OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AND ITS INFLUENCE ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE AMONG FACULTY MEMBERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS(With Reference to selected Higher Education Institutions in North Coastal Districts of Andhra Pradesh)

Abstract

“It’s not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.” Selye Hans (1956). Stress lies within us. It arises as a result of our reactions to worldly events. Once we stop reacting, we will no longer get stressed. Occupational Stress is considered as one of the most important work-related psychological problems. A survey on Occupational Stress, published in the Journal of Managerial Psychology in 2005, ranked teaching as the second most stressful job out of twenty six Occupations analysed, with only ambulance drivers exceeding the stress levels found in the teaching profession (Cooper, C. L. (2005). The human consequences of this excessive stress on Teachers are serious and wideranging, and can include physical symptoms such as headaches, raised blood pressure, infections, digestive disorders, heart disease or cancer, mental health symptoms such as withdrawal, poor concentration, anxiety, depression, insomnia, burn-out and an increased risk of suicide; and behavioural consequences such as low self-esteem, increased drug or alcohol intake and deteriorating personal relationships leading to family, relationship or career problems.

Occupational Stress has been a very famous research theme from the last few decades due to rapid organizational challenges like restructuring, downsizing, technological advancements, industrialization and government interventions. These changes have created new working styles and in response, Occupational Stress has become an integral part of almost all occupations in the globe.

Many studies have discovered that an over stressed workforce may incur substantial costs to organizations and the community (Gillespie, M. W. (2001). Therefore, creating a better and encouraging work environment in order to actualize both individual and organizational objectives is a chronic challenge for all kinds of organizations in the world.