International Journal of Management

(IJM), OF
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0976 6502(Print), ISSN (IJM)
0976
INTERNATIONAL
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6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)

ISSN 0976-6502 (Print)

ISSN 0976-6510 (Online)
Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013), pp. 163-174
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IJM
IAEME

WORK STRESS: A STUDY ON

RETAIL SECTOR EMPLOYEES OF JAIPUR
Dr. Anukrati Sharma
Associate Professor,
Faculty of Commerce and Management,
University of Kota, Kota, Rajasthan, India

ABSTRACT
The common sayings like Health is Wealth: and Work is Worship seems to be
gone now a days because of the reason of stress. Stress is a crucial word in organizations in
the present scenario. Without knowing the mental status and physical capacity and caliber,
organizations are just assigning work to the employees. This is causing stress. Stress at times
can be taken as a positive word also but maximum times it is taken in a negative sense. The
present paper is an attempt to focus on the stress level and how to reduce that stress from the
retail sector employees. This study highlights the reasons behind the stress and also gives
suggestions to overcome from those stressful environments. Certainly this research is helpful
for the companies as well as for the employees working in the retail sector.

Keywords: Stress, Work, Environment, Physical Capacity, Retail

INTRODUCTION
Today no one can save himself from the word Stress .We can feel it at all stages of
life. There were no specific reasons for stress. Lot many time people complain about this that
they are in Stress, because of XYZ reasons. We truly need to focus on this word, actually we
are living in a era of cut throat competition along with lots of expectations from ourselves as
well as from our surroundings, and when we are not able to fulfill it or get it, we feel
frustrated and it creates a stage of Stress. It is just like, to carry a problem 24 hours with us
and then the same problem will create a situation and stage of stress in our minds. Here in
this paper the researcher has attempted to focus on such factors which are responsible to
create stress among the retail employees as well as it has been also analyzed what are the
factors by which retailers can remove stress from the employees.
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6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
Life is so complex that it is very much needed to make a balance and a fit between your
internal state and external environment in which you have to survive. We are living one life but we
have to work in different environments where we have to deal with different types of people so it is
very much required to implement the behaviors accordingly and to enhance the capabilities. Hans
Selye, one of the leading authorities on the concept of stress, described stress as "the rate of all wear
and tear caused by life." Lazarus and Folkmans (1984) definition of stress reflects very clearly this
way of thinking. They say that stress is, a particular relationship between the person and the
environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or exceeding his or her resources and
endangering his or her well-being.
Based on the importance of Stress Management, an attempt is made in this paper to assess the
level of stress in retail sector employees. The paper identifies the range of issues and problems, which
are serving either to help or hinder stress development. It suggests the necessary actions for the
improvement of stress level in the retail organizations.
Stress is more defined through the help of model shown below:
Figure 1: Model of causes and consequences of work-related stress

Work

Stress

Risks for work stress

Stress reactions

High work load

Low control
Low support
Job insecurity
Long working hours
Low income etc.

o
o
o
o
o

Health

Long-term consequences

Physiological
Behavioral
Productivity
Reporting sick
Smoking
Making errors
Etc.
Emotional reactions
Cognitive reactions

On the worker

For employees and companies

Individual Characteristics

High blood pressure

Affective disorders
Disturbed metabolism
Alcohol dependence
Musculoskeletal disorder

Increase absenteeism
Lateness
Decreased turnover
Impaired performance and
productivity
Increased costs
Etc.

Gender
Age
Education
Competitiveness
Over commitment
Self-confidence
Etc.

Source: Adapted from Kompier and Marcelissen, 1990

The above model shows that the individual characteristics influence ones ability to cope up with
stress. Stress can affect your health, your work and it can create a imbalance in a persons life.
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6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
WORKPLACE STRESS
Workplace stress is the response people may experience when presented with work
demand and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which
challenge their ability to cope. It has been described as an emotional experience associated
with nervousness, tension and strain, brought about by factors related to work.
Workplace stress is a concern for both employers with national and international
statistics showing the prevalence has grown steadily over recent years.
The stress process originates with exposure to stressors. Stressors are those elements
within an environment that cause stress and can be either physical or psychosocial. Physical
stressors include physical elements within an environment such as loud noise or physically
uncomfortable working conditions, whereas psychosocial stressors include pressures as tight
deadlines or job insecurity.
Table 1
Types of Stressors
Work factors

Examples
Excessive work hours
Unreasonable performance demands

Physical environment

Noise and overcrowding

Health and safety risks
Ergonomic problems

Organizational practices

Lack of autonomy
Poor communication
Unclear roles and responsibilities

Workplace change

Insecurity in job
Poor chances for advancement or promotion
High turnover

Relationships

Office politics, competition and conflicts

Poor relationships with superiors
Bullying or harassment

Source : helpguide.org, www.helpguide.org/mental/work_stress_management.html

STRESS AND ITS IMPACT ON PERFORMANCE

Stress has a great impact on ones performance, when it comes to job or work stress,
then it becomes more important. Stress is all about how a person is dealing with it. To a
certain level stress is also positive and can motivate people to work but after reaching to the
Hump it becomes negative and starts damaging the whole personality. This is more
elaborate with the help of the following figure.

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976

6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
Figure 2
Good Stress

Distress

THE HUMP
Exhaustion
Figure

Performance

Comfort
Zone

III health

Healthy
tensions

Arousal stress
Source : The American Institute of Stress, http://www.stress.org/topic-definiton-stress.html

Factors Lead to Job Stress

The main factors which lead to job or work stress are as shown in the figure below:
I

II

III

Physical
Environment
|
Noise and
Overcrowding
|

Work
Factors
|
Promotion /
Demotion
|
Excessive
Workload
|

Organization
Practice
|

IV
NonOrganizational
Factors
|

Rotating Shifts
|

Life Changes
|

Role Conflict
|
Occupation
Demand
|
Lack of
Participation
|
Work Overload or
Under load
|
Multiple
Supervisors

Frustration
|
Technological
Changes
|
Relationship at
Workplace
|

Poor Air Quality

|
Health & Safety
Risk

Job Security
|
Meaningless
Tasks
|
Harassment

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Civic Amenities

International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976

6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY
The research paper consists of the following objectives:

To study the stressful environment of the retail sector of employees of Jaipur.

To analyze the effect of stress on employees.
To identify the different methods and techniques to reduce work stress.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Stress is a perceptional phenomenon resulting from a comparison between the
demand on a person and his ability to cope. An imbalance in this mechanism, when coping is
important, gives rise to the experience of stress, and to the stress response (Cox, 1978:25).
This transactional view highlights the importance of perception and the relationship of the
individual to the environment (i.e., work setting). If there is an improper fit between the
individual and the environment, the individual experiences stress.
Marshall and Cooper (1981) argue that stress is a different phenomenon from pressure
.Stress is something more than mere pressure. It carries strong overtones of the breakdown of
normal human performance . In an earlier work Cooper and Marshall (1978), concluded that
stress is essentially individually defined and must be understand with reference to
characteristics of both the individual and his environment, as it is the outcome of the two.
Holemes and Rahe (1967) defined stress as a stimulus event that presents unusual
demands . In the same context Weiten (1986) focused that stress is any circumstances or
transactions with the environment that threaten or are perceived to threaten our well being
and thereby tax our adaptive capacities .
The views were also presented in( 1977)by Leslie and Lloyd that stress is the mental or
physical condition that results from a perceived threat of danger (physical or emotional ) and
the pressure to remove it .The International Labour Organization (ILO)(1986) define
psychosocial hazards in terms of the interactions among job context ,work organization and
management ,environmental and organizational conditions ,as well as the employees
competencies and needs .Those interactions which may prove hazardous influence employees
health through their perceptions and experiences .Cox and Griffiths (1995) provide an
alternative definition of psychosocial hazards .They define psychosocial hazards as ,those
aspects of work design and their social and environmental contexts ,which have the potential
for causing psychological, social or physical harm .Wyatt and Watson (2002),in their annual
survey identified that mental health disorders can also put employees at greater risk of other
illnesses or increase the gravity ,duration and likelihood of recurrence of chronic illness .
There are different causes of stress as Greenberg (2003) concluded that workplace
stress comes in many forms. Stress may be caused by occupational demands, role ambiguity,
role conflict or role judging. Moreover, illness is another major cause of stress. Catching a
cold, breaking an arm, and a sore back, all cause stress (Burns, 1990). Smith (1989) asserted
that environmental factors also can cause stress. Things such as very high altitude and very
cold climates can be stressful.
Stress affects in numerous ways and can result in poor attendance, excessive use of
alcohol or other drugs, poor job performance, or even overall poor health (Mondy, Noe &
preneaux, 2002). High level of stress results in high levels of employee dissatisfaction,
illness, absenteeism, and turnover, low levels of productivity and as a consequence difficulty
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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976

6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
in providing high quality service to customers (Organ & Bateman, 1989; Matteson & Ivancevich,
1987). Turner (2002) indicated that stress chemicals that stay in the body can obstruct the digestive
and immune systems, and also deplete human energy.
Different strategies can be followed to overcome stress. Peterson (2003) found the
visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, spiritual growth and managing the worry time, as
techniques for dealing with stress. Simmons (2006) suggests that definitions of stress typically contain
one or more of the following four elements: stressors, adaptations (responses), perceptions
(cognitive/emotional), and effects (acute and chronic).
Research Methodology
For the research a questioner has been developed and interview has been taken by the
researcher. The respondents selected for this study, are the employees from the retail sector units in
Jaipur of Reliance retail, More and Big Bazar. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire,
which was distributed at the workplace to the employees of Big Bazar, Reliance and More Retail in
Jaipur city. The study is explorative as well as descriptive. The sample size of the research is 100
employees being 50 from Big Bazar, 30 from Reliance and 20 from More Retail. The research also
includes secondary data which has been collected through various websites, newspapers, books etc.
ANALYSIS OF DATA
Table 2: Age of Respondents
Response
Less than 20 years
21 30 years
31 40 years
41-50 years
50 years above
Total

Number of Respondents
15
39
22
16
08
100

Percentage (%) of Respondents

15
39
22
16
08

Figure 3: Age of Respondents

The above table and figure shows that most of the employees who are working in the retail sector are
in the age group of 21-30 years.
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6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
Table 3: Gender of Respondents
Number of
Respondents
Male
95
Female
05
100
Total

Response

Percentage (%)
of Respondents
95
05

Figure 4 : Gender of Respondents

Number of Respondents
5%

Male
Female

95%

The table number shows that most of the employees who are engaged in retail sector are
males.
Through the help of the structured questioner, the data was gathered and analyzed to
determine the stress level of employees. The data which the researcher gathered is presented
in the table form as follows -.
Table 4: Respondents in Stressed
Number of
Percentage (%)
Respondents
of Respondents
Stressed
98
98
Not Stressed
02
02
100
Total
Response

Table 5: Respondents in Stressed

Number of Respondents
2%

Stressed
Not Stressed

98%

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976

6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
Table 4 and Figure 1, indicates that 98% of the total respondents working in Retail sector
were stressed, whereas only 2% felt that they were not stressed. This research helped to find
out that the stressed employees belonged to the lower management.
Table 5: Reasons of Stress
Number of
Respondents

Response

Being Overworked
Being Underworked
Job Security
Progression
Poor Working Environment
Bullying
The Wrong Job
Total

Percentage (%)
of Respondents

31
10
20
06
15
07
11
100

31
10
20
06
15
07
11

Table 6 : Reasons of Stress

Number of Respondents
11%
Being Overworked
7%

31%

Being Underworked
Job Security
Progression

15%

Poor Working Environment

Bullying

10%

6%

The Wrong Job

20%

Table 5 and figure 6 shows that the major cause of stress among the Retail sector employees
is overloaded work and work pressure. The retail employees felt that work assigned to them
is more than their capacity. Other than this, it is also observed that the working conditions are
also creating problems related to stress for the employees.

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976

6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
Table 6: Factors of Stress
Response

Number of
Respondents

Percentage (%)
of Respondents

Communication Gap

14

14

Lack of Skills

05

05

Work Life Imbalance

46

46

Work Environment

14

14

Unmatched Expectations

08

08

Economic Status

07

07

Resource Inadequacy

06

06

Total

100

Figure 7: Factors of Stress

Number of Respondents
6%
7%

14%
Communication Gap
5%

8%

Lack of Skills
Work Life Imbalance
Work Environment

14%

Unmatched Expectations
Economic Status
Resource Inadequacy
46%

Table 6 and Figure7 depict the various attributes of stress; work life imbalance is one of the
major attributes which contributes to stress for an employee. This can be regarded as a factor
in building up stress, because 52 employees complained that they were unable to balance
their personal and professional fronts successfully. Other major attributes found was the work
environment as per 204 employees.

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6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
Response
Interpersonal Relationship
Lack of Communication
Lack of Job Security
Work Life Imbalance
Bullying or Harassment
Excessive Workload
Physical Work Environment
Total

Table 7
Number of
Respondents
14
15
12
46
04
07
02
100

Percentage (%) of
Respondents
14
15
12
46
04
07
02

Figure 8:

Number of Respondents
7%

2%

14%

4%
Interpersonal Relationship
Lack of Communication
15%

Lack of Job Security

Work Life Imbalance
Bullying or Harassment

12%

Excessive Workload
Physical Work Environment

46%

The above table and figure shows that by improving the working environment, companies can
reduce the stress level of their employees. Based on the responses of the respondents, it is also
clear that motivation and encouragement also help out the employees to reduce the stress at
workplace.
Table 8: Methods and Techniques to Reduce Work Stress
Response
Number of
Percentage (%) of
Respondents
Respondents
Modification in Work
38
38
Environment
Meaningful Communication
12
12
Meditation/Yoga Practice
06
06
Freedom to Work
07
07
Motivation and
25
25
Encouragement
Time Management
10
10
100
Total

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976

6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
Figure 9: Methods and Techniques to Reduce Work Stress

Number of Respondents

10%

Methods and Techniques

Environment

2%

Meaningful Communication
38%

Meditation/Yoga Practice
Freedom to Work

25%

Motivation and Encouragement

Time Management
7%

12%
Physical Work Environment

6%

And from Table 8 and Figure 9, it is interpreted that Good working environment has a direct,
positive impact on the mind, giving it the strength and power to resist stress and therefore
maximum employees, that is, 30 thought of adopting it, to overcome stress. Moreover, 20
percent of the respondents expected that they required recognition, as acknowledging
peoples value / work is very important in times of stress. Based on the analysis; the
initiatives taken by the retail owners to reduce stress are - by providing good working
environment, continuous training, proper communication and conducting effective stress
management programmes.
CONCLUSION
The research paper reflects that the maximum number of employees is in the age
group of between 21-30 years, who are working in the retail sector. Other than this most of
the male genders are working in retail outlets. The research also elaborates that 98 employees
out of 100 are in stressful condition and the reason of their stress is excessive workload at the
workplace. The most important factor behind facing stress is the work life imbalance between
the employees. The study reveals that by changing the work environment, and techniques
such as motivation, could be helpful in reducing their stress levels. Research findings show
that the most stressful type of work is that which includes excessive demands and pressures
that are not matched with employees knowledge and abilities.

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6510(Online), Volume 4, Issue 1, January- February (2013)
SUGGESTIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Organizations have to focus on finding out the stress levels of their employees.
Working environment must be adequate to make a healthy and safe environment.
Job participation must be given to the employees.
Workload must be assigned to ones capacity and caliber.
New techniques to reduce stress must be adopted in the organization.
Communication gap must be reduced and unwanted interference in the work must be
stopped. Work freedom is also essential for the employees.
7. Employees feel lack of work stress only when demands and pressures of work are
matched to their knowledge and abilities.

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