Perceived stress: role and levels of demographics – a cross-sectional study of textile industry employees

Abstract

Work stress adversely affects individual and organizational performance. This paper aims at investigating the perceived stress among the employees of textile industry employees and how the employees’ perceived stress level (EPSL) is linked with different demographic variables. Data was collected from 1212 employees working in 23 export-based textile organizations using primarily Sheldon Cohen’s PSS-10. Descriptive analysis, t-tests, and ANOVA-tests were performed to achieve the objectives of the study. 70% of the participants were found to be undergoing stress amongst 21% were in the severe level of stress while 40% in higher level. The demographic variables: gender, marital status, salary, position, job experience, family size, and size of the organization, were found to have significant effect on the perceived stress levels. The study revealed numbers of variables (demographic) that directly or indirectly affect the employees’ perceived stress level (EPSL). There is a need to understand the complexity of stress phenomenon using a proactive approach, so that the stress management and interventions strategies can be designed to be effective and implemented accordingly. Findings of this research support the research community in an attempt to unfold complexity of stress phenomenon and study results can be utilized as a job design guideline for more acceptable and viable stress management interventions.