Preface

The study of human resource management is one of the major criteria in the corporate sector. Human resource is the heart of the organization. By this research project we will be able to know how to reduce the stress level of the employees working in the organization. By this way the productivity of the employees increases. Now a day the corporate sector 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. 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 in the same organization, I have carried out a survey the stress level of the people working in the organization.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I express my sincere gratitude to my industry guide Mr. R.N.SHARMA, General Manager Strategic HR Unit , PADMINI VNA MECHATRONICS Pvt. Ltd, Gurgaon, for his able guidance, continuous support and cooperation throughout my project, without which the present work would not have been possible. I would also like to thank the entire team of PADMINI VNA MECHATRONICS Pvt. Ltd, for the constant support and help in the successful completion of my project. I am thankful to my faculty guide Mrs. GEETANJALI GHOSH of my institute too, for her continuous support and guidance and invaluable encouragement.

INTRODUCTION TO STRESS
It seems like you hear it all the time from nearly everyone you know Im SO stressed out! Pressures abound in this world today. Those pressures cause stress and anxiety, and often we are ill-equipped to deal with those stressors that trigger anxiety and other feelings that can make us sick. Literally, sick. stress at work is relatively new phenomenon of modern lifestyles. The nature of work has gone through drastic changes over the last century and it is still changing at whirlwind speed .They have touched almost all professions .starting from an artist to a surgeon, or a commercial pilot to a sales executive . With change comes stress , inevitably. Professional stress or job stress poses a threat to physical health. Work related stress in the life of organized workers , consequently , affects the health of the organization. It is very much a personal condition and individuals vary in their ability to cope with different forms and levels of stress. In fact we all need some level of stress , as stimulus , to get going and live. However , higher levels of stress can greatly affect individual and organizational performance.

Need and Relevance of Study

Now a days stress is a part of life because everybody wants to touch the sky as early as possible , but in the process of achieving the success there are many type of constraints which comes in ones ways and these constraints are the basic cause of stress . in any business or administrative establishment its very important to have a stress free environment for smooth functioning of the organization. More and more employees are experiencing stress at work. They may be coping with too much pressure, long hours or rapid change. The nature of employment has now changed and the idea of a job for life has been replaced by an emphasis on performance. Stress is now recognized as a valid health and safety issue at work. It is not a stress-free environment that organizations and individuals need to aim for at work but a stress-controlled one, which is beneficial for everybody. It is important for organizations to recognize this and apply appropriate methods and processes to reduce stress. Creation of an inclusive, participative, inspirational and respectful work environment would not only reduce stress at work but also improve individual and organizational performance. work stress is the harmful physical and emotional responses that occurs when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources and the needs of the worker. Stress can lead to poor health and even injury. A certain degree of stress is necessary for good mental and physical health. This is termed eustress. To much stress can lead to distress. Too much or too little stress can have deleterious effects on performance with resultant effects on the health of the individual and the organization. The ability to handle stress has almost become a requirement in most jobs today.

Work stress is thought to affect individuals psychological and physical health , as well as organizations effectiveness , in an adverse manner . It is necessary for an individual or an organization to have a stress free environment because it will help an individual to perform in a better way not only for himself or herself but for his/her family , society and the organization to which the individual belongs. The study of stress management is a tool to create the mechanism of converting the stressful environment into a stress free environment and unless we know the root causes of stress we cannot find out the correct way of making a stress free environment. This research project will provide practical advice on how to deal with work stress

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.

What is Stress

Stress is the emotional and physical strain caused by our response to pressure from the outside world. It may be understood as a state of tension experienced by individuals facing extraordinary demands , constraints or opportunities . The pressure of modern life , coupled with the demands of a job , can lead to emotional imbalances that are collectively labeled as 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 body and mind. 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.

Symptoms of Stress

The sign of job stress vary from person to person , depending on the particular situation , how long the individual has been subjected to the stressor , and the intensity of the stress itself Typical symptoms of job stress cab be :

 Biological y Lack of appetite y Craving for food when under pressure y Frequent indigestion y Heartburn y Constipation or diarrhea y Insomnia y Constant tiredness y Tendency to sweat for no good reason y Nervousness y Nail baiting y Headaches y Cramps y Muscle spasms y Breathlessness

 Psychological y Negativism y Expression of boredom y Dissatisfaction y Irritability y Anger over unimportant issues y Resignation y Forgetfulness y Inability to concentrate y Procrastination y Inability to make decisions

 Behavioural y Constant irritability with people y Feeling unable to cope

y y y y y y y y y y y y

Lack of interest in life Constant or recurrent fear of disease A feeling of being a failure A feeling of being bad or self-hatred Difficulty in making decisions Lack of interest in other people Awareness of suppressed anger Inability to show true feelings Loss of sense of humor Feeling of neglect Sudden changes in weight Smoking habits or use of alcohol

Types of stress While there are many subcategories of stress that are being treated today , the major types of stress can be broken down into four different categories : 1) 2) 3) 4) Eustress Hyperstress Hypostress Distress

Eustress
Eustress is one of the helpful types of stress . It the type of stress you experience right before you have the need to exert physical force. Eustress

prepares the muscles , heart , and mind for the strength needed for whatever is about to occur. Eustress can also apply to creative endeavors. When a person needs to have some extra energy or creativity , eustress kicks into bring them the inspiration they need. An athlete will experience the strength that comes from eustress right before they play a big game or enter a big competition . because of eustress ,they immediately receive the strength that they need to perform. When the body enters the fight or flight response , it will experience eustress. The eustress prepares the body to fight with or flee from an imposing danger . this type of stress will cause the blood to pump to the major muscle groups , and will increase the heart rate and blood pressure to increase. If the event or danger passes, the body will eventually return to its normal state. There are few examples of eustress  The thrill and excited feeling while watching a horror movie  The feeling of excitement when you won a game or race  The excitement when you bought your first car  The accomplishment of a challenge  The excitement of going for a holiday  The happy feeling of being loved

Distress

Distress is one of the negative types of stress . This is one of the types of stress that the mind and body undergoes when the normal routine is constantly adjusted and altered. The mind is not comfortable with this routine , and craves familiarity of a common routine . There are actually two types of stress acute stress and chronic stress

Acute stress

Acute stress is the type of stress that comes immediately with a change of routine. It is an intense type of stress , but passes quickly . Acute stress is the bodys way of getting a person to stand up and take inventory of what is going on , to make sure that everything is ok

Chronic stress

Chronic stress will occur if there is a constant change of routine for week after week. Chronic stress affects the body for a long period of time . This is the type of stress experienced by someone who constantly faces moves or job changes. Symptoms of chronic stress can be:
y y y y y y y

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. 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.

Hyperstress

Hyperstress is the type of negative stress that comes when a person is forced to undertake or undergo more than he or she can take. A stressful job that overworks an individual will cause that individual to face hyperstress A person who is experiencing hyperstress will s respond to even little stressors with huge emotional outbreaks. It is important for the person who

thinks they might be experiencing hyperstress to make measures to reduce the stress in their lives , because stress can lead to serious emotional and physical repercussions. People who are most likely to suffer from hyperstress are :  Working mothers who have to multi-task , juggling between work and family commitments  A wall street trader who are constantly under immerse tension  People who are under constant financial strains  Generally people working in fast pace environment

Hypostress

Hypostress stands in direct opposite to hyperstress. That is because hypostress is one of those types of stress experienced by a person who is constantly bored. Someone in an unchallenging job , such as factory worker performing the same task over and over , will often experience hypostress .The effect of hypostress is feelings of restlessness and a lack of inspiration.

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. 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.

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 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.

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. 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 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.

SOURCES OF STRESS

Stressors are the things that cause stress. It is important for a manager to understand and be able to recognize stressor because they cause jobrelated stress, Which influenences work atttitdes and behavior. Major soures of stress: Some of the major sources of stress are given below: -

ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS: -

y Occupational demands: Some jobs are more stressful than others.

According to the national institute for occupational safety and health, the following jobs are considered to be more stressful Labourer, Secretary, Inspector, Office manager, Foreman, Manager/administrator, miner, painter etc. Certain jobs seen to contain a high amount of in-built stress in the form of time pressures, too many meetings, difficulties in meeting standards, inter- personal games etc. , especially at higher levels. According to Parasuraman and Alutto, at lower levels also stress-producing situations emerge on technical grounds (equipment breakdown) or role frustration (low status, inadequate supervision ).

y Role Conflict: A role is nothing but a general set of guidelines

indicating how persons holding certain positions should or ought to behave. for example, top managers are expected to be decisive and aggressive, while salesman are expected to be friendly and cheerful. These expectations, unfortunately, may cause lot of discomfort and stress to the parties involved. This is espically true in situations where

different groups of people with whom the individual interacts hold contradictory expectations about how he or she should behave. Under these circumstances, role conflict exists, and the person in question may find himself pulled in different and incompatible directions. Four types of role conflict may generally come to surface.

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

Intrasender conflicts occurs then the person asks you to accomplish two objectives that are in apparent conflict. If your boss asks you to hurry up and finish your work but also decrease your pay for your mistakes, you would experience this type of conflict. Intersender conflict occurs when two or more senders give you incompatible directions. Your boss may want to complete a crash project on time, but company policy temporarily prohibits authorizing overtime payments to clerical assistance. Interrole conflict results when two different you play are in conflict. Your company may want you to travel 50 percent of the time (to be promoted) while your spouse threatens a divorce if you travel more than 25 percent of the time. Person role conflict occurs when the roles that your organization expects you to occupy are in conflict with your basic values. Your company may ask you to fire sub standard performers, but this could be in conflict with your humanistic values.

y Role ambiguity: Role ambiguity occurs when position holders are

uncertain about limits of their authority and that of others , company rules, job security and the methods used to evaluate their work. Research studies have indicated that the more ambiguity a person reported , the lower the persons utilization of intellectual skills , knowledge and leadership skills . it was also found that role ambiguity

was significantly related to low job satisfaction and to feelings of job related threats to mental and physical well beings.

y Role overload : imaging for a moment about an executive who is

attempting to dictate a letter , talk on three phones conducting an interview and writing a report all at the same time. There is no use trying to do too much in too little time . constant interruptions , changing hats every five minutes , a constant stream of visitors , a mountain of files and papers to process and a number of subordinates looking up to his valuable guidance and advice all increase the quantitative and qualitative overload . person who experience such conditions show clear sign of stress and report health problems.

y Role underload : At the other extreme , having nothing to do or

being asked to do too little in ones work can also be quite stressful. Sales people in stores with no customers , standing around all day with nothing to do could be said to experience role underload . assembly line workers also generally experience role underload ; rarely do they perform more than one or two tasks day after day . workers with role underload report that they feel both physically and psychologically weary;even when they are not at work , they do not show much interest in social activity or physical exercise . two factors succinctly explain the relationship between underload and stress . most persons wish to feel useful and needed . thus , when they find that they are doing very little and achieving next to nothing in their jobs , their self esteem may be threatened . secondly , people want stimulations . they do not like the idea of staring blankly into space all the time. They prefer to interact with the world around them and do something worthwhile. No wonder , jobs that demand too little can be unpleasant , boring and stressful.

y Interpersonal relationship : Another source of stress in

organizations is poor intrepersonal relationships with others , be they supervisors , coworkers, subordinates or clients . when interpersonal relationships at work are not pleasant , employee develop a generalized anxiety , a feeling of fear about upcoming meetings and

interactions . three aspects of interpersonal relationships at work , in particular , have a negative influence on job stress : amount of contact with others , amount of contact with people in other departments and organizational climate.

y Ineffective communications : stress can result from a lack of

communication or from a lack of the right kind of communication at the right time. We begin to see the world differently and we tend to interpret communication efforts differently . for example there is nothing more stressful than finding that you have arrived at an appointment with your at the wrong time. You misunderstood the appointed time , your boss is upset and you are edgy.

y Responsibility : any type of responsibility can be burdensome for

some people . different types pf responsibility function differently as stressors. One way of classifying this variable is in terms of responsibility for people versus responsibility for things . the more responsibilities the people reported according to one research study, the more likely the person was to smoke heavily have high blood pressure and show higher cholesterol levels. On the contrary, he more responsibility for things the employee reported, the lower these indicators were

y Job change: Individuals and work undergo constant changes as

organizations try to become more compitative and aggressive in the marketplace. These changes can cause stress for the job holder for example, a bank may computerized its accounting function. As a result, a job that did require certain decisions and calculations may become merely a data collection and entry position for the computer. As with most changes, job change entails a certain amount of uncertainty that may ultimately lead to stress. Change can be espically stressful for individuals afraid of losing there jobs.

y Climate within a company: Employee can also experience

stress when they feel that they should get more money for their work, or if company restrtins them from doing things they feel they must do to be effective in their job. For example, a manager wishes to assign a few extra duties to an individual for a special project but union

regulations do not permit it. Stress can also result from prohibitive physical settings such as heat, cold, safety hazards, air pollution, uncomfortable spatial arrangements, shift work etc. apart from the physical surroundings the psychological climate within a company is also important. When day to day life in an organization is characterized by unfriendly hostile exchanges, employees feel the tension all around. they do not trust each other and do not express their concerns openly they are unsupportive of each other and spend little time helping each other with problems. Likewise, if employees are not encouraged to participate actively in organizational activities, stressful situations may develope. Employees may feel left out and neglected because they have no opportunity to influence important events related to their jobs. Additionally factors like insufficient authority (where a manager does not receive the backing needed from management to carry out its directives ) pressures towards conformity (where members are expected to follow established norms whether they like them or not) ; faulty job designs also produce lot of stress for people working within a company.

Personal Factors
y The impact of life change: Traumatic experiences in life (death of
love one, divorce, lost of family estate etc.) can have significant impact on the psychological well-being of an individual. Research studies have also indicated the fact that when individuals undergo extremely stressful changes in their lives, their personal health often does suffer.

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 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.

Coping with Stress at Work place

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. 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 workplace.
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 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 positive way. 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.

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
y

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.

y y

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.

y y

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 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.

Stress Management

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, mindbody 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.

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 stress away 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 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 growth hormone, 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.

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 Analysis is 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. 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:
y

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:

y 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.

y 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.

y 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?

y 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. sWhen you challenge negative thoughts rationally, you should be able to see quickly whether the thoughts are wrong or whether they have some substance to them. Where there is some substance, take appropriate action. However, make sure that your negative thoughts are genuinely important to achieving your goals, and don't just reflect a lack of experience, which everyone has to go through at some stage.

Positive Thinking & Opportunity Seeking y 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.

y 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 that negative thinking may have done to your selfconfidence.

positive affirmations might be:

y 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."

y Worries about performance: "I have prepared well and

rehearsed thoroughly. I am well positioned to give an excellent performance."

y Problems issues outside your control: "I have thought

through everything that might reasonably happen and have planned how I can handle all likely contingencies. I am very well placed to react flexibly to events."

y 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 nsegative 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.

Review of Literature

Objective of summer internship

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, mindbody 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.

This research is to carry out with following research objectives 1. Identifying root causes resulting in stress 2. Impact of stress on performance management 3. Ways to manage stress

Brief profile of company

Brief History of Organization

Organizational structure

Key Highlights of organization

Sampling
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 either probability or non probability. 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 sampling, and snowball sampling. The advantage of probability sampling is that sampling error can 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 frequently used 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.  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, the researcher 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 expense of introducing bias because the technique itself reduces the likelihood that the sample will represent a good cross section from the population.

Sample Size

Sample Selection

Data collection and Data sources

Tools to be used for data collection

I have interviewed a group of several employees in the organization through a questionnaire.

JOB STRESS QUESTIONNAIRE

NAMEDESIGNATIONDEPARTMENT-

HOW MUCH JOB STRESS DO YOU HAVE ?

ENTER A NUMBER FROM THE SCALE BELOW THAT BEST DESCRIBES YOU

STRONGLY DISAGREE 1 2 3 4

AGREE SOMEWHAT 5 6 7 8

STRONGLY AGREE 9 10

I. II. III. IV.

I cant honestly say what I really think or get things off my chest at work._____________ My job has a lot of responsibility , but I dont have very much authority. _____________ I could usually do a much better job if I were given more time . _____________ I seldom receive adequate acknowledgement or appreciation when

my work is really good _____________ V. VI. In general ,I am not particularly proud or satisfied with my job. _____________ I have the impression that I am repeatedly picked on or discriminated against at work . _____________ My workplace environment is not very pleasant or particularly safe. _____________ My job often interferes with my family and social obligations or personal needs. _____________ I tend to have frequent arguments with superiors , coworkers or customers. _____________ Most of the time I feel that I have very little control over my life at work._____________

VII. VIII.

IX.

X.

TOTAL JOB STRESS SCORE

Data analysis (1)I can t honestly see what I really thinks or get things off my chest at work
RESPONSE 1

STRONGLY DISAGREE
2 3 4

AGREE SOMEWHAT 5 6 7

STRONGLY AGREE 8 9 10

RESPONDENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 TOTAL 5

                             

(2)My job has a lot of responsibility but I don t have very much authority ..
RESPONSE 1

STRONGLY DISAGREE
2 3 4

AGREE SOMEWHAT 5 6 7

STRONGLY AGREE 8 9 10

RESPONDENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 TOTAL 6

                            

(3)I could usually do a better job if I were given a more time

RESPONSE 1

STRONGLY DISAGREE
2 3 4

AGREE SOMEWHAT 5 6 7

STRONGLY AGREE 8 9 10

RESPONDENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 TOTAL 5

                            

(4) I seldom receive adequate acknowledgement or appreciation when my work is really good ..
RESPONSE 1

STRONGLY DISAGREE
2 3 4

AGREE SOMEWHAT 5 6 7

STRONGLY AGREE 8 9 10

RESPONDENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 TOTAL 6

                            

(5)In general,I am not particularly or satisfied with my job

RESPONSE 1

STRONGLY DISAGREE
2 3 4

AGREE SOMEWHAT 5 6 7

STRONGLY AGREE 8 9 10

RESPONDENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 TOTAL 8

                             

(6)I have the impression that I am repeatedly picked on or discriminated against at work .
RESPONSE 1

STRONGLY DISAGREE
2 3 4

AGREE SOMEWHAT 5 6 7

STRONGLY AGREE 8 9 10

RESPONDENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 TOTAL

(7)My workplace environment is not very pleasant or particularly safe

RESPONSE 1

STRONGLY DISAGREE
2 3 4

AGREE SOMEWHAT 5 6 7

STRONGLY AGREE 8 9 10

RESPONDENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 TOTAL

(8)My job often interferes with my family and social obligations or personal needs
RESPONSE 1

STRONGLY DISAGREE
2 3 4

AGREE SOMEWHAT 5 6 7

STRONGLY AGREE 8 9 10

RESPONDENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 TOTAL

(9)I tend to have frequent arguments with superiors, coworkers or customers ..

RESPONSE 1

STRONGLY DISAGREE
2 3 4

AGREE SOMEWHAT 5 6 7

STRONGLY AGREE 8 9 10

RESPONDENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 TOTAL

(10)Most of the time I feel that I have very little control over my life at work
RESPONSE 1

STRONGLY DISAGREE
2 3 4

AGREE SOMEWHAT 5 6 7

STRONGLY AGREE 8 9 10

RESPONDENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 TOTAL

MAJOR FINDINDS (1)I can't honestly say what I really think or get things off my chest at work
Strongly disagree 15 51.72% Agree somewhat 11 37.93% Strongly agree 3 10.34%

Bar diagram presentation:

60.00% 51.72% 50.00% 37.93% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.34% 10.00% 0.00% strongly disagreeagree somewhat strongly agree strongly disagree agree somewhat strongly agree

Conclusion:

(2) My job has a lot of responsibility,but I don't have very much authority.

Strongly disagree

Agree somewhat

Strongly agree

12 41.38%
50.00% 45.00% 40.00% 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 41.38%

13 44.83%

4 44.83%

Bar Diagram Presentation:

44.83%

strongly disagree agree somewhat 13.79% strongly agree

Conclusion:disagreeagree somewhat strongly

0.00%

strongly agree

Conclusion:

(3) I could usually do a much better job if I were given more time
Strongly disagree Agree somewhat Strongly agree

15 51.72% Bar Diagram presentation:

8 27.58%

4 13.79%

60.00%

51.72%

Bar Diagram Presentation: 50.00%

40.00% 27.58% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% strongly disagree agree somewhat strongly agree 13.79% strongly disagree agree somewhat strongly agree

Conclusion : 51.72% employees said that they cant do better if they are given more time . It means organization is giving ample to its employees to perform their job.

(4) I seldom receive adequate acknowldgement or appreciation when my work is really good.
Strongly disagree Agree somewhat Strongly agree

12 41.37%

6 20.68%

10 34.48%

Bar Diagram Presentation:

45.00% 40.00% 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% strongly disagree agree somewhat strongly disagree 20.68% strongly disagree agree somewhat strongly disagree 41.37% 34.48%

Conclusion:

(5) In general , I am not particularly proud or satisfied with my job.

Strongly disagree Agree somewhat Strongly agree

20 68.96%

6 20.68%

4 23.79%

Bar Diagram Presentation:

80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.68% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% strongly disagree agree somewhat strongly agree 13.79% strongly disagree agree somewhat strongly agree 68.96%

Conclusion: 68.96 % employees said they are proud of their job that means they are satisfied with their job

(6) I have the impression that I am repeatedly picked on or discriminated against at work

Strongly disagree

Agree somewhat

Strongly agree

17 58.62%

5 17.24%

7 24.13%

Bar Diagram Presentation:

70.00% 58.62% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 17.24% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% strongly disagreeagree somewhat strongly agree 24.13% strongly disagree agree somewhat strongly agree

Conclusion: 58.62% employees said that they are not discriminated against at work that shows there is no discrimination for assigning the job among the employees.

(7) My workplace environment is not very pleasant or particularly safe.

Strongly disagree Agree somewhat Strongly agree

20 68.96%

6 20.68%

3 10.34%

Bar Diagram Presentation:

80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% strongly disagree 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% strongly disagreeagree somewhat strongly agree 20.68% 10.34% agree somewhat strongly agree 68.96%

Conclusion: 68.96 % employees said that their workplace environment is pleasant and safe that means working conditions are good in the organization.

(8) My job often interferes with my family and social obligations or personal needs.
Strongly disagree Agree somewhat Strongly agree

15 51.72%

7 24.13%

7 24.13%

Bar Diagram Presentation:

60.00% 51.72% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% strongly disagreeagree somewhat strongly agree strongly disagree 24.13% 24.13% agree somewhat strongly agree

Conclusion: 51.72% employees said that their job interferes with their family , social obligations and personal needs which means that they are assigned with lots of responsibility and this is why they dont get time for their personal matters.

(9) I tend to have frequent arguments with superiors , coworkers or customers..

Strongly disagree

Agree somewhat

Strongly agree

21 72.41% Bar Diagram Presentation:

6 20.68%

2 6.89%

80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.68% 20.00% 6.89% 10.00% 0.00% strongly disagreeagree somewhat strongly agree strongly disagree agree somewhat strongly agree 72.41%

Conclusion: 72.41% employees said that they tend to have frequent arguments with superiors , coworkers or customers which shows that some kind miscommunication is there. (10) Most of the time I feel that I have very little control over my life at work.
Strongly disagree Agree somewhat Strongly agree

20 68.96%

6 20.68%

3 10.34%

Bar Diagram Presentation:

80.00% 68.96% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.68% 20.00% 10.34% 10.00% 0.00% strongly disagreeagree somewhat strongly agree strongly disagree agree somewhat strongly agree

Conclusion: 68.96 % employees have said that they have very little control over their life at work which means they are unable to control and manage their work as per their work as per their own convenience.

(11)

Strongly disagree

Agree somewhat

Strongly agree

155 53%

74 26%

47 16%

Bar Diagram Presentation:

60% 53% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% strongly disagree agree somewhat strongly agree strongly disagree 26% 16% agree somewhat strongly agree

Conclusion: 1. 53% employees are stress free. 2. 26 % employees can handle their job stress moderately well 3. 16% employees are encountering problems that need to be addressed and resolved.

Recommendations

Limitations of the Study

 The questionnaires were filled be 29 employees working in the

organization . So the scope of sample findings was less.

 The questionnaire was filled by 29 employees of different

designations. So the point of view of employees differs as per their designations.

 The employees from whom the questionnaires are filled are in a

heavy workload so some of the questionnaires filled by the employees who are in stress cannot be called reasonable.
 The responses of the employees cannot be accurate as the

problem of language and understanding arises. (These problems are not in all cases.)Many a times the employees may not be really conscious or may not be bothered about the questionnaire. This may create a problem in the research.

Disadvantages of Written Questionnaires  One major disadvantage of written questionnaires is the possibility of low response rates.

 Another disadvantage of questionnaires is the inability to probe responses. Questionnaires are structured instruments. They allow little flexibility to the respondent with respect to response format. In essence, they often lose the "flavor of the response" (i.e., respondents often want to qualify their answers). By allowing frequent space for comments, the researcher can partially overcome this disadvantage. Comments are among the most helpful of all the information on the questionnaire, and they usually provide insightful information that would have otherwise been lost.

 Nearly ninety percent of all communication is visual. Gestures and other visual cues are not available with written questionnaires. The lack of personal contact will have different effects depending on the type of information being requested. A questionnaire requesting factual information will probably not be affected by the lack of personal contact. A questionnaire probing sensitive issues or attitudes may be severely affected.

 Finally, questionnaires are simply not suited for some people. For example, a written survey to a group of poorly educated people might not work because of reading skill problems. More frequently, people are turned off by written questionnaires because of misuse.