Asia Pacific Journal of Research ISSN (Print) : ISSN (Online) : STRESS MANAGEMENT

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1 STRESS MANAGEMENT Dr. B.SWARNALATHA Assistant professor (Senior Grade) Bharathiyar College of Engineering and Technology Karaikal ABSTRACT Stress has been defined in different ways over the years. It can be referred to as pressure from the environment or strain within the person. The Stress is caused by the interaction between situation and the individual. It is the psychological and physical state that results when the resources of the individual are not sufficient to meet the demands and pressures of the situation. Stress can lead to psychological illnesses, such as anxiety and depression. Stress can also contribute directly to physical illness; Stress makes workers more susceptible to hazards, injury and disease.the Stress is an important aspect of every organization..stress can make an individual productive and constructive when it is identified and well managed. Positive attitude and meditation will be helpful for coping with the stress. The individual s life may be viewed in broader perspective will definitely reduce stress. Stress can be very well managed by meditation, Yoga etc. Introduction Stress is body s way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can also be a good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.stress can lead to psychological illnesses, such as anxiety and depression. Stress can also contribute directly to physical illness; The changing nature of work has increased workspace stress hazards. Reorganization layoffs, job insecurity, accelerated paces of work, along with many physical work hazards (e.g., hot or cold conditions, poor ergonomic design, poor ventilation, noise, etc) can all contribute to stress. These causes of stress are all firmly rooted in the workplace. Types of Stress There are different types of stress, good and bad. Most people think that stress is always bad. A little stress is absolutely necessary for our survival in this highly competitive world. Thus, we can classify stress into two groups the good stress or eustress or the bad stress or distress Eustress: The Good Stress Eustress is the good stress which helps to improve our performance. For example, if there is no stress of performing well in the exams or athletic events, students will not study harder or the athletes will not sweat it out on the tracks. A certain amount of positive stress helps to meet all challenges and is necessary for survival and progress in life. Distress: The Bad Stress When stress gets out of hand, it becomes bad stress or distress, which will bring out the weakness within us and make us vulnerable to fatigue and illness. If distress is continued unchecked, this will lease to all the ill-effects of stress. 146

2 Review of Literature The European Agency for Safety and Health at Workidentified both physical and psychosocial hazards in the workplace as being linked to stress. Physical hazards include factors such as noise and poor physical work environments. Literature suggests that physical hazards do not only interact with one another in producing their effects, they may also interact with psychosocial hazards. Satija S. & Khan W. in their research work titled Emotional Intelligence as Predictor of Occupational Stress among Working Professionals (2013). According to them Occupational Stress is as same as Job Stress that needs to be controlled at the workplace otherwise it will negatively affect on employee s work attitudes & behavior. This study investigates that, the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Occupational Stress. This study revealed findings that, Emotional Intelligence is a most significant predictor of Occupational Stress.7 4) Amir Shani and Abraham Pizam(2009) Work-Related Depression among Hotel Employees have conducted a study on the depression of work among hotel employees in Central Florida. They have found that, incidence of depression among workers in the hospitality industry by evaluating the relationship between the occupational stress and work characteristics. Viljoen and Rothmann, have investigated the relationship between occupational stress, ill health and organizational commitment (2009). They found that organizational stressors contributed significantly to ill health and low organizational commitment. Stress about job security contributed to both physical and psychological ill health. Low individual commitment to the organization was predicted by five stressors, such as Work-life balance, Overload, Control, Job aspects and Pay. Schmidt, Denise Rodrigues Costa; and et al, in their work on Occupational stress among nursing staff in surgical settings. They aimed at evaluating the presence of occupational stress among nursing professionals working in surgical settings and investigating the relations between occupational stress and work characteristics. Li-fang Zhang have conducted a study on titled Occupational stress and teaching approaches among Chinese academics (2009). Researcher suggested that, controlling the self-rating abilities of the participants, the Favorable conceptual changes in teaching approach and their role insufficiency predicated that the conceptual change in teaching strategy is negative. Kayoko Urakawa and KazuhitoYokoyam in their work on Sense of Coherence (SOC) may Reduce the Effects of Occupational Stress on Mental Health Status among Japanese Factory Workers (2009) has found the result i.e. adverse effects on mental health due to the job demand and job stress was positively associated with SOC, the mental health status of males in managerial work was adversely negative, where as it was positive among the female co-workers. Finally they found that, SOC is an important factor determining the coping ability over the job stress for both the genders. J.E. Agolla in his research titled Police Officers: The Case of Botswana Police Service, (2009). He has conducted a study in Botswana, among the police to find out work stress symptoms and coping strategies among the police service. This study reveals that the police work stressors are; getting injured while on duty and the use of force when the job demands to do so, etc. The coping strategies were identified as exercising, socializing, healthy eating or diets, career planning and employee training. UrskaTreven, Sonja Treven&SimonaSarotarZizek in their research titled Effective approaches to managing stress of employees (2011), have found that, where the workers are said to be stressed are more likely to be unsuccessful in their work. Various approaches of managing stress, good work organization and good management are the effective ways of preventing stress. They categorized stress broadly into three types; such as i) Transient Stress ii) Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) and iii) Chronic Stress. Objectives of the Study Methodology 1. To identify the personal factors of stress induced among the employees of PeekeyMediquip private limited. 2. To find out the work related factors of stress faced by the employees of the concern. 3. To determine the stress coping techniques followed by the employee of the company. The method of selecting portion of the Universe for the study with a view to draw conclusion about the Universe/Population is known as sampling.the Sample Size was taken as 120 employees by calculation method from PeekayMediquip private limited.the population elements are selected for inclusion in the sample is based on the easy access and it is called as convenience sampling. The primary data were collected by a well structured questionnaire.the questions were framed using Likert s five points scale by giving ratings to the options strongly agree, agree, neutral, agree and strongly disagree.the study was conducted with Percentage Analysis, Correlation and Chi square test. 147

3 Hypothesis of the study Ho: There is no association between stress coping techniques and gender of the respondents. H1: There is an association between stress coping techniques and gender of the respondents. Analysis of the study Table -1 : spending vacation happily Spending vacation 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table -2 :Time For Hobbies Time for hobbies 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table -3 :Competition at Work Competition at work 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table - 4:Relationships at Work Place Relationships at work place are good 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree

4 Table - 5:Recognition and Respect From The Superiors Recognition and respect from the superiors 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table -6 :Opportunity To Do The Work Opportunity to do the work 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table -7 :Nature of Work The work is interestingly and rotating 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table -8 :Chances To Participate In Decision Making Chances to participate in decision making 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table - 9 :Respect From Peers Respect from peers 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree

5 Table- 10 : Cope up with Peer in Terms of Work Speed Cope up with peer in terms No. of respondents of work speed Percentage 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table 11- :Clarity of Duties And Responsibilities Clear with duties and responsibilities 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table -12 :Believing Physical Exercise And Yoga Reduce The Stress Believing physical exercise and yoga reduce the stress 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table -13 :Believing Meditatiion And Prayer To Reduce The Stress Believing meditation and No. of prayer to reduce the stress respondents Percentage 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table -14 :Work Very Intensively Work very intensively 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree

6 Table -15 :Small Practices Help to Reduce Stress Small practices help to reduce stress 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Table -16 :Enjoy With Friends For Reducing The Tension Enjoy with friends for reducing the tension No. of respondents Percentage 1. Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree Results and discussions The analysis of the study clears that37%of the respondents are allocating reasonable time to spend with friends. The most of respondents(32%) have agreed that they are spending vacation with happiness. 33% of the respondents have agreed that they have competition at work. 33% of the respondents have agreed about good relationship at work place. Most of the respondents (33%) have agreed that they get recognition and respect from the superiors. Most of the respondents (35%) have neutral opinion about the opportunity they receive to do the work. 38% of the respondents have neutral opinion regarding performance of work in an interesting manner. 36% of the respondents have neutral opinion regarding the chances to participate in decision making. 76% respondents agreed that internal transfer is effective. 72% of the respondents have agreed advance assessment and selection process. The result of correlation analysis clears that the value of r is 0.48 and hence there is a positive correlation between the variables. In Chi-square test, the calculated value is more than table value and hence null hypothesis is rejected and we accept alternative hypothesis. Thus There is an association between stress coping techniques and gender of the respondents. Conclusion Stress can easily be managed by having the opinion that the work to live and not live to work. Because of the number of hours many employees work per week, the job can easily become all-encompassing. The present study was conducted at PeekeyMediequipprivate Limited. The aim was to find out the level of stress of the employees. This was done using a detailed questionnaire. The study results that the employees fall under low stress category and only a small percentage of employees are highly stressed. Positive stress can induce every employee to work hard. But the negative stress is dangerous and will give harmful effects to the human beings. This can be done by reducing the work pressure and following stress coping techniques, both at the individual and at organizational level. References 1. Agolla. J. E, Occupational Stress Among Police Officers: The Case of Botswana Police Service, occupational Stress Among Police Officers: The Case of Botswana Police Service, Vol. 3, Issue 1, pp , Amir Shani and Abraham Pizam, Work-Related Depression among Hotel Employees, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, Vol. 50, No. 4, (2009) Vol-1 Issue IJARIIE-ISSN(O) Kayoko Urakawa and KazuhitoYokoyam, Sense of Coherence (SOC) may reduce the Effects of 4. Occupational Stress on Mental Health Status among Japanese Factory Workers, Journal of 5. Industrial Health, Vol. 47, No. 5 pp

7 6. SarveshSatija and Waheeda Khan Emotional Intelligence as Predictor of Occupational Stress among Working Professionals, A Peer Reviewed Research Journal, Vol. XV Issue 1 March Schmidt, Denise Rodrigues Costa; Dantas, RosanaAparecidaSpadoti; Marziale, Maria Helena Palucci andlaus, Ana Maria, Occupational stress among nursing staff in surgical settings, Textocontexto - enferm.[online]. 2009, vol.18, n.2, pp Li-fang Zhang, Occupational stress and teaching approaches among Chinese academics, EducationalPsychology, Volume 29, Issue 2, March 2009, pages UrskaTreven, Sonja Treven and SimonaSarotarZizek, Effective approaches to managing stress of employees, Review of Management Innovation & Creativity, Volume 4, Issue 10 (2011), pp , 10. Viljoen, J.P., &Rothmann, S. (2009). Occupational stress, ill health and organizational commitment of employees at a university of technology.sa Journal of Industrial Psychology/SA TydskrifvirBedryfsielkunde, 35(1), Art.#730, 11 pages. DOI: /sajip.v35i