The effectiveness of stress management interventions on reducing occupational stress: a study with special reference to an apparel firm in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Introduction :

It has been identified through many research projects that workplace stress is unavoidable and it brings adverse effects to the individual employees as well as to the productivity of the organization they work for. Presently, there is a growing recognition of work-stress as an important occupational health problem. Health based occupational stress contributes to an increasing proportion of worker compensation claims, health care, disability, absenteeism and productivity losses (Agrawal, 2001 and Arnold, 2010).

The apparel industry is a growing sector which contributes immensely for the growth of the Sri Lankan economy through foreign currency earnings along with employment and many other positive effects (Central Bank of Sri Lanka, 1997). It is marked as an area which carries a high rate of stress related issues regarding work practices and the working environment (Fonseka, 2006). It mainly causes occupational health problems and productivity losses. These issues have not been properly addressed in the Sri Lankan context and some research questions still remain unsolved. For example, “Do firms make enough effort to manage stress of their employees? Another issue is that“is there enough awareness created by the organizations regarding stress management and how the workers cope up with their stress?” Accordingly, this study focuses on these issues and mainly concentrates on occupational stress and stress management interventions in apparel industry.