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INVERTIS INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES

BAREILLY

Market Survey Report

On

Measurement on Stress of

Employees of LIC & ICICIPrudential

Bachelor of Business Administration M.J.P.R.

University

Session 2010-11

Submitted To: Submitted By:

Mr. Saurabh Shankhdhar Arpit Agarwal

Lecturer BBA IVth Sem A

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Roll No.: 108034

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Preface

The study of Insurance sector is one of the major criteria in the

Insurance sector. Human resource is the heart of the organization. By thisresearch project we will be able to know to reduce the stress level of the

employees working in the bank. By this way the productivity of the

employee increases.

Now a day the Banking is booming in a high speed that the people

have to work for prolonged hours to maintain the standard of living and

achieve their basic needs. So is the condition in the hospitals, colleges,

BPOs and lots of other places. In spit of having the modern technologies

and facilities, people are feeling themselves to be work loaded and stressed.

Stress arises because of many reasons which are discussed in the following

project. The project report also contain techniques how to reduce the stress

and overcome such problems.

To identify the level of stress among the people who work I have

tried to survey the people working in Life Insurance companies. Like LIC

and ICICI Pru.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

To carry out this research work I have got the help from my

parents who have given full support to carry out this research work. They are

the one who motivated and helped for the completion of this project report.

Further, I would like to thank Mr. Chetan Trivedi (Branch

Manager, HDFC Bank) and their employees who have given full supported

and co operated with me to carry out this research work. Then I would like

to thank Mr. M.N. Rathod (SBS Bank Sardarnagar Branch Bhavnagar) who

has supported me to fill the questionnaire and carry on my research work. I

am also thankful to the employees of SBS bank who have supported me.

The Branch Manager of AXIS bank and their employees who have helped

me for the project work by filling the questionnaire.

Arpit Agarwal

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CONTENTS

Objectives of the study

Company profile

Introduction of the topic

Research methodology

Data Interpretation and Analysis

Findings

Limitations

Recommendation and Suggestion

Bibliography

Annexure (Questionnaire)

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OBJECTIVE OF THE SURVEY

To gain an insight into the LIC & ICICI Pru. Company.

To know about the present potential market of LIC & ICICI Pru.

Company.

To know about the behavior towards the LIC & ICICI Pru. Company

To view the competitiveness of the Insurance sector.

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Executive Summery

This project gives us a detailed idea of what is stress and also the

definition of stress is been defined. For more detailed study the types of the

stress is also defined. By looking at the starting of the project you will find:

o Introduction to Human resource

o Introduction and Definition of stress

o Stress in biological terms

o What is stress?

o Coping with stress at work place.

o Stress management

o Stressstress

o Reducing of stress.

After the theoretical part I have included the research part. My

research work includes two questionnaires.

o Burn out test

o Stress analysis Questionnaire

My research includes the research methodology which contains the

information as follows:

o Research objectives

o Sampling (types and methods of sampling)

o Research instrument

o Data analysis and interpretation

o Employees opinion to reduce stress.

o Research flowchart

o Time consideration

o Limitation of survey

o Advantages and disadvantages of written

questionnaire

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o Finding

INDEX

No Content Page no

1 Conceptual Framework 11.1 Introduction to HR 11.2 Concept of stress 3

1.2.1 Introduction to stress 31.2.2 Stress in Biological terms 81.2.3 What is stress 91.2.4 Company Profile LIC 111.2.5 Company Profile ICICI Pru 151.2.6 Stressstress 181.2.7 Reduce your stress 22

2 Research Methodology 272.1 Research objective 272.2 Sampling 292.3 Research instrument 322.4 Data analysis and interpretation 362.5 Employees opinion about how to reduce stress 482.6 Research flowchart 502.7 Time consideration 512.8 Limitation of the survey 52

2.8.1 Advantages of Written Questionnaires 522.8.2 Disadvantages of Written Questionnaires 53

2.9 Findings 553 Bibliography 58

4 Annexure 59

1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK(1.1) INTRODUCTION TO HR

Human Resource Management is an art of managing people at

work in such a manner that they give their best to the organization. In

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simple word human resource management refers to the quantitative

aspects of employees working in an organization.

Human Resource Management is also a management function

concerned with hiring, motivating, and maintains people in an organization. It

focuses on people in organization.

Organizations are not mere bricks, mortar, machineries or inventories.

They are people. It is the who staff and manage organizations.

HRM involves the application of management functions and principles.

The functions and principles are applied to acquisitioning, developing, maintain,and remunerating employees in organizations.

Decisions relating to employees must be integrated. Decision on

different aspect of employees must be consistent with other human resource

decisions.

Decision made must influence the effectiveness of organization.

Effectiveness of an organization must result in betterment of services to

customers in the form of high-quality product supplied at reasonable costs.

HRM function s is not confined to business establishment only. They

are applicable to non-business organizations, too such as education, health care,

recreation etc.

The scope of HRM is indeed vast. All major activities in the working life

of his or her entry into an organization until he or she leaves-come under the

previews of HRM.specifically, the activities included are HR planning, job

analysis and be sign, recruitment and selection, orientation and placement,

training and development, performance appraisal and job evaluation, employee

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and executive remuneration, motivation and communication, welfare, safety and

health, industrial relations and the like.

HRM is a broad concept Personnel management and human resource

development is a part of HRM.

Before we define Human Resource Management, it seems good

to first define heterogeneous in the sense that they differ in personality,

perception, emotions, values, attitudes, motives, and modes of thoughts.

Human resource management plays an important role in the

development process of modern economy. In fact it is said that all the

development comes from the human mind.

Human Resource Management is a process of producing

development, maintaining and controlling human resources for effective

achievement of organization goals.

(1.2) CONCEPT OF STRESS

(1.2.1) INTRODUCTION TO STRESS

A lot of research has been conducted into stress over the last hundred

years. Some of the theories behind it are now settled and accepted; others are

still being researched and debated. During this time, there seems to have been

something approaching open warfare between competing theories and

definitions: Views have been passionately held and aggressively defended.

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What complicates this is that intuitively we all feel that we know what

stress is, as it is something we have all experienced. A definition should therefore

be obviousexcept that it is not.

Definition:

Hans Selye was one of the founding fathers of stress research. His

view in 1956 was that stress is not necessarily something bad it all depends

on how you take it. The stress of exhilarating, creative successful work is

beneficial, while that of failure, humiliation or infection is detrimental. Selye

believed that the biochemical effects of stress would be experienced irrespective

of whether the situation was positive or negative.

Since then, a great deal of further research has been conducted, and

ideas have moved on. Stress is now viewed as a "bad thing", with a range of

harmful biochemical and long-term effects. These effects have rarely been

observed in positive situations.

The most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly attributed to

Richard S Lazarus) is that stress is a condition or feeling experienced when

a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social

resources the individual is able to mobilize. In short, it's what we feel when

we think we've lost control of events.

This is the main definition used by this section of Mind Tools, although

we also recognize that there is an intertwined instinctive stress response to

unexpected events. The stress response inside us is therefore part instinct andpart to do with the way we think.

The types of stress are as follows

Mechanical

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Stress (physics), the average amount of force exerted per unit area.

Yield stress, the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically.

Compressive stress, the stress applied to materials resulting in their

compaction.

Biological

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

include:

o Chronic stress, persistent stress which can lead to illness and

mental disorder

o Eustress, positive stress that can lead to improved long-term

functioning

o Stressstress, stress caused by employment

Music

Accent (music).

Stress (band), an early '80s melodic rock band from San Diego.

Stress (punk band), an early '80s punk rock band from Athens.

Stress (Neo-Psychedelic band), from the late 1980's.

Stress, a song by the French band Justice on their debut album

Other

Stress (game), card game

Stress (linguistics), phonological use of prominence in language

Stress (physics), the average amount of force exerted per unit area.

Stress is a measure of the average amount of force exerted per unit area. It

is a measure of the intensity of the total internal forces acting within a body

across imaginary internal surfaces, as a reaction to external applied forces

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and body forces. It was introduced into the theory of elasticity by Cauchy

around 1822. Stress is a concept that is based on the concept of continuum.

In general, stress is expressed as

Where

Is the average stress, also called engineering ornominal stress, and

Is the force acting over the area .

Chronic StressChronic stress is stress that lasts a long time or occurs frequently. Chronic

stress is potentially damaging.

Symptoms of chronic stress can be:

upset stomach

headache

backache

insomnia

anxiety

depression

anger

In the most severe cases it can lead to panic attacks or a panic disorder.

There are a variety of methods to control chronic stress, including exercise,

healthy diet, stress management, relaxation techniques, adequate rest, and

relaxing hobbies.

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Ensuring a healthy diet containing magnesium may help control or eliminate

stress, in those individuals with lower levels of magnesium or those who have a

magnesium deficiency. Chronic stress can also lead to a magnesium deficiency,

which can be a factor in continued chronic stress, and a whole host of other

negative medical conditions caused by a magnesium deficiency.

It has been discovered that there is a huge upsurge in the number of people who

suffer from this condition. A very large number of these new cases suffer from

insomnia.

In a review of the scientific literature on the relationship between stress and

disease, the authors found that stress plays a role in triggering or worsening

depression and cardiovascular disease and in speeding the progression of

HIV/AIDS.

Compressive stress:

Compressive stress is the stress applied to materials resulting in their

compaction (decrease of volume). When a material is subjected to compressive

stress, then this material is under compression. Usually, compressive stress

applied to bars, columns, etc. leads to shortening.

Loading a structural element or a specimen will increase the compressive stress

until the reach of compressive strength. According to the properties of the

material, failure will occur as yield for materials with ductile behavior (most

metals, some soils and plastics) or as rupture for brittle behavior (geometries,

cast iron, glass, etc).

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

increase of compressive force F leads to structural failure due to buckling at

lower stress than the compressive strength.

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Compressive stress has stress units (force per unit area), usually with negative

values to indicate the compaction. However in geotechnical engineering,

compressive stress is represented with positive values.

(1.2.2) Stress in Biological terms:

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

human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats

to the organism, whether actual or imagined. It includes a state of alarm and

adrenaline production, short-term resistance as a coping mechanism, and

exhaustion. It refers to the inability of a human or animal body to respond.

Common stress symptoms include irritability, muscular tension, inability to

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concentrate and a variety of physical reactions, such as headaches and

accelerated heart rate.

The term "stress" was first used by the endocrinologist Hans Selye in the 1930s

to identify physiological responses in laboratory animals. He later broadened and

popularized the concept to include the perceptions and responses of humans

trying to adapt to the challenges of everyday life. In Selye's terminology, "stress"

refers to the reaction of the organism, and "stressor" to the perceived threat.

Stress in certain circumstances may be experienced positively. Eustress, for

example, can be an adaptive response prompting the activation of internal

resources to meet challenges and achieve goals.

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

biological sense, as a catch-all for any perceived difficulties in life. It also became

a euphemism, a way of referring to problems and eliciting sympathy without

being explicitly confessional, just "stressed out". It covers a huge range of

phenomena from mild irritation to the kind of severe problems that might result in

a real breakdown of health. In popular usage almost any event or situation

between these extremes could be described as stressful.

(1.2.3) what is Stress?

Stress refers to the strain from the conflict between our external environment and

us, leading to emotional and physical pressure. In our fast paced world, it is

impossible to live without stress, whether you are a student or a working adult.

There is both positive and negative stress, depending on each individuals unique

perception of the tension between the two forces. Not all stress is bad. For

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example, positive stress, also known as eustress, can help an individual to

function at optimal effectiveness and efficiency.

Hence, it is evident that some form of positive stress can add more color and

vibrancy to our lives. The presence of a deadline, for example, can push us to

make the most of our time and produce greater efficiency. It is important to keep

this in mind, as stress management refers to using stress to our advantage, and

not on eradicating the presence of stress in our lives.

On the other hand, negative stress can result in mental and physical strain. The

individual will experience symptoms such as tensions, headaches, irritability and

in extreme cases, heart palpitations. Hence, whilst some stress may be seen as

a motivating force, it is important to manage stress levels so that it does not have

an adverse impact on your health and relationships.

Part of managing your stress levels include learning about how stress can affect

you emotionally and physically, as well as how to identify if you are performing at

your optimal stress level (OSL) or if you are experiencing negative stress. This

knowledge will help you to identify when you need to take a break, or perhaps

seek professional help. It is also your first step towards developing techniques tomanaging your stress levels.

Modern day stresses can take the form of monetary needs, or emotional frictions.

Competition at work and an increased workload can also cause greater levels of

stress. How do you identify if you are suffering from excessive stress?

Psychological symptoms commonly experienced include insomnia, headaches

and an inability to focus. Physical symptoms take the form of heart palpitations,

breathlessness, excessive sweating and stomachaches.

What causes stress? There are many different causes of stress, and that which

causes stress is also known as a stressor. Common lifestyle stressors include

performance, threat, and bereavement stressors, to name a few. Performance

stressors are triggered when an individual is placed in a situation where he feels

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a need to excel. This could be during performance appraisals, lunch with the

boss, or giving a speech. Threat stressors are usually when the current situation

poses a dangerous threat, such as an economic downturn, or from an accident.

Lastly, bereavement stressors occur when there is a sense of loss such as the

death of a loved one, or a prized possession.

Thus, there are various stressors, and even more varied methods and

techniques of dealing with stress and turning it to our advantages. In order to do

so, we must learn to tell when we have crossed the line from positive to negative

stress.

Good stress v/s Bad stress:

Stress has often been misunderstood to be negative, with few people

acknowledging the importance and usefulness of positive stress. In our everyday

lives, stress is everywhere and definitely unavoidable; hence our emphasis

should be on differentiating between what is good stress, and what is bad. This

will help us to learn to cope with negative stress, and harness the power of

positive stress to help us achieve more.

There are 4 main categories of stress, namely eustress, distress, hyper stress

and hypo stress. Negative stress can cause many physical and psychological

problems, whilst positive stress can be very helpful for us. Heres how we

differentiate between them.

Eustress:

this is a positive form of stress, which prepares your mind and body for the

imminent challenges that it has perceived. Eustress is a natural physical reactionby your body which increases blood flow to your muscles, resulting in a higher

heart rate. Athletes before a competition or perhaps a manager before a major

presentation would do well with eustress, allowing them to derive the inspiration

and strength that is needed.

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Distress

We are familiar with this word, and know that it is a negative form of stress. This

occurs when the mind and body is unable to cope with changes, and usually

occurs when there are deviations from the norm. They can be categorized into

acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is intense, but does not last for

long. On the other hand, chronic stress persists over a long period of time.

Trigger events for distress can be a change in job scope or routine that the

person is unable to handle or cope with.

Hyper stress

This is another form of negative stress that occurs when the individual is unable

to cope with the workload. Examples include highly stressful jobs, which require

longer working hours than the individual can handle. If you suspect that you are

suffering from hyper stress, you are likely to have sudden emotional breakdowns

over insignificant issues, the proverbial straws that broke the camels back. It is

important for you to recognize that your body needs a break, or you may end up

with severe and chronic physical and psychological reactions.

Hypo stress

Lastly, hypo stress occurs when a person has nothing to do with his time and

feels constantly bored and unmotivated. This is due to an insufficient amount of

stress; hence some stress is inevitable and helpful to us. Companies should

avoid having workers who experience hypo stress as this will cause productivity

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and mindfulness to fall. If the job scope is boring and repetitive, it would be a

good idea to implement some form of job rotation so that there is always

something new to learn.

The types of stress are named as eustress and distress. Distress is the

most commonly-referred to type of stress, having negative implications, whereas

eustress is a positive form of stress, usually related to desirable events in

person's life. Both can be equally taxing on the body, and are cumulative in

nature, depending on a person's way of adapting to a change that has caused it.

(1.2.4) Coping with Employee Stress

With the rapid advancement of technology, the stresses faced at work have also

increased. Many people dread going to work, hence the term Monday Blues.

What is the reason for this? There is partly the fear from being retrenched in bad

times, leading to greater job insecurity on the part of those who remain.

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Undoubtedly, occupational stress is one of the most commonly cited stressors

faced by people all over the world.

Stress refers to the pressure and reactions to our environment which results in

psychological and physical reactions. Whilst some stress is good for motivation

and increasing efficiency, too much stress can result in negative impacts such as

reduced effectiveness and efficiency. More and more people are feeling isolated

and disrespected at work, and this has led to greater occupational stress. Many

companies have taken to consulting experts and professionals on ways to

increase connectedness and motivation of their employees.

Some companies organize parties and make their employees feel valued at

work. These are measures to motivate employees and help them to feel secure

at their jobs, translating into greater productivity. However, not all companies

have such measures in place, and some have not gotten it quite right. Hence, it

is up to you to make sure that you can cope with stress at your workplace, and

use it to help you work better. Here are 3 simple steps to help you with coping

with stress in the Employee.

Step 1: Raising Awareness

Help yourself to identify when you are facing rising levels of stress, tipping the

scales from positive to negative. This is important, as being able to identify signs

of being stressed can help you to take steps to ensure that your overall quality of

life does not drop. If left unacknowledged, the problem will only snowball, leading

to disastrous consequences to your health and overall wellbeing.

You can identify if you are feeling stressed by checking if you have any physical

or psychological reactions, such as excessive sweating or heart palpitations, or

the onset of headaches, irritability or the need to escape. If you experience any

of these reactions, identify if you are feeling any overwhelming negative

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emotions, and if you are constantly worried.

Step 2: Identify the Cause

You need to be able to analyze the situation and identify what is causing the rise

in stress. These stressors can be external and internal. External stressors refer

to things beyond your control, such as the environment or your colleagues at

work. Internal stressors refer to your own thinking and attitude. Often, we only

start reacting to stress when a combination of stressors working together

exceeds our ability to cope.

Keep a diary or a list of events that have caused you to feel strong negative

emotions, or that are likely stressors. This will help you to identify the causes of

your stress. Whilst it is not always possible to eradicate them, we can change the

way that we cope with it.

Step 3: Coping with Stress

In order to deal with the situation that is causing you stress, you need to calm

your mind and body so as to stave off the reactions and cope with it in a positiveway. This can be through different methods, such as taking time off. If a situation

is triggering your stress and you are unable to calm down, remove yourself from

it. Go outside and take a walk to calm down. Alternatively, you can try

implementing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing. If it is an internal

stressor, stop your thought process until you are able to deal with it logically.

The key to making these 3 steps work for you is to practice them. These are not

instantaneous solutions, and you need to condition your mind and practice them

so that you can implement it when you are feeling stressed.

(1.2.5) Stress Management

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Stress management is the need of the hour. However hard we try to go

beyond a stress situation, life seems to find new ways of stressing us out and

plaguing us with anxiety attacks. Moreover, be it our anxiety, mind-body

exhaustion or our erring attitudes, we tend to overlook causes of stress and the

conditions triggered by those. In such unsettling moments we often forget that

stressors, if not escapable, are fairly manageable and treatable.

Stress, either quick or constant, can induce risky body-mind disorders.

Immediate disorders such as dizzy spells, anxiety attacks, tension,

sleeplessness, nervousness and muscle cramps can all result in chronic health

problems. They may also affect our immune, cardiovascular and nervous

systems and lead individuals to habitual addictions, which are inter-linked with

stress.

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

techniques are some of the body's important built-in response systems. As a

relaxation response the body tries to get back balance in its homeostasis. Some

hormones released during the 'fight or flight' situation prompt the body to replace

the lost carbohydrates and fats, and restore the energy level. The knotted

nerves, tightened muscles and an exhausted mind crave for looseness.

Unfortunately, today, we don't get relaxing and soothing situations without

asking. To be relaxed we have to strive to create such situations.

Recognizing a stressor:

It is important to recognize whether you are under stress or out of it. Many times,

even if we are under the influence of a stressful condition and our body reacts to

it internally as well as externally, we fail to realize that we are reacting under

stress. This also happens when the causes of stress are there long enough for

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us to get habituated to them. The body constantly tries to tell us through

symptoms such as rapid palpitation, dizzy spells, tight muscles or various body

aches that something is wrong. It is important to remain attentive to such

symptoms and to learn to cope with the situations.

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

cases of relocation, promotion or layoff, adventurous sports or having a baby, we

tend to respond positively under stress. But, when we are compelled into such

situations against our will or knowledge, more often than not, we wilt at the face

of unknown and imagined threats. For instance, stress may mount when one is

coerced into undertaking some work against one's will.

Laughter:

Adopting a humorous view towards life's situations can take the edge off

everyday stressors. Not being too serious or in a constant alert mode helps

maintain the equanimity of mind and promote clear thinking. Being able to laugh

stressaway is the smartest way to ward off its effects.

A sense of humor also allows us to perceive and appreciate the incongruities of

life and provides moments of delight. The emotions we experience directly affect

our immune system. The positive emotions can create neurochemical changes

that buffer the immunosuppressive effects of stress.

During stress, the adrenal gland releases corticosteroids, which are converted to

cortical in the blood stream. These have an immunosuppressive effect. Dr. Lee

Berk and fellow researcher Dr. Stanley Tan at Loma Linda University School of

Medicine have produced carefully controlled studies showing that the experience

of laughter lowers serum cortical levels, increases the amount and activity of T

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lymphocytesthe natural killer cells. Laughter also increases the number of T

cells that have suppresser receptors.

What Laughter Can Do Against Stress And Its Effects ?

Laughter lowers blood pressure and reduces hypertension.

It provides good cardiac conditioning especially for those who are unable to

perform physical exercise.

Reduces stress hormones (studies shows, laughter induces reduction of at

least four of neuroendocrine hormonesepinephrine, cortical, dopac, and growthhormone, associated with stress response).

Laughter cleanses the lungs and body tissues of accumulated stale air as it

empties more air than it takes in. It is beneficial for patients suffering from

emphysema and other respiratory ailments.

It increases muscle flexion, relaxation and fluent blood circulation in body.

Boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-

fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and disease-destroying antibodies

called B-cells.

Laughter triggers the release of endorphinsbody's natural painkillers.

Produces a general sense of well-being.

(1.2.6) StressStress

Stressstress is the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when

there is a poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or

needs of the worker. Stress-related disorders encompass a broad array of

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conditions, including psychological disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, post-

traumatic stress disorder) and other types of emotional strain (e.g.,

dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc.), maladaptive behaviors (e.g., aggression,

substance abuse), and cognitive impairment (e.g., concentration and memory

problems). In turn, these conditions may lead to poor work performance or even

injury. Job stress is also associated with various biological reactions that may

lead ultimately to compromised health, such as cardiovascular disease.

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

workers report high levels of stress. One-quarter of employees view their jobs as

the number one stressor in their lives. Three-quarters of employees believe the

worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago. Evidence alsosuggests that stress is the major cause of turnover in organizations.

Health and Healthcare Utilization

Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are

any other life stressor-more so than even financial problems or family problems.

Many studies suggest that psychologically demanding jobs that allow employees

little control over the work process increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

On the basis of research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health and many other organizations, it is widely believed that job stress

increases the risk for development of back and upper-extremity musculoskeletal

disorders. High levels of stress are associated with substantial increases in

health service utilization. Workers who report experiencing stress at work also

show excessive health care utilization. In a 1998 study of 46,000 workers, health

care costs were nearly 50% greater for workers reporting high levels of stress in

comparison to low risk workers. The increment rose to nearly 150%, an

increase of more than $1,700 per person annually, for workers reporting high

levels of both stress and depression. Additionally, periods of disability due to job

stress tend to be much longer than disability periods for other occupational

injuries and illnesses.

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Causes of StressStress

Job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work.

Views differ on the importance of worker characteristics versus working

conditions as the primary cause of job stress. The differing viewpoints suggestdifferent ways to prevent stress at work. According to one school of thought,

differences in individual characteristics such as personality and coping skills are

most important in predicting whether certain job conditions will result in stress-in

other words, what is stressful for one person may not be a problem for someone

else. This viewpoint leads to prevention strategies that focus on workers and

ways to help them cope with demanding job conditions. Although the importance

of individual differences cannot be ignored, scientific evidence suggests that

certain working conditions are stressful to most people. Such evidence argues for

a greater emphasis on working conditions as the key source of job stress, and for

job redesign as a primary prevention strategy. Personal interview surveys of

working conditions, including conditions recognized as risk factors for job stress,

were conducted in Member States of the European Union in 1990, 1995, and

2000. Results showed a trend across these periods suggestive of increasing

work intensity. In 1990, the percentage of workers reporting that they worked at

high speeds at least one-fourth of their working time was 48%, increasing to 54%

in 1995 and to 56% in 2000. Similarly, 50% of workers reported they work

against tight deadlines at least one-fourth of their working time in 1990,

increasing to 56% in 1995 and 60 % in 2000. However, no change was noted in

the period 19952000 (data not collected in 1990) in the percentage of workers

reporting sufficient time to complete tasks. A substantial percentage of

Americans work very long hours. By one estimate, more than 26% of men and

more than 11% of women worked 50 hours per week or more in 2000. Thesefigures represent a considerable increase over the previous three decades,

especially for women. According to the Department of Labor, there has been an

upward trend in hours worked among employed women, an increase in extended

work weeks (>40 hours) by men, and a considerable increase in combined

working hours among working couples, particularly couples with young children.

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Signs of StressStress

Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed

relationships with family; friends and girlfriends or boyfriends are examples of

stress-related problems. The effects of job stress on chronic diseases are moredifficult to see because chronic diseases take a long time to develop and can be

influenced by many factors other than stress. Nonetheless, evidence is rapidly

accumulating to suggest that stress plays an important role in several types of

chronic health problems-especially cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal

disorders, and psychological disorders.

Prevention

A combination of organizational change and stress management is often the

most useful approach for preventing stress at work.

How to Change the Organization to Prevent Job Stress

Ensure that the workload is in line with workers' capabilities and

resources.

Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers

to use their skills.

Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.

Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting

their jobs.

Improve communications-reduce uncertainty about career development

and future employment prospects.

Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers.

Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and

responsibilities outside the job.

Discrimination inside the workplace. (e.g. nationality and language )

St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company conducted several studies on the

effects of stress prevention programs in hospital settings. Program activities

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included (1) employee and management education on job stress, (2) changes in

hospital policies and procedures to reduce organizational sources of stress, and

(3) establishment of employee assistance programs. In one study, the frequency

of medication errors declined by 50% after prevention activities was implemented

in a 700-bed hospital. In a second study, there was a 70% reduction in

malpractice claims in 22 hospitals that implemented stress prevention activities.

In contrast, there was no reduction in claims in a matched group of 22 hospitals

that did not implement stress prevention activities.

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COMPANY PROFILE

LIFE INSURANCE CORPORATION OF INDIA (LIC)

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) was formed in September,

1956 by an Act of Parliament, viz., Life Insurance Corporation Act,

1956, with capital contribution from the Government of India. The

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then Finance Minister, Shri C.D. Deshmukh, while piloting the bill,

outlined the objectives of LIC thus: to conduct the business with the

utmost economy, an spirit of trusteeship; to charge premium no

higher than warranted by strict actuarial considerations; to invest the

funds for obtaining maximum yield for the' policy holders consistent

with safety of the capital; to render prompt and efficient service to

policy holders, thereby making insurance widely popular. Since

nationalization, LIC has built up a vast network of 2,048 branches,

100 divisions and 7 zonal offices spread over the country. The Life

Insurance Corporation of India also' transacts business abroad and

has offices in Fiji, Mauritius and United Kingdom. LIC is associated

with joint ventures abroad in the field of insurance, namely, Ken-India

,Assurance Company Limited, Nairobi; United Oriental Assurance

Company Limited, Kuala Lumpur and Life Insurance Corporation

(International) E.C. Bahrain. The Corporation has registered a joint

venture company in 26th December, 2000 in Kathmandu, Nepal by

the name of Life Insurance Corporation (Nepal) Limited in

collaboration with Vishal Group Limited, a local industrial Group. An

off-shore company L.I.C. (Mauritius) Off-shore Limited has also been

set up in 2001 to tap the African insurance market.

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GENERAL INSURANCE

General insurance business in the country was nationalized with

effect from 1st January, 1973 by the General Insurance Business

(Nationalization) Act, 1972. More than 100 non-life insurance

companies including branches of foreign companies operating within

viz., the National Insurance Company Ltd., the New India Assurance

Company Ltd., the Oriental Insurance Company Ltd., and the United

India Insurance Company Ltd. with head offices at Calcutta, Bombay,

New Delhi and Madras, respectively. General Insurance Corporation

(GIC) which was the holding company of the four public sector

general insurance companies has since been de linked from the later

and has been approved as the "Indian Re-insurer" since 3rd

November 2000. The share capital of GIC and that of the four

companies are held by the Government of India. All the five entities

are Government companies registered under the Companies Act.

The general insurance business has grown in spread and volume

after nationalization. The four companies have 2699 branch offices,

1360 divisional offices and 92 regional offices spread all over the

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country. GIC and its subsidiaries have representation either directly

through branches or agencies in 16 countries and through associate

or locally incorporated subsidiary companies in 14 other countries. A

wholly- owned subsidiary company of GIC, i.e. Indian International

Pvt. Ltd. is operating in Singapore and there is a joint venture

company, viz. Kenindia Assurance Ltd. in Kenya. A new wholly

owned subsidiary called New India International Ltd., UK has also

been registered.

OBJECTIVES OF LIC

Spread Life Insurance widely and in particular to the rural areas and

to the socially and economically backward classes with a view to

reaching all insurable persons in the country and providing them

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adequate financial cover against death at a reasonable cost.

Maximize mobilization of people's savings by making insurance-

linked savings adequately attractive.

Bear in mind, in the investment of funds, the primary obligation to

its policyholders, whose money it holds in trust, without losing

sight of the interest of the community as a whole; the funds to be

deployed to the best advantage of the investors as well as the

community as a whole, keeping in view national priorities and

obligations of attractive return.

Conduct business with utmost economy and with the full

realization that the moneys belong to the policyholders.

Act as trustees of the insured public in their individual and

collective capacities.

Meet the various life insurance needs of the community that would

arise in the changing social and economic environment.

Involve all people working in the corporation to the' best of their

capability in furthering the interests of the insured public by

providing efficient service with courtesy.

Promote amongst all agents and employees of the Corporation a

sense of participation, pride and job satisfaction through

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discharge of their duties with dedication towards achievement of

Corporate Objective.

COMPANY PROFILE

ICICI PRUDENTIAL

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OVERVIEW

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company is a joint venture between ICICIBank - one of India's foremost financial services companies - and prudential plc -a leading international financial services group headquartered in the UnitedKingdom. Total capital infusion stands at Rs.29.32 billion, with ICICI Bankholding a stake of 74% and Prudential plc holding 26%.

We began our operations in December 2000 after receiving approval fromthe Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA). Today, our nation-wide

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team comprises of over 735 offices, over 243,000 advisors; and 22bancassurnace partners.

ICICI Prudential was the first life insurer in India to receive a NationalInsurer Financial Strength rating of AAA (IInd) from Fitch ratings. For three yearsin a row, ICICI Prudential has been voted as India's Most Trusted Private LifeInsurer, by The Economic Times - AC Nielsen ORG Marg survey of 'MostTrusted Brands'. As we grow our distribution, product range and customer base,we continue to tirelessly uphold our commitment to deliver world-class financialsolutions to customers all over India.

MANAGEMENTBoard of DirectorsThe ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited Board comprises reputedpeople from the finance industry both from India and abroad.

Mr.K.V.Kamath, ChairmanMr.Barry StoweMrs.Kalpana MorpariaMrs.Chanda KochharMr.H.T.PhongMr.M.P.ModiMr.R.NarayananMr.Keki DadisethMs.Shikha Sharma, Managing Director

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Mr.N.S.Kannan, Executive DirectorMr.Bhargav Dasgupta, Executive DirectorManagement TeamMs.Shikha Sharma, Managing Director & CEOMr.N.S.Kannan, Executive DirectorMr.V.Rajagopalan, Chief - ActuaryMr.Sandeep Batra, Chief Financial Officer & Company SecretaryMs.Anita Pai, Chief - Customer Service and TechnologyMr.Puneet Nanda, Chief Investments

FACT SHEETTHE COMPANY

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company is a joint venture between ICICI Bank,a premier financial powerhouse, and prudential plc, a leading internationalfinancial services group headquartered in the United Kingdom. ICICI Prudentialwas amongst the first private sector insurance companies to begin operations inDecember 2000 after receiving approval from Insurance RegulatoryDevelopment Authority (IRDA).

ICICI Prudential's capital stands at Rs.29.32 billion with ICICI Bank andPrudential plc holding 74% and 26% stake, respectively. For the half-year endedSeptember 30, 2007, the company garnered Rs.2,466 crore of weighted retail +group new business premiums and wrote over 5 million retail policies sinceinception. The company has assets held to the tune of over Rs.22,700 crore.

ICICI Prudential is also the only private life insurer in India to receive a NationalInsurer Financial Strength rating of AAA (Ind) from Fitch ratings. The AAA (Ind)rating is the highest rating, and is a clear assurance of ICICI Prudential's abilityto meet its obligations to customers at the time of maturity or claims.

For the past six years, ICICI Prudential has retained its leadership position in the

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life insurance industry with a wide range of flexible products that meet the needsof the Indian customer at every step in life.DISTRIBUTIONICICI Prudential has one of the largest distribution networks amongst private lifeinsurers in India. It has a strong presence across India with over 735 branchesand over 243,000 advisors.

The company has 22 bancassurnace partners, having tie-ups with ICICI Bank,Bank of India, Federal Bank, South Indian Bank, Shamrao Vitthal Co-op Bank,Jalgaon Peoples Co-op Bank, Ernakulam District Co-op Bank, Idukki District Co-

op Bank, Ratnagiri Sindhudurg Gramin Bank, Solapur Gramin Bank, Wainganga

Kshetriya Gramin Bank, Aryawart Gramin Bank, Jharkhand Gramin Bank,

Narmada Malwa Gramin Bank, Baitarani Gramya Bank, Ratnagiri District Central

Co-op Bank, Seva Vikas Co-op Bank, Sangli Urban Co-Operative Bank,

Baramati Co-operative Bank, Ballia Kshetriya Co-Operative Bank, The Haryana

State Co-Operative Bank and Imphal Urban Cooperative Bank Ltd.

PRODUCTSInsurance Solutions for IndividualsICICI Prudential Life Insurance offers a range of innovative, customer-centricproducts that meet the needs of customers at every life stage. Its products canbe enhanced with up to 5 riders, to create a customized solution for eachpolicyholder. Savings SolutionsSecure -Plus is a transparent and feature-packed savings plan that offers 3levels of protectionCash- Plus is a transparent, feature-packed savings plan that offers 3 levels ofprotection as well as liquidity options.

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Save n Protect is a traditional endowment savings plan that offers life protectionalong with adequate returns.Cash-Back is an anticipated endowment policy ideal for meeting milestoneexpenses like a childs marriage, expenses for a childs higher education orpurchase of an asset.Life Time & Life Time II offer customers the flexibility and control to customizethe policy to meet the changing needs at different life stages. Each offer funds 4options? Preserver, Protector, Balancer and Maxi miser.

Life Link II is a single premium Market Linked Insurance Plan which combineslife insurance cover with the opportunity to stay invested in the stock market.Premier Life is a limited premium paying plan that offers customers life insurancecover till the age of 75.Invest Shield Life is a Market Linked plan that provides capital guarantee on theinvested premiums and declared bonus interest.Invest Shield Cash is a Market Linked plan that provides capital guarantee onthe invested premiums and declared bonus interest along with flexible liquidityoptions.Invest Shield Gold is a Market Linked plan that provides capital guarantee on theinvested premiums and declared bonus interest along with limited premiumpayment terms.Protection SolutionsLife Guard is a protection plan, which offers life covers at very low cost. It isavailable in 3 options? Level term assurance, level term assurance with return ofpremium and single premium.Home Assure is a mortgage reducing term assurance plan designed specificallyto help customers cover their home loans in a simple and cost-effective manner.Child Plans

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Smart Kid education plans provide guaranteed educational benefits to a childalong with life insurance cover for the parent who purchases the policy. Thepolicy is designed to provide money at important milestones in the childs life.Smart Kid plans are also available in unit-linked form? Both single premium andregular premium.Retirement SolutionsForever Life is a retirement product targeted at individuals in their thirties. Secureplus Pension is a flexible pension plan that allows one to select between 3 levelsof cover. Market-linked retirement productsLife Time Pension II is a regular premium market-linked pension planLife Link Pension II is a single premium market-linked pension plan.Invest Shield Pension is a regular premium pension plan with a capital guaranteeon the invisible premium and declared bonuses.Golden Years: is a limited premium paying retirement solution that offers taxbenefits up to Rs.100,000 u/s 80C, with flexibility in both the accumulation andpayout stages.ICICI Prudential also launched Salaam Zindagi, a social sector group insurancepolicy targeted at the economically underprivileged sections of the society.

Health SolutionHealth Assure: Is a regular premium plan which provides long term cover against6 critical illnesses by providing policyholder with financial assistance, irrespectiveof the actual medical expenses.Health Assure Plus: Is a regular premium plan which provides long term coveragainst 6 critical illnesses by providing financial assistance, irrespective of actualmedical expenses, as well as an equivalent life insurance cover.Group Insurance SolutionsICICI Prudential also offers Group Insurance Solutions for companies seeking toenhance benefits to their employees.

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ICICI Pru Group Gratuity Plan: ICICI Prus group gratuity plan helps employersfund their statutory gratuity obligation in a scientific manner. The plan can alsobe customized to structure schemes that can provide benefits beyond thestatutory obligations.ICICI Pru Group Superannuation Plan: ICICI Pru offers a flexible definedcontribution superannuation scheme to provide a retirement kitty for eachmember of the group. Employees have the option of choosing from variousannuity options or opting for a partial commutation of the annuity at the time ofretirement.ICICI Pru Group Term Plan: ICICI Prus flexible group term solution helpsprovide affordable cover to members of a group. The cover could be uniform orbased on designation/rank or a multiple of salary. The benefit under the policy ispaid to the beneficiary nominated by the member on his/her death.Flexible Rider OptionsICICI Pru Life offers flexible riders, which can be added to the basic policy at amarginal cost, depending on the specific needs of the customer.Accident & disability benefit: If death occurs as the result of an accident duringthe term of the policy, the beneficiary receives an additional amount equal to therider sum assured under the policy. If the death occurs while traveling in anauthorized mass transport vehicle, the beneficiary will be entitled to twice thesum assured as additional benefit.Accident Benefit: This rider option pays the sum assured under the rider ondeath due to accident.

Critical Illness Benefit: protects the insured against financial loss in the event of 9

specified critical illnesses. Benefits are payable to the insured for medical

expenses prior to death.

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Income Benefit: This rider pays the 10% of the sum assured to the nomineeevery year, till maturity, in the event of the death of the life assured. It is availableon SmarKid, Secure Plus and Cash PlusWaiver of Premium: In case of total and permanent disability due to an accident,the premiums are waived till maturity. This rider is available with Secplus.ureplus and cashABOUT THE PROMOTERSICICI Bank (NYSE:IBN) is India's second largest bank and largest private sectorbank with over 50 years presence in financial services and with assets of overRs. 3649. 44 bn (USD 92 bn.) as on September 30, 2007. The Bank offers awide range of banking products and financial services to corporate and retailcustomers through a variety of delivery channels and through its specializedsubsidiaries in the areas of investment banking, life and non-life insurance,private equity and asset management. ICICI Bank is a leading player in the retailbanking market and services its large customer base through a network of over950 branches (including extension counters), 3600 ATMs, call centers andinternet banking (www.icicibank.com) to ensure that customers have access toits services at all times.

Established in London in 1848, Prudential plc, through its businesses in the UKand Europe, the US and Asia, provides retail financial services products andservices to more than 16 million customers, policyholder and unit holdersworldwide. As of June 30, 2004, the company had over US$300 billion in fundsunder management. Prudential has brought to market an integrated range offinancial services products that now includes life assurance, pensions, mutualfunds, banking, investment management and general insurance. In Asia,Prudential is the leading European life insurance company with a vast network of24 life and mutual fund operations in twelve countries - China, Hong Kong, India,Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailandand Vietnam.

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(1.2.7) Reduce your stress

1. Job analysis: - We have all experienced that appalling sense of having far too

much work to do and too little time to do it in. We can choose to ignore this, and

work unreasonably long hours to stay on top of our workload. The risks here are

that we become exhausted, that we have so much to do that we do a poor quality

job and that we neglect other areas of our life. Each of these can lead to intense

stress.

The alternative is to work more intelligently, by focusing on the things that are

important for job success and reducing the time we spend on low priority tasks.

Job Analysis is the first step in doing this.

The first of the action-oriented skills that we look at is Job Analysis. Job Analysisis a key technique for managing job overload an important source of stress.

To do an excellent job, you need to fully understand what is expected of you.

While this may seem obvious, in the hurly-burly of a new, fast-moving, high-

pressure role, it is oftentimes something that is easy to overlook.

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By understanding the priorities in your job, and what constitutes success within it,

you can focus on these activities and minimize work on other tasks as much as

possible. This helps you get the greatest return from the work you do, and keep

your workload under control.

Job Analysis is a useful technique for getting a firm grip on what really is

important in your job so that you are able to perform excellently. It helps you to

cut through clutter and distraction to get to the heart of what you need to do.

2. Rational & positive thinking: -

You are thinking negatively when you fear the future, put yourself down, criticize

yourself for errors, doubt your abilities, or expect failure. Negative thinking

damages confidence, harms performance and paralyzes mental skills.

Unfortunately, negative thoughts tend to flit into our consciousness, do their

damage and flit back out again, with their significance having barely been

noticed. Since we barely realize that they were there, we do not challenge them

properly, which means that they can be completely incorrect and wrong.

Thought Awareness is the process by which you observe your thoughts and

become aware of what is going through your head.

One approach to it is to observe your "stream of consciousness" as you think

about the thing you're trying to achieve which is stressful. Do not suppress any

thoughts. Instead, just let them run their course while you watch them, and write

them down on our free worksheet as they occur. Then let them go.

Another more general approach to Thought Awareness comes with logging

stress in your Stress Diary. When you analyze your diary at the end of the period,

you should be able to see the most common and the most damaging thoughts.

Tackle these as a priority using the techniques below.

Here are some typical negative thoughts you might experience when preparing to

give a major presentation:

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Fear about the quality of your performance or of problems that may

interfere with it;

Worry about how the audience (especially important people in it like your

boss) or the press may react to you;

Dwelling on the negative consequences of a poor performance; or

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

Thought awareness is the first step in the process of managing negative

thoughts, as you cannot manage thoughts that you are unaware of.

Rational Thinking

The next step in dealing with negative thinking is to challenge the negative

thoughts that you identified using the Thought Awareness technique. Look at

every thought you wrote down and challenge it rationally. Ask yourself whether

the thought is reasonable. What evidence is there for and against the thought?

Would your colleagues and mentors agree or disagree with it?

Looking at the examples, the following challenges could be made to the negative

thoughts we identified earlier:

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

reasonably should have? Do you have the experience and resources you

need to make the presentation? Have you planned, prepared and

rehearsed enough? If you have done all of these, you've done as much as

you can to give a good performance.

Worries about performance during rehearsal: If some of your practice

was less than perfect, then remind yourself that the purpose of the

practice is to identify areas for improvement, so that these can be sorted

out before the performance.

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Problems with issues outside your control: Have you identified the

risks of these things happening, and have you taken steps to reduce the

likelihood of them happening or their impact if they do? What will you do if

they occur? And what do you need others to do for you?

Worry about other people's reactions: If you have prepared well, and

you do the best you can, then you should be satisfied. If you perform as

well as you reasonably can, then fair people are likely to respond well. If

people are not fair, the best thing to do is ignore their comments and rise

above them.

Positive Thinking & Opportunity Seeking

By now, you should already be feeling more positive. The final step is to prepare

rational, positive thoughts and affirmations to counter any remaining negativity. It

can also be useful to look at the situation and see if there are any useful

opportunities that are offered by it.

By basing your affirmations on the clear, rational assessments of facts that you

made using Rational Thinking, you can use them to undo the damage thatnegative thinking may have done to your self-confidence.

Continuing the examples above, positive affirmations might be:

Problems during practice: "I have learned from my rehearsals. This has

put me in a position where I can deliver a great performance. I am going to

perform well and enjoy the event."

Worries about performance: "I have prepared well and rehearsedthoroughly. I am well positioned to give an excellent performance."

Problems issues outside your control: "I have thought through

everything that might reasonably happen and have planned how I can

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handle all likely contingencies. I am very well placed to react flexibly to

events."

Worry about other people's reaction: "Fair people will react well to a

good performance. I will rise above any unfair criticism in a mature and

professional way."

If appropriate, write these affirmations down on your worksheet so that you can

use them when you need them.

As well as allowing you to structure useful affirmations, part of Positive Thinking

is to look at opportunities that the situation might offer to you. In the examples

above, successfully overcoming the situations causing the original negative

thinking will open up opportunities. You will acquire new skills, you will be seen

as someone who can handle difficult challenges, and you may open up new

career opportunities.

Make sure that identifying these opportunities and focusing on them is part of

your positive thinking.

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2. Research Methodology(2.1) Research Objective: -

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

opportunity, demand or resource related to what the individual desires and for

which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important. This is a

complicated definition.

Stress is not necessarily bad in and of itself. Although stress is typically

discussed in a negative context, it also has a positive value. Its an opportunity

when it offers potential gain. Consider for example, the superior performance that

an athlete or stage performer gives in clutch situations. Such individuals often

use stress positively to rise to the occasion and perform at or near their

maximum. Similarly, many professionals see the pressures of heavy workloads

and deadlines as positive challenges that enhance the quality of their work and

the satisfaction the get from their job.

But it is different in the case of bank employees. The bank employeesare the people who also have to achieve the certain target and so for the non

achievement of target the employees remain stressed and tensed. The

employees who have the simple table work also have to face the problem of

stress. Due to recession the banking sector is also facing the problem of

employee cut-offs and so the work load of the existing employees increases and

the feel stressed.

The types of stress are named as eustress and distress. Distress is the

most commonly-referred to type of stress, having negative implications, whereas

eustress is a positive form of stress, usually related to desirable events in

person's life. Both can be equally taxing on the body, and are cumulative in

nature, depending on a person's way of adapting to a change that has caused it.

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Stress management is the need of the hour. However hard we try to go beyond a

stress situation, life seems to find new ways of stressing us out and plaguing us

with anxiety attacks. Moreover, be it our anxiety, mind-body exhaustion or our

erring attitudes, we tend to overlook causes of stress and the conditions triggered

by those. In such unsettling moments we often forget that stressors, if not

escapable, are fairly manageable and treatable.

Stress, either quick or constant, can induce risky body-mind disorders.

Immediate disorders such as dizzy spells, anxiety attacks, tension,

sleeplessness, nervousness and muscle cramps can all result in chronic health

problems. They may also affect our immune, cardiovascular and nervous

systems and lead individuals to habitual addictions, which are inter-linked with

stress.

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

techniques are some of the body's important built-in response systems. As a

relaxation response the body tries to get back balance in its homeostasis. Some

hormones released during the 'fight or flight' situation prompt the body to replace

the lost carbohydrates and fats, and restore the energy level. The knotted

nerves, tightened muscles and an exhausted mind crave for looseness.

Unfortunately, today, we don't get relaxing and soothing situations without

asking. To be relaxed we have to strive to create such situations.

This research is to carry out the study that how much stressed the

employees of the banks are and how do their stress affect their work life, social

life, output etc. so a sample of 14 to 15 employees are selected from all the three

banks for the research of stress among them.

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(2.2) Sampling

Sample: I have taken the sample of 50 employees from three different banks of

Bhavnagar. All the employees were of the same designations.

Reason:As we find the employees of the bank to be more stressful as more and

more employees are taking VRS and are dismissed because of inflation. I have

selected only those three banks which are affiliated to the public and are

specialized in consumer needs fulfillment.

It is incumbent on the researcher to clearly define the target

population. There are no strict rules to follow, and the researcher must rely on

logic and judgment. The population is defined in keeping with the objectives of

the study.

Sometimes, the entire population will be sufficiently small, and the

researcher can include the entire population in the study. This type of research is

called a census study because data is gathered on every member of the

population.

Usually, the population is too large for the researcher to attempt to

survey all of its members. A small, but carefully chosen sample can be used to

represent the population. The sample reflects the characteristics of the

population from which it is drawn.

Sampling methods are classified as eitherprobabilityornonprobability. In probability samples, each member of the population has a known

non-zero probability of being selected. Probability methods include random

sampling, systematic sampling, and stratified sampling. In non probability

sampling, members are selected from the population in some nonrandom

manner. These include convenience sampling, judgment sampling, quota

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sampling, and snowball sampling. The advantage of probability sampling is that

sampling errorcan be calculated. Sampling error is the degree to which a sample

might differ from the population. When inferring to the population, results are

reported plus or minus the sampling error. In non probability sampling, the

degree to which the sample differs from the population remains unknown.

Random sampling is the purest form of

probability sampling. Each member of the population has an equal

and known chance of being selected. When there are very large

populations, it is often difficult or impossible to identify every member

of the population, so the pool of available subjects becomes biased.

Systematic sampling is often used instead of

random sampling. It is also called an Nth name selection technique.

After the required sample size has been calculated, every Nth record

is selected from a list of population members. As long as the list does

not contain any hidden order, this sampling method is as good as the

random sampling method. Its only advantage over the random

sampling technique is simplicity. Systematic sampling is frequentlyused to select a specified number of records from a computer file.

Stratified sampling is commonly used

probability method that is superior to random sampling because it

reduces sampling error. A stratum is a subset of the population that

shares at least one common characteristic. The researcher first

identifies the relevant stratums and their actual representation in the

population. Random sampling is then used to select subjects from

each stratum until the number of subjects in that stratum is

proportional to its frequency in the population. Stratified sampling is

often used when one or more of the stratums in the population have

a low incidence relative to the other stratums.

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Convenience sampling is used in exploratory

research where the researcher is interested in getting an inexpensive

approximation of the truth. As the name implies, the sample is

selected because they are convenient. This non-probability method is

often used during preliminary research efforts to get a gross estimate

of the results, without incurring the cost or time required to select a

random sample.

Judgment sampling is a common non-

probability method. The researcher selects the sample based on

judgment. This is usually and extension of convenience sampling.

For example, a researcher may decide to draw the entire sample

from one "representative" city, even though the population includes

all cities. When using this method, the researcher must be confident

that the chosen sample is truly representative of the entire

population.

Quota sampling is the non-probability

equivalent of stratified sampling. Like stratified sampling, theresearcher first identifies the stratums and their proportions as they

are represented in the population. Then convenience or judgment

sampling is used to select the required number of subjects from each

stratum. This differs from stratified sampling, where the stratums are

filled by random sampling.

Snowball sampling is a special non-

probability method used when the desired sample characteristic is

rare. It may be extremely difficult or cost prohibitive to locate

respondents in these situations. Snowball sampling relies on referrals

from initial subjects to generate additional subjects. While this

technique can dramatically lower search costs, it comes at the

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expense of introducing bias because the technique itself reduces the

likelihood that the sample will represent a good cross section from

the population.

(2.3) Research Instrument: -

Checking Yourself for Burnout

Burnout occurs when passionate, committed people become deeply disillusioned

with a job or career from which they have previously derived much of their

identity and meaning. It comes as the things that inspire passion and enthusiasm

are stripped away, and tedious or unpleasant things crowd in. This tool can help

you check yourself for burnout.

Introduction:

This tool can help you check yourself for burnout. It helps you look at the way

you feel about your job and your experiences at work, so that you can get a feel

for whether you are at risk of burnout.

Using the Tool:

Work through the table on paper and calculate values manually.

Fill in values appropriately on the sheet. This will automatically calculate

scores for you and interpret these scores, showing the score and

interpretation in row 30.

If you choose to use the manual method, then calculate the total of the scores as

described in the instructions (note that this uses a slightly different scoring

method from the spreadsheet). Apply the score to the scoring table underneath

to get the interpretation.

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QUESTIONNAIRE

Name:

Occupation : Age :

N Questions Yes No

1 Are you satisfied with the performance you give at your work?

2 Do you think that you are suffering from depression?

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

4 Do you discuss your problem with your spouse or friend or

any other close to you?5

Do you work more than 8 hours?6 You have an important function at your home and your boss

asks to give a 4 hour over time, what will be your response?7

Do you regularly spend time for entertainment?8

Is your social life balanced?9 Do you plan your work before doing?10

Do you fear about the quality of your performance?

11 Are you a heart patient?12 Do you get tensed at your non achievement of your target?13

Do you feeling stress some times?If the answer of the above question is Yes then answer the

following:a)

Is the reason of your stress your work load?b) Are you stressed because of your family problems?c) Do you get stressed when your boss scolds You?d) Do you try to find any solution for the problem of your stress?

e) (IF YES) Do you practice yoga or any other ayurvedic therapy

for reducing stress?

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To make the survey report more clear the above questionnaire was also

filled. As a result the employees have given proper response and the

report of the questionnaire is presented in the project.

(2.4) Data analysis and Interpretation

The project report shows the information of the level of stress

which the employees are facing as the period of recession is going the

employee cut-off and turnover ratios are found to be high so the workloadfor the existing employees are high. So they are facing the problem of work

overload and thus they get stressed.

Lets have a watch on the basic data of the survey:

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DATA ANALYSIS

1. Are you satisfied with the performance you give at your work?

From the diagram it is clear that 77 % of the employees are satisfied with the

performance they give in the work while 23 % of the employees are not satisfied.

Yes No No response27 8 0

64

Yes

No

No response


65/91

2. Do you think that you are suffering from depression?

20 % of the employee feel that they are suffering from depression while 80 % of

the employee feel that that they are free from the depression


65

Yes

No

No response


66/91

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


26% of the employees worry about their colleagues opinion about them while

74% of the employees are not concern with the opinion about their colleague.

66

Yes

No

No response


67/91

4. Do you discuss your problem with your spouse or friend or any other

close to you?


91% of the employees of the bank discuss their problem and share their feelings

with their spouse or friends or others while 9 % of the employee is not concerned

with it.

5. Do you work more than 8 hours?

67

Yes

No

No response


68/91

89% of the employees work for more than 8 hours which is the starting point of

the stress while 11 % of the employees dont work for more than 8 hours.

6. You have an important function at your home and your boss asks to

give a 4 hour over time, what will be your response?


68

Yes

No

No response


69/91

40 % of the employees are proved to be work dedicated and they are ready to

miss the important function at their house while 54 % of the employees said no

and 6 % of the employee did not gave any answer.

7. Do you regularly spend time for entertainment?



69

Yes

No

No response


70/91

57% of the employee spent regular time on entertainment which helps us to

remain stress free while 43 % of the employees dont do that.

8. Is your social life balanced?


70

Yes

NoNo response


71/91

54 % of the employees find their social life to be balanced while 40 % of the

employees dont have their social life balanced. 6% of the employees remain

silent.

9. Do you plan your work before doing?

It is a good habit to plan the work you do. 89 % of the employees plan their work

before doing while 11 % of the employees dont plan their work.


71

Yes

No

No response

Yes

No

No response


72/91

10. Do you fear about the quality of your performance?

63% of the employees fear the quality of performance which they give while 37 %

of the employees dont fear the quality of their work.

11. Are you a heart patient?



72

Yes

No

No response


73/91

Here 3 % of the employees are heart patient which is partially the result of stress.

12. Do you get tensed at your non achievement of your target?


71% of the employees get tensed at the non achievement of the target while 29

% of the employees work casually.

13. Do you feeling stress some times?

73

Yes

No

No re sponse

Yes

No

No response


74/91


80% of the employees feel stressed sometimes while 17 % of the employees are

not feeling stressed. 3 % of the employees did not respond.

If the answer of the above question is Yes then answer the following:

a) Is the reason of your stress your work load?

57% of the employees find themselves to be stressed by their work over load. 26

% of the employees are not stressed because of the work overload. 17 % of the

employees did not answer.

b) Are you stressed because of your family problems?


74

Yes

No

No re sponse

Yes

No

No response


75/91

40 % of the

employees are stressed because of their family problems 40% by other problemswhile 20% of the employees did not responded.

c) Do you get stressed when your boss scolds you?

20% of the employee did not responded when they were asked weather their get

stressed because of the scolding of their boss. 51% of the employees dont get

stress because of the scolding of their boss. 29 % of the employees get stressed

because of the scolding of their boss.



75

Yes

No

No response

Yes

No

No response


76/91

d) Do you try to find any solution for the problem of your stress?


69 % of the employees try to find the solution of their stress.

e) (IF YES) Do you practice yoga or any other ayurvedic therapy for

reducing stress?

76

Yes

No

No response


77/91


31% of the employees try the yoga and other ayurvedic techniques to reduce

their stress while 51 % of the employees use other techniques to reduce

stress.

(2.5) Employees opinion about how to reduce

stress

This project consist of the information about the employees undergoing

from stress who working in the banks. So considering this factor this topicbecomes one of the most important part of the project as it consists of the

opinion of the employees who work in the banks. In short it was a direct interview

of the employees who gave their opinion about how to reduce stress. The

response of employees in the major banks of Bhavnagar like State Bank of

Saurashtra, The AXIS Bank, and The HDFC bank was marvelous and they have

given their valuable opinion about reducing stress as a result of the last question

included in the questionnaire 2. So the opinion if the employees were as follows:

Just smile away An employee- HDFC Bank

Just believe in your self and just do what your heart wants An

employee- HDFC Bank

77

Yes

No

No response


78/91

-Talking to family members, - Watching TV or listening good

music, - Going for a walk or long drive An employee- HDFC Bank

Believe in God An employee- HDFC Bank

Respect yourself and give time to yourself An employee-

HDFC Bank

Working in environment welfares, lot of positive attitude.

Positive attitude is only that reduces stress and achieves success. Most of

the people frustrate due to lack of positivity and stress level climbs up due

to that. So get positive attitude about work, about life, and forget the

stress An employee- AXIS Bank

We should do such activities from which we get happiness

and also make others happy. Pass your time with your close friends and

relatives. An employee- AXIS Bank

Play and watch cricket An employee- AXIS Bank

Listen music and spend time with family An employee- SBS

Bank

Get adjusted with others, Find and spend time for prayer,

Study the scriptures, See oneness in all, All are manifested of the

supreme GOD An employee- SBS Bank

These opinions are seemed to be valuable and effective as one of the

effective things has been noticed that the employees who have got less than 18

marks in the Burnout test have given their opinions about reducing the stress.

It is also noticed that in the AXIS bank Bhavnagar in the time of

afternoon slow instrumental music are been played so that the employees canwork stress free. This is one of the positive things which are seen in the

organization who is caring for their employees. This will help the organization to

boost up the productivity.

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(2.6) R

stress lic icicipru arpit

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