TEAM SIX SIGMA PRESENTS:

It is a state of tension experienced by individuals facing

extraordinary demands, constraints or opportunities.
Stress is associated with:
Constraints or Demands,
Uncertainty over the outcome which is regarded as important.

Types of Stress:
Constructive Stress (Eustress)
Eu means good in Greek.
Eustress acts in a positive manner for the individual and the organization.
E.g. an employee is offered a job promotion at another location, working
hard before exams, complete projects and assignments on time.
Low to moderate amount of stress can increase effort, stimulate creativity
and encourage diligence in ones work.
Destructive Stress (Distress)
Distress is not healthy for the individual or organization.
May indicate effects that are out of balance or outside the tolerance limits.
Excessive stress may lead to overload and breakdown at a persons physical
and mental systems.
Performance can suffer as people react to high stress through absenteeism,
turnover, errors, accidents, dissatisfaction and reduced performance.

High

Perf
orm
anc
e

Low

Low

Optimum
Stress Level

High

At the
Maximum.
It is lower in case of very low-level stress and still lower in very
high-level stress.
Optimum level of stress may be different for different individuals.
High level of stress (distress) causes physical, physiological, and
behavioral problems.
Potential Sources of Stress
Conditions that tend to cause stress are called stressors.
Various stressors can be grouped into four categories
(1) individual (2) group (3) Organizational and extra organizational

Individual Stressors
Life and Career Changes
Personality Type
Role Characteristics
Organizational Stressors
Organizational Polices
Organizational Structure
Organizational Processes
Physical Conditions

Extra organizational Stress

Individual Stress

Group Stressors
Group Cohesiveness
Social Support
Conflict

Social Changes
Technological Changes
Community conditions
Economic Condition

Life and career Changes

Every transition or change produces stress.
Young adults (especially urban population) are more prone to
stress.
Lifes changes may also stress
Personality Type
People with personality a profile experience considerable
experience. They are ones who:
Work long hours under constant deadline pressure
Often work at home at night or weekends and are unable to
relax.
Constantly compete with themselves setting higher standards of
productivity.
Gets irritated with the work efforts of others.

Role Characteristics
There may be role stress because of role conflict or role ambiguity.
Role Conflict
Arises because of incompatibility of two or more roles. The various
roles have conflicting demands and people experience stress as they
are not able to fulfill the conflicting role requirements.
Role Ambiguity
When people are not clear about the actual expectations from a
role. This may happen because of inadequate knowledge or
information to do a job.

Lack of group cohesiveness:

When individuals start getting negative reaction from their group
members, they feel stressed.
Lack of Social Support:
When the social support does not come from members of the group,
individuals become stressed.
Conflict:
Any conflict arising out of group interaction may become stressing for
the individuals, be it inter-personal conflict among the group
members of inter-group conflict.

Organizational policies:
Unfavorable and ambiguous policies may affect the functioning of
the individuals adversely and they may experience stress.
Organization structure:
This provides formal relationships among individuals in an
organization.
Any defect in organization structure like lack of opportunity of
participation in decision making, lack of opportunity for
advancement, high degree of specialization, line & staff conflict etc.
works as stressors.

Organizational Processes:
Faulty organizational processes like poor communication, poor & inadequate
feedback of work performance , etc. cause stress for people in the
organization.
Physical conditions:
Poor Physical conditions like crowding and lack of privacy, excessive noise, air
pollution, safety hazards, poor lighting etc. produce stress on people.

Social and technical changes economic &

financial conditions, social class conflicts,
community conditions etc. work as stressors.

Coping Strategies for Stress

Stress can be coped at two levels:
Individual level
Organizational level

INDIVIDUAL COPING STRATEGIES

Coping Strategies may be adopted by individuals without
reference to the organization.
Individual coping strategies tend to be more reactive in nature.
Physical Exercise:
Walking, jogging, swimming. Playing, yoga, etc. are good
methods of overcoming stress.
It relaxes, enhances self-esteem etc.
Relaxation:
Meditation enhances relaxation.
Work-home Transition:
In this, a person may attend to less pressure inducing type or
routine work during the last 30 or 60 minutes of work time.

Cognitive Therapy:
1. Lectures and interactive discussion sessions are
arranged to help participants;
2. Recognize events at work and what cognitions they
elicit.
3. Become aware of the effects of such cognitions on their
physiological & emotional responses.
4. Replace self-defeating cognitions that unnecessary
arouse strain.
Networking:
Is the formation of close associations with trusted coworkers & colleagues who are god listeners &
confidence builders.

Are more of proactive nature, i.e., they attempt at removing existing

or potential stressors. They are:
Supportive organizational climate:
Focus is on participation & involvement of employees in decision
making process. Such a climate develops belongingness among people
which helps them reduce their stress.

Job enrichment:
Adding content factors such as responsibility, recognition, opportunity
for advancement removes the monotony job making it less stressful.

Organizational role clarity:

Role ambiguity and role conflict is reduced.
Career planning & counseling:
This helps the employees to obtain professional advice regarding
career paths that would help them to achieve personal goals.
Stress control workshops and employee assistance
programmes:
Workshops for control and reduction of stress should be
organized periodically.
The organization can make arrangements for assisting individuals
in overcoming their personal and family problems.

RAHUL AUDDYA
SUNIL SHAW
DEEP MUKHERJEE
SUTAPA MANDAL
SWATI PANDEY
TANMOY BISWAS