OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AND ITS IMPACT ON WORK FACTORS A STUDY OF J&K BANK

A

SYNOPSIS

SUBMITTED

TO

ARNI UNIVERSITY, KATHGARH (INDORA)

FOR THE DEGREE OF

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHYIN

COMMERCE

Supervisor :

Dr. Surya Bhushan Tiwari

Submitted by :

Himza JamwalID:ACCM0001A/15

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

ARNI UNIVERSITY KATHGARHINDORA, DISTRICT KANGRA -176401 HIMACHAL PRADESH (INDIA)

2016

1. INTRODUCTIONOrganizational life is quite stressful. Work pressures, tight

schedules, meetings that never seem to end on time, unhelpful colleagues, critical

bosses, and a host of other irritating factors may all have a cumulative effect in

making the lives of modern-day executives quite miserable. As we all know, stress is

the body’s reaction to any demand made on it. Perceptions of events, whether positive

or negative, activate stress. It is, therefore, a highly individual affair. What is stressful

to ‘X’ may not be so to another. But it is fairly easy to conclude that everyone lives

under a certain amount of stress. In fact, the only people without stress are dead. At

the same time, it is certainly wrong to conclude that stress is always bad. Mild stress

may improve productivity. It may force people to focus more sharply on the problem

and produce solutions. But if stress is severe and persists for long periods of time, it

can be harmful. Stress can be disruptive to an individual as any accident. It can lead

to poor performance on the job, excessive use of alcohol or other drugs, poor

attendance or even overall poor health. In fact, there is growing evidence that undue

stress is related to the diseases that are major causes of death – coronary heart disease,

stroke, hypertension, diabetes, cancer and also suicide.Workplace stressis 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.) Stress may be understood as a state

of tension experienced by individuals facing extraordinary demands, constraints or

opportunities. The pressures of modern life, coupled with the demands of a job, can

lead to emotional imbalances that are collectively labelled ‘Stress’. However, stress is

not always unpleasant. To be alive means to respond to the stress of achievement and

the excitement of a challenge. Stress is the spice of life and the absence of stress

make life dull, monotonous and spiritless. There is, in fact, growing evidence that

people need a certain amount of stimulation and that monotony can bring on some of

the same problems as over work. The term stress normally refers to excessive stress

caused by extraordinary demands which cause us to lose something we desire,

constraints things that keep us from doing what we desire or opportunities.

1.1 Two faces of Stress - There are actually two faces of stress are –

1.1.1 Constructive stress

1.1.2 Destructive stress

Figure 1: Two faces of Stress

1.1.1 Constructive stress -It is also called Eustress acts in a positive manner for the

individual and the organization e.g. winning a contest. Eustress can indicate a

situation where the individual is in balance or within tolerable limits. The above

figure shows that low to moderate amounts of stress can act in a constructive or

energizing way. Moderate stress can increase effort, stimulate creativity and

encourage diligence in one’s work. It can be equated with tension that causes us

to work hard before exams, pay attention in class and complete projects and

assignments on time. The same positive results of stress can be found in the

workplace.

1.1.2 Destructive stress – Distress is not healthy for the individual and or organization.

Distress would indicate effects that are out of balance outside the tolerance limits.

Excessive stress may lead to overload and break down a person’s physical and

mental systems. Performance can suffer as people experience illness brought on by

very intense stress and or react to high stress through absenteeism turnover, errors,

accidents, and dissatisfaction and reduced performance.

Mangers seek the positive performance edge provided by constructive stress. At

theSame time, they must also pay attention to destructive stress and its likely

impact on People and work performance in a negative way. One of the most

difficult tasks here is to ascertain the optimum level for yourself and for the person

you supervise in the workplace.

2. MODELS AND THEORIES OF OCCUPATIONAL STRESS

Individuals can have a variety of reactions to job stress. They can react emotionally by

feeling frustrated, happy or excited, bored or depressed. They may experience mental

blocks, be hypersensitive to criticism or have trouble concentrating. People can also

respond to stress behaviourally they eat more, drink more, lose their appetites, or stop

going socially and mix with people freely. People can also respond to stress

psychologically, as explained by Hans Salye in his famous book the stress of life, 1956.

Hans Selye General Adaptation SyndromeModel – Scientist Hans selye in [1907-

1982] introduced this model in 1936 showing three phases what the alleged effects of

stress has on the body. In his workSelye – the father of stress research developed the

theory that stress is major cause of disease because chronic stress cause long-term

chemical changes.

Heobserved that the body would respond to any external biological source of stress with

a predictable biological pattern in an attempt to restore the body internal homeostasis.

“Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after

a stressful situation but becoming a little older.”

With the general syndrome, a human’s adaptive response to stress has three distinct

phases:

Alarm Stage – your first reaction of stress recognizes there’s a danger and

prepares to deal with threat, a.k.a the fight or flight response. Activation of the

HPA axis. The nervous system and the adrenal glands take place.

Resistance Stage – The body shifts into this second phase with the source os

stress being possibly resolved. Homeostasis begins restoring balance and a

period of recovery for repair and renewal takes place.

Exhaustion Stage – At this last 3rd phase the stress has continued foe

sometimes. Our body’s ability to resist is lost because its adaptation energy

supply is gone often referred to as overload, burnout. Here is where stress

levels go up and stay up!

French, Caplan and Kahn’s Person – Environment fit (PE-Fit) theory French, Caplan,

Kahn and their colleagues in 1972 and French and Kahn, 1962 et al., 1964)

subsequently incorporated Lewin’s concepts of stress and strain in their person –

Environment Fit theory, which is widely accepted as a major conceptual framework for

research on occupational stress (Chemers et al., 1985; Edwards and Cooper, 1990). In

the context of this theoretical orientation, occupational stress is defined in terms of job

characteristics that pose a threat to the individual resulting from a poor match between

the abilities of the employee and the demands of the job (French and Caplan,1972). The

workplace stress that occurs as a result of incompatible person– environment fit

produces psychological strain that may contribute to stress-related physical disorders

(French et al., 1982).

Lazarus’ Transactional Process Model - Lazarus,(1966) Transactional Process model

of psychological stress and coping conceptualizes stress as a process that involves a

complex transaction between a person and her/his environment (Lazarus and

Folkman,1984). In applying this model to occupational stress, Lazarus (1991)

emphasizes the distinction between sources of stress (‘stressors’) in the workplace and

the emotional reactions that are evoked when a particular stressor is cognitively

appraised as threatening. Three types of appraisal mediate the effects of stressors on

emotional reactions. Primary appraisal occurs when a stressor is evaluated in terms of

its immediate impact on a person’s well-being. Secondary appraisal takes into account

the resources of the employee for coping with the stressor. The third type, reappraisal,

incorporates new information resulting from the worker’s appraisal of the effectiveness

of her/his efforts to cope with a particular stressor.

2.1 Symptoms of stress

There are a number of biological, psychological and behavioural changes which can be

symptomatic of individual stress.

2.1.1 Biological – These include lack of appetite, craving for food when under pressure,

frequent, indigestion or heartburn, constipation, tiredness, tendency to sweat for no

good reason, nervous, nail beating, high blood pressure, and desire to cry.

2.1.2 Psychological - A number of psychological changes can be symptomatic of

excessive or persistent stress. These include negativism. Expression of boredom,

dissatisfaction, anger over unimportant issues, inability to make decision, problem

in dealing with new or strange situation. Common psychological stress symptoms

include depression.

2.1.3 Behavioural – These include constant irritability with people, feeling unable to

cope, lack of interest in life, a feeling of feel failure, a feeling of being bad or of

self-hatred, loss of sense of humours. Among the more common indicators are the

sudden changes in weight, smoking, use of alcohol.

2.2 Source of StressStressors originate at Individual, Group, Organizational and Extra- Organizational

levels-

2.2.1 Individual level stressors – These relate directly to a person’s personality and job

responsibilities.The most common individual level stressors are -

Type of personality, Role overload, Role conflict &Role ambiguity.

a. Personality Type – In respects of personality two concepts – Type A

personality & Type B personality.

The Type A personality is stress-prone as it associated with the following –

Always moves, walks and eats rapidly.

Does several things simultaneously

Feels guilty when relaxing

Does not have time to enjoy life.

The Type B personality is less stress prone it associated with the following –

Is not concerned about time

Does not brag

Play to fun, not to win is mild-mannered

2.3 Group level StressorsGroup level stressors are caused by group by group dynamics and managerial

behaviours. Managers create stress for employees by- failing to provide support,

showing lack of concern, creating a high productivity environment.

2.3.1 Organizational stressors – Organizational stressors affect large number of

employees. Organizational climate is a prime example. A high pressure

environment that places chronic work demands on employees fuels the stress

response.

2.3.2 Extra-Organizational stressors - It is caused by factors outside the org. for

instance conflicts associated with one’s career and family life stressful.

I. Outcomes – Research has proved that stress produces harmful physiological

outcomes. Research is now progress to co-relate stress with work related

behaviours.

II. Burnout– Burnout is a state of mind resulting from prolonged exposure to

intense emotional stress.

II.3.3 Consequences of stress – stress can produce three types of consequences of as

follows:

II.3.3.1 Individual consequences.

II.3.3.2 Organizational consequences

II.3.3.3 Burnout.

2.3.3.1 Individual Consequences.Stress is both a friend and foe. Stress is not always

damaging or bad. A mild stress leads to increase in employee’s job performance.

People in certain jobs such as newspaper, journalists and television announcers

who work under time pressures would seem to benefit from mild level of stress.

But a high level of stress has three type of harmful consequences on the individual

as discussed below:

a. Impact on Health. Stress has tremendous impact on physical health of the

employees. A high level of stress is accompanied by high blood pressure and high

level of cholesterol.

b. Psychological consequences. The symptoms of psychological consequences are

anger, anxiety, depression and tension. These all boil down to poor job

performance.

c. Impact on Behaviour. Stress is sustained over a long period, also adversely

affects the employees behaviour. The consequences of stress on employees. The

consequences of stress on employee’sbehaviour reflected included overeating,

sleeplessness, increased smoking, drinking and drug abuse.

2.3.3.2 Organizational Consequences - The above individual consequences of stress can

affect the organization also. It include low performance low performance and

productivity, high rate of absenteeism and turnover, lost customers because of

poor worker attitude, increased alienation of the worker from the job.

2.2.3.3 Burnout - Burnout is a general feeling of exhaustion that develops when a

person simultaneously experiences too much pressure and has too few source of

satisfaction. Quite often, people with high aspirations and strong motivation to

get things done are prime candidates for burnout under certain conditions.

In such a situation, the individual is likely to put too much of himself into the

job. The most likely effects are prolonged stress, helplessness under the burden

of overwhelming demands.

3. AN OVER VIEWS OF THE HISTORY OF JAMMU & KASHMIR

BANK

The Jammu & Kashmir Bank was founded on October 1, 1938 under letters patent

issued by the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh. The Maharaja invited

eminent Kashmiri investors to become founding directors and shareholders of the bank,

the most notable of which were Abdul Aziz Mantoo, Pesten Gee and the Bhaghat

Family, all of whom acquired major shareholdings. The Bank commenced business on

July 4, 1939 and was considered the first of its nature and composition as a State owned

bank in the country. The Bank was established as a semi-State Bank with participation

in capital by State and the public under the control of State Government.

The bank had to face serious problems at the time of independence when out of its total

often branches two branches of Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Mirpur fell to the other

side of the line of control along with cash and other assets. Following the extension of

Central laws to the state of Jammu & Kashmir, the bank was defined as a government

company as per the provisions of Indian companies act 1956. Mushtaq Ahmed is the

new Chairman and CEO of Jammu & Kashmir Bank.

J&K Bank’s Annual Report 2008-09 has won three awards at the prestigious LACP

2009 Vision Awards – the world’s largest award programmed for Annual Reports,

organized by California-based League of American Communications Professionals

(LACP), USA. The awards received include – Rank 73 on the top hundred lists of

annual reports from around the world, Platinum Award in the Commercial Banks – Up

to $10billion annual revenue from the Asia Pacific Region and Silver Award for Most

Creative Report across all sectors from the Asia Pacific Region.  Dr HaseebDrabu was

chairman and chief executive of the bank for the period 2005 to 2010.

3.1 Zonal Office of J&K Bank

Corporate Headquarters Maulana Azad, Srinagar 190001, (Jammu & Kashmir)

Operator: (9)

Zonal Office: Kashmir Central M.A Road, Srinagar- 190001, (Jammu & Kashmir)

Operator: 101 & 9.

Zonal Office: Kashmir North (Sopore), Amargarh, Sopore 193201, (Jammu &

Kashmir)

Zonal Office: Kashmir south (pulwama), J&K Building, Pulwama 192301,

(Jammu & Kashmir)

Zonal Office: LehLadakh.

Zonal Office: Jammu central Rail Head complex, Jammu, (Jammu & Kashmir).

Zonal Office: Jammu North (Doda) Khan’s Plaza Building near DakBunglow.

Zonal Office: Jammu west (Rajouri) Opposite Tehsil Office, main market Rajouri,

(Jammu & Kashmir).

Zonal Office: Upper North (Mohali) J&K Bank, Phase 2, sector54, Mohali

(Punjab) – 160055.

Zonal Office: North Zone (Gurgaon), plot no. 132-134, sector 44.

Zonal Office: West Zone (Mumbai), 6th floor, The Eagles Flight, Suren Lane,

Andheri kurla road.

Zonal Office: Treasury Opertaions (Mumbai) 5th floor, Merchant Chambers, 41-

New Marine lines.

4. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Since 1970, studies of stress in the workplace have increased more than 20 fold, whereas

research on family stress has received considerably less attention.Rapid change is now a

fundamental characteristic of modern working life, with greater demands to learn new

skills in order to adapt to increasingly complex types of work.Occupational stress is an

increasingly important occupational health problem and a significant cause of economic

loss. Occupational stress may produce both overt psychological and physiologic

disabilities. However it may also cause subtle manifestation of morbidity that can affect

personal well-being and productivity.

Jick and Payne,(1980) suggested that job stressed individual is likely to have greater job

dissatisfaction, increased absenteeism, increased frequency of drinking and smoking,

increase in negative psychological symptoms and reduced aspirations and self-esteem

The use of role concepts suggests that occupational stress is associated with individual,

interpersonal and structural variables Kutz and Kahn[1978],Whetten[1978].

Kahn and Byosiere,(1992) have reviewed and evaluated the most influential models of

occupational stress and summarized the empirical findings relating to these models.

While some investigators have focused on the pressures of a particular job, others have

been concerned primarily with the behavioural and health consequences of work-related

stress (Schuler, 1991).

Brook,(1973)Reported that qualitative changes in the job create adjust mental problem

among employees. The interpersonal relationships within the department and between the

departments create qualitative difficulties within the organization to a great extent.

Cobb,([1975)Has the opinion that, “The responsibility load creates severe stress among

workers and managers.” If the individual manager cannot cope with the increased

responsibilities it may lead to several physical and psychological disorders among them.

Miles and Perreault ,(1976)- Identify four different types of role conflict: 1. Intra-sender

role conflict 2. Inter sender role conflict. 3. Person- role conflict; 4. Over load role.

Katz and Kahn, Whetten,(1978) - The use of role concepts suggests that job related

stress is associated with individual, interpersonal, and structural variables.

Jick and Payne, (1980) - A job stressed individual is likely to have greater job

dissatisfaction, increased absenteeism, increased frequency of drinking and smoking,

increase in negative psychological symptoms and reduced aspirations and self-esteem.

According to Matteson and Ivancevich, (1982) -Costs in the US economy relating to

reduced productivity, absenteeism and worker turnover have continued to escalate as a

function of measured occupational stress.

Newton and Keenan, (1987) - Stressors at the individual level have been studied more

than any other category. Role conflicts, role ambiguity, role overload and under load, is

widely examined individual stressors

Schuler,(1991) While some investigators have focused on the pressures of a particular

job, others have been concerned primarily with the behavioural and health consequences

of work-related stress.

Kahn and Byosiere,(1992)Have reviewed and evaluated the most influential models of

occupational stress and summarized the empirical findings relating to these models.

Quick et.al.,(1997) It is readily apparent that increased concerns about job stress have

stimulated numerous studies that have helped to identify important sources of stress in

the workplace

5. CONCEPTUALIZATION

Stress is inevitable in our society. Researchers on stress make it clear that, to enter in to

the complex area of stress, especially in to the area of occupational stress, is very

difficult. Stress is an unavoidable consequence of modern living.During the past decade,

the banking sector had under gone rapid and striking changes like policy changes due to

globalization and liberalization, increased competition due to the entrance of more

private (corporate) sector banks, downsizing, introduction of new technologies, etc. Due

to these changes, the employees in the banking sector are experiencing a high level of

stress. In light of the above, the present study attempt to throw light on the various

problems of occupational stress among banking professionals

Although a lot of studies have been conducted on the psychosocial side of the new

policy regime in many sectors, there are only few studies, as far as the banking sector is

concerned, while the same sector has been drastically influenced by the new policies. In

this juncture, the present study is undertaken to throw light in to the pathogenesis of

specific problems of bank employees related to occupational stress.

Stress is an individual’s response to a disturbing factor in the environment, and the

consequence of such reaction. Stress obviously involves interaction of the person and

the environment. Stress is an adaptive response to an external situation that results in

physical, psychological and behavioural deviations for the organisational participants.

The physical or psychological demands from the environment that cause stress are

stressors. They create Stress or the potential for stress when an individual perceives

them as representing a demand that may exceed that person’s ability to respond.

6. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDYA. To study the level of job Stress in relation to nature of job inJammu and Kashmir

bank.

B. To identify the factors responsible for job stress.

C. To investigate the effect of job stress on employees performance.

D. To study the effect of stress with respect to work factors such as morale, job

satisfaction, taskeffort, organizational commitment etc., when people are under high

stress.

E. To provide the set of suggestions andpolicy Implications to tackles the job stress and

enhance the job performance of the employees.

7. HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDYA. Level of job stress is independent of employee’s nature of job.

B. There is no relationship between job stress and morale in J&K Bank.

C. There is negative relationship between job stress and employees performance.

D. There is no relationship between job stress and organization commitment.

8. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The methodology used for conducting research is based on structure an unstructured

interviews and questionnaire, which were design to get the information from the higher

level managers to whom I interviewed and did a survey through questionnaire from the

employees working in an organization. I selected to organizations for analysis of my

research is JAMMU & KASHMIR BANK. Questionnaire will be distribute and collect

personally by the researcher.

8.1 Research Scope – The present study focuses on the Occupational Stress in the J&K

Bank. The study was designed to gain a better stress insight by the employees in the

bank. The study also evaluates the stress management ability of the employees and

the level of adoption of coping strategies.

8.2 Research Design - The study is explorative as well as descriptive in nature.

8.3 Explorative study–It is conducted to clarify ambiguous problems. Management

may have discovered general problems but research is needed to gain better

understating of the dimensions of the problem.Exploratory research design using-

Secondary information

Expert opinion, surveys etc.

8.4 Descriptive Research – Descriptive Research as the term implies, is to describe

characteristics of a population, or phenomenon. It is seek to determine the answers

to who, what where, and how questions.

8.5 Sampling - The process of using a small number of items or parts of large

population to make conclusions about the whole population.

8.6 Sampling Design - A sample design is a definite plan for obtaining a sample from a

given population. There are many sample designs from which a researcher can

choose. Researchers must prepare /select a sample design which should be reliable

and appropriate for his research only.

8.7 Sampling Area – The research will be conducted at selected branches of J&K Bank

such as ,Jammu, Kathua and Lakhanpur.

8.8 Sample Size–300Employees.

8.9 Sampling Technique – Convenient samplingTechnique is used.

Convenience sampling generally assumes a homogeneous population, and that one

person is pretty much like another. Whilst people are known to be different, the

difference is assumed to be probabilistic.Convenience sampling is also known as

Opportunity Sampling, Accidental Sampling or Haphazard Sampling. 

8.10 Types of Data

Primary and Secondary source of data will be used to fulfil the specific objectives of the

present study.

8.11 Primary data -Collected by investigator himself through questionnaires personal

interviews telephonic interviews etc.

8.12 Secondary Data - Obtained from journals, report research and organizations etc.

9. TENTATIVE CHAPTER PLAN

Chapter 1.

Introductory and Theoretical Frame work of study

Chapter 2.

Occupational Stress and Its Impact on Work Factors: An Overview

Chapter 3.

Review ofliterature

Chapter 4.

Occupational Stress and Its Impact on Work Factors: Testing of hypothesis and analysis

of data

Chapter 5.

Findings, Conclusion and Recommendations

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