again, not so. No universally effective stress reduction techniques exist. We are
all different, our lives are different, our situations are different, and our reactions
are different. Only a comprehensive program tailored to the individual works.
Absence of symptoms does not mean the absence of stress. In fact, camouflaging
symptoms with medication may deprive you of the signals you need for reducing
the strain on your physiological and psychological systems.
This myth assumes that the “minor” symptoms, such as headaches or stomach
acid, may be safely ignored. Minor symptoms of stress are the early warnings that
your life is getting out of hand and that you need to do a better job of managing
stress.
Does stress tend to affect the male of the species more than the female? Opinions
vary, since there are differentiating factors between the sexes. All parameters
being equal, however, the preponderant view is that women are more adept at
handling stress, thanks to better coping mechanisms.
The human body’s reaction to stress is natural. It results from the need to resist a
stressful situation. For example, when a person is nervous, there is an increase in
his/her pulse rate. This is a ‘fight or flight’ response. However, things can go out
of control if too much stress is present. The person can have a heart attack or a
nervous breakdown. Too much of stress can tell upon a person’s health. If
neglected, it can lead to serious health disorders at a later stage. Stress has both
physical and psychological effects on an individual. (Refer Exhibit 1 to find out
the effects of stress on an individual.)
• Hyperactive children.
• Sexual molestation.
• Moving house.
• Promotion or you have not been promoted or your junior has superseded
you
• Change of job.
• Uncertainty.
• Lack of sleep.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Physical Effects :
- Insomnia
After understanding the sources of stress and the effects of stress on individuals,
let us discuss some strategies to fight stress.
Some of the important strategies for managers to fight stress are prioritizing and
delegating work, laughing a lot, exercising regularly, practicing relaxation
techniques, maintaining a good balanced diet, and having a good night’s sleep.
Prioritize work
Delegate work
Some individuals prefer doing all the work themselves. This adds to their stress.
They should learn to delegate routine work to others. For instance, a manager can
delegate the work of preparing a report on a project to a subordinate.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Laughter
‘A day without laughter is a day wasted for life’. This is very true. Laughter is
the best outlet for stress. It is a great stress buster. Laughter is a no cost, no side
effect medicine. A person with a sense of humor is less likely to be under stress. A
sense of humor allows an individual to perceive and appreciate the imbalances of
life and provides moments of delight.
Exercise
Relaxation
The best strategy to reduce stress is to relax. Relaxation is not being idle. It is
doing what one wants to do, rather than what one should do. It is very important
for a person to schedule some time for relaxation. This relaxation time should
disconnect the person from all his/her tensions, worries. This is the time when the
person rebuilds his/her energy levels. Relaxation techniques vary from person to
person.
Diet
A good balanced diet plays a vital role in reducing stress. A person tends to
Stress Management In BPO Sector
neglect diet when under stress. This may lead to overeating or under-eating. This
improper eating results in a weak immune system and creates health problems. A
well-balanced meal that is eaten on time is very important to minimize stress.
Sleep
Meditation
Meditation is one of the most effective techniques in reducing and avoiding stress.
Regular meditation helps in stress reduction. It
· Improves concentration
Yoga
Yoga is another important stress reliever. Yoga has been tried and tested since
ancient times. According to Patanjali Maharishi, yoga is the cessation of mind. It
is a state of no-mind. Yoga is not for bodybuilding. It simply focuses on gentle
Stress Management In BPO Sector
postures that improve circulation of blood to vital parts of the body. The increase
in blood circulation rejuvenates the organs and releases stress.
HYPOTHESIS
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
• For the proposed project the data has been collected from primary and
secondary sources.
• For the purpose of primary data 4 BPOs were visited viz., Reliance,
Vodafone, Godrej and Spanco Pvt. Ltd. And a total sample size of 51
employees was taken for the study purpose.
• The Secondary Data was obtained from internet and various books
and articles from newspaper.
Time constraint was the biggest problem faced during the project work.
Managing self time with that of the respondent’s time made the research
limited to few people.
Availability of sufficient and relevant data from the respondents
(employees) was not possible to a great extent which restricted the study to
limited facts and figures.
Also due to data privacy and company policies a detailed could not be
done within the premises of the company.
References
• WWW.GOOGLE.COM
• WWW.MANAGEMENT PARADISE. COM
• WWW.ARTICLE BASED.COM
• WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM
• WWW.SCRIBD.COM
Stress Management In BPO Sector
CHAPTER 2
STRESS IN BPO AND CALL
CENTER
There are a variety of factors, which have led to the increase of telephone services,
suggest Richardson and Marshall, including the transformation of telephony by
“the development of digital exchanges, intelligent telephone networks and their
integration with computer data bases”; falling telephony costs and the introduction
of toll-free numbers; the high degree of penetration and familiarity of telephone
technology; and the ability to communicate complex information by phone in real
time. In addition to technological progress and social advantages, another likely
reason for the burgeoning of the call center industry in the early 1990s was a
significant period of retrenchment in a number ofbusiness sectors, including a drive
towards reducing costs and cutting staff-both of which can be accomplished by
centralizing services, reducing branch offices close to the customer, and taking
advantage of lower cost real estate and labor costs in locations outside main
business centers. Call centers, of course, permit all of these activities.
The US was in the forefront of the call center movement, yet Nadji Tehrani, editor
of the first trade publication devoted to the telemarketing and call center
industries, writes that when Telemarketing Magazine was launched in 1982 in the
United States, there were “only a handful” of companies conducting market
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Outsourcing centers that specialize in providing call center services for other
companies are also expanding. Although most call centers in the UK are currently
nationally oriented, there is a move towards pan-European call centers in areas
such as hotels, travel, and computing.
Still, despite its rapid rate of growth, the call center industry is relatively new. The
“vast majority” of call centers in the UK have “existed for less than ten years”
claims Cameron, while Michel notes that in Germany, 25% of call centers in the
country were established before 1991, and 41% during what he terms the “call
center boom” after 1995. A boom is perhaps an accurate term. One estimate
suggests a rate of growth between 20%-25% a year in Canada, while a 1996
Datamonitor report gave a figure of 40% for call center market growth in Europe,
a number anticipated to hold until the turn of the century. Similarly, as mentioned
above, academic interest in call centers is also quite recent, with the bulk of
reported research beginning in the late 1990s and beginning to accumulate in the
last two years.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
The broadest definition in the call center literature is that provided by Norling,
who states “a call center is any communications platform from which firms deliver
services to customers via remote, real-time contact”. Callaghan and Thompson
apply a similarly inclusive definition, stating that call centers may be “broadly
defined as workplaces that integrate telephone and computer technologies”. While
these definitions usefully highlight the centrality of communication technology
integration in the call center field, it leaves the boundaries of the industry
somewhat ambiguous. Taylor and Bain narrow the definition by specifying the
types of technologies used: “we define a call center as a dedicated operation in
which computer-utilising employees receive inbound-or make outbound-telephone
calls, with those calls processed and controlled either by an Automatic Call
Distribution (ACD) or predictive dialing system. The call center is thus
characterized by the integration of telephone and VDU technologies.”
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Other authors narrow their definitions by focusing on the types of services which
these integrated technologies are designed to provide. For example, in an early
definition, Richardson states “telephone call centers are specialist technology-
intensive offices that are established by organizations in order to deliver services
to customers over the telephone, replacing or complementing face-to-face
interaction with the public” . Similarly, Kinnie, Purcell and Hutchinson provide a
tripartite definition incorporating technology, technological control, and tasks:
iii. They are in direct contact with the customer through dealing with in-bound
calls, making out-bound calls or a combination of the two.
Houlihan also includes the types of operations typically performed in a call center
within her definition. She lists the tasks most effectively performed by call
centers: “Call centers are centralized, specialized operations for both inbound and
outbound communication handling. Call center operations are especially suited to
information delivery, customer services and sales operations”.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Stress
For many employed in the call center sector, “the daily experience is of repetitive,
intensive and stressful work, based upon Taylorist principles, which frequently
results in employee “burnout”. Brown, more vividly, characterizes the work as
“repetitive brain strain”. These descriptions are hardly surprising, in a way, given
that call centers are established by organizations to “create an environment in
which work can be standardized to create relatively uniform and repetitious
activities so as to achieve economies of scale and consistent quality of customer
service”. This means, in other words, that workplaces are organized in ways that
weaken employee autonomy and enhance the potential for management control,
and “a loss of control is generally understood to be an important indicator of work-
related stress”.
There is almost universal consensus that call center work is stressful. Even in
Stress Management In BPO Sector
studies that report the observation that some staff actually enjoys their work,
mention of stress is still the norm, and a significant portion of the call center
literature is devoted to detailing the sources of stress in call center work.
I)’Can we get off the phone for a while?’ The primary source of stress reported is
inherent to the nature of the job: spending all day on the phone dealing with
people one after another, day after day, is difficult.
• Doing it under constant pressure to keep call volumes up, with no time
between calls to "recover from an awkward call or from 'customer
rejection'" is even more difficult. And doing it with "very little authority or
autonomy to rectify problems" that arise is perhaps the most difficult of all.
Many studies report agents as wanting to 'just get off the phones'. .
..
III) Intensity
• The third central stressor in call center work is its intensity. . There is
widespread consensus that "call centers are a new, and particularly
effective, manifestation of the increasingly capital intensive
'industrialization' of service sector work, and work performed in them is
highly intensive and routine".
Stress Management In BPO Sector
IV)Targets
• There is a fourth feature of some call center work that may engender stress:
performance targets.
• There are various types of targets, which may vary between inbound and
outbound centers. Inbound centers typically have targets for call duration,
'wrap time', and daily call volume.
• Outbound centers often also have sales or 'completion' targets, which are
closely monitored and upon which pay may be partially based.
• In addition, in some sectors, inbound call centers are attempting to introduce
the practice of cross selling, where agents attempt to sell additional products to
the customers who call in for another purpose. In these centers, sales targets
similar to those in outbound centers are often in place.
• Sales targets, in particular, are difficult to accept, or meet, for staff who often
consider themselves as service personnel, particularly when they are set
centrally and implemented locally: "Cross-selling is seen by employees, not as
an opportunity to engage in creative work, but as an additional and acute
source of pressure".
• This is especially the case when sales targets are parachuted in on top of
service targets set originally when there was no pressure to produce sales.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
There are often high rates of absenteeism and sick leave reported in the literature,
although there is relatively little exploration of these issues, particularly when
compared to turnover.
Most often, authors provide a brief list of known health issues. For example,
Richardson, Belt and Marshall write that “Health concerns have been expressed,
including tension, sleeplessness, headaches, eye-strain, repetitive strain injury
(RSI), voice loss, hearing problems and burn-out”, but they do not develop the
point. More detailed descriptions of the causes and effects of these ailments can be
found in industry and trades union reports.
Also in the UK, regulators have been proactive in their examination of the
industry, with the Health and Safety Executive issuing a bulletin on call center
regulations, health risks and best practices in December 2001. They looked
specifically at health issues including stress, noise levels, musculoskeletal
disorders (such as back problems) and voice loss, and also at display screen issues,
working environments, requirements for work stations, daily work routines,
training, organizational working practices and shifts.
Ι) Sleeping Disorders
Stress Management In BPO Sector
• No prizes for guessing the most severe ailment afflicting people working in
Indian call centers. Since this is a unique Indian problem, again, no solution
appears in sight.
• Obviously this affects first timers more severely, as they take time to
acclimatize their biological clocks, but even experienced people or
managers are not able to completely escape from it.
• Some call centers are looking at devising innovative mechanisms like
flexible shifts with sleeping arrangements in the office premises as possible
solutions.
• Working long and odd hours without any sleep, and eating food supplied by
external caterers everyday, has led to 41.9% of the respondents suffering
from digestive problems.
• Especially for the large number of girls working in the industry, the
problem is even more severe.
• Many call centers are now taking additional care to ensure their caterers
supply hygienic food; besides stipulating strict conditions to maintain the
quality of the food they serve.
ΙΙ Ι) Depression
• In last year's survey, this was not among the top disorders, but this year it
has climbed up the chart, affecting nearly one-fourth of the respondents.
• Not only are there several health related issues, but, on top of that, the
gradual realization that there is limited scope in developing a career owing
to fewer growth opportunities is increasing the frustration levels.
• Coupled with growing mental fatigue and increasingly punishing physical
environments, depression is the obvious end result. Some B.P.O have now
Stress Management In BPO Sector
V) Eyesight Problems
• Globally B.P.O industry employees are considered a high-risk group for
eye-related problems.
• While the quality of monitors might impact these disorders, sitting
continually without adequate breaks seems to be the truer reason.
• The number of people affected seems to be on the rise-last year only 19%
complained; this year it has gone up to 23%. At some point of time, this
problem might also afflict the IT services industry, but for the call center
industry, no remedy seems to be in sight.
VI)Ear Problems
• More than 16% of the respondents inform that they have hearing problems.
Again, no surprises here, since a call center job involves taking calls
throughout the shift, sitting with headphones.
• While quality of headphones does make a difference, it would not be
Stress Management In BPO Sector
VII)Personal habits
• The young executives are getting more than five figure salaries per month
in an early age. They tend to develop certain bad habits such as alcohol,
smoking etc.
• It is not easy to identify such individuals. It is also very sensitive to talk to
them. The professional counselors can conduct group-counseling,
workshops, educative film shows in order to create awareness on effects of
bad habits.
• Such actions will enable individuals to realize the importance of good
habits and they could seek one to one Counseling sessions to solve their
problems.
achieving targets.
• They do not have time or interest to go deep into these matters and find out
the reasons for such behavior.
• The professional counselor can play a major role in educating the
youngsters on discipline; provide advice to erring executives. The
counselors with their wisdom and experience can tackle such issues
tactfully and bring change within the individuals.
• As said earlier, to majority of them this is the first employment and they are
fresh out of the colleges. Few tend to behave differently and they have the
"do not care" attitude. Such executives will not take their job seriously, they
indulge in teasing, and joking, talking over mobile phones, have friction
within the team. These aspects may go noticed or unnoticed by the
supervisors.
• The fact remains that such unacceptable behaviors will cause disturbance to
others and overall it affects the productivity. Sleeping while on duty,
reading novels and playing games on the computer during working hours
brings down productivity and quality suffers.
• The HR representatives and professional counselors jointly have a role to
bring behavioral change starting from the training days. Continuous
education and Counseling will help to mitigate such problems and it is
possible to prevent serious problems.
and there will be misunderstanding among the team members and naturally
affects the team performance.
• The supervisors and counselors can play a major role to sort out the
interpersonal relationship and develop team spirit. Healthy relationship
among the team members has always helped the team to out perform. When
the relationship fails the individuals will also break down mentally.
• They either absent for duties or fall ill or the performance will come down.
It is also true that due to misunderstanding and break in friendship they
change jobs quickly.
X)Love affair and marriages
• Few of the boys and girls fall in love quickly. They maintain the healthy
relationship, behave in a matured manner, plan the future course of action and
such persons have got married with the consent of their parents.
• They work together in the same organization for longer duration. There are
instances, where lovers fall apart, start disliking, creating troubles to each other
and vitiating the atmosphere.
• They are immature, take instant decisions to break or unite and sometimes go
to an extent of damaging others reputation.
• The professional counselors can play an important role in explaining the
importance of marriage, preparation required for marriage, how to enter the
institution of marriage, which is acceptable to both parents and society and
about the new role and responsibility after getting married. Counseling services
can definitely give emotional support to individuals.
XI)Absenteeism
• The executives need to take sufficient rest in the daytime so that energy levels
are maintained. Either due to lack of experience or due to compulsions, the
executives keep their one feet in call center and another in part time jobs. In the
long run this would affect individuals health.
• The HR executives must identify such persons and offer professional
Counseling services to them.
• Remedial Measures for Stress Management Understanding that the "Stress" is
Stress Management In BPO Sector
• Once you are able to determine that a threat does not exist or that it can be
effectively managed, your thinking brain stops sending panic messages to the
nervous system. As a result of this reappraisal, the hormones and chemicals
cease to be released and the body returns to normal.
• Bringing the body back to an "un-stressed" state is very important since almost
every system in the body can be damaged by stress. Although our bodies are
adaptive and can recover from periodic stressors, chronic stress has serious
Stress Management In BPO Sector
consequences.
Respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis can result from stress-
triggered changes in the lungs.
• When stress inhibits the body’s digestive functions, diseases such as ulcers,
colitis and chronic diarrhea can occur. In addition, stress contributes to
inhibited growth of tissue and bone which can lead to decalcification and
osteoporosis. The immune system is also inhibited by the reduced efficiency
of the white blood cells, making the body more susceptible to disease.
for health protection in the future as well as making the present more productive
and satisfying.
Managing Stress
Since stress is an inevitable fact of life that we can’t always prevent, our efforts
need to be focused on coping with stress more effectively. What follows is a
description of a three pronged approach to stress management which includes
behavioral/practical techniques, relaxation techniques and cognitive/thinking
techniques.
References
• WWW.GOOGLE.COM
• WWW.MANAGEMENT PARADISE. COM
• WWW.ARTICLE BASED.COM
• WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM
• WWW.SCRIBD.COM
Stress Management In BPO Sector
CHAPTER 3
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Experts believed that the dysfunctional aspects of stress could directly impact an
organization’s performance and also affect the well-being of its employees. Stress
at the workplace was linked to absenteeism, higher attrition, and decreased
productivity. Stress led to fatigue, irritability, poor communication, and quality
problems/errors. High stress levels also affected the morale and motivation of the
employees. Prolonged exposure to stress without effective coping mechanisms
could lead to a host of physical and mental problems. For instance, stress could
lead to stress-induced gastrointestinal problems, irritable bowel syndrome, acidity,
acid reflux, insomnia, depression, heart disease, etc. Moreover, stress could push
the victim toward high risk behavior such as smoking, drinking, and substance
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Even in India, organizations had woken up to this menace and were resorting to
novel methods including teaching the employees dancing and music, trekking, etc,
to reduce stress at the workplace. For instance, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.
Had started different clubs like Theatre Club, Bibliophile Club, Adventure &
Trekking Club, Fitness Club, Sanctuary Club, Music Club and Community
Services Club, etc.
healthy food at the office canteens and counsel the employees on healthy eating
habits and lifestyle. Some companies were also considering employing
psychologists to counsel their employees.
Experts felt that organizations were resorting to creative methods to address the
issue of stress at the workplace, but more action was required on this front, both in
terms of assessment of the situation and implementation of concrete steps to tackle
the problem.
To address the increase in reported ‘stress’ cases during the period 2003-2005.
Results were communicated to all United Biscuits staff, with action plans
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Main challenges
“One of the main challenges was for the company to accept that stress was
important – it is now accepted as a business issue that can be managed.” Clive
Harker – Occupational Physician
The Board acknowledging stress and mental health problems was an important
step and created the framework for success. The incorporation of the Management
Standards approach into organisational policy helped United Biscuits to identify
and manage complex cases (e.g. Work and domestic pressures with associated
common mental health disorders) and monitor continuous improvement with a
specific focus on hot spots.
Benefits
training.
• Led to reduced absence costs for stress. For each case where absence is
prevented, it is estimated the cost of 4 weeks wages and other associated
costs is saved. For the three years since the policy was introduced this
represents about 40 weeks of absence.
Introduction
Striking a balance is the real fulfillment to life. In the rat race of our present day
existence, especially in the long working hours ethos of our industry, we forget to
maintain a balance between work and family. The result is devastating: high levels of
stress, trauma, and even nervous breakdowns.
The phrase work life balance was coined in 1986 in USA .Until 1999 it remained on the
fringes of corporate usage and public dissemination. Post 2000, work life balance has
gone mainstream, with hundreds of dedicated internet sites, including those of mega
corporations, helping spread its usage. There has been legislation enacted in many
countries making work life balance crucial to the functioning of a corporation.
All this translates in the HR departments paying more and more attention to the
aspirations of every employee and creating parameters of social interactivity to enable
them to constantly discover their true potential. The BPO industry and other IT based
businesses are constantly reframing their worklife policies because of high attrition rates.
To study the worklife of the BPO employees and the various problems faced by them
Stress Management In BPO Sector
while working in the BPO sector. 1. The paper also gives an insight on the various
human resource practices carried out in the BPO sector. 2. This paper would give a
detailed report on the employees and their benefits and disadvantages in relation to
their worklife 3. The paper would throw light on the human resource functions,
practices followed by the HR department in relation to a BPO unit-Converges
Over 25,000 people are employed in the BPO sector Revenue of the sector touches $
3.6 billion
The Government and the corporate sector should look at employment laws as
different from the labor laws for the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.
There is a need for a forum to redress the grievances of employees in the BPO
sector. At a public meeting organized by the Union of Information Technology
and Enabled Services ,participants rued that the BPO industry lacks a regulatory
framework from Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) regulations to issues of security,
technology transfer and employee welfare. Various call centre employees and non-
governmental organization activists expressed concern about the non-
implementation of the universal charters prepared pertaining to the security of
women working in night shifts. The absence of such a regulation leaves employees
open to machinations of unscrupulous employers, cases of fraudulent salary cuts,
collection of deposits in the name of training, arbitrary fixing of salaries and fear
of reprisal.
The number of people employed in the BPO sector is currently upwards 2,50,000
in the country and expected to reach 1.1 million by 2008.( according to a
NASSCOM Report)The business has grown by 46 per cent, with the revenue
touching $ 3.6 billion and has added 70,000 new jobs in the year 2004. The NGO
Stress Management In BPO Sector
workers are apprehensive about the sustainability of the employees in the BPO
industry because of the haphazard work shifts. “Though BPO industries have been
a boon in terms of employing a bulk number of unemployed graduates, it is
difficult for them to sustain. The stress, working against nature and the safety and
security factor plays a major role. Though a job in the call centers is all about “big
money,” the future of the employees and their educational opportunities five years
down the line is a million dollar question. The employees cease to be social beings
and often get isolated from their family and friends. BOSS チ\ the Burn-Out Stress
Syndrome チ \ is a common syndrome among the BPO employees and includes
chronic fatigue, insomnia due to the complete alteration of 24-hour biological
rhythm of the body. Crossing lines of gender, religion and caste, anyone can fit
into this type of work, assuming they have good language skills. Lamenting on the
stress factor, many call centre employees called for longer breaks during work
hours and an insight on loss of identity of employees is also a rising question.
Articles
Information
Emotional stress usually occurs when people consider situations difficult or unable
to manage. Different people consider different situations as stressful.
Physical stress refers to a physical reaction of the body to various triggers. The
pain experienced after surgery is an example of physical stress. Physical stress
often leads to emotional stress, and emotional stress often occurs as physical
discomfort (e.g., stomach cramps).
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Stress management involves controlling and reducing the tension that occurs in
stressful situations by making emotional and physical changes. The degree of
stress and the desire to make the changes will determine how much change takes
place.
ASSESSING STRESS
Physical well-being: A poor diet puts the body in a state of physical stress and
weakens the immune system. As a result, the person can be more likely to get
infections. A poor diet can mean unhealthy food choices, not eating enough, or not
eating on a normal schedule. This can cause a person to not get enough nutrients.
This form of physical stress also decreases the ability to deal with emotional
stress, because not getting the right nutrition may affect the way the brain
processes information.
Physical activity: Not getting enough physical activity can put the body in a
stressful state. Physical activity has many benefits. A regular physical activity
program can help decrease depression, if it exists. It also improves the feeling of
well-being.
Support systems: Most everyone needs someone in their life they can rely on when
they are having a hard time. Having little or no support makes stressful situations
even more difficult to deal with.
Physical activity: Inadequate physical activity can result in a stressful state for the
body. Physical activity has many physiologic benefits. A consistent program of
physical activity can contribute to a decrease in depression, if it exists. It also
improves the feeling of well-being.
Support systems: Most everyone needs someone in their life whom they can rely
on when they are having a hard time. Minimal or absent support systems make
stressful situations more difficult to deal with.
Positive thinking.
• Find a buddy to exercise with -- it is more fun and it will encourage you to
stick with your routine.
• You do not have to join a gym -- 20 minutes of brisk walking outdoor will
do the trick.
Nutrition:
• Plan to eat foods for improved health and well-being. For example, increase
Stress Management In BPO Sector
• Use the food guide pyramid to help select healthy food choices.
• Eat an appropriate amount of food at a reasonable schedule.
Social support:
• Make an effort to interact socially with people. Even though you feel
stressed, you will be glad to have gone out to meet your friends if only to
get your mind off of things.
Relaxation:
• Learn about and try using one or more of the many relaxation techniques,
such as guided imagery, listening to music, or practicing yoga or
meditation. One or more should work for you.
Stress is the mental, physical and emotional reactions you experience as a results
of demands of your life. You must have experienced stress at one time or another
whether you know its definition and types or not.
The word stress is derived from the Latin word "stringi", which means, "to be
drawn tight". Stress can be defined as follows:
Definition of Stress : 1In medical terms stress is described as, "a physical or
psychological stimulus that can produce mental tension or physiological reactions
that may lead to illness." When you are under stress, your adrenal gland releases
corticosteroids, which are converted to cortisol in the blood stream. Cortisol have
an immune suppressive effect in your body.
Most of us experience stress at one time or another. Without stress, there would be
no life. However, excessive or prolonged stress can be harmful. Stress is unique
and personal. A situation may be stressful for someone but the same situation may
be challenging for others. For example, arranging a world level symposium may
be challenging for one person but stressful to another. Some persons have habit of
worrying unnecessarily.
Types of Stress
1. Acute stressAcute stress is usually for short time and may be due to work
pressure, meeting deadlines pressure or minor accident, over exertion,
increased physical activity, searching something but you misplaced it, or
similar things.
Symptoms of this type of tension are headaches, back pain, stomach
problems, rapid heartbeat, muscle aches or body pain.
3. Chronic Stress:This type of stress is the most serious of all the 3 stress types.
Chronic stress is a prolonged stress that exists for weeks, months, or even
years. This stress is due to poverty, broken or stressed families and marriages,
chronic illness and successive failures in life. People suffering from this type
of stress get used to it and may even not realize that they are under chronic
stress. It is very harmful to their health.
Causes of Stress
Whenever our body feels something not favorable, then it tries to defend itself. If
this situation continues for a long time, then our body is working overtime.
There are several causes of stress. For example, you are under stress when you are
worried about something, worried about your children, worried about the illness of
your father, worried about your job security, or worried about your loans or
similar things.
BODY PART
Stress Management In BPO Sector
It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about your stress level. The bills
aren’t going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day for all your
errands, and your career or family responsibilities will always be demanding. But
you have a lot more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization
that you’re in control of your life is the foundation of stress management.
Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your
emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems.
The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation,
and fun – plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head
on.
Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This
isn’t as easy as it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and
it’s all too easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors. Sure, you may know that you’re constantly worried about work
deadlines. But maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands,
that leads to deadline stress.
To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and
excuses:
Stress Management In BPO Sector
• Do you explain away stress as temporary (“I just have a million things
going on right now”) even though you can’t remember the last time you
took a breather?
• Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life (“Things
are always crazy around here”) or as a part of your personality (“I have a lot
of nervous energy, that’s all”).
Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it,
your stress level will remain outside your control.
A stress journal can help you identify the regular stressors in your life and the way
you deal with them. Each time you feel stressed, keep track of it in your journal.
As you keep a daily log, you will begin to see patterns and common themes. Write
down:
Think about the ways you currently manage and cope with stress in your life. Your
stress journal can help you identify them. Are your coping strategies healthy or
Stress Management In BPO Sector
These coping strategies may temporarily reduce stress, but they cause more
damage in the long run:
• Smoking
• Procrastinating
References
• WWW.GOOGLE.COM
• WWW.MANAGEMENT PARADISE. COM
• WWW.ARTICLE BASED.COM
• WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM
• WWW.SCRIBD.COM
Stress Management In BPO Sector
CHAPTER 4
AREA OF STUDY
ACTUAL STUDY
The main purpose of selecting these topic is show that stress faced by BPO or
call center's employees and how it is managed by executives.there are also studied
about causes and effects faced by BPO employees and workers.
• Relience Pvt.Ltd.
SAMPLE DESIGN
A sample of 51 respondents was taken using random sampling . The researcher
contacted the executive and employees personally and brief summary of the nature
of study and details in qutionnaie were narrated them.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
CHAPTER 5
DATA ANALYSIS AND
INTERPRETATION
⇔ Introduction
⇔ Analysis of data
⇔ Summarization
INTRODUCTION:
The respondents were 51. The method were used by open ended question, yes no
type question. The BPO employees have selected multiple answers which they feel
is corrected according to their opinion.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
EMPLOYEES VIEWS
Q.NO.1 Do you have enough time to do What is expected of you from your job? Y
60
50
40
yes
30 NO
Sometimes
20
10
0
Row 4
As every job involves carry out certain responsibility or task ,so to complete it
employees sufficient time so the researcher try to find out whether they are given
enough to do their job.
On the detail analysis of data it was found that about 60% get enough time to do
their job ,but about 16% employees work under stress , and about 24%are not
certain about it that is workload sometimes more.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Q.NO.2 Do you get upset thinking that you are not able to prosper Or make
progress in job or carrier ?
20
18
16
14
12 YES
NO
10 SOMETIMES
8
In every BPO industry because of their shift pattern employees survive under a
stress and they get upset thinking than they are not able to make progress in their
job .
On the basis of analysis of data researcher have found 25%of employees faced
these problem in their job , 35% of employees are not certain that they will make
proper progress and nearly 39% is not bothering about their proces
Stress Management In BPO Sector
25
20
15 YES
NO
SOMETIMES
10
As every job require employees should concentrate on their work . But in BPO
industry it's not possible to every employees to do same .
Because researcher have found that on the basis of data analysis 20% employees
cannot concentrate on their job due to tension and employee may found difficult
sometimes Or may not and 31% of employee does not feel that tension may be
constrain in his work .
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Q.NO.4 Do you feel that you are over loaded with so many task at a time ?
30
25
20
YES
NO
15 SOMETIMES
10
In Bpo industry involved Shift pattern.. which may effect on work of employees
has to do many task at a time because of that they may be feel overloaded .
As researcher have found that 60% employees sometimes feel that they are
overloaded with to many task at a time
Stress Management In BPO Sector
25
20
15 YES
NO
SOMETIMES
10
Every BPO industry involved shift pattern . Which may effect on work of
employees.
On the basis of data analysis researcher have found that 70% - 80% of employees
agreed that shift pattern affect on their work .
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Q.NO.6 Are you afraid whether you will be able to complete your your target on
time ?
30
25
20
YES
NO
15 SOMETIMES
10
The data for the proposed study was collected from 51 respondents of BPO
sector
On the detailed analysis of data it was found that 52% of respondents strongly
that agreed that they are afraid that whether they will be able to complete their
work at a time
Whereas 18% of respondents not agreed as they were opinion that they get better
salaries & medical benefits Etc.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Q.NO.7 Does your working relationship with higher authority your working
ability leads to tension ?
30
25
20
YES
NO
15 SOMETIMES
10
As is evident from the chart ,majority of the respondents (51%) say yes that they
have working relationship with higher authority their working ability leads to
tension.26% employees is disagreed And other 25% employees are faced these
problem sometime.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Q.NO.8 Due to insufficient resources are you not able to complete the task ?
25
20
15 YES
NO
SOMETIMES
10
Opinion of study revel that ,majority of the respondents (75%)agree with that due
to insufficient resources they are not able to complete the task .and only 25%
employees not agreed.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
2. EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION
25
20
15 YES
NO
SOMETIMES
10
Q.NO.2 Do you often feel that you are not able to concentrate completely because
of stress ?
30
25
20
YES
NO
15 SOMETIMES
10
As evidence from the chart ,majority of respondents (74%) agree with above
statement that they often feel that they are not concentrate completely because of
stress.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
20
18
16
14
12 YES
NO
10 SOMETIMES
8
6
4
2
0
As evidence from the chart ,majority of respondents (62%) agree that they find
extremely difficult to take decision because of stress
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Q.NO.4 Do you get very nervous and depresses when you don't fulfill
organizational requirement in your work ?
25
20
15 YES
NO
SOMETIMES
10
As evidence from the chart ,majority of respondents (79%) agreed that they get
very nervous and depressed when they don't fulfill organizational requirement
because of stress.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
III) PHYSICAL
30
25
20
YES
NO
15 SOMETIMES
10
As evidence from the chart, majority of respondents (56%) disagree with above
statement that they take 8-10 hrs sleep everyday nearly 43% employees are agreed
that they are take 8-10 hrs sleep everyday.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
35
30
25
YES
20 NO
SOMETIMES
15
10
As evidence from the chart ,majority of respondents (86%) employees agree with
above statement that they are loosing their weight due to stress. Only 16% of
employees are disagreed with that.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Q.NO.3 Do you become restless and see engaged in smoking drinking alcohols
etc.?
18
17.5
17
YES
NO
16.5 SOMETIMES
16
15.5
15
As evidence from the chart ,majority of respondents (67%) employees agree with
that they become restless and get engaged in smoking, drinking, alcohols etc.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
Q.NO.4 Are you able to speak openly about your feelings when you are angry Or
worried?
20
18
16
14
12 YES
NO
10 SOMETIMES
8
6
4
2
0
As evidence from the chart ,majority of respondents (78%) employees agree with
above statement that they are able to speak openly their feeling when they are
angry or worried nearly 22% of employees are not able to speak openly about their
feelings in stress.
.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
35
30
25
YES
20 NO
SOMETIMES
15
10
Summarization
The graphs were prepared according to their responses & by observing to the
respondents according the viewpoints discussed about particular topic. The
opinion was noted & interacting about the topic many facts has been noted.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
CHAPTER 6
FINDINS AND
SUGGETIONS
FINIDIGS:
• There is direct relationship between stress & Demography factors i.e. age,
experience & designation.
SUGGESTIONS:
• A small percentage of the employees did have high stress. Person facing
stress at the organizational level of lot of psychological problems in the
form of decreased motivation, absenteeism low productivity targets not
being achieving etc.
Stress Management In BPO Sector
• As a reedy for the above said employees facing stress are advised to attend
stress management courses which will help them to build coping
strategies and cause out their stress .
• Relaxation
• Time management
CHAPTER: 7
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION:
• The present study was conducted at BPO Center The was to founded the
stress levels, personality type of the employees.
• The study revealed that fall under low stress category only a small
percentage is highly stressed & needed prevailing in the organization to
some extent
• At the end of the study, we can conclude that through there are signs of
stress among the employees & such stress is affecting their behaviors, it can
be controlled & reduced effectively.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
News papers :
• Times Of India
• Mid Day
Websites :
• WWW.GOOGLE.COM
• WWW.MANAGEMENT PARADISE. COM
• WWW.ARTICLE BASED.COM
• WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM
• WWW.SCRIBD.COM