ASSESSMENT OF JOB STRESS IN SELECTED BRANCHES OF COMMERCIAL BANK OF ETHIOPIA

Abstract

As the world is changing rapidly peoples are more exposed to stress and stress is becoming a common issue in the whole universe besides stress related issues cost businesses billions of dollars per year in absenteeism, accidents, and loss of productivity. This study had an objective of assessing the nature of job stress in selected branches of commercial bank of Ethiopia. The study had used both primary and secondary data. The Primary data were collected by a means of interview and questionnaire. This study attempts to assess the perception and understanding of the employees of the bank and also possible sources of job stress. Primary data for the study were obtained through questionnaires from 219 employees and interview from the bank’s branch managers. A descriptive research design was adopted to meet the objectives. The data were analyzed using statistical techniques by using SPSS version 23, using frequency table analysis. The study found that job stress indeed exists in the bank and employees also have a relatively good understanding of job stress. In addition to this, role overload, role ambiguity, dissatisfaction on organizational structure, lack of information on duties, responsibilities and objectives, riskiness of the job, poor working environment, poor workplace relationship and financial insecurities found to be the main sources of job stress in the bank. In order to manage the problem, the bank should develop a stress management strategy with an organized training on stress coping mechanisms for management and employees. The researcher concluded that the existence of job stress in the bank is certain and since there is no stress management strategy in the bank, and managers are not curious about the problem a series of stress related training for all staffs and management is recommended for further in-depth study on the subject matter and development of stress management strategies with its urgency of paramount importance.