document/management/A quantitative study on Indian IT professionals to validate the integrated model of Job stress conv.txt

International Journal of Education and Psychological Research (IJEPR)	Volume 4, Issue 4, December 2015

AQuantitative Study on Indian IT Professionals to Validate the Integrated Model on Job Stress


Pammi Shesha Srinivas[1] Sony Kumari[2]
Katte Bharathiramanachar Akhilesh[3] Hongsandra Ramarao Nagendra[4]


Abstract:
Impact of mental strain caused by Job stress in workforce, is much researched topic in this   digital age. It is generally accepted that mental strain caused by excessive stress (distress), is one of the main reasons for today’s wide spread nature of non-communicable diseases like hypertension, depression etc., in the knowledge based workforce. Eustress (positive state of stress) brings high alertness and helps to perform beyond the perceived capability of any worker. Most of the western popular models on job stress, considered only distress component while understanding mental state due to job stress leaving behind the Eustress component. In this integrated model on job stress, both Eustress and distress states were duly considered, by making it the unique comprehensive model on defining impact due to Job stress. This model also brings about the significance of psyche nurturing practices which play key role in modifying the impact of job stress. To validate this integrated model on Job stress, a quantitative study was performed on assessing “perceived stress levels” of Indian IT professionals by choosing Yoga based Cyclic Meditation practice as psyche nurturing practice. It was observed that “perceived stress levels” were reduced significantly in Indian IT professionals with regular practice of cyclic meditation.  This quantitative study supports claims of Integrated Job stress model that psyche nurturing practices have modifying effect on impact due to job stress in knowledge based workforce. Stress researchers across the globe, are encouraged to use this unique integrated model under multiple industry/professional setups and come   up with valuable suggestions for mental well –beings of the workforce.
Key words: Job stress, mental strain, integrated model, Yoga, ITprofessionals


I. BACKGROUND
As per US National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (1998) , [1]Job stress can be defined as the harmful physical  and  emotional  response  that  occurs  when  the requirements  of  the  job  do  not  match  the  capabilities, resources or needs of the worker. Job stress can cause poor mental health and can increase rates of work-related injuries and accidents. Stress and lack of well-being in the workplace cost more than $25.9 billion per annum in terms of sickness absence, presents and labour turn over in UK and Europe.[2] Given the impact and importance of stress at work place, popular western models on mental strain due to job stress were studied with a view of coming up with suggestions to increase  ‘stress  tolerance  levels’  of  knowledge  based workforce.
1.1 western popular models related to job stress:
Demand-Control Model (DCM): As per DCM model, if a worker has less control/discretion power at work, while meeting job demands, then the worker would go through mental strain caused by Job stress. [3]Based on job control and Job demand, jobs are classified as Passive jobs, active jobs, low strain jobs and high strain jobs.


[1]Svyasa University, India [2]Svyasa University, India [3]Svyasa University, India [4]Svyasa University, India

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International Journal of Education and Psychological Research (IJEPR)	Volume 4, Issue 4, December 2015



Person –Environment Fit Model (P-E model): The P-E fit model   characterizes   stress   as   misfit   between   person characteristics (e.gabilities, values) and Environment ( E.g Supplies,   Demands).   This   misfit   causes   negative psychological, physiological and behavioural patterns which could be collectively labelled as mental strain.[4]
High Effort – Low Reward imbalance model:- High effort and  low  reward  model  is  derived  after  reviewing  many studies related to mental strain due to job stress, including Demand Control Model and Person Environment  model . It came to conclusion that reciprocity is the crucial element, which was not considered well in earlier related studies. The model is of the view that the work role in adult life defines a crucial link between self- regulatory functions such as self-esteem, self- efficacy and social opportunity structure. This causes individuals to invest high effort on job to be in a position to expect high rewards, which in turn increases their reciprocity capability. This model argues that any imbalance between efforts spent and rewards gained would cause a state of emotional distress.[5]























1.2 Quick Analysis of popular models and need for integrated model:
All  these  popular  models  helped  to  understand  distress causing situations for work force and are outward in nature by looking at environment/ control at work place. These models do not consider ‘Eustress’component at all. It was called up on  stress  researchers  to  include  ‘eustress’  along  with ‘distress’ in the upcoming models on job stress. [6]So any forward looking integrated model on Job stress needs to consider both positive and negative states of work related stress  and  its  impact  on  worker.  Everybody  is  uniquely different in coping up with stressful scenarios faced. Some people may turn these situations into opportunities while others may lose existing opportunities. So any mental strain faced by the individual due to stress related scenario is also conditioned by the psyche-orientation of the individual.  As

these popular models, do not consider psyche- orientation/ self-condition of the individuals, they are not complete in understanding  the  effects  of  Job  stress  on  Individuals. Current Integrated Model looks at the ancient Indian view on stress as well as at principles from western models, in coming up with unique model on defining impact due to job stress.
The ancient Indian View:There is lot of literature available on  human  body-mind  complex  characteristics  in  ancient Indian  scriptures  .It  is  maintained  in  the  ancient  Indian scriptures that, continued imbalance at mind level could be termed as stress and would manifest as disease at the physical level .It was also discussed on how to train the psyche to overcome   the   state   of   imbalance.   Text   below   from MandukyaUpanishad help son understanding, techniques on achieving mental state of equilibrium.[7]

?????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????
Layesambodhayetcittaàvikñiptaàçamayetpunaù, Sakañäyaàvijïänéyätsamapräptaànacälayet.
‘In a state of mental inactivity awaken the mind; when agitated, calm it; between these
two states realize the possible abilities of the mind. If the mind has reached the state of
perfect equilibrium then do not disturb it again’(Mandukya Upanishad Karika: 3.44)

II.  INTEGRATED MODEL ON JOB STRESS
In today’s modern medicalworld, it is well accepted that mental  well-being  is  a  major  vector  in  drivingphysical health.[8,9]    This is in accordance with literature from ancient Indian view.  So, by being able to condition the psyche, the response to stressful situation could also be modified, which could potentially alter impact of mental strain due to job stress on the individual. This principle is grossly missed in the existing models while describing impact of mental strain due to Job stress. Any stimulus external or internal, which can cause ‘stress’is called ‘stressor’in stress research. So in this integrated model, along with work related stressors and Person related stressors, due consideration was also given to the effect of psyche nurturing practices.Existing psyche deposits due to impact of previous stressful situations faced, also plays a significant role in responding to current and future stress stimulus situations.
Work related stressors:   Work related stressors could be further categorized as environment stressor and organisation stressors. Work related stress variables which are governed by changing customer needs, government policies, market fluctuations,  vendor  costs,  competitive  pricing  demands, back  to  school  schedules  etc.,  come  under  environment stressors. There is a little control for employers as well as employees  of  a  business  enterprise  on  the  environment stressors.   Stressors controlled by inter department and/or intra department practices followed with in the organisation come under organisation stressors. Organisation culture in terms of setting ambitious targets, openness to employee


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International Journal of Education and Psychological Research (IJEPR)	Volume 4, Issue 4, December 2015



concerns,   cross   cultural   sensitivity,   organised   project management, Risk management	etc., also contribute to modify organisation stress variables.
Person related stressors:   These are the stressors which arise from home as well as from work settings. Stressors like ill-health  of  family  members/friends,  financial  loss  of self/family   members/friends,growing   needs   of   family, necessity of support to family member education/health etc. come under personal related stressors arising from home. Stressors like lack of skills for current job, lack of decision making authority at work by virtue of position, over work demanded by the organisation, demanding schedules etc. come  under  person  related  stressors  arising  from  work settings.






















Theory of operation explaining flow ofJob stress stimulus and  its  impact:  Job  stress  stimulus  for  any  worker  is generated  by  work  related  stressors.  This  stimulus  is influenced by both person related stressors as well as psyche history variable. This Job stress stimulus traverses through virtual  stress  perception  channel  in  the  psyche.  Psyche nurturing  practices  followed  by  the  worker  would  have modifying effect on the perception of job stress stimulus. Healthy psyche nurturing practices like regular practice of Yoga  etc.  may  reduce  the  agitation  of  the  mind  while perceiving the stress situations faced.[10]Un-healthy psyche nurturing practices like taking drugs/excessive alcohol etc., may   increase the agitation of the mind while perceiving the stress situations faced.  Every individual has stress tolerance capacity (TC)i.e. he /she can with stand the impact of stress situations  faced  by  being  able  to  return  to  homeostasis condition soon. If the actual perceived Job stress (JS) is less than the Tolerance capacity (TC) , then one would end up in positive stress sphere else in negative stress sphere. In the positive stress (Eustress) sphere, one would adopt positive coping  skills  like  listening,  focusing  on  solution  based approaches etc. Positive stress sphere would help to find new opportunities which in turn increases the self-esteem of the

worker resulting in positive health. In the Negative stress (Distress) sphere, one would use negative coping techniques like running away from problem, unable to listen to others etc., which would result in uncertainty to solve problem at hand. One under the negative stress sphere may lose existing opportunities causing ill health effects like depression. The net impact of previous Eustress /distress experiences would be stored as deposited psyche variable in the person.  This psyche variable plays a role in influencing the next stress stimulus faced as well as stress tolerance capacity. A well nurtured psyche would be able to expand its ‘stress tolerance limits’.  .By  increasing  the  positive  effects  of  psyche nurturing practices, one can land up in eustress sphere, even if challenging  situationswere  created  due  towork  related stressors.

III. VALIDATION OFTHE INTEGRATED MODEL
IT professionals in India represent knowledge based work force as they mainly work with their mental capital. Indian IT professionals are always under constant pressure to deliver services efficiently along with being cost efficient. This requires to plan for ever changing customer requirements and forecast  market  demands  in  advance  ,  so  as  to  deliver services/products in “first time right” approach. In this web-connected world, time is the most precious thing for all the customers round the globe for IT professionals. All these factors   cause   Job   stress   for   IT  professionals.   In   a studyperformed  on  professional  stress,  depression  and alcohol use among Indian software professionalswith support of a sample size of 1071 subjects working in Bengaluru, it was observed that the software employees are professionally stressed due to job conditions and are at ten times higher risk for developing depression and also there is a significant increase in the incidence of psychiatric disorders.[11]Asurvey performed  on  call  centre  workers  from  IT  based  BPO industry  based  in  Pune  &Mumbai  indicates  that,a  high proportion   of   workers   faced   sleep   disturbances   and associated mental stress and anxiety as a result of work related  stressors.[12]     In  a  study  performed  on  200  IT professionals based out of Delhi, common problems seen among the study subjects were musculoskeletal (77.5%) and visual (76%) followed by stress (35%).[13]For these reasons, IT professionals   working in Bengaluruwere selected for validating this integrated model using quantitative methods.
Cyclic Meditation: Cyclic Meditation(C.M) practice was chosen as psyche nurturing practice. C.M is inspired by a verse from Mandukya Upanishad .Cyclic meditation was developed by Swami Yoga Anusansandhana Samstahana, a world class Yoga university based in Bangalore, India. In a day to day life we relax, though unconsciously, by stretching and  relaxing.  In  Cyclic  Meditation  we  not  only  stretch consciously and systematically, but also relax consciously. Yoga  body  postures  (asana)  like  PadaHastasana, Ardha Chakrasana, Ardhakati  Chakrasana,  Shashankasana  and Ushtrasana are used for stretching where as Shavasana is used   for   relaxing.  Various   relaxation   techniques   are employed during Shavasana like Instant Relaxation, Quick relaxation and Deep Relaxation. This provides stimulation



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International Journal of Education and Psychological Research (IJEPR)	Volume 4, Issue 4, December 2015



followed by relaxation at muscular level as well as psyche Level.  [14]In  a  study  done  at  Swami  VivekanandYoga Anusandhan Samsthan, Bengaluru,   it was also that found Cyclic  Meditation  Technique,  to  be  more  effective  in achieving voluntary heart rate variability as compared with another  yogic  technique  of  Supine  Rest  (Savasan).[15]
Materials   and   Methods:   Sample   sizechosen   forthis quantitative study consisted of “96” ITprofessionals. All the IT professionals were selected from Bangalore office of an Information  Technology  based  Multi-National  company, which has presence in India, Germany, Singapore, Austria, UK and U.S.A. Participants position within organisation ranged from junior engineers, senior technical leads to people managers. All participants came voluntarily to participate in the study.  Study also got permission from institution Ethical committee. Total sample size was divided into two groups, namely Yoga group and Control group.  Yoga group has both men and women employees with an average age of 31.04 years and with standard deviation of 4.57 years. Control group has both men and women employees with an average age of 32.02 years with a standard deviation of 4.582 years. Study was performed for an average duration of 2 months excluding weekends in the selected office premises. Both Men and women employees, with normal health as declared by subjects were included in the study. Subjects volunteered for the study do not have any previous experience of Yoga program as declared by subjects.   Employees who age is below 24 years or above 50 years are excluded from the study. All participants have education qualification of graduation and above. Perceived stress is measured through Perceived stress  scale  (PSS)  questionnaire  developed  by  Sheldon Cohen.	PSS  questionnaire  was  designed  to  tap  how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded respondents find their lives. The scale also includes a number ofdirect queries about current levels of experienced stress.


V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table   2:   indicates   response   on   Perceived   Stress(PS) component of Yoga Group, at the starting and at the end of study period.
Table 2 :  Yoga Group








Yoga group has shown reduction of 34.77 % in the mean value  from  pre  to  post.  The  improvement  observed  in reduction  of  perceived  stress  is  very  significant  as  p  < .01.Table 3 indicates responses on PS components of Control group, at the starting and at the end of study period.
Table 3 : Control Group







Control group has shown a reduction of 2.33 % in the mean value  of  perceived  stress  between  pre  and  post.	The improvement observed in reduction of perceived stress is not much significant as p > 0.01.
The significance of change in PS component between Yoga and control group is measured with Mann Whitneytest.
Table 4 : Between the Groups (Mann Whitney test)






The baseline between yoga and control group is matched and the post value has shown highly significant result ( p< 0.01).




IV. PROCEDURE
PSS  questionnaires  were  administered  to  all  members participating in the study from both control and yoga groups. The intervention given to Yoga group is a 35 minute, cyclic meditation practice, whose details are mentioned earlier. Control group was administered with walking or equivalent exercise for 35 minutes and was told to write a dairy to observe  changes  taking  place.  This  is  a  pre-post  study. Participants from both groups filled up the questionnaires voluntarily before the beginning of the study period and at the end of study period.

VI. CONCLUSION
Based	on the quantitative study performed, it could be observed   that   psyche   nurturing   practices   like   cyclic meditation have  significant positive effect in reducing the perceived stress levels in Indian ITprofessionals. This study validates the integrated model on Job stress by supporting the claim that regular psyche nurturing practices would have modifying effect on perceived stress at work place.

VII. LIMITATIONS
Though psyche nurturing practices could have modifying effect  on  perceivedJob  stress  as  per  discussed  model, organizational changes would also have effect in altering Job stressors.   Certain   variables   like   Role   conflict,



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International Journal of Education and Psychological Research (IJEPR)	Volume 4, Issue 4, December 2015



Role ambiguity could also cause Job stress to employees. Organisational changes which address these concerns would also bring down the Job stress perceived by the workforce. Current study is done specific to one ITcompany , however it could  be	expanded  to  multiple  industry  domains  like nursing,  police  offers  etc.,  to  validate  this  model  more robustly.

VIII. STRENGTH OFTHE STUDY
This is the unique model in explaining the effect of psyche nurturing practices in altering job stress effects in physically healthy work force.This also brings out the positive effect of psyche nurturing practices in coping with job stress.

IX. FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Authors call up on stress researchers across the globe to use this model in all stress research by employing it under various industry set ups like police officers, nursing etc. Findings from the future data using the model would help to robustly validate this model.
Acknowledgement-  I  would  like  to  acknowledge  my hearty thanks to S-VYASA university for their financial and technical support.

12.  P   BhuyarA,   BanerjeeH,PandveP,PadmnabhanA, PatilS.Mental, physical and social health problems of call  centre  workers.	Industrial  Psychiatry  Journal 2008;17:21-25.
13.  Sharma A K, Khera S, Khandekar J. Computer related health   problems   among   information   technology professionals  in  Delhi.  Indian  J  Community  Med 2006;31:36-38
14.  Patil, Sarang and Telles, Shirley 2006. “Effects of Two Yoga  Based  Relaxation  Techniques  on  Heart  Rate Variability  (HRV).  International  Journal  of  Stress Management 2006;13(4): 460-475.
15.  Patra S, Telles S. Positive impact of cyclic meditation on sleep. Med SciMonit 2009;15:CR375-81.


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