Effect of Stress Management on the Performance in Deposit Money Banks in Enugu State, Nigeria

Abstract

This work is basically on Stress Management and its effect on the performance which is key in every organization. Stress is mostly considered a natural body reaction to environmental condition, which vary from place to place. It could be positive stress (eustress) or negative stress{distress} but the most commonly referred to type of stress, having negative implications on humans is ‘distress’. Over the years, the worries of many employers in most organizations have been heightened particularly on the effects that this killer stress has on the performance of there organization. However, helping the employees manage their stress becomes very imperative as the employers continuously expect their employees to be more productive than before. Capturing the Nigerian banking industry, investigating into the effects of stress management becomes very pertinent for addressing the bank’s performance not only because of the stiffing competition of the industry but because of the today’s shift to human capital deployment as a strategy for sustainability and competitiveness. Based on this, the study sought to: (i) to ascertain the extent of relationship between employee distress and work Performance (ii) to determine the effect of role-ambiguity on employees’ job satisfaction in banks (iii) to assess the impact of boss-employee relationship on bank employees’ job commitment (iv) to ascertain the influence of technology-related stress on bank employee productivity (v) to determine the effect of work-leave on bank employee after-leave productivity. This study adopted a survey research design. Five major leading banks were proportionately selected. The Banks and their aggregate staff population include: Diamond Bank (169), First Bank of Nigeria Plc (324), Guarantee Trust Bank (70), Zenith Bank (122) and United Bank for Africa (294), totaling 979 in Enugu State, The population of the study comprised of senior and junior management staff. A sample size of 284 was obtained using Taro Yamane’s formula for sample size determination. Findings revealed there is a significant (γ = - 0.76**; p< 0.05) negative relationship between bank employees’ general distress syndrome and their work performance; Role ambiguity has a significant (= 3.585; p < 0.05) effect on the bank employees’ job satisfaction; Boss – employee relationship has a significant impact on bank employees’ job commitment. Technology related stress has a significant (= - .959; p < 0.05) effect on bank employees’ productivity; and finally Work-leave was found to have no significant (= 1.150; p > 0.05) effect on the bank employees’ after-leave productivity. In conclusion, Managers in various organizations can be in dilemma over what interventions need to be employed to minimize the costs associated with occupational stress. But inspite of any approach they adopt at all, the impact of stress is always inevitable. Managements’ mitigating strategies can only help in melting it off reducibly but cannot be completely eroded. Recommendations; management of all organizations should try to be more understanding of the distresses encountered by their employees. Granting of leave may not help in mitigating employees’ stress and assuring greater productivity after-leave. Special medical arrangement should be made available for the staff. Through this, they can always receive treatments and advised on their health. Boss—employee relationship should be made friendlier. The roles to be assigned to employees should not be allowed to be ambiguous.