The role of stress management strategies on employee performance in banks:

Abstract

This research seeks to examine the role of stress management strategies on employee performance in banks today. The problem the research endeavored to solve is the continuous decline in employee performance in banks in spite of some stress management strategies being implemented. The specific objectives of the research are, to examine the impact of symptom management strategy on employee performance in banks; to determine the effect of escape strategy on employee performance in banks, and to establish the influence of control strategy on employee performance in banks. The major question that the study tried to answer is: have stress management strategies contributed to employee performance in banks? The study involved 41 employees of Centenary Bank, Nateete Branch where 13 banking officers were engaged, 4 credit officers, 3 sales representatives, 7 middle and top management members, 1 customer care consultant, and 7 security guards and cleaners who were in the category of others. The research methods used are interviews, questionnaires and existing documents. Qualitative data was analysed using content analysis whereas quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics. I discovered that stress management strategies play a big role in improving employee performance. Conclusions from the study are: an effective stress management strategy can help deal with stress symptoms at the workplace, escape strategy can be used to improve performance and, control strategy that is also effective on boosting employee performance and reducing stress. the study recommends that bank employers or managers should ensure that stress symptoms are taken action on as soon as they are detected. The area for further study is: the relationship between stress management strategies and conflict management in organisations