Journal of Strategic Human Resource Management

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Occupational Stress: A Study on BPO Segment in India


Affiliations
1 International Centre for Cross Cultural Research and Human Resource Management, University of Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir, India
2 The Business School, University of Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry in India has been able to create tremendous employment opportunities and has offered lucrative remuneration packages, but this industry has also been in news for certain contradictory issues. While this industry is able to create tremendous employment opportunities, at the same time it is facing the problem of employee attrition and stress management. In context of research on stress management it has been found that most of the organisations tend to focus on the symptoms of stress. Many stress management programmes have also focused on the theory of stress, its symptoms and its reactions rather than attempting to forestall the reactions of stress by encouraging an awareness of emotional intelligence as a prerequisite to understand the reaction to stress. This exploratory study attempts to find out the relationship between emotional intelligence and occupational stress so as to assist managers in their development and stress management. Participants of the study were 250 employees of one of the leading outsourcing firms located at Gurgaon. Emotional Intelligence has been measured by the scale provided by Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test and Occupational Stress has been measured by using The Occupational Roles Questionnaire from the Occupational Stress Inventory.

Keywords

Business Process Outsourcing, Occupational Stress, Emotional Intelligence.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Aziz, M. (2003). Organisational role stress among Indian information professionals. Asian-Pacifi c Newaletter on Occupational Health and Safety, 10(2), 31-33.

  • Baroudi, J., & Orlikowski, W. (1989). A short form measure of user information satisfaction: A psychometric evaluation and notes on use. Journal of Management Information Systems, 45-59.

  • Bhattacharya, S. M., & Sengupta, N. (2007). Emotional Intelligence myth or reality. New Delhi: Excel Books.

  • Carmeli, A. (2003). The relationship between emotional intelligence and work attitudes, behavior and outcomes-An examination among senior managers. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 18(8), 788-813.

  • Chandramohan, A., & Vasanth Kumari, K. (2006). Attrition: A predicament for ITES in India. Journal of Management Matters, 1(6), 25-31.

  • Chapman, M., & Clarke, R. (2003). EI is a concept that can be used in Stress Management. Stress News, 15(1).

  • Ciarrochi, J., Forgas, J. P., & Mater, J. D. (2001). Emotional intelligence in everyday life. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press.

  • Cooper, C. L., & Marshall, J. (1978). Sources of managerial and white collar stress. In C. L. Cooper & R. Payne (Eds.), Stress at work. (pp. 81-105). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.

  • Cox, T. (1978). Stress. (Ed.). London: MacMillan. Dulewicz, V., Higgs, M., & Slaski, M. (2003). Measuring emotional intelligence: Content, construct and criterion related validity. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 18(5), 405-420.

  • Engler N. (1996). Stressed. Computer world, 30(16), 86-87. Goleman, D. (1998). Working with Emotional Intelligence. London: Bloomsbury

  • Goodweni, B. (2004). Don't close your eyes to workplace stress. Computer weekly, pp. 53.

  • Lam, T. L., & Kirby, L. S. (2002). Is emotional intelligence an advantage? An exploration of the impact of emotional and general intelligence on individual performance. The Journal of Social Psychology, 142(1), 133-143.

  • Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal and coping. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

  • Lazarus, R. S. (1966). Psychological stress and the coping process. (Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

  • Lazarus, R. S. (1999). Stress and emotion: A new synthesis. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

  • Lenaghan, A. J., Buda, R., & Eisner, A. A. (2007). An examination of the role of emotional intelligence in work and family confl ict. Journal of Managerial Issues, 19(1).

  • Lopes, P. N., Grewal, D., Kadis, J., Gall, M., & Salovey, P. (2006). Evidence that emotional intelligence is related to job performance and affect and attitudes at work. Psicothema, 18, 132-138.

  • McGrath, J. E. (1970). Social and psychological factors in stress. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

  • Nikolaou, I., & Tsaousis, I. (2002). Emotional intelligence in the workplace: Exploring its effects on occupational stress and organizational commitment. The International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 10(4), 327-342.

  • NIOSH Working Group DHHS (NIOSH). Protect Worker Safety and Health, Publication, 99-101.

  • Orlikowski, D. T., & Baraudi, J. J. (1989). The information system profession: myth or reality? Offi ce, Technology & People, (pp. 23).

  • Osipow, S. H. (1998). Occupational Stress Inventory Revised Edition (OSI-R). USA: Psychological Assessment Resources.

  • Palmer, B., & Stough, C. (2001). Workplace SUEIT: Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test - Interim Technical Manual. AU: Organisational Psychology Research Unit, Swinburne University.

  • Petrides, K. V., & Furnham, A. (2000). On the dimensional structure of emotional intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 313-320.

  • Ramos, N. S., Fernandez-Berrocal, P., & Extremera, N. (2007). Perceived emotional intelligence facilitates cognitive emotional processes of adaptation to an acute stressor. Cognition & Emotion, 21(4), 758-772.

  • Rogers, J. (2004). IT chiefs lose the work-life balance, Computer weekly p 4.

  • Rosete, D., & Ciarrochi, J. (2005). Emotional intelligence and its relationship to workplace performance outcomes of leadership effectiveness. Leadership and Organizational Development Journal, 26(5), 388-399.

  • Salovey, P., Bedell, B. T., Detweiler, J. B., & Mayer, J. D. (1999).Coping intelligently: Emotional intelligence and the coping process. In C. R. Snyder (Ed.), Coping: The psychology of what works. (pp. 141-164). New York: Oxford University Press.

  • Salovey, P., Brackett, M. A., & Mayer, J. D. (2004). Emotional intelligence: Key readings on the Mayer and Salovey model. New York: Dude Publishing.

  • Schutte, N. S., Malouff, M. J., Bobik, C., Coston, D. T., Greeson, C., Jedlicka, C., Rhodes, E., & Wendorf, G. (2001). Emotional intelligence and interpersonal relations. The Journal of Social Psychology, 141(4), 523-536.

  • Slaski, M., & Cartwright, S. (2002). Health, performance and emotional intelligence: An exploratory study of retail managers. Stress and Health, 18(2), 63-68.

  • Shaffer, R. D., Hom Hung, K., Hong Kong, S., & Shaffer, A.M. (2005). Emotional intelligence abilities, personality, and workplace performance. Academy of Management Best Conference Paper HR, M2.

  • Shanti, B., & Bhargava, H. (2007). BPOs processes and challenges. The ICFAI University Press Hyderabad, 243-260. Singh, D. (2006). Emotional Intelligence at work-A professional Guide. New Delhi: Response Books.

  • Spector, P. E., & Goh, A. (2001). The role of emotions in the occupational stress process.In P. L. Perrewe & D. C. Ganster (Eds.), Exploring theoretical mechanisms and perspectives. (pp. 195-232). New York: JAI.

  • Steiner, C. (2005). Emotional intelligence. New Delhi: Adarsh Books.

  • Vaid, M. (2009). Exploring the Lives of Youth in the BPO Sector: Findings from the study in Gurgaon. Health and Population Innovation Fellowship programme working paper No.10

  • Vowler, J. (1995). Under pressure?A survey of senior IT managers.Computer Weekly, 19, 32-34.

  • Weisinger, H. (2005). Emotional intelligence at work. New Delhi: Wiley India (P) Ltd.


Abstract Views: 470

PDF Views: 2




  • The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Occupational Stress: A Study on BPO Segment in India

Abstract Views: 470  |  PDF Views: 2

Authors

Ridhi Sharma
International Centre for Cross Cultural Research and Human Resource Management, University of Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir, India
Keshav Sharma
The Business School, University of Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir, India

Abstract


The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry in India has been able to create tremendous employment opportunities and has offered lucrative remuneration packages, but this industry has also been in news for certain contradictory issues. While this industry is able to create tremendous employment opportunities, at the same time it is facing the problem of employee attrition and stress management. In context of research on stress management it has been found that most of the organisations tend to focus on the symptoms of stress. Many stress management programmes have also focused on the theory of stress, its symptoms and its reactions rather than attempting to forestall the reactions of stress by encouraging an awareness of emotional intelligence as a prerequisite to understand the reaction to stress. This exploratory study attempts to find out the relationship between emotional intelligence and occupational stress so as to assist managers in their development and stress management. Participants of the study were 250 employees of one of the leading outsourcing firms located at Gurgaon. Emotional Intelligence has been measured by the scale provided by Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test and Occupational Stress has been measured by using The Occupational Roles Questionnaire from the Occupational Stress Inventory.

Keywords


Business Process Outsourcing, Occupational Stress, Emotional Intelligence.

References