Page 1 of 11
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 07
August 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 21
Occupational Stress among Security Guards
Nisha Yadav1, U.V. Kiran2
Student1 & Assistant Professor2
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, School for Home Sciences
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedker University, Lucknow
ABSTRACT:
Occupational stress can be defined as
Occupational stress can be defined as the
harmful physical and emotional responses
that occur when the requirements of the job
do not match the capabilities, resources, or
needs of the worker. Occupational stress
contributes not only to life stresses, but has
an impact on health among security guards.
Occupational stress among security guards
was assessed in the present study.
Occupational stress of security guards has a
strong impact on the physical health and
their performance at job. Hence the present
study focuses on occupational stress among
security guards. The study was carried out
in Lucknow on the male and female security
guards using multistage sampling technique.
Total samples of 180 security guards were
selected from three areas- Banks, academic
institutions and residential security.
Modified version of occupational stress
scale developed by Srivastava A.K. (1976)
was used. From the findings of the study it
can be concluded that the security guards
profession is very difficult. Security guards
suffer from high stress and face problem and
dissatisfied with their job and salary.
Security guards continuously work for long
hours and they are not satisfied with their
salary. Female security guards have high
occupational stress in comparison to male
security guards.
Keywords: Occupational stress, Security
guards
INTRODUCTION
Stress is the common phenomena being
experienced by almost all individuals. Stress
may be viewed as a real or interpreted threat
to the physiological and psychological
response producing mental tension or
physiological reactions leading to illness. It
is a physical or psychological state which
increases the demands for adjustment upon
the individual.
Occupational stress can be defined as the
harmful physical and emotional response
Page 2 of 11
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 07
August 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 22
that occurs when the requirements of the job
do not match the capabilities, resources, or
needs of the worker (NIOSH- National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,
1999).
According to Malta (2004), occupational
stress is defined as any discomfort which is
felt and perceived at a personal level and
triggered by instances, events or situations
that are too intense and frequent in nature so
as to exceed a person's coping capabilities
and resources to handle them adequately.
Occupational stress is stress at
work. It occurs when there is disequilibrium
between the demands of the workplace and
an individual’s ability to carry out and
complete these demands. Often a stressor
can lead the body to have various
disturbances, which in turn will result in
physical and mental strain of a person.
Occupational stress is often caused by an
increased workload without the
enharresment in the no. of employees to take
on that additional work. Instead the
increased amount of work is given to the
current employees to finish in the same time
span that they would be asked to finish their
regular or standard workload.
Employees in high numbers report that their
job is a source of large amount of stress they
experience throughout the year, which has a
very bad and negative effect on their
performance due to the symptoms and
problems associated with occupational stress
(Meneze, 2005).
Therefore, occupational stress is
considered a challenge for the employers
and because high level stress results in low
productivity, and other employee problems
it is necessary that managers find a way of
addressing the issue of occupational stress
(Elovainio et al, 2002).
Occupational stress and workplace health
have become issues of great concern over
the last decade, both Internationally and
Nationally. Given the value of work in this
society, the amount of time spent at work
and the current changes that are affecting the
nature of work, it is not surprising that work
stress appears to be increasing (Szymanski,
1999).
Dunhem (1992) and Parkes (2002) submit
that occupational stress can be anything that
threatens to damage the organism, which
could be germ or noise pollution. The
authors concluded that when the working
Page 3 of 11
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 07
August 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 23
environment is perceived to be conducive,
there is less stress and job performance is
greatly enhanced. Studies have shown that
occupational stress has significant effect on
workers’ health and job performance.
Buchans (2009); Cole (2010), Mojoyinola
(2001), Zajons (2005) and Bakare (1998)
assert that he who feel observed and
evaluated tends to perform better on simple
or previously acquired task. The authors
contend further that stress in the relationship
with individual could result particularly
from anxiety. This has led some researchers
to view stress with boss as the most
promising variable that affect interpersonal
relations at workplace with implication on
workers’ efficiency and productivity at
workplace (Fielder, Porter, Mitchell and
Knarton, 2000, Borden 2002 and Davies
(2012).
Security guards wear uniforms, display
badges of authority, and may carry weapons.
They are often organized along military
lines and make use of military ranks and
working titles (i.e., sergeant, lieutenant,
etc.). Security guards apprehend and detain
violators of laws, rules, and regulations.
Security guards monitor for threats and
illegal activities, control access to areas,
enforce laws and protect people and
property. They work in or around private,
commercial, financial, health-care and
government facilities and properties.
Security guards across industries often use
similar equipment. Security guards in high- level or special security situations that have
dangerous duties or higher expectations also
use specialized equipment. The profession
of security guards involves physical as well
as psychological stress.
RATIONALE OF THE STUDY
The study mainly intends to measure the
depth of the amount of occupational stress
and burnout one may experience on the
other side. The concern for employee’s
wellness in the workplace has extended with
the focus shifting from employees with
challenges to focusing to every employee.
Research has been conducted on
occupational challenges such as stress.
Security guards working in an organization
face physical as well as psychological stress
due to the tedious work involved in their
job. Occupational stress results from the
interaction of the worker and the conditions
of work. Views differ on the importance of
workers characteristics versus working
