ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR II TERM PAPER

Stress And Its Impact on Employee Job Performance

SUBMITT ED BY:-

Group 2 (Pheox) Amal Raj Gautam (11103) Archana Reddy(11106) P. Harshitha (11118) J. Pragnya(11120) Nikhil Bhandari(11141) Rajnikanth(11149) Satish Reddy(11155) Santhosh Kumar(11167) 1

STRESS MEANING AND INTRODUCTION

The word stress is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as "a state of affair involving demand on physical or mental energy". A condition or circumstance (not always adverse), which can disturb the normal physiological and psychological functioning of an individual. Individuals in any domain - like Businessmen, doctors, singers, actors, sportsmen, employees working for an organization, anyone can become victims of stress. Stress is rather quite common among people in the current competitive world. In some domains, the stress that an individual feels may be to meet the deadlines and in some other domains, it may be to sustain the competition and to survive in that profession. Talking about stress at work place, there are many reasons for stress and the most common reason for stress at workplace are targets and deadlines at work. Some people may take the work pressure as a driving and motivating force for their development. So they are happy when they achieve their targets within the time limit, though under pressure. But beyond a limit, the pressure becomes unbearable for the person, leading to physical and mental illness. So stress at optimum level can be considered as a booster for an employee's development at work. In some cases, the job demands a high pressure work from the employee. This is acceptable by the employee's mind and body for a brief period. But if it continues for a long time, the stress becomes chronic and it causes severe dip in the productivity and the quality of the individual. This may lead to absenteeism, lack of interest in work, lack of interest in personal life, anger, depression, etc. Stress at work place need not always be because of targets and deadlines. A bad boss, lack of flexibility in work timings, the policies of an organization which treat the 2

employees merely as machines but not human beings, frequent changes in the workflow, etc., are all reasons for stress at workplace. "Workplace stress" is thus the harmful physical and emotional responses that can happen when there is a conflict between job demands on the employee and the amount of control an employee has over meeting these demands. In general, the combination of high demands in a job and a low amount of control over the situation can lead to stress. Let us go through some aspects of stress in detail in the following discussion.

TYPES OF STRESS
Stress is quite common among human beings. Stress management can be complicated and confusing because there are different types of stress --acute stress, episodic acute stress, and chronic stress -- each with its own characteristics, symptoms, duration, and treatment approaches. These types of stress are as follows:

Acute Stress
Acute stress is the most common form of stress. It comes from demands and pressures of the recent past and anticipated demands and pressures of the near future. Acute stress is thrilling and exciting in small doses, but detrimental if the dose exceeds a limit. A fast run down a challenging ski slope, for example, is exhilarating early in the day. That same ski run late in the day is strenuous and tiresome physically and mentally. Skiing beyond your limits can lead to falls and broken bones. By the same token, overdoing on shortterm stress can lead to psychological distress, tension, headaches, upset stomach, and other symptoms. Fortunately, acute stress symptoms can be easily identifiable for most of the people. It's a laundry list of what has gone awry in their lives: the auto accident that crumpled the car fender, the loss of an important contract, a deadline they're rushing to meet, their child's occasional problems at school, and so on. 3

Since it is short term, acute stress doesn't have enough time to do the extensive damage associated with long-term stress. The most common symptoms are:

Emotional distress--some combination of anger or irritability, anxiety, and depression, the three stress emotions; Muscular problems including tension, headache, back pain, jaw pain, and the muscular tensions that lead to pulled muscles and tendon and ligament problems; Stomach, gut and bowel problems such as heartburn, acid stomach, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome; Transient over arousal leads to elevation in blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, heart palpitations, dizziness, migraine headaches, cold hands or feet, shortness of breath, and chest pain.

Acute stress can crop up in anyone's life. However it is treatable and manageable. Episodic Acute Stress There are those, however, who suffer acute stress frequently, whose lives are so disordered that they are always in chaos. They're always in a rush, but always late. If something can go wrong, it does. They take on too much, have too many irons in the fire, and can't organize the slew of self-inflicted demands and pressures clamoring for their attention. They seem perpetually in the clutches of acute stress. It is common for people with acute stress reactions to be over aroused, short-tempered, irritable, anxious, and tense. Often, they describe themselves as having "a lot of nervous energy." Always in a hurry, they tend to be abrupt, and sometimes their irritability comes across as hostility. Interpersonal relationships deteriorate rapidly when others respond with real hostility. The work becomes a very stressful place for them. Another form of episodic acute stress comes from ceaseless worry. "Worry warts" see disaster around every corner and pessimistically forecast catastrophe in every situation. The world is a dangerous, unrewarding, punitive place where something awful is always

about to happen. These "awfulizers" also tend to be over aroused and tense, but are more anxious and depressed than angry and hostile. The symptoms of episodic acute stress are the symptoms of extended over arousal: persistent tension headaches, migraines, hypertension, chest pain, and heart disease. Treating episodic acute stress requires intervention on a number of levels, generally requiring professional help, which may take many months. Often, lifestyle and personality issues are so ingrained and habitual with these individuals that they see nothing wrong with the way they conduct their lives. They blame their woes on other people and external events. Frequently, they see their lifestyle, their patterns of interacting with others, and their ways of perceiving the world as part and parcel of who and what they are. Sufferers can be fiercely resistant to change. Only the promise of relief from pain and discomfort of their symptoms can keep them in treatment and on track in their recovery program.

Chronic Stress
This is the grinding stress that wears people away day after day, year after year. Chronic stress destroys bodies, minds and lives. It wreaks havoc through long-term attrition. It's the stress of poverty, of dysfunctional families, of being trapped in an unhappy marriage or in a despised job or career. It's the stress that the never-ending "troubles" have brought to the people of Northern Ireland, the tensions of the Middle East have brought to the Arab and Jew, and the endless ethnic rivalries that have been brought to the people of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Chronic stress comes when a person never sees a way out of a miserable situation. It's the stress of unrelenting demands and pressures for seemingly interminable periods of time. With no hope, the individual gives up searching for solutions.

Some chronic stresses stem from traumatic, early childhood experiences that become internalized and remain forever painful and present. Some experiences profoundly affect personality. A view of the world, or a belief system, is created that causes unending stress for the individual (e.g., the world is a threatening place, people will find out you are a pretender, you must be perfect at all times). When personality or deep-seated convictions and beliefs must be reformulated, recovery requires active self-examination, often with professional help. The worst aspect of chronic stress is that people get used to it. They forget it's there. People are immediately aware of acute stress because it is new; they ignore chronic stress because it is old, familiar, and sometimes, almost comfortable. Chronic stress kills through suicide, violence, heart attack, stroke, and, perhaps, even cancer. People wear down to a final, fatal breakdown. Because physical and mental resources are depleted through long-term attrition, the symptoms of chronic stress are difficult to treat and may require extended medical as well as behavioral treatment and stress management. JOB STRESS Job stress is a chronic disease caused by conditions in the workplace that negatively

affect an individuals performance and/or overall well-being of his or her body and mind. One or more of a host of physical and mental illnesses manifests job stress. In some cases, job stress can be disabling. In chronic cases a psychiatric consultation is usually required to validate the reason and degree of work related stress.

Symptoms of job stress

The signs of job stress vary from person to person, depending on the particular situation, how long the individual has been subjected to the stressors, and the intensity of the stress itself. Typical symptoms of job stress can be:

Insomnia Lack of concentration Anxiety Absenteeism Depression Substance abuse Extreme anger and frustration Family conflicts Physical illnesses such as heart diseases, migraine, headaches, stomach problems, and back problems. REASONS FOR JOB STRESS Job stress arises when demands exceed abilities, while job-related strain is a reaction or outcomes resulting from the experience of stress. Job stress may also be caused by a complex set of reasons. Some of the most visible causes of workplace stress are:

Job Insecurity
rganized workplaces are going through metamorphic changes under intense economic transformations and consequent pressures. Reorganizations, takeovers, mergers, downsizing and other changes have become major stressors for employees, as companies try to live up to the competition to survive. These reformations have put demand on everyone, from a CEO to a mere executive.

High Demand for Performance

Unrealistic expectations, especially in the time of corporate reorganizations, which, sometimes, puts unhealthy and unreasonable pressures on the employee, can be a tremendous source of stress and suffering. Increased workload, extremely long work hours and intense pressure to perform at peak levels all the time for the same 7

pay, can leave employees physically and emotionally drained. Excessive travel and too much time away from family also contribute to an employees stress.

Technology
The expansion of technologycomputers, pagers, cell phones, fax machines and the Internethas resulted in heightened expectations for productivity, speed and efficiency, increasing pressure on the individual worker to constantly operate at peak performance levels. Workers working with heavy machinery are under constant stress to remain alert. In this case both the worker and their family members live under constant mental stress. There is also the constant pressure to keep up with technological breakthroughs and improvisations, forcing employees to learn new software all the times.

Workplace culture
Adjusting to the workplace culture, whether in a new company or not, can be intensely stressful. Making oneself adapt to the various aspects of workplace culture such as communication patterns, hierarchy, dress code if any, workspace and most importantly working and behavioral patterns of the boss as well as the co-workers, can be a lesson of life. Maladjustment to workplace cultures may lead to subtle conflicts with colleagues or even with superiors. In many cases office politics or gossips can be major stress inducers.

Personal or Family Problems

Employees going through personal or family problems tend to carry their worries and anxieties to the workplace. When one is in a depressed mood, his unfocused attention or lack of motivation affects his ability to carry out job responsibilities.

Job stress and Women Women may suffer from mental and physical harassment at workplaces, apart from the common job stress. Sexual harassment in workplace has been a major cause of worry for women, since long. Women may suffer from tremendous stress such as `hostile work environment harassment`, which is defined in legal terms as `offensive or intimidating behavior in the workplace`. This can consist of unwelcome verbal or physical conduct. These can be a constant source of tension for women in job sectors. Also, subtle discriminations at workplaces, family pressure and societal demands add to these stress factors SYMPTOMS OF STRESS Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. Stress isnt always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best. But when youre constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price. If you frequently find yourself feeling frazzled and overwhelmed, its time to take action to bring your nervous system back into balance. You can protect yourself by learning how to recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects. Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger whether its real or imagined the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the fight-orflight reaction, or the stress response. The stress response is the bodys way of protecting you. When working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can save your life giving you extra strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident.

The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when youre attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you'd rather be watching TV. Its important to learn how to recognize when your stress levels are out of control. The most dangerous thing about stress is how easily it can creep up on you. You get used to it. It starts to feels familiar, even normal. You dont notice how much its affecting you even as it takes a heavy toll. The signs and symptoms of stress overload can be almost anything. Stress affects the mind, body, and behavior in many ways, and everyone experiences stress differently. Psychologist Connie Lillas uses a driving analogy to describe the three most common ways people respond when theyre overwhelmed by stress:

Foot on the gas An angry or agitated stress response. Youre heated, keyed up, overly emotional, and unable to sit still. Foot on the brake A withdrawn or depressed stress response. You shut down, space out, and show very little energy or emotion. Foot on both A tense and frozen stress response. You freeze under pressure and cant do anything. You look paralyzed, but under the surface youre extremely agitated.

The following table shows some common symptoms of stress : Cognitive Symptoms Memory problems

Emotional Symptoms Moodiness

Inability to concentrate Poor judgment Seeing only the negative Anxious thoughts or racing

Irritability or short temper Agitation, inability to relax Feeling overwhelmed Sense of loneliness and isolation

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Constant worrying

Depression or general unhappiness

Physical Symptoms Aches and pains

Behavioral Symptoms Eating more or less or

Diarrhea constipation

Sleeping too much or too little Isolating yourself from others Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

Nausea, dizziness Chest pain, rapid heartbeat Loss of sex drive Frequent colds pain of any kind Heart disease Digestive problems

Depression Obesity Autoimmune diseases Skin conditions, such eczema as

Sleep problems

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HOW PERFORMANCE DEGRADES BECAUSE OF JOB STRESS

Job stress is a common problem across occupations and it impacts job performance. Although most contemporary studies highlight the negative effect of stress on job performance (distress), mild stress is known to enhance an employee's performance (eustress). It is necessary to take a holistic picture of antecedents to job stress by including the effects of personality, organizational factors and the work- family interaction in the perception of job stress.

Health
Occupational stress has become a common problem throughout the industrial world. Over the years its prevalence has increased, thus affecting the individual's mental health and well-being. In order to understand its effect on health, it becomes important to define 'health' itself. The World Health Organization (WHO) terms health1 as a 'state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity'. In more recent years, this statement has been modified to include the ability to lead a 'socially and economically productive life

The Effects of Stress on the Job

Research in organizational behavior has shown that an individual could suffer from significant health complications - backaches, headaches, gastrointestinal disturbances, anxiety and depression amongst others - if subjected to stress over a long time. Behavioral changes in the form of excessive tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption, nervous disorders, heart diseases, diabetes, obesity etc. are also related to stress. Job dissatisfaction is known to lead to job stress, which in turn reduces the productivity'.

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METHODS USED BY ORGANIZATIONS TO REDUCE STRESS AND MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE

The primary goal of every organization is to generate surplus profits. Profit is a measure of surplus of amount incurred over income over expense. To accomplish this goal effectively, the management must establish an environment in which people can work productively. Productivity is an output-input ratio within a time period with due consideration for quality. It can be expressed as follows, Productivity = outputs / inputs (within a time period, quality considered) The formula indicates that productivity can be improved By increasing outputs with the same inputs By decreasing inputs, but maintaining the same outputs By increasing outputs and decreasing inputs to change the ratio favorably Organizations use several kinds of inputs, such as manpower, materials and capital. Peter F. Drucker called the Management Guru quotes that The greatest opportunity for increasing productivity is surely to be found in knowledge works itself and especially in management. In general, productivity improvement programs are mostly aimed at the worker level. Motivation and stress management play a vital role in productivity.

Effects of stress on performance

Stress can have various effects on the individual as well as on the organization. Clearly not only the individual suffers but the organization may also be affected by absenteeism, work related accidents, turnover and impaired decision making. While stress is typically 13

discussed in a negative context, it also has positive value. It offers potential gain, for example, the superior performance that an ophthalmologist gives during a complicated surgery. Such individuals often use stress positively to rise to the occasion and perform to their maximum. And hence the productivity rises. From the organizations stand point, management may not be concerned when employees experience low to moderate level of stress. Such levels may lead to higher employee performance. But high levels of stress or even low levels sustained over a long period of time, can lead to reduced employee performance and thus require action by management. From the individuals standpoint even low levels of stress are likely to be perceived as undesirable.

To Maximize Employee Productivity And Performance, Organizations Can:

1. Give employees as much control over their jobs as possible - Research shows that control is the biggest factor in whether people feel stressed out or invigorated when facing a challenge. The more control people have over their work, the greater their job satisfaction, the higher their work quality, and the lower their stress level. Giving employees control includes giving them the power to make job-related decisions, the flexibility to organize their work in the way they find optimal, and the authority to find make improvements on how their job is done. 2. Communicate clearly and often about everything important - One of the greatest sources of employee stress is -not knowing about changes taking place in the company, not knowing their supervisor's job and performance expectations, and not knowing if they are doing a good job. Communicating clearly in these areas not only reduces employee stress, it also helps them to do a better job. 3. Talk with your employees about what makes your Company great, how you bring value to your customers, and how your employees make that possible - People want to feel part of something great, and they want to feel that they are making a significant contribution to that greatness. When they feel this way, they not only become energized 14

by challenges, they're also more able to endure difficulties without becoming burnt out. You can put this principle into action by making sure you always deliver a high quality product or service, by talking with employees about the value your company provides to your customers, and explaining how they doing high quality work makes it all possible. 4. Make sure supervisors know how to bring out the best in people - Supervisors play a huge role in employee morale, performance, and stress level. Supervisors who know how to provide guidance, support, and encouragement minimize employee stress. Supervisors with poor management skills or with personal problems, not only can't help employees deal with stressful times, they themselves are a tremendous source of stress. The time and financial resources you invest in selecting and training managers will pay huge dividends in reducing employee stress, increasing productivity, and minimizing turnover. 5. Encourage employees to talk freely and support one another - An "all work and no play" environment burns out people quickly. Having a workplace where co-workers can talk without worrying about getting into trouble, is especially important in high pressure jobs. Encouraging connections among co-workers also reduces stress, because having social support reduces the negative effects of stressful situations. According to a large body of scientific research, having supportive friends and family members is one of the most important factors influencing a person's ability to handle stress and major life crises without becoming physically or emotionally compromised. 6. Help employees design their jobs to be as rewarding as possible - Although not all jobs are equally rewarding and fulfilling, much can be done to make even the least desirable ones more enjoyable. The more opportunity employees have to make decisions, use their mind, and take responsibility, the more fulfilled they will be. To make this work, employees need to be involved in the job enrichment process. If changes are made without their input, this will most likely backfire. 7. Improve your hiring and orientation process - Because the first few months on the job are often the most stressful, new employees are often the most vulnerable to accidents and injuries. For companies that have a "sink or swim" approach to new employees, these 15

first few months is also a time of high turnover. The more effective your hiring, new hire orientation, and training is, the more likely new employees will be well-suited, and Prepared for their jobs. 8. Make sure employees have the resources and training to do their jobs well - When people feel inadequate, when they feel ill-equipped to handle a challenge, they get stressed out. If employees don't have the tools, technology, time, staff, or training to do their job's well, they are going to be stressed out, and won't be able to work at their true potential. Investing in these areas pays huge dividends both in terms of reduced stressrelated costs, and in increased productivity.

STATISTICS
The Effects of Stress on Business Employees and Programs Offered by Employers to Manage Stress This study was designed to determine the effects of stress on employees and to discover methods. Sixty questionnaires were distributed to business employees in the Central Texas area, and the response rate was 78.3%.

Findings
The findings will be presented in three sections according to the following characteristics: Demographic Profile, Areas of Job Performance Affected by Stress and Programs Employers Offer Employees to Manage Stress.

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Demographic Profile:
All returned responses from the sample were considered full-time employees by their employers. The respondents were also asked to indicate their age group; all age ranges were represented in the results, as shown in Figure1. The breakdown consisted of 2.1% under the age of 20, 33.7% between 20 and 29, 29.4% between the ages of 30 and 39, 26.1% between 40 and 49, 5.4% between 50 and 59, and 3.3% were 60 and over.

Areas of Job Performance Affected by Stress

The respondents were given a list of work performance areas that might be affected by stress and were asked to identify whether stress increased, decreased, or had no change on their work performance. Only respondents who indicated stress negatively affected an area were considered in these findings. Of the 15 areas listed, four areas were identified as having a response rate of more than 50.0%. These areas were as follows: job satisfaction/morale (73.9%), courtesy (65.2%), accuracy (52.7%), and creativity (51.6%). Similarly, Schorr (2001) stated that a significant number of employees' creativity is negatively affected by stress. Falling within the range of a 30.0 to 50.0% response rate were cooperation (49.5%), organizational skills (46.3%), initiative (45.2%), productivity (42.8%), alertness (39.4%), decision making abilities (39.1%), and perseverance (35.5%). Harrold and Wayland (2002) established that increasing stress and anxiety are having a negative influence on an individual's organizational efficiency and productivity. The findings that negatively affect work performance at workplace are shown in the following table :

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1 productivity 42.8% 2 Job Satisfaction/Morale 73.9% 3DecisionMakingAbilities39.1% 4 Accuracy 52.7% 5 Creativity 51.6%

6 Attention to Appearance 28% 7 Organization Skills 46.3% 8 Courtesy 65.2% 9 Cooperation 49.5% 10 Initiative 45.2%

11 Reliability 26.6% 12 Alertness 39.4% 13 Perseverance 35.5% 14 Tardiness 25.8% 15 Absenteeism 28.3%

Table - Programs Offered by Employers to Manage Stress TYPE OF PROGRAM RESPONSES Insurance 72.0% Breaks 69.2% Educational Assistance/ Reimbursement 51.0% Access for Disabled 42.6% Alternate Schedule 34.0% Employee Assistance Programs 34.0% Wellness programs 34.0% Flextime 29.8% Stress Management Seminars 29.8% Training Programs 29.8% Piped Music 17.2% Assigned Parking 17.0% Employee Empowerment Programs 17.0% Ergonomically Correct Furniture 17.0% Financial Counseling 08.5% On-site/ Assistance with Child Care 04.3% Therapy 02.1% Insurance received the highest number of responses (72.0%), whereas, therapy received the lowest (2.1%). Playing classical music and creating a comfortable work environment were found by Foster (2002) to be low cost stress reduction programs. Although these are inexpensive programs to implement, a relatively small response rate was given for piped music (17.2%) and ergonomically correct furniture (17.0%). Maurer (2002) stated that it is necessary for companies to design programs that enable employees to assess stressful 18

situations and develop a rational mode of behavior. In contrast to Maurer's research, only 17.0% of the respondents indicated that Employee Empowerment Programs are being offered by their employer. A response rate of 34.0% in the category of wellness programs/on-site fitness facilities was obtained. Barden (2001) reported programs that improve an individual's physical condition are both a positive and an effective method of managingastress. The 2000 annual "Attitudes In The American Workplace VI" Gallup Poll sponsored by the Marlin Company found that:

80% of workers feel stress on the job, nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress and 42% say their coworkers need such help; 14% of respondents had felt like striking a coworker in the past year, but didn't; 25% have felt like screaming or shouting because of job stress, 10% are concerned about an individual at work they fear could become violent; 9% are aware of an assault or violent act in their workplace and 18% had experienced some sort of threat or verbal intimidation in the past year

A subsequent 2000 Integra Survey similarly reported that:

65% of workers said that workplace stress had caused difficulties and more than 10 percent described these as having major effects; 10% said they work in an atmosphere where physical violence has occurred because of job stress and in this group, 42% report that yelling and other verbal abuse is common;

29% had yelled at co-workers because of workplace stress, 14% said they work where machinery or equipment has been damaged because of workplace rage and 2% admitted that they had actually personally struck someone;

19% or almost one in five respondents had quit a previous position because of job stress and nearly one in four have been driven to tears because of workplace stress;

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62% routinely find that they end the day with work-related neck pain, 44% reported stressed-out eyes, 38% complained of hurting hands and 34% reported difficulty in sleeping because they were too stressed-out;

12% had called in sick because of job stress;

Over half said they often spend 12-hour days on work related duties and an equal number frequently skip lunch because of the stress of job demands. In 1992 United Nations Report labeled job stress "The 20th Century Disease" and a few years later the World Health Organization said it had become a "World Wide Epidemic." A 1998 study reported that rapid changes in the workforce had resulted in a staggering unemployment rate of 10% in the European Union and higher rates of job stress complaints. Japan had a similar problem as a result of a major and prolonged recession. A subsequent European Commission survey found that:

More than half of the 147 million workers in the European Union complained of having to work at a very high speed and under tight deadlines; Approximately half reported having monotonous or short, repetitive tasks and no opportunity to rotate tasks. Occupational pressures are believed responsible for:

30% of workers suffering from back pain; 28% complaining of stress; 20% feeling fatigued; 13% with headaches.

STEPS THAT CAN BE TAKEN BY ORGANIZATIONS TO REDUCE JOB STRESS

Some of the measures organizations can take include:

Right job - Right man

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 Ensuring recruitment procedures are designed in a way that prospective employees clearly understand the demands and challenges of the job. The emphasis should be on achieving a good fit between the person and the position.

Job design
Designing jobs that provide workers with meaning, stimulation and opportunities to use and enhance their skills. Job rotation is one way to expand skills.

Job management
Ensuring that workloads/job demands (e.g., caseloads, overtime) are in line with workers capabilities and resources.

Changes that Improve physical working conditions:

Providing safe physical working environments by improving indoor air quality, reducing physical and chemical hazards, improving lighting, eliminating manual lifting, repetitive work and awkward work postures. Ergonomics is employed to fulfill the two goals of health and productivity. It is relevant in the design of such things as safe furniture and easy-to-use interfaces to machines and equipment. Proper ergonomic design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries, which can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability.

Changes that provide Healthy Work Schedules:

Establishing work schedules (e.g., job sharing, flextime and forward (day to night) rotating shifts) that are compatible with workers responsibilities outside the job.

Healthy Use of Technology:

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Clearly communicating organizational and technological changes, helping the employees in using technology efficiently, effectively and pacing their implementation.

Increasing Levels of Social Support:

Facilitating a supportive environment - some job stress studies have shown that low levels of social support in the workplace are associated with a number of ills.

Changes that Provide for Job Security and Career Development:

Reducing uncertainty about career development and future employment prospects. Some workplaces now offer career planning resources to their employees. Clearly defining workers roles and responsibilities and providing them with opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their jobs.

Strategies to Improve Personal Coping Mechanisms:

Implementing a workplace wellness program to enhance workers personal coping strategies. Time management, assertiveness training, and courses on meditation and relaxation are some of the stress management techniques that could be provided are 1. Improving the diet of employees 2. Encouraging the employees to exercise. 3. Training in deep muscle relaxation techniques. 4. Training in effective cognitive strategies. 5. Training in Substance Abuse Awareness. 6. Organize discussion groups on healthy stress reducers 7. Transition time. 22

8. Leaving stress at the front door - training on family dynamics and 9. Parenting skills. STEPS THAT EMPLOYEES CAN TAKE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM JOB STRESS Let us consider some steps which can be taken by the employees to handle stress.

Support network A strong network of supportive friends and family members is an enormous buffer against lifes stressors. On the flip side, the more lonely and isolated you are, the greater your vulnerability to stress.

Sense of control If you have confidence in yourself and your ability to influence events and persevere through challenges, its easier to take stress in stride. People who are vulnerable to stress tend to feel like things are out of their control.

Attitude and outlook Stress-hardy people have an optimistic attitude. They tend to embrace challenges, have a strong sense of humor, accept that change is a part of life, and believe in a higher power or purpose.

Ability to deal with your emotions Youre extremely vulnerable to stress if you dont know how to calm and soothe yourself when youre feeling sad, angry, or afraid. The ability to bring your emotions into balance helps you bounce back from adversity.

Knowledge and preparation The more you know about a stressful situation, including how long it will last and what to expect, the easier it is to cope. For example, if you go into surgery with a realistic picture of what to expect post-op, a painful recovery will be less traumatic than if you were expecting to bounce back immediately

CONCLUSION

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Having considered the nature, reasons, impact of stress and the measures that can be taken to handle or avoid stress, it becomes imperative that the employers should monitor the stress levels on the employees and should device methods to provide a pleasant and healthy work environment where people love to come to office and work happily. Finally, positive attitude of the employees is the most important thing in our entire discussion. The employees need to believe that they can come out of any stressful situation by focusing on the solution and proper planning and management demanded by the situation. Keeping this attitude in mind, if the employees start working on the solution, they can overcome any level of stress and take the stress as a challenge and achieve the organizational and their personal goals.

BIBLIOGRAPHY :
Employee-testing.com Lifepositive.com Stress.org 24

 Ciit-isb.academia.edu Humannatureatwork.com
Article-the effect of stress on business employees and programs offered by

employers to manage stress by SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY

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