Human Resource Management: Submitted To

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
A LIVE PROJECT
ON
A study on the organizational and individual strategies to combat

stress
Submitted to
MS. GM.Archana Das

Assistant professor
Submitted by
K. Hari Krishna (1226210115)

R. Swati (1226210130)
G. Arun Kumar (1226210109)
Murtaza Ali (1226210119)
Gunashekaran (1226210114)
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DECLARATION
We, hereby declare that this project entitled “A study on the organizational and
individual strategies to combat stress” with reference to HSBC Global Resourcing
Servicing Center in Visakhapatnam, is submitted to GITAM school of International
business for the completion of the live project. This bonafide work is carried out by
us under the guidance of Assistant professor Archana Das and has never been
submitted nor published elsewhere.
Place: Visakhapatnam
Date: 10thMarch, 2011
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CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the project entitled “A study on the organizational and individual
strategies to combat stress” with reference to HSBC, Visakhapatnam, is a bonafide
work carried out by us with the assistance of the employees working in that
organization and has been submitted for the completion of the live project for the
course of Organizational Behavior.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To carry out this research work we have got the help from our group
members who have given full support to carry out this research work. They are the
one who motivated and helped for the completion of this project report.
Further, we would like to thank Mr. Ganesh Prashant (Center Manager,

HSBC Bank) and their employees who have given full supported and co operated
with us to carry out this research work. Then we would like to thank Mr.Jayanth
Franklyn (HR Manager, HSBC Branch) who has supported us to fill the questionnaire
and carry on our research work. We are also thankful to the employees of HSBC
bank who have supported us. And also special thanks to Assistant Professor
Archana Das for giving us the guide lines whenever we needed.
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INDEX
No Content Page no
1 Conceptual Framework 1
2 Introduction to HR 6
3 Concept of stress 7
4.1 Introduction to stress 7
4.2 Stress in Biological terms 11
4.3 What is stress 12
4.4 Coping with stress at workplace 15
4.5 Stress Management 17
4.6 Workplace stress 19
4.7 Review of Literature 22
5 Research Methodology 27
5.1 Research objective 27
5.2 Sampling 29
5.3 Research instrument 32
5.4 Data analysis and interpretation 36
5.5 Employees opinion about how to reduce stress 48
5.6 Limitation of the survey 50
5.7 Findings 51
6 Conclusion 52
7 Bibliography 55
8 Annexure 58
Abstract:
The study of human resource management is one of the major criteria in the
corporate sector. Human resource is the heart of the organization. By this research
project we will be able to know to reduce the stress level of the employees working in
the bank. By this way the productivity of the employee increases.
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Now a day the corporate sector is booming in a high speed that the people have to
work for prolonged hours to maintain the standard of living and achieve their basic
needs. So is the condition in the hospitals, colleges, BPO’s and lots of other places.
In spit of having the modern technologies and facilities, people are feeling
themselves to be work loaded and stressed. Stress arises because of many reasons
which are discussed in the following project. The project report also contain
techniques how to reduce the stress and overcome such problems.
To identify the level of stress among the people who work I have tried to survey the
people working in hospitals, BPO’s and other industries as well as institutes. Stress
arises because of unfulfilled wants, lack of job satisfaction etc. before starting the
topic of stress; let’s first understand the importance of human resource.
CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK
Introduction to HR
Human Resource Management is an art of managing people at work in

such a manner that they give their best to the organization. In simple word
human resource management refers to the quantitative aspects of employees
working in an organization. Human Resource Management is also a management
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function concerned with hiring, motivating, and maintains people in an organization.
It focuses on people in organization.
Organizations are not mere bricks, mortar, machineries or inventories. They are
people. It is the staff who and manage organizations. HRM involves the application
of management functions and principles. The functions and principles are applied to
acquisitioning, developing, maintain, and remunerating employees in organizations.
Decisions relating to employees must be integrated. Decision on different aspect of
employees must be consistent with other human resource decisions.
Decision made must influence the effectiveness of organization. Effectiveness of an

organization must result in betterment of services to customers in the form of high-
quality product supplied at reasonable costs. HRM function s is not confined to
business establishment only. They are applicable to non-business organizations, too
such as education, health care, recreation etc.
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 is a process of producing development,

maintaining and controlling human resources for effective achievement of
Organization goals.”
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
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approaching open warfare between competing theories and definitions: Views have
been passionately held and aggressively defended.
What complicates this is that intuitively we all feel that we know what stress is, as it
is something we have all experienced. A definition should therefore be obvious…
except that it is not.
Definition:
Hans Selye was one of the founding fathers of stress research. His view in 1956 was
that “stress is not necessarily something bad – it all depends on how you take it. The
stress of exhilarating, creative successful work is beneficial, while that of failure,
humiliation or infection is detrimental.” Selye believed that the biochemical effects of
stress would be experienced irrespective of whether the situation was positive or
negative.
Since then, a great deal of further research has been conducted, and ideas have
moved on. Stress is now viewed as a "bad thing", with a range of harmful
biochemical and long-term effects. These effects have rarely been observed in
positive situations.
The most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly attributed to Richard S

Lazarus) is that stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person
perceives that “demands exceed the personal and social resources the
individual is able to mobilize.” In short, it's what we feel when we think we've lost
control of events.
This is the main definition used by this section of Mind Tools, although we also
recognize that there is an intertwined instinctive stress response to unexpected
events. The stress response inside us is therefore part instinct and part to do with
the way we think.
The types of stress are as follows
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Mechanical
 Stress (physics), the average amount of force exerted per unit area.
 Yield stress, the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically.
 Compressive stress, the stress applied to materials resulting in their
compaction.
Biological
 Stress (biological), physiological or psychological stress; some types include:

o Chronic stress, persistent stress which can lead to illness and mental
disorder
o Eustress, positive stress that can lead to improved long-term
functioning
o Workplace stress, stress caused by employment
Music
 Accent (music).
 Stress (band), an early '80s melodic rock band from San Diego.
 Stress (punk band), an early '80s punk rock band from Athens.
 Stress (Neo-Psychedelic band), from the late 1980's.
 Stress, a song by the French band Justice on their debut album
Other
 Stress (game), card game

 Stress (linguistics), phonological use of prominence in language
Stress (physics), the average amount of force exerted per unit area.
Stress is a measure of the average amount of force exerted per unit area. It is a
measure of the intensity of the total internal forces acting within a body across
imaginary internal surfaces, as a reaction to external applied forces and body
forces. It was introduced into the theory of elasticity by Cauchy around 1822.
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Stress is a concept that is based on the concept of continuum. In general, stress
is expressed as
Where
- Is the average stress, also called engineering or nominal stress, and

- Is the force acting over the area - .
Chronic Stress
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.
Stress in Biological terms:
Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a

human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats to
the organism, whether actual or imagined. It includes a state of alarm and adrenaline
production, short-term resistance as a coping mechanism, and exhaustion. It refers
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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.
What is Stress?
Stress refers to the strain from the conflict between our external environment and us,
leading to emotional and physical pressure. In our fast paced world, it is impossible
to live without stress, whether you are a student or a working adult. There is both
positive and negative stress, depending on each individual’s unique perception of the
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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 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
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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. Here’s how
we differentiate between them.
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
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and chronic stress. Acute stress is intense, but does not last for long. On the other
hand, chronic stress persists over a long period of time. Trigger events for distress
can be a change in job scope or routine that the person is unable to handle or cope
with.
Hyper stress
This is another form of negative stress that occurs when the individual is unable to
cope with the workload. Examples include highly stressful jobs, which require longer
working hours than the individual can handle. If you suspect that you are suffering
from hyper stress, you are likely to have sudden emotional breakdowns over
insignificant issues, the proverbial straws that broke the camel’s back. It is important
for you to recognize that your body needs a break, or you may end up with severe
and chronic physical and psychological reactions.
Hypo stress
Hypo stress occurs when a person has nothing to do with his time and feels
constantly bored and unmotivated. This is due to an insufficient amount of stress;
hence some stress is inevitable and helpful to us. Companies should avoid having
workers who experience hypo stress as this will cause productivity and mindfulness
to fall. If the job scope is boring and repetitive, it would be a good idea to implement
some form of job rotation so that there is always something new to learn.
The types of stress are named as eustress and distress. Distress is the most
commonly-referred to type of stress, having negative implications, whereas eustress
is a positive form of stress, usually related to desirable events in person's life. Both
can be equally taxing on the body, and are cumulative in nature, depending on a
person's way of adapting to a change that has caused it.
Coping with Stress at Work place
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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.
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.
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Step 2: Identify the Cause
You need to be able to analyze the situation and identify what is causing the rise in
stress. These stressors can be external and internal. External stressors refer to
things beyond your control, such as the environment or your colleagues at work.
Internal stressors refer to your own thinking and attitude. Often, we only start
reacting to stress when a combination of stressors working together exceeds our
ability to cope.
Keep a diary or a list of events that have caused you to feel strong negative
emotions, or that are likely stressors. This will help you to identify the causes of 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.
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
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anxiety attacks. Moreover, be it our anxiety, mind-body exhaustion or our erring
attitudes, we tend to overlook causes of stress and the conditions triggered by those.
In such unsettling moments we often forget that stressors, if not escapable, are fairly
manageable and treatable.
Stress, either quick or constant, can induce risky body-mind disorders. Immediate
disorders such as dizzy spells, anxiety attacks, tension, sleeplessness, nervousness
and muscle cramps can all result in chronic health problems. They may also affect
our immune, cardiovascular and nervous systems and lead individuals to habitual
addictions, which are inter-linked with stress.
Like "stress reactions", "relaxation responses" and stress management techniques

are some of the body's important built-in response systems. As a relaxation
response the body tries to get back balance in its homeostasis. Some hormones
released during the 'fight or flight' situation prompt the body to replace the lost
carbohydrates and fats, and restore the energy level. The knotted nerves, tightened
muscles and an exhausted mind crave for looseness. Unfortunately, today, we don't
get relaxing and soothing situations without asking. To be relaxed we have to strive
to create such situations.
Recognizing a stressor:
It is important to recognize whether you are under stress or out of it. Many times,
even if we are under the influence of a stressful condition and our body reacts to it
internally as well as externally, we fail to realize that we are reacting under stress.
This also happens when the causes of stress are there long enough for us to get
habituated to them. The body constantly tries to tell us through symptoms such as
rapid palpitation, dizzy spells, tight muscles or various body aches that something is
wrong. It is important to remain attentive to such symptoms and to learn to cope with
the situations.
We cope better with stressful situation, when we encounter them voluntarily. In

cases of relocation, promotion or layoff, adventurous sports or having a baby, we
tend to respond positively under stress. But, when we are compelled into such
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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 T lymphocytes—
the natural killer cells. Laughter also increases the number of T cells that have
suppresser receptors.
What Laughter Can Do Against Stress And Its Effects?
1) Laughter lowers blood pressure and reduces hypertension.

2) It provides good cardiac conditioning especially for those who are unable to
perform physical exercise.
3) Reduces stress hormones (studies shows, laughter induces reduction of at least
four of neuroendocrine hormones—epinephrine, cortical, dopac, and growth
hormone, associated with stress response).
4) 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.
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5) It increases muscle flexion, relaxation and fluent blood circulation in body.
6) Boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-
fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and disease-destroying antibodies called
B-cells.
7) Laughter triggers the release of endorphins—body's natural painkillers.
Produces a general sense of well-being.
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 upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders. High levels of
stress are associated with substantial increases in health service utilization. Workers
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who report experiencing stress at work also show excessive health care utilization. In
a 1998 study of 46,000 workers, health care costs were nearly 50% greater for
workers reporting high levels of stress in comparison to “low risk” workers. The
increment rose to nearly 150%, an increase of more than $1,700 per person
annually, for workers reporting high levels of both stress and depression.
Additionally, periods of disability due to job stress tend to be much longer than
disability periods for other occupational injuries and illnesses.
Causes of Workplace Stress
Job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work.
Views differ on the importance of worker characteristics versus working conditions as
the primary cause of job stress. The differing viewpoints suggest different ways to
prevent stress at work. According to one school of thought, differences in individual
characteristics such as personality and coping skills are most important in predicting
whether certain job conditions will result in stress-in other words, what is stressful for
one person may not be a problem for someone else. This viewpoint leads to
prevention strategies that focus on workers and ways to help them cope with
demanding job conditions. Although the importance of individual differences cannot
be ignored, scientific evidence suggests that certain working conditions are stressful
to most people. Such evidence argues for a greater emphasis on working conditions
as the key source of job stress, and for job redesign as a primary prevention
strategy. Personal interview surveys of working conditions, including conditions
recognized as risk factors for job stress, were conducted in Member States of the
European Union in 1990, 1995, and 2000. Results showed a trend across these
periods suggestive of increasing work intensity. In 1990, the percentage of workers
reporting that they worked at high speeds at least one-fourth of their working time
was 48%, increasing to 54% in 1995 and to 56% in 2000. Similarly, 50% of workers
reported they work against tight deadlines at least one-fourth of their working time in
1990, increasing to 56% in 1995 and 60 % in 2000. However, no change was noted
in the period 1995–2000 (data not collected in 1990) in the percentage of workers
reporting sufficient time to complete tasks. A substantial percentage of Americans
work very long hours. By one estimate, more than 26% of men and more than 11%
of women worked 50 hours per week or more in 2000. These figures represent a
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considerable increase over the previous three decades, especially for women.
According to the Department of Labor, there has been an upward trend in hours
worked among employed women, an increase in extended work weeks (>40 hours)
by men, and a considerable increase in combined working hours among working
couples, particularly couples with young children.
Signs of Workplace Stress
Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed
relationships with family; friends and girlfriends or boyfriends are examples of stress-
related problems. The effects of job stress on chronic diseases are more difficult to
see because chronic diseases take a long time to develop and can be influenced by
many factors other than stress. Nonetheless, evidence is rapidly accumulating to
suggest that stress plays an important role in several types of chronic health
problems-especially cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and
psychological disorders.
Prevention
A combination of organizational change and stress management is often the most

useful approach for preventing stress at work.
How to Change the Organization to Prevent Job Stress
 Ensure that the workload is in line with workers' capabilities and resources.
 Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers to
use their skills.
 Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.
 Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting
their jobs.
 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 )
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St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company conducted several studies on the
effects of stress prevention programs in hospital settings. Program activities included
(1) employee and management education on job stress, (2) changes in hospital
policies and procedures to reduce organizational sources of stress, and (3)
establishment of employee assistance programs. In one study, the frequency of
medication errors declined by 50% after prevention activities was implemented in a
700-bed hospital. In a second study, there was a 70% reduction in malpractice
claims in 22 hospitals that implemented stress prevention activities. In contrast, there
was no reduction in claims in a matched group of 22 hospitals that did not implement
stress prevention activities.
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 job and
that we neglect other areas of our life. Each of these can lead to intense stress.
The alternative is to work more intelligently, by focusing on the things that are
important for job success and reducing the time we spend on low priority tasks. Job
Analysis is the first step in doing this.
The first of the action-oriented skills that we look at is Job Analysis. Job Analysis is a
key technique for managing job overload – an important source of stress.
To do an excellent job, you need to fully understand what is expected of you. While
this may seem obvious, in the hurly-burly of a new, fast-moving, high-pressure role, it
is oftentimes something that is easy to overlook.
By understanding the priorities in your job, and what constitutes success within it,
you can focus on these activities and minimize work on other tasks as much as
possible. This helps you get the greatest return from the work you do, and keep your
workload under control.
Job Analysis is a useful technique for getting a firm grip on what really is important in
your job so that you are able to perform excellently. It helps you to cut through clutter
and distraction to get to the heart of what you need to do.
23
2. Rational & positive thinking:
You are thinking negatively when you fear the future, put yourself down, criticize
yourself for errors, doubt your abilities, or expect failure. Negative thinking damages
confidence, harms performance and paralyzes mental skills.
Unfortunately, negative thoughts tend to flit into our consciousness, do their damage
and flit back out again, with their significance having barely been noticed. Since we
barely realize that they were there, we do not challenge them properly, which means
that they can be completely incorrect and wrong.
Thought Awareness is the process by which you observe your thoughts and become
aware of what is going through your head. One approach to it is to observe your
"stream of consciousness" as you think about the thing you're trying to achieve which
is stressful. Do not suppress any thoughts. Instead, just let them run their course
while you watch them, and write them down on our free worksheet as they occur.
Then let them go.
Another more general approach to Thought Awareness comes with logging stress in
your Stress Diary. When you analyze your diary at the end of the period, you should
be able to see the most common and the most damaging thoughts. Tackle these as
a priority using the techniques below.
Here are some typical negative thoughts you might experience when preparing to
give a major presentation:
 Fear about the quality of your performance or of problems that may interfere
with it.
 Worry about how the audience (especially important people in it like your
boss) or the press may react to you;
 Dwelling on the negative consequences of a poor performance; or
 Self-criticism over a less-than-perfect rehearsal.
24
Thought awareness is the first step in the process of managing negative thoughts, as
you cannot manage thoughts that you are unaware of.
Rational Thinking
The next step in dealing with negative thinking is to challenge the negative thoughts
that you identified using the Thought Awareness technique. Look at every thought
you wrote down and challenge it rationally. Ask yourself whether the thought is
reasonable. What evidence is there for and against the thought? Would your
colleagues and mentors agree or disagree with it?
Looking at the examples, the following challenges could be made to the negative
thoughts we identified earlier:
 Feelings of inadequacy: Have you trained yourself as well as you

reasonably should have? Do you have the experience and resources you
need to make the presentation? Have you planned, prepared and rehearsed
enough? If you have done all of these, you've done as much as you can to
give a good performance.
 Worries about performance during rehearsal: If some of your practice was

less than perfect, then remind yourself that the purpose of the practice is to
identify areas for improvement, so that these can be sorted out before the
performance.
 Problems with issues outside your control: Have you identified the risks of
these things happening, and have you taken steps to reduce the likelihood of
them happening or their impact if they do? What will you do if they occur? And
what do you need others to do for you?
 Worry about other people's reactions: If you have prepared well, and you
do the best you can, then you should be satisfied. If you perform as well as
you reasonably can, then fair people are likely to respond well. If people are
not fair, the best thing to do is ignore their comments and rise above them.
25
Tip:
Don't make the mistake of generalizing a single incident. OK, you made a mistake at
work, but that doesn't mean you're bad at your job.
Similarly, make sure you take the long view about incidents that you're finding
stressful. Just because you're finding these new responsibilities stressful now,
doesn't mean that they will ALWAYS be so for you in the future.
Tip:
If you find it difficult to look at your negative thoughts objectively, imagine that you
are your best friend or a respected coach or mentor. Look at the list of negative
thoughts and imagine the negative thoughts were written by someone you were
giving objective advice to. Then, think how you would challenge these thoughts.
When you challenge negative thoughts rationally, you should be able to see quickly
whether the thoughts are wrong or whether they have some substance to them.
Where there is some substance, take appropriate action. However, make sure that
your negative thoughts are genuinely important to achieving your goals, and don't
just reflect a lack of experience, which everyone has to go through at some stage.
Positive Thinking & Opportunity Seeking

By now, you should already be feeling more positive. The final step is to prepare
rational, positive thoughts and affirmations to counter any remaining negativity. It can
also be useful to look at the situation and see if there are any useful opportunities
that are offered by it.
By basing your affirmations on the clear, rational assessments of facts that you
made using Rational Thinking, you can use them to undo the damage that negative
thinking may have done to your self-confidence.
Tip:
Your affirmations will be strongest if they are specific, are expressed in the present
tense and have strong emotional content.
26
Continuing the examples above, positive affirmations might be:
 Problems during practice: "I have learned from my rehearsals. This has put
me in a position where I can deliver a great performance. I am going to
perform well and enjoy the event."
 Worries about performance: "I have prepared well and rehearsed

thoroughly. I am well positioned to give an excellent performance."
 Problems issues outside your control: "I have thought through everything
that might reasonably happen and have planned how I can handle all likely
contingencies. I am very well placed to react flexibly to events."
 Worry about other people's reaction: "Fair people will react well to a good
performance. I will rise above any unfair criticism in a mature and professional
way."
If appropriate, write these affirmations down on your worksheet so that you can use
them when you need them.
As well as allowing you to structure useful affirmations, part of Positive Thinking is to
look at opportunities that the situation might offer to you. In the examples above,
successfully overcoming the situations causing the original negative thinking will
open up opportunities. You will acquire new skills, you will be seen as someone who
can handle difficult challenges, and you may open up new career opportunities.
Make sure that identifying these opportunities and focusing on them is part of your
positive thinking.
27
Review of literature
Selye (1956) defines stress as a nonspecific response of the body to any sort of
demand made on it. Selye defines this “demand,” which could include a stimulus or
an event, as a stressor and notes that a wide variety of stimuli are capable of
producing the same internal stress response. Stressors are external and can come
in several different forms, ranging from extreme temperature to a physical assault.
According to Selye, once the individual has been exposed to the stressor, a
physiological stress response will occur.
STRESS AND PERFORMANCE: POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP FRAMEWORKS
Although much of the research on the relationship between stress and functioning
focuses on the negative performance effects of stress, not all stress is bad. In fact,
Selye (1956) emphasizes that stress is a necessary part of life and that it does not
always involve negative consequences for the organism involved. In fact, at certain
moderate levels, stress can actually improve individual performance. There is
substantial research supporting the concept of “good stress.” Yerkes and Dodson
(1908) were the first to “stumble” upon the inverted-U relationship between stress
and performance. Their work focused on the effects of stress on the learning
response of rats. Using three trials with low, moderate, and high levels of stimulus,
the authors find a weak but curvilinear relationship, with performance on the task
improving as the stressor stimulus reached a moderate level and decreasing as
stimulus strength increased beyond this point. Research since Yerkes and Dodson
has supported the inverted-U relationship between stress and performance. Scott
(1966) finds that individual performance increases with stress and resulting arousal
to an optimal point and then decreases as stress and stimulation increase
beyond this optimum. Furthermore, Srivastava and Krishna (1991) find evidence that
an inverted-U relationship does exist for job performance in the industrial context.
Selye (1975) and McGrath (1976) also suggest an inverted-U relationship between
stress and performance. Finally, research on arousal theory supports the inverted-U
hypothesis, assuming that external stressors produce a stress response that is
similar physiologically to arousal. Sanders (1983) and Gaillard and Steyvers (1989)
find that performance is optimal when arousal is at moderate levels. When arousal is
either too high or too low, performance declines.
STRESS AND GROUP FUNCTIONING
While the affects of stress on individual performance are relevant to military

effectiveness, the effects of stress on group functioning are equally important.
Bowers, Weaver, and Morgan (1996) argue that group-level stressors can involve
any influence of the group on the individual that leads to increased tension or
decreased functioning —
for example, competition among members or crowding. Group decisionmaking
processes can be affected by the presence of stressors. Most importantly, Driskell,
Carson, and Moskal (1988) find that when subjected to stressful conditions,
individuals are more likely to yield control to their partners or superiors. As a result,
authority tends to become more concentrated and hierarchy more pronounced.
28
STRESS AND JOB SATISFACTION AND TURNOVER INTENTIONS
Research also suggests that moderate levels of stress can have positive effects on
job satisfaction and organizational commitment while reducing turnover intent. These
findings seem to be an extension of the inverted-U-shaped relationship discussed
previously. Under this hypothesis, at moderate levels of stress, individual
performance and productivity are likely to be higher and can also contribute to higher
job satisfaction and organizational commitment. For example, Zivnuska, Kiewitz, and
Hochwarter (2002) find that moderate levels of stress tend to be correlated with
higher levels of job satisfaction than either very high or very low stress levels. The
authors explain this effect by noting that moderate stress is perceived as stimulating
and challenging, without being unbearable. Empirically, the authors demonstrate the
nonlinear relationship of stress with turnover intent, value attainment, and job
satisfaction by including a tension-squared term as a predictor variable in their
model. They find that the tension-squared term has a statistically significant
relationship with each of the outcome variables
LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF STRESS
However, while exposure to some level of stressor may help individual performance,
the long-term effects of stress on the individual tend to be negative, according to the
majority of research looking at prolonged exposure to stress. One potential result of
an extended exposure to a single or to multiple stressors is burnout, defined by
Maslach, Schaufeli, and Leiter (2001) to include exhaustion, feelings of cynicism and
detachment, a sense of ineffectiveness, and lack of accomplishment. Burnout is
most often measured on the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The authors note that
individuals with high MBI scores tend to also exhibit higher levels of job
dissatisfaction and lower workplace effectiveness.
MODERATORS AND OTHER WAYS TO REDUCE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF

STRESS
In Chapter One, a framework illustrating the stress-performance relationship is
presented. As can be seen in that figure, a moderator is a variable that intervenes in
the causal relationship between two other variables, usually reducing the causal
effect. In the stressor-stress-performance relationship, moderators can either reduce
the physiological response to the stressor or reduce the effect of stress on
performance. Importantly, although moderators typically reduce the effect of one
variable on the other, in the case of stress on Performance, there are some
examples discussed in this chapter in which the moderator increases the effect of
stress on performance. A summary of the studies presented on moderators can be
found at the end of the chapter.
MODERATING THE STRESSOR-STRESS RESPONSE RELATIONSHIP
Personality
The first type of moderator discussed in this chapter is that which affects the
magnitude of the stress response experienced by the individual following exposure
29
to a stressor stimulus. Individuals who express higher levels of anxiety, classified as
high reactivity, have been shown to exhibit more pronounced physical responses (in
terms of heart rate) to stressors (Pearson and Thackray, 1970). Pearson and
Thackray (1970) examine this relationship using a color identification test known as
the Press Test.
Anticipation
Marshall et al. (2002) study the effect of the anticipation of a blood test on the blood
pressure of individuals. After telling the intervention group in the study that they
would receive a blood test following the final blood-pressure reading, the average
blood pressure in the intervention group rose, while that in the control group stayed
the same. This finding suggests that merely thinking about the impending blood test
was enough to cause a stress response for those individuals in the intervention
group.
Individual Characteristics
Research by Green et al. (1990) and Kahana, Harel, and Kahana (1988) suggests
that individuals in each of the above-mentioned categories are more likely to have
negative responses to stressors — that is, they are more likely to develop long-term
mental health
problems, including PTSD. These findings have some interesting implications for
military leaders. While it is not reasonable or practical to select individuals for
deployments based solely on these characteristics, it may be possible to pay
particular attention to stress-related disorders among these populations of soldiers
during and after deployment. Such targeted policy could reduce the number of
stress-induced casualties and prevent long-term mental health disorders by focusing
on the potentially most vulnerable populations..
Training
Training as a way to reduce the effects of stress is one of the most studied
moderators and also a highly effective one. In addition, it is a moderator that can be
developed, altered, and controlled fairly easily as compared with many of the
moderators listed previously. First, it is important to note that training can serve as
either a type 1 or type 2 moderator — that is, it can intervene either before
(immediately following the stressor) or after the individual stress response occurs.
Most research on the moderating effects of training focuses on a particular type of
training — stress exposure training — in which the individual is repeatedly exposed
to a certain stressor and asked to perform a target task under that stressor.
Considering stress as a type 1 moderator, Driskell and Johnston (1998) propose that
use of stress exposure training — for example, subjecting an individual to extreme
heat or lighting — can gradually lessen the individual’s physiological response to the
stimuli by reducing its novelty. Such training can also build coping strategies that
help the individual to moderate the effects of the stressor, even once a stress
response has begun. In this case, training can reduce the physiological response of
the individual to the stressor.
30
Moderators and Group Performance
Moderators can also affect group performance under stress, particularly within the
military context. For example, characteristics of the group leadership can significantly
reduce the negative effects of stress on group performance. Kirmeyer and Dougherty
(1988) find that leader characteristics, including effective communicative and
motivational skills, can limit the influence of stress on team performance and
contribute to unit morale and efficiency.
OTHER WAYS TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON PERFORMANCE
Treatment and Therapy
Outside of moderators, effective treatment and therapy can help reduce the effect of
stressors on the individual and on functioning. For combat veterans, debriefing and
post-deployment counseling can help to prevent the symptoms of PTSD. Ford,
Shaw, Sennhauser, et al. (1992) find that in a sample of veterans who had
symptoms of PTSD, those who went through post-deployment debriefing reported a
decrease in PTSD symptoms; a decrease in depression, anxiety, and social
dysfunction; and an increase in family functioning. The work of Armfield (1994)
supports these findings and focuses on the prevention of PTSD, the key to which is
to “provide the individual with the tool to navigate a psychological crisis” (p. 741).
This review summarizes the literature on the relationship between stress and
performance that is most relevant to the military context.The main observation to be
drawn from this report is that although stressors will almost certainly have a
physiological effect on individual service members (such as increasing heart rate)
and will likely have at least some negative effect on their performance of complex
tasks, the application of moderators, including training and provision of additional
information, can help individuals to adapt successfully to challenging stressors and
maintain high levels of performance. Furthermore, as discussed previously,
moderate levels of stress can actually contribute to heightened vigilance and
improved performance on certain tasks. Although military personnel clearly confront
significant stressors, in firsthand accounts of their experiences as well as in studies
and surveys of their ability to
fulfill their duties, military personnel have proven themselves to be highly adaptable
to constantly changing and uncertain circumstances, requirements, and demands,
whether in peacekeeping or combat
31
Research Methodology
Research Objective:
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. It’s an opportunity when it offers
potential gain. Consider for example, the superior performance that an athlete or
stage performer gives in “clutch” situations. Such individuals often use stress
positively to rise to the occasion and perform at or near their maximum. Similarly,
many professionals see the pressures of heavy workloads and deadlines as positive
challenges that enhance the quality of their work and the satisfaction the get from
their job.
But it is different in the case of bank employees. The bank employees are the people
who also have to achieve the certain target and so for the non achievement of target
the employees remain stressed and tensed. The employees who have the simple
table work also have to face the problem of stress. Due to recession the banking
sector is also facing the problem of employee cut-offs and so the work load of the
existing employees increases and the feel stressed.
The types of stress are named as eustress and distress. Distress is the most
commonly-referred to type of stress, having negative implications, whereas eustress
is a positive form of stress, usually related to desirable events in person's life. Both
can be equally taxing on the body, and are cumulative in nature, depending on a
person's way of adapting to a change that has caused it. Stress management is the
need of the hour. However hard we try to go beyond a 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.
32
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 14 to 15 employees are selected from all the three banks for the research
of stress among them.
33
Sampling
Sample: I have taken the sample of 35 employees from HSBC bank of
Visakhapatnam. In order to get better results we have taken all the employees 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 the banks which are affiliated to the public and are specialized in
consumer needs fulfillment.
It is incumbent on the researcher to clearly define the target population. There are no
strict rules to follow, and the researcher must rely on logic and judgment. The
population is defined in keeping with the objectives of the study.
Sometimes, the entire population will be sufficiently small, and the researcher can
include the entire population in the study. This type of research is called a census
study because data is gathered on every member of the population.
Usually, the population is too large for the researcher to attempt to survey all of its
members. A small, but carefully chosen sample can be used to represent the
population. The sample reflects the characteristics of the population from which it is
drawn.
Sampling methods are classified as either probability or non probability. In probability

samples, each member of the population has a known non-zero probability of being selected.
Probability methods include random sampling, systematic sampling, and stratified sampling.
In non probability sampling, members are selected from the population in some nonrandom
manner. These include convenience sampling, judgment sampling, quota sampling, and
snowball sampling. The advantage of probability sampling is that sampling error can be
calculated. Sampling error is the degree to which a sample might differ from the population.
When inferring to the population, results are reported plus or minus the sampling error. In
non probability sampling, the degree to which the sample differs from the population remains
unknown.
Research Instrument
34
Checking Yourself for Burnout
Burnout occurs when passionate, committed people become deeply disillusioned

with a job or career from which they have previously derived much of their identity
and meaning. It comes as the things that inspire passion and enthusiasm are
stripped away, and tedious or unpleasant things crowd in. This tool can help you
check yourself for burnout.
Introduction:
This tool can help you check yourself for burnout. It helps you look at the way you
feel about your job and your experiences at work, so that you can get a feel for
whether you are at risk of burnout.
Using the Tool:
 Work through the table on paper and calculate values manually.

 Fill in values appropriately on the sheet. This will automatically calculate
scores for you and interpret these scores, showing the score and
interpretation in row 30.
If you choose to use the manual method, then calculate the total of the scores as
described in the instructions (note that this uses a slightly different scoring method
from the spreadsheet). Apply the score to the scoring table underneath to get the
interpretation.
Questionnaire
No Questions Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Very
35
often
1 Do you feel run down and
drained of physical or emotional
energy?
2 Do you find that you are prone to
negative thinking about your
job?
3 Do you find that you are harder
and less sympathetic with
people than perhaps they
deserve?
4 Do you find yourself getting
easily irritated by small
problems, or by your co-workers
and team?
5 Do you feel misunderstood or
unappreciated by your co-
workers?
6 Do you feel that you have no-
one to talk to?
7 Do you feel that you are
achieving less than you should?
8 Do you feel under an unpleasant
level of pressure to succeed?
9 Do you feel that you are not
getting what you want out of
your job?
10 Do you feel that you are in the
wrong organization or the wrong
profession?
11 Are you becoming frustrated with
parts of your job?
12 Do you feel that organizational
politics or bureaucracy frustrate
your ability to do a good job?
13 Do you feel that there is more
work to do than you practically
have the ability to do?
14 Do you feel that you do not have
time to do many of the things
that are important to doing a
good quality job?
15 Do you find that you do not have
time to plan as much as you
would like to?
Total
Instructions: For each question, put an 'X' in the column that most applies. Put one
'X' only in each row.
36
Answer Number Weight Weighted Total
Not at all 0
Rarely 1
Sometimes 2
Often 3
Very often 4
Please write the total number of ‘x’ at the space given at the bottom of each column
No Questions Yes No
1 Are you satisfied with the performance you give at your work?
2 Do you think that you are suffering from depression?
3 Do you worry about your colleague's opinion about you?

Do you discuss your problem with your spouse or friend or any
4
other close to you?
5 Do you work more than 8 hours?

You have an important function at your home and your boss asks
6
to give a 4 hour over time, what will be your response?
7 Do you regularly spend time for entertainment?
8 Is your social life balanced?
9 Do you plan your work before doing?
10 Do you fear about the quality of your performance?
11 Are you a heart patient?
12 Do you get tensed at your non achievement of your target?
13 Do you feeling stress some times?

If the answer of the above question is Yes then answer the
following:
a) Is the reason of your stress your work load?
b) Are you stressed because of your family problems?
c) Do you get stressed when your boss scolds You?
d) Do you try to find any solution for the problem of your stress?
(IF YES) Do you practice yoga or any other ayurvedic therapy for
e)
reducing stress?
37
To make the survey report more clear the above questionnaire was also filled.
As a result the employees have given proper response and the report of the
questionnaire is presented in the project
>=
-1 No sign of burnout here!
5 Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly severe
18 Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several scores are high
35 You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this urgently
45 You are at very severe risk of burnout - do something about this urgently
Data analysis and Interpretation
The project report shows the information of the level of stress which the
employees are facing as the period of recession is going the employee cut-off
and turnover ratios are found to be high so the workload for the existing
employees are high. So they are facing the problem of work overload and thus
they get stressed.
Let’s have a watch on the basic data of the survey:

The report of a bank
>= Response
-1 No sign of burnout here! 0
5 Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly 6
severe
18 Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several 8
scores are high
35 You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this 0
urgently
45 You are at very severe risk of burnout - do something about this 0
urgently
38
no sign of burn out
little sign of burnout
Be careful
severe risk
Very high
The Report of a Bank
>= Response
severe
scores are high
urgently
urgently
N o s ig n
L i t t le s ig n
Be car e fu l
S e v e r e r is k
V e r y h ig h
The report of a Bank

>= Response
severe
scores are high
urgently
urgently
39
No sign
little sign
be careful
Severe risk
Very high
It is seen from the above data that the employees working in the banks are at the
risk of two levels that is “a little sign of burn out” and “be careful”. Taking a look on
the data of HSBC bank, it is seen that the employees working in day shifts are found
less stressed out compared to employees working in night shifts. This can be
because working in night can affect health and not having good sleep during day
time.
Let’s have a look on the overall result of the survey

>= Response
severe
scores are high
urgently
urgently
no sign
little sign
Be carefull
severe risk
Very high 40
From the above graph it can be seen that maximum employees of all the banks are
at a moderate level of risk of burnout while the employees who were found with a
little sign of burnout is less. So the ratio of little sign of burnout and moderate level of
burnout is 2:3.
1. Are you satisfied with the performance you give at your work?
Yes
No
No response
Yes No No response
27 8 0
From the diagram it is clear that 77 % of the employees are satisfied with the
performance they give in the work while 23 % of the employees are not satisfied.
2. Do you think that you are suffering from depression?
Yes No No response
7 28 0
Yes
No
No response
41
20 % of the employee feel that they are suffering from depression while 80 % of the
employee feel that that they are free from the depression
Yes No No response
31 4 0
3. Do you worry about your
colleague's opinion about you?
Yes No No response
9 26 0
Yes
No
No response
26% of the employees worry about their colleague’s opinion about them while 74%
of the employees are not concern with the opinion about their colleague.
4. Do you discuss your problem with your spouse or friend or any other close
to you?
Yes
No
No response
42
91% of the employees of the bank discuss their problem and share their feelings with
their spouse or friends or others while 9 % of the employee is not concerned with it.
5. Do you work more than 8 hours?
Yes No No response
Yes No No response
20 15 0
32 3 0
Yes
No
No response
89% of the employees work for more than 8 hours which is the starting point of the
stress while 11 % of the employees don’t work for more than 8 hours.
6. You have an important function at your home and your boss asks to give a 4
hour over time, what will be your response?
43
the
Yes
No
No response
employee did not gave any answer.
Yes No No response
7. Do you regularly spend time for
19 14 2
entertainment?
Yes No No response
19 14 2
Yes
No
No response
57% of the employee spent regular time on entertainment which helps us to remain
stress free while 43% of the employees don’t do that.
8. Is your social life balanced?
Yes
No
No response 54
% of
the
Yes No No response
31 4 0
44
Yes No No response
1 34 0
It is a good habit to plan the work you do. 89 % of the employees plan their work
before doing while 11 % of the employees don’t plan their work.
10. Do you fear about the quality of your performance?
45
Yes
No
Yes No No response No response
25 10 0
63% of the employees fear the quality of performance which they give while 37 % of
the employees don’t fear the quality of their work.
11. Are you a heart patient?
Yes No No response
22 13 0
Yes
No
No response
Here 3 % of the employees are heart patient which is partially the result of stress.
12. Do you get tensed at your non achievement of your target?
Yes
No
No response
46
71% of the employees get tensed at the non achievement of the target while 29 % of
the employees work casually.
13. Do you feeling stress some times?

Yes No No response
28 6 1
Yes
No
No response
80% of the employees feel stressed sometimes while 17 % of the employees are not
feeling stressed. 3 % of the employees did not respond.
If the answer of the above question is ‘Yes’ then answer the following:
a) Is the reason of your stress your work load?
Yes No No response
20 9 6
47
Yes
No
No response
57% of the employees find themselves to be stressed by their work over load. 26 %
of the employees are not stressed because of the work overload. 17 % of the
employees did not answer.
b) Are you stressed because of your family problems?
40
% of
Yes No No response Yes
14 14 7 the
No
No response
employees are stressed because of their family problems 40% by other problems
while 20% of the employees did not responded.
c) Do you get stressed when your boss scolds you?
48
Yes
No
No response
20% of the employee did not responded when they were asked weather their get
stressed because of the scolding of their boss. 51% of the employees don’t get
stress because of the scolding of their boss. 29 % of the employees get stressed
because of the scolding of their boss.
d) Do you try Yes No No response to find any
solution 10 18 7 for the problem
of your stress?
Yes No No response
24 6 5
Yes
No
No response
69 % of the employees try to find the solution of their stress.
e) (IF YES) Do you practice yoga or any other ayurvedic therapy for
reducing stress?
Yes No No response
11 18 6
49
31% of the employees try the yoga and other ayurvedic techniques to reduce their
Yes
No
No response
stress while 51 % of the employees use other techniques to reduce stress.
Employee’s opinion about how to reduce stress
This project consist of the information about the employees undergoing from stress
who working in the banks. So considering this factor this topic becomes one of the
most important part of the project as it consists of the opinion of the employees who
work in the bank. In short it was a direct interview of the employees who gave their
opinion about how to reduce stress. The HSBC bank was marvelous and they have
given their valuable opinion about reducing stress as a result of the last question
included in the questionnaire 2. So the opinion if the employees were as follows:
 “Just smile away” An employee- HSBC Bank

 “Just believe in your self and just do what your heart wants” An employee-
HSBC Bank
 -“Talking to family members,- Watching TV or listening good music, - Going
for a walk or long drive” An employee- HSBC Bank
 “Believe in God” An employee- HSBC Bank
 “Respect yourself and give time to yourself” An employee- HSBC Bank
 “Working in environment welfares, lot of positive attitude. Positive attitude is
only that reduces stress and achieves success. Most of the people frustrate
due to lack of positivity and stress level climbs up due to that. So get positive
50
attitude about work, about life, and forget the stress” An employee- HSBC
Bank
 “We should do such activities from which we get happiness and also make
others happy. Pass your time with your close friends and relatives.” An
employee said.
 “Play and watch cricket” An employee-
 “Listen music and spend time with family” An employee-
 “Get adjusted with others, Find and spend time for prayer, Study the
scriptures, See oneness in all, All are manifested of the supreme GOD” An
employee-
These opinions are seemed to be valuable and effective as one of the effective
things has been noticed that the employees who have got less than 18 marks in the
Burnout test have given their opinions about reducing the stress.
It is also noticed that in the HSBC bank Visakhapatnam in the time of late evening
slow instrumental music are been played so that the employees can work stress
free. This is one of the positive things which are seen in the organization who is
caring for their employees. This will help the organization to boost up the
productivity.
From the certain sample of employees selected for the research, only 10 employees
have given their opinion how to reduce stress. So we can understand that how
overloaded the employees of the bank are.
Limitation of the survey
 The questionnaires were filled be 35 employees working in the major Bank of

Visakhapatnam i.e. HSBC Bank. So the scope of sample findings was less.
51
 The questionnaire was filled by 35 employees of different designations. So the
point of view of employees differs as per their designations.
 The employees from whom the questionnaires are filled are in a heavy workload so
some of the questionnaires filled by the employees who are in stress cannot be
called reasonable.
 The responses of the employees cannot be accurate as the problem of language
and understanding arises. (These problems are not in all cases.)
 One of the other problems of questionnaire is the cost. Sometimes it may be
possible that even by spending so much the result may not be reasonable.
 Many a times the employees may not be really conscious or may not be bothered
about the questionnaire. This may create a problem in the research.
Findings
It is analyzed from the questionnaire filled by the employees that the employees who
have scored more than 20 marks in the burnout test are not satisfied with the
performance which they give in the organization. Thus it is proved that the
employees who are desired to give better performance than their original
performance are found more stressful than the others. While at the same time the
employ that have scored less than 20 marks in the burnout test are satisfied with the
performance. From the sample of 35 bank employees who have been surveyed, one
is found to be a heart patient. This can be because of high level of stress.
Very rare of the employee are to be found suffering from depression. It is proved
from the survey that the employees who have scored more than 25 marks in the
burnout test are concern about the opinion of their colleagues. And the employees
who got less than 25 marks do not mind about their colleague’s opinion. Thus it is
proved that the colleagues opinion also play a lead role in the increase and decrease
of the stress level. Those who mind about their colleague’s opinion are found to be
more stressful.
The employees who have scored 28-29 marks in the burnout test don’t believe in
sharing their problems with their spouse or friend or any closed one. Thus we can
52
say that sharing your problems with your spouse or close friends is a better idea to
reduce stress.
In the second questionnaire one of the question was “You have an important function
at your home and your boss asks to give a 4 hour over time what will be your
response ‘Yes or No’?” the employees have given their opinion as per their mood.
While considering the point of view of entertainment it depends upon the mood of the
employees. The entertainment is considered one of the most ultimate solutions to
reduce stress. Most of the employees do not spend regular time in entertainment.
This may be because they may not be getting time for entertainment or they may not
be interested in the same.
One of the questions was asked that were their social life balanced? It is observed
that the employees who have scored above 20 marks in the burnout test did not
have their social life balanced. Thus we can conclude that the employees who are
above 20 don’t have their social life balanced. Thus it is proved that stress may
affect our social life also.
The employees were asked weather they plan their work or not, moderate answers
were given. The employees scoring more than 25 marks were not found their work
planned. Thus the employees who plan their work have scored below 25 marks in
the burnout test except some cases as there are always some drawbacks in making
plan. Failure of a plan may also lead a person to stress. Thus we can conclude that
planning of the work may help to reduce stress level.
Most of the employees who have scored more than 20 marks fear about their quality
of work they give. This aspect is not dependent of the burnout level. This aspect
depends upon the dedication of work. So it is meaningless to compare this question
with the burnout test.
A question was asked that weather you get stressed at the non-achievement of their
target? All the employees have responded positively. But this is not concern with the
burnout score. From this we can conclude that all the employees are given
53
achievable target and naturally by the non-achievement of the target all the
employees may get stressed. One of the other possibilities is that the employees
have responded positively to show themselves to be good.
The employees having more than 10 marks in the burnout test says that they are
under stress. Out of 35 employees of the sample 20 of the employees accepted that
the reason for their stress is workload. 10 employees are not stressed because of
the workload but because of their family problem. 5 of the employees are not
suffering from stress. 14 employees out of 30 employees who are stressed feel
stressful when their boss scolds them while 16 employees refused that they are not
stressed because their boss scolds them. All the 30 employees have accepted that
they try to find the solution of their stress. 10 employees out of 30 employees
practice yoga to reduce their stress and the other 20 employees don’t practice yoga.
The burnout scores of the employees who practice yoga are either more than 25 or
less than 20. Thus we can conclude that the employees have reduced their stress by
yoga therapy and other employees have just started the yoga because of high level
of burnout
The above analysis is done by the data received from the questionnaire. So the
accuracy of data depends upon the response of the employees.
CONCLUSION:
The present study was conducted at HSBC in Visakhapatnam. The aim was to find
the stress levels, personality type of the employees. This was done using a detailed
questionnaire. 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
54
stress among the employees & such stress is affecting their behaviors, it can be
controlled & reduced effectively. This can be done by giving counseling &
incorporating the suggestions given here in at individual & organization level
BIBILIOGRAPHY
 Organizational Behavior & Management, 8th Ed., Ivancevich, Konopaske, and

Matteson
55
 ^ Isaksen, S. G., & Ekvall, G. (2007). Assessing the context for change: A
technical manual for the Situational Outlook Questionnaire. Orchard Park, NY: The
Creative Problem Solving Group.
 ^ *Anderson, N.R., & West, M.A. (1996). "The team climate inventory:
Development of the TCI and its applications in teambuilding for innovativeness."
European Journal of Work and Organizational Behavior, 19, p. 235-258.
 ^ *Reichers, A.E. and Schneider, B. (1990). "Climate and culture: An evolution of

constructs." In Schneider B. (Ed.) Organizational Climate and Culture, Jossey-Bass,
San Francisco. (p. 22)
 ^ *Hart, P. M., Griffin, M. A., Wearing, A. J., & Cooper, C. L. (1996). Manual for
the QPASS Survey. Brisbane: Public Sector Management Commission.
 ^ *Rafferty A. E., & Rose, D. M. (2001). An examination of the relationship among

extent of workplace change, employee participation, and workplace distress. In W.
Noble (Ed.), Australian Journal of Psychology 2001 Supplement – combined
Abstracts of 2001 Australian Psychology Conferences, vol. 53 (p. 85). Carlton South,
Vic: The Australian Psychological Society Ltd.
 ^ *Rose, D. M. & Waterhouse, J. M. (2004). Experiencing new public

management: employee reaction to flexible work practices and performance
management. Industrial Relations European Conference, Utrecht, Netherlands
 ^ *Rose. D. M., Douglas, M., Griffin, M. A., & Linsley, C. (2002). Making HR work:
Symposium - Managing the relationship: commitment and work effectiveness.
Australian Human Resources Institute HR Practices Day 2002. Brisbane, Australia.
www.mindtool.com
Organizational Behavior “Stephen P. Robbins”
Burn Out tool – Questionnaire
ANNEXURE
Questionnaire:
No Questions Not at Rarely Sometimes Often Very
all often
1 Do you feel run down and
drained of physical or
56
emotional energy?
2 Do you find that you are
prone to negative thinking
about your job?
3 Do you find that you are
harder and less sympathetic
with people than perhaps
they deserve?
4 Do you find yourself getting
easily irritated by small
problems, or by your co-
workers and team?
5 Do you feel misunderstood
or unappreciated by your
co-workers?
6 Do you feel that you have
no-one to talk to?
7 Do you feel that you are
achieving less than you
should?
8 Do you feel under an
unpleasant level of pressure
to succeed?
9 Do you feel that you are not
getting what you want out of
your job?
10 Do you feel that you are in
the wrong organization or
the wrong profession?
11 Are you becoming
frustrated with parts of your
job?
12 Do you feel that
organizational politics or
bureaucracy frustrate your
ability to do a good job?
13 Do you feel that there is
more work to do than you
practically have the ability to
do?
14 Do you feel that you do not
have time to do many of the
things that are important to
doing a good quality job?
15 Do you find that you do not
have time to plan as much
as you would like to?
Total
57
Instructions: For each question, put an 'X' in the column that most applies. Put one
'X' only in each row.
Please write the total number of ‘x’ at the space given at the bottom of each column
Answer Number Weight Weighted Total
Not at all 0
Rarely 1
Sometimes 2
Often 3
Very often 4
>=
-1 No sign of burnout here!
5 Little sign of burnout here, unless some factors are particularly severe
18 Be careful - you may be at risk of burnout, particularly if several scores are

high
35 You are at severe risk of burnout - do something about this urgently
45 You are at very severe risk of burnout - do something about this urgently
58

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HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

A study on the organizational and individual strategies to combat

MS. GM.Archana Das

K. Hari Krishna (1226210115)

Further, we would like to thank Mr. Ganesh Prashant (Center Manager,

CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK

Human Resource Management is an art of managing people at work in

Decision made must influence the effectiveness of organization. Effectiveness of an

HRM is a broad concept Personnel management and human resource development

“ Human Resource Management is a process of producing development,

The most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly attributed to Richard S

The types of stress are as follows

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

 Stress (game), card game

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

Symptoms of chronic stress can be:

Compressive stress is the stress applied to materials resulting in their compaction

In long, slender structural elements -- such as columns or truss bars -- an increase of

Stress in Biological terms:

Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a

The term is commonly used by laypersons in a metaphorical rather than literal or

What causes stress?

Good stress v/s Bad stress:

Coping with Stress at Work place

Step 1: Raising Awareness

Step 3: Coping with Stress

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

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

What Laughter Can Do Against Stress And Its Effects?

1) Laughter lowers blood pressure and reduces hypertension.

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

Health and Healthcare Utilization

Causes of Workplace Stress

Signs of Workplace Stress

A combination of organizational change and stress management is often the most

How to Change the Organization to Prevent Job Stress

Reduce your stress

 Dwelling on the negative consequences of a poor performance; or

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

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

 Worries about performance during rehearsal: If some of your practice was

Positive Thinking & Opportunity Seeking

 Worries about performance: "I have prepared well and rehearsed

STRESS AND PERFORMANCE: POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP FRAMEWORKS

STRESS AND GROUP FUNCTIONING

While the affects of stress on individual performance are relevant to military

LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF STRESS

MODERATORS AND OTHER WAYS TO REDUCE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF

MODERATING THE STRESSOR-STRESS RESPONSE RELATIONSHIP

OTHER WAYS TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON PERFORMANCE

Treatment and Therapy

Stress is a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an

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

Sampling methods are classified as either probability or non probability. In probability

Burnout occurs when passionate, committed people become deeply disillusioned

Using the Tool:

 Work through the table on paper and calculate values manually.

2 Do you think that you are suffering from depression?

3 Do you worry about your colleague's opinion about you?

5 Do you work more than 8 hours?

7 Do you regularly spend time for entertainment?

8 Is your social life balanced?