Workplace Stress and its associated factors in the Banking Industry in Chennai District, Tamil Nadu

Background: Banks are the backbone of the Indian economy in driving the growth further and faster. But it has become one of the most stressful jobs due to their time-bound unattainable targets and increased demand for banking services with manifold growth of the Indian population. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the banking sector due to the increased psychosocial illnesses among its staff in recent years. The study aims to identify the prevalence of stress and the associated factors among bank employees in Chennai district, Tamil Nadu. Material & Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 340 bank employees in Chennai district. The study participants were selected by using simple random sampling method. Data collection was done using face-to-face interview with a semi-structured questionnaire which assessed stress prevalence and its causes, while the stress levels were measured using standard PSS. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Out of 340 study participants, 65% had moderate level of stress while 35% had high level of stress. Most common risk factor for stress observed were overload of work 48%, unattainable targets 24%, work conflicts 12%, staff shortage 9%, multiple roles at work 7%. Among the risk factors, bank category, designation, grade of bank was significantly associated with the level of stress of bank employees. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the need for banks to reinforce recreational programs to prioritize the mental health of their workforce for long-term success of the organization.