Strategic Measures for Effective Stress Management: An Analysis with Worker in Cotton Mill Industries
Dr K M Ashifa,
Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Faculty of Health Science , Gelisim University, Istanbul, Turkey
Abstract – “Individuals are held to account in this fast-paced society on both a professional and personal level.
Individuals exert considerable physical and mental effort in their various occupations. As a result, the vast majority of people on the planet are prone to stress. Human life is fraught with stress and strain. Workplace stress is a growing worry for today's governments. Stress can be characterized as a probable circumstance in which individuals encounter constraints, opportunities, or the loss of what they desire, and for whose significance is both unpredictable and crucial. Stress is the human response to unjustified pressures or challenges. Employers will adopt numerous ways to instantly reduce employee stress, thereby increasing the employee's efficiency and health, physical and mental abilities, attentiveness, self-esteem, and overall efficiency. The purpose of this study is to identify stressors and to uncover ways for reducing stress that will enable employees to do their jobs more effectively. This study focuses on the analysis of stress among cotton mill workers. The study discovered that stress in the workplace is caused by a heavy workload, low pay, time constraints and deadlines, a lack of security provided by the Cotton Mill, and the coping mechanisms available for stress management”.
Key Words:Stress, Healthiness, Stress management, coping strategies
INTRODUCTION
“Stress is a pervasive occurrence throughout the human lifespan. Every person has had it at some point in their lives and throughout human history. Stress is the body's reaction to harmful events, whether real or imagined. When a sensation is triggered, the body prepares for action in order to respond. When such stress happens, a number of physiological changes occur, including an increased heart rate, faster breathing, elevated blood pressure, and tightened muscles. Stress has an effect on cognitive capacities such as reasoning, behavior, emotions, ability, and attitude, as well as physical health and even life. Stress can have both positive and negative effects on an individual. The benefits of stress include increased concentration, improved performance, and optimal results, as well as motivation and confidence. Stress has a number of disadvantages, including impaired memory, low self-esteem, elevated blood pressure, and sleep deprivation. In psychological sciences, the physical signs of stress include poor energy, nausea, weariness, irregular cold and heartbeats, rapid heartbeats, dry mouth, and difficulty swallowing. Stress- related emotional symptoms include low self-esteem, loneliness, worthlessness, withdrawal from others, and depression. When stress has such a profound influence on a person's Physiological, Psychological, and Psychosocial condition, management must develop stress management approaches as coping mechanisms against stress in order to keep the workforce functional and productive. Companies have used a variety of useful strategies, including yoga courses, weekly meditation sessions, stress management training programs, employee picnics, festival and birthday celebrations, and so on. Numerous studies have been conducted on the stress levels of
employees in various businesses. The researcher is focusing on cotton mill workers in particular.
It has been reported that personnel at these mills are subjected to significant mental and physical stress, which contributes to the reasons for these individuals experiencing varying degrees of stress. The researcher is also considering the stress management tactics used by businesses and recommending to management coping ways for increasing employee productivity. The researcher has undertaken research on the amount of stress experienced by workers in Cotton Mills, as well as the coping mechanisms employed by management”.
REVIEW OFLITERATURE
“There have been studies related to stress level of employees working in different sectors.
Tharakan (2015) observed that women working as professionals suffered more work-related stress than women who were not professional.Technocrats wanted much more than non-technocrats.Usha Tiwari(2014) studied various measures in favor of welfare that the employer provides and contributes to greater productivity, and will have immediate effects on the employee's health, physical and mental efficiency, moral and overall effectiveness. She also stated that the satisfaction of employees with the social facilities will increase productivity, quality and production quantity.
She recommended that different steps be taken to improve the social services facilities, to make employees happy and to increase employee performance11.The stressors were identified such as work freedom, handling and bureau policies as well as a climate of faith or mistrust identified by Swaminathan P.S and Rajkumar S (2013), were investigated. In terms of work type, the field work involved a lot of stress and a great deal of pressure because of the fulfillment of objectives, frequent travel, meeting all kinds of customers, working in uneven hours, daily reporting and strict management control. He proposed that good relations with colleagues reduce manipulation and bureaucracy and promote understanding”.
“While taking into consideration the strategies adopted by companies for stress management there has been a lot of positive studies undertaking regarding the coping strategies. Kayoko Urakawa and KazuhitoYokoyam (2009) in their study reflected that job demand and job stress will have negative effect on the mental health of employees. Hence a sense of coherence is the strategy that is stated as a coping strategy for job stress. Another study by Richardson K.M and Rothsetin H. R (2008) concluded that cognitive behavior interventions would be the best interventions that can be adopted for occupational stress management interventions. Noblet and Andrew (2006) in their study revealed that Occupational stress can cause enormous human and economic cost and hence the management should adopt workplace health promotion programme for the successful combating of occupational health. Kushnir ,Talma (2006) through the study on Domestic stress and wellbeing of employees had drawn the inference that shared decision control can be considered one of the best possible strategy for stress management”.
Methodology
“The main aim of the study is to analyze stress factors among the workers in cotton mill industries in Rajapalayam and also the study analysed the coping strategies that the management
have taken for stress management of the workforce. In this research both, qualitative and quantitative method is used. Survey method is used for the study. In order to gather information the researcher conducted the research among the working people in Cotton Mills. The study conducted in Rajapalayam municipality, Tamil Nadu and T used interview schedule for collecting the data from the samples”.
Result and Discussion
“The study is about stress analysis and coping strategies adopted by management of cotton mills industry. It also discusses the multiple levels of stress in the workplace due to lack of security.
This shows the health issues related to job pressure and stress.The study showed that 86.7 % of respondents have no job satisfaction and 13.3 %were happy with their current employment.
Seventy-six percent of respondents claim that they have no security at work, while 23.3% think that their work is protected. 50,0% of respondents think that their current work affects their families and 50,0% think the work does not affect their families.93.3% of respondents think that they are not discriminated against in their work and 6.7% believe they are discriminated against.
In response to questions about the frequent argument between supervisory authorities and colleagues, 70% of respondents do not argue with their supervisors or colleagues, whereas 30,0%
of respondents believe they frequently argue with supervisors and colleagues”.
“The investigator considered time limits to be a source of stress. 83.3% of respondents agree that time limits are a source of stress and 16.7% don't think that time limits are a source of stress.
96.7% of respondents are of the view that stress relief practices are performed by management and 3.3% are opposed to these activities.The researcher inquired about the interaction of the respondents with their colleagues. 86.7% of respondents have no cordial relationship with their colleagues, and 13.3% have a good relationship with their coworkers. The next question was about the stress-related health problem.100.0 percent of respondents believe their health is heavily affected by stress.70,0% of respondents feel that they do not have a good working atmosphere, and 30,0% think that they have a good working climate. The investigator will investigate whether we have the effects of stress on physical and mental health problems. In physical and mental health problems, 40% of respondent suffer from headache; 20% of the respondents are anxious; 20% of respondents are affected by depression; 10% of the respondents suffer from high blood pressure, and 10% are suffering from chest pain. When respondents were questioned about the cause of pressure, 50% of respondents say that it is stressful because of hefty jobs. 20% think that time limits are stressful.20% of respondents believe that long working hours cause stress and 10% feel that change in duties is a cause of stress. Hence from the above findings it is evident that the management has not taken steps for stress management. Coping strategies are much required to keep the workforce productive”.
“The main coping strategies that can be adopted by the management for keeping their employees productive are :Giving employees satisfied working environment; The employees would be getting satisfaction of work if the working environment is made keeping in mind the
wellbeing of the employees; Good employee employer relationship; Employees need to be given due engagement in the decision making process of the company. This will create a sense of belonging to the employees and also loyalty towards employer. The relation of the employee with that of colleagues and superior should be smooth to avoid strain and stress in working; Rotational shifts or work for employees; Some employees tend to lose interest in work if the working time and job design always be monotonous. Hence management can take necessary steps to assign work for employees in a rotational manner; Frequent workforce health programmes; Management can also help employee in coping stress by planning health programmes for the employees. It can be in the nature of health camps, yoga and meditation classes and motivational talks on stress management; Organisation level survey on stressors; Management can adapt to studying their own employees by resorting to surveys and studies of the employees about their job satisfaction and also level of stress that are faced by them; Making work area more work friendly; Regular visits of management representatives and a cordial talk with the workforce gives a positive impact about the management in the mind of employees which creates a sense of loyalty in the employees;
Music therapy in workplace; Music is considered the best healer. This music can be played in the work stations as per norms allotted. This keeps the mind of employees relaxed even during their work time; Provision for counseling of employees in regular periods; Employees need to be given counseling in regular periods or when required to overcome the mental trauma or problem that can act as a medium of negative effect on mental health”.
Conclusion
“This study has been summarized the various level of stress readiness to learn. Due to stress most of the people suffering from the physical and mental health problems. Through this research, the researcher collect data about socio demographic details causes of stress and problems due to stress. Through this study researcher understood the causes and effects of stress, working conditions and environments in the cotton mills. Stress effects on job performances which will be increase absenteeism, decreased productivity, wasted potentials and skills, loss of goodwill, low morale, and reduced work effectiveness. Through this study researcher’s suggestion is to provide employees with flexible benefits, labour welfare benefits, encourage workplace wellness, revamp the habitat, medical camps, periodical health checkup, counseling, recognize your employees, appreciation, easy employee engagement, facilitate open dialogue between employees and managers, bring in meditation class, encourage employees to take breaks,createa sense of loyalty to your employees, suggestions accept and giving benefits for suggestions, provide proper training, create an employee friendly environment. By all these factors, the stress level in employees can be reduced”.
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