Chapter 1:

INTRODUCTION
General Introduction:

Work–life balance is a broad concept including proper prioritizing between

"work" (career and ambition) on one hand and "life" (Health, pleasure, leisure, family
and spiritual development) on the other. Related, though broader, terms include "lifestyle
balance" and "life balance".

Few industries have grown as rapidly and as widely as that of

Information technology (IT). It has as an infant offshoot of the accounting profession
mere 40 years ago has since matured into a prevalent and compelling force in nearly
every segment of business, industry, and society in general. IT is the latest, and most
significant, of cultural revolutions. Futurist author Alvin Tofler, in his book on cultural
phenomena, The Third Wave, describes three significant movements in American social
development. These were the agricultural revolution of the 1800s, the industrial
revolution of the early 1990s, and the information revolution of the last two decades of
the twentieth century. These revolutions also change the way in which we live and
work. Information Technology is making vast changes in all aspects of our life and
lifestyles. Though IT sector today is growing in a fast pace, like other sector even IT
professionals are going through tremendous stress and work pressure.

Work-Life Balance does not mean an equal balance but trying to schedule
an appropriate number of hours for each of the various work and personal activities.
Work- Life Balance is usually unrewarding and unrealistic task.

Work life balance policies can encompass child care provisions such as
workplace nurseries, leave of absence to care for dependence, career breaks, post
maternity leave, job sharing opportunities and home working. More balanced work life
and family lives can benefit both employees and the company through increased
creativity, morale and effectiveness and reduced turnover. The best individual work-life
balance will vary over time, often on a daily basis. The right balance for today will
probably be different for tomorrow. The right balances for an individual is different
when he/ she is single, will be different when he/she marries, or if he/she have children;
when he/she start a new career versus when he/she are nearing retirement.

There is no perfect wok life balancing programs it depends from individuals, all
balance should be striving for betterment and increase in efficiency in work life and
personal life. The best work-life balance is different for each of an individual because
all have different priorities and different commitments. Companies in IT sector
give their employees different wok life balancing programs to de-stress them from
their work life and increase the efficiency of the work.

The main cause of imbalance in our lives is the disparity between our work and
personal life. There is a sense of inflated competition and everyone wants to beat the
other and be the best. The ' best', however, is never achieved because someone else is
always perceived as better. Lifestyle stress is also brought about by an attitude of risk-
taking, especially where it concerns health. People tend to think their health is infallible
and pay the price.

Lifestyle stress manifests at different levels. At a somatic level the body

physiology changes, causing a disturbance in sleep patterns and appetite, unexplained
aches and pains and fatigue. Stress impacts the mind and brain function, reducing the
attention span, increased forgetfulness and causing a tendency to brood unnecessarily on
matters which are sometimes trivial. The behavior of someone who is stressed tends to be
erratic.

Increased tea or coffee intake, a constant desire to appear busy, which means
longer than average hours spent at work or, conversely, detachment from work
altogether, are some indications. A stressed individual may also manifest the external
symptoms of stress such as self isolation, unexplained bouts of anger or irritation at
trivial matters and depression or negative thinking.

The lack of a proper sleep wake schedule is one of the biggest causes of health
problems of our times and an effort should be made to follow the dictum of ' early to bed,
early to rise', as closely as possible. The corporate world tends to compromise on this in
the pursuit of a higher paycheck. The best time to wake in the morning is as near to
sunrise as possible, and to sleep is four hours after sunset. The optimum sleep
requirement is six hours of undisturbed sleep, give or take an hour.

The second most important priority in a person's life should be his meals. People
are either too complacent about their health or tend to be overzealous. Both attitudes are
harmful. Moderate exercise should be a part of our lives. Ideally, all of us should follow
the 'rule of 4'; four times a week, four km in 40 minutes is the ideal amount of exercise.
Along with proper sleep, diet and exercise, every individual must incorporate ways of
relaxing using methods that range from physical exercise, deep breathing and meditation,
to indulging in hobbies, social service activities and spending quality time with family.

Unconditional involvement in social service is actually a great de- stressor

because of the undiluted appreciation one receives in return.

Quality time alone, that offers room for introspection is also something one
should keep aside 10 minutes to half an hour every day. If despite all these measures
stress cannot be negated, professional help should be sought.

History:

The expression was first used in the late 1970s to describe the balance between an
individual's work and personal life. In the United States, this phrase was first used in
1986.

Over the past twenty-five years, there has been a substantial increase in work
which is felt to be due, in part, by information technology and by an intense, competitive
work environment. Long-term loyalty and a "sense of corporate community" have been
eroded by a performance culture that expects more and more from their employees yet
offers little security in return.

Many experts predicted that technology would eliminate most household chores
and provide people with much more time to enjoy leisure activities; but many ignore this
option, encouraged by prevailing consumerist culture and a political agenda that has
"elevated the work ethic to unprecedented heights and thereby reinforced the low value
and worth attached to parenting".

Many Americans are experiencing burnout due to overwork and increased stress.
This condition is seen in nearly all occupations from blue collar workers to upper
management. Over the past decade, rises in workplace violence, an increase in levels of
absenteeism as well as rising workers’ compensation claims are all evidence of an
unhealthy work life balance.

Employee assistance professionals say there are many causes for this situation
ranging from personal ambition and the pressure of family obligations to the accelerating
pace of technology.. According to a recent study for the Center for Work-Life Policy, 1.7
million people consider their jobs and their work hours excessive because of
globalization.

These difficult and exhausting conditions are having adverse effects. According to
the study, 50% of top corporate executives are leaving their current positions. Although
64% of workers feel that their work pressures are "self-inflicted", they state that it is
taking a toll on them. The study shows that 70% of US respondents and 81% of global
respondents say their jobs are affecting their health. Between 46% and 59% of workers
feel that stress is affecting their interpersonal and sexual relationships. Additionally, men
feel that there is a certain stigma associated with saying "I can't do this".

According to a survey conducted by the National Life Insurance Company, four

out of ten employees state that their jobs are "very" or "extremely" stressful. Those in
high-stress jobs are three times more likely than others to suffer from stress-related
medical conditions and are twice as likely to quit. The study states that women, in
particular, report stress related to the conflict between work and family.

Concept of Work Life Balancing:

Work life balancing means the harmonious and holistic integration of work
and non work, so that both men and women can achieve their potential across the
domains in which they play out their role.

Work-Life Balance does not mean an equal balance but trying to schedule
an appropriate number of hours for each of the various work and personal activities.
Work- Life Balance is usually unrewarding and unrealistic task.

The typical employee in the 1960s or 1970s showed up at the workplace Monday
to Friday and did his or her job in 8-9 hours chunks of time. The work place and
hours were clearly specified. But the scenario is changing today. Employees are
increasingly complaining that line between work and non work time has become
blurred, creating personal conflicts and stress.

A number of forces have contributed to blurring the lines between

employees’ work life and personal life. First, the creation of global organizations means
their world never sleeps. The need to consult with colleagues or customers 8 or 10 time
zones away means that many employees of global firms are “on call” 24 hours a
day. Second, communication technology allows employees to do their work at home,
in their cars, or on the beach. This lets many people in technical and professional jobs
do their work any time and from any place. Third, organizations are asking
employees to put in longer hours of work. Finally, fewer families have only a single
breadwinner. Today’s married employees are typically part of a dual career couple.
This makes it increasingly difficult for married employees to find the time to fulfill
commitments to home, spouse, children, parents and friends.

Work-life conflicts grabbed management’s attention in1980s, largely as a result

of the growing number of women with dependent children entering the workforce.
In response, most major organization took actions to make their work places more
family- friendly. They introduced programs such on-site child care, summer day camps,
flextime, job sharing, leaves for school functions, telecom muting, and part-time
employment. But organizations quickly are releasing that work/life conflicts were not
experienced only by female employees with children. Male workers and women
without children were also facing problem.
 Heavy workloads and increased travel demand for instances were making
it increasingly hard for a wide range of employees to meet both work and
personal responsibility. A Harvard study, found that 82% of men between the ages
of 20 and 39years said that a “family-friendly” schedule was their most important
job criterion. Even among employees who seemed to “do it all”, many were
experiencing guilt or stress.

Work-life balance planning involvement a variety of programs to help

members the better manage the interference between work and family. These
include such organizational practices, flexible hours, job sharing and day care, as well
as interventions to help employees identify and achieve both career and family goals.

A popular program is middlaning, a metaphor for a legitimate, alternative career

track that acknowledges choices about living life “Fast lane”. Middlaning helps
people re-resign their work and income – generating activities so that more time and
energy are available for family and personal needs. It involves education in work
addiction, gilt, anxiety and perfectionism; skilled developments in work contract
negotiation; examination of alternatives such as changing careers, freelancing and
entrepreneuring; and exploring of options for controlling financial pressure by
improving income/expense ratio, limiting “Black Hole” worries such as college, tuition
for children and retirement expenses and replacing financial worrying with financial
planning.

Recent research on work/life conflicts has provided new insights for

managers into what works when. For instances, evidence indicates that time
pressure aren’t the primary problem underlying work/life conflicts. It’s the
psychological interference of work into family domain and family into work.
People worrying about their personal problems while at work place and thinking
about work related problems while at home. The organizations should help the
employees in balancing work life and personal life by offering on-site quality child-
care; flex timing, reducing work related travel, job sharing, part-time hours.
Coping strategies of a work/life balance

Redefine the conflict:

View work and personal life are complementary and not conflicting priorities.

Clarify values and goals:

Consider those things that may be in conflict between family and work life, as well
as those that seem to balance each other. At work, make sure goals are concrete,
realistic and agreed upon by everyone involved. At home, make a list and rank the
things that matter most to the family. Then make an action plan for nurturing or
achieving those items. For example: Like want to spend uninterrupted quality time
with spouse or help children prepare for the school play.

Identify the skills used at home and work:

Identify skills such as setting goals, making decisions, nurturing, motivating,
scheduling, being assertive, communicating well or budgeting. Explore how to use
these skills in other settings. For example: using the excellent communication skills that
serve in the boardroom to express ones needs and ideas at home. It may also be
helpful to handle stress management skills.

Adjust your expectations and set priorities:

Learn to share and delegate responsibilities, communicate needs clearly and say
"no" as necessary. Both at home and on the job get prepared to control interruptions
and shift priorities in response to crises.

Take good care of yourself:

Eating healthfully, get regular exercise, and try relaxation or meditation. Spend
time enjoying with friends, hobbies and downtime. Match tasks with the current
energy levels, and seek additional support through friends or educational group. If
necessary, take the consult of a counselor for additional support and clarification of
values and life goals. Couples, family or career counseling may also be helpful.
Communicate Proactively:
Discuss work demands to help family understand the pressures you' re facing. You may
want to schedule quality time to debrief with your partner or family every day. Give
prior notice for the family if the work is delayed in the work place. Likewise, share
the top family priorities, such as attending child' s soccer games, with supervisor.

Time-management skills for work:

On the job, clarify an individual values and goals. When creating goals, make sure they'
re specific, measurable, and realistic and agreed upon by others as appropriate.
Document the goals in writing with a step-by-step action plan and appropriate deadlines.
Set aside time for planning and assigning priorities. Pursue the priorities with
persistence, but be ready to shift gears if necessary. It’s also a good idea to help
supervisor understand your commitments, priorities, family values and time concerns.

Time –management skills for home:

At home, set priorities by making a list of the things that matter most. If the
individual is a husband/ father set goals for family and personal relation for
children development.

Job Stress

“Stress is defined as an adaptive response to an external situation that results

in physical, psychological, and / or behavioral deviations for organizational
participants”

Stress can be positive or negative. Stress is said to be positive when the

situation offers an opportunity for one to gain something. Eustress is the term used
for positive stress. Eustress is viewed as motivator since in its absence the
individual lacks that
“edge” necessary for the peak performance. It is negative when stress is associated
with heart disease, alcoholism, drug abuse, marital breakdown, absenteeism, child abuse
and a host of other social, physical, organizational and emotional problems.

What is not stress?

a. Stress is not simply anxiety or nervous tension:
People exhibiting these behaviors may not be under stress. Similarly, individual who are
under stress may not exhibit anxiety or nervous tension.
b. Stress need not always be damaging:
People frequently experience stress without any strain at all. Daily life activities may
be stress or may be stressful, but not at all harmful.
c. Stress is not always due to overwork:
Stressed out individuals are not those who are over worked. Stress may also result from
having too little to do.
d. Stress cannot be avoided:
It is necessary to realize that stress is an inevitable part of life, and that it cannot be
avoided.

Sources of stress

A. Organization stressors:

a. Task Demands
Task demands are factors related to person’s job. They include the design of
the individual’s job, working conditions and the physical work layout. The
more interdependence between a person’s tasks and the tasks of others, more potential
stress there is. Jobs where temperatures, noise, or other working conditions are
dangerous or undesirable can increase anxiety. Security is another task demand that can
cause stress. If job security is threatened stress can increase dramatically.

The final task demand stressor is overload. Overload occurs when a person
simply has more work to do than he or she can handle. The overload can be either
quantitative
(the individual has too many tasks to perform or too little time in which to perform
them) or qualitative (the person may believe that she or he lacks the ability to do the
job). Low task demand can result in boredom and apathy just as overload can
cause tension and anxiety.
b. Organization’s Life-cycle
Organization like human beings passes through a life cycle. The life cycle of an
organization comprises eight stages: birth, growth, policy, procedure, theory,
religion, ritual and last rites. In this cycle, the organization is born and then has
its growth. Policies are developed to guide decisions and these are carried out through
procedures. These procedures are refined and made more efficient with theories about
efficiency. In time, organization may develop characteristics of a religion, it may
worship the way it does things. Performance is by ritual; things are done by habit
without questioning. The death and last rites of the organization will ordinarily follow.
Each stage of the life cycle poses its own challenges and problems. While the early stages
are exciting, the latter ones create anxiety and tension.

c. Role demand
Role demands include role conflict, role ambiguity, role erosion, and
role overload. Role conflict occurs when an individual receives competing and
conflicting expectations from others. Role ambiguity results from having unclear
expectations. Role erosion arises when the functions of one incumbent are performed by
someone else. Role overload occurs when there are too many expectations than one is
able to fulfill. All these role demands are stressors.

d. Organization structure
Organization structure defines the level of differentiation, the degree of rules
and regulations, and where decisions are made. Excessive rules and lack of
participation in decision that affect employees are examples of structural variables that
might be potential stressors.

e. Organizational leadership
It represents the managerial style of the organization’s senior executives.
Some chief executive officers create a culture characterized by tension, fear and
anxiety. They establish unrealistic pressures to perform in the short run, impose
excessively tight controls, and routinely fire employees who fail to measure up.

f. Inter-personal Demands
Conflicting personalities and behaviors may cause stress. Conflict can occur
when two or more people must work together even though their personalities,
attitudes and behaviors differ. For instance, a smoker and a non-smoker who are
assigned adjacent work places obviously experience stress. Similarly, a person with
an internal locus of control that is who always wants to control how things turn
out might get frustrated working with an external person who likes to wait and just let
things happen.

B. Group Stressors
Group stressors can be categorized into four as explained below

1. Lack of Group Cohesiveness:

Starting with the historically famous Howthorne Studies, it has become very
clear that cohesiveness is very important to employees, particularly at the lower
levels of organizations. If an employee is denied the opportunity for this cohesiveness
because of the task design, because the supervisor does things to prohibit or limit it, or
because the other members of the group shut the person out, this can be very stress
producing.

2. Lack of Social Support:

Employees are greatly affected by the support of one or more members of
a cohesive group. By sharing their problems and joys with others, they may be much
better. But if this type of social support is lacking for an individual, it can be very
stressful.

3. Inter-personal and Inter-group Conflict:

Conflict has both functional and dysfunctional consequences.
Dysfunctional consequences have stress potential.

4. Sexual Harassment:
Sexual harassment may be understood as unwanted contact or communication
of a sexual nature, usually against women. Sexual harassment is increasingly
becoming a source of stress in many of to day' s workplaces. The stressful
effects of sexual harassment stem primarily from two reasons: (1) the direct affront to
the victim' s personal dignity; and (2) the harasser' s interference with the victim' s
capacity to do the job.

C. Individual Stressors
Among individual factors contributing to stress are personality, life and
career changes and life trauma. In respect of personality the distinction between
Type A and Type B behavior patterns become relevant. The Type A personality is
one for which stressful behavior patterns such as the following are common place.
Type A personalities are more stress prone:
 Always moves, walks and eats rapidly.
 Feels impatient with the pace of things, hurries others, and dislikes waiting.
 Does several things at once.
 Feels guilty when relaxing.
 Tries to schedule more and more in less and less time.
 Uses nervous gestures such as clenched fist, banging the hand on the table.
 Does not have time to enjoy life.

The achievement orientation, impatience and perfectionism of individuals with Type

A personalities may create stress in work circumstances that other persons find
relatively stress-free. Type A personality, in this sense bring stress on themselves.
Type B personalities are less stress prone. Typical characteris t ics of Type
B personality:

 Is not concerned about time.

 Is patient.
 Does not brag.
 Play to fun, not to win.
 Relaxes without seeing guilty.
 Have no pressing deadlines.
 Is mild-mannered.
 Is never in a hurry.

Life change can also be stress producing. Life changes may be slow (like
getting older) or sudden (like the death of a spouse). These changes have dramatic
effect on people. Sudden changes are highly stressful.
Life trauma can be highly stressful. A life trauma is any upheaval in an
individual' s life that alters his or her attitudes, emotions or behaviors. Major life
traumas that may cause -stress include marital problems, family difficulties, and health
problems.
Career changes may also be stressful. Being suddenly thrust into a new job
with new responsibilities can be very stressful. Under promotion or over promotion
can also be stressful.

Environmental Factors

These factors include political, economic and technological uncertainties.

Changes in the business cycle create economic uncertainties. When the economy is
contracting, people become increasingly anxious about their security. It is no surprise
that suicide rates sky rocketed during the great depression of the 1980’s minor
recessions increase stress levels. Down swings in the economy are often
accompanied by permanent reductions in the work force, temporary lay-offs, reduced
pay, and the like.

Individual Differences

The reason lies in demographic differences and cognitive affective differences.

1. Demographic differences: include age, health, education, and occupation.
2. Age: Age affects stress because most people go through life stages during which
certain things are expected of them. When a child is 3 years old, little is
expected of the person. At 13, the child is expected to do many things personally.
At 23, many people are entering their first career stage in which they are expected to
perform well. At 33, many are already in middle management positions and hoping
to move up even further. The pressure is now beginning to increase since there are
fewer places in the top ranks than there are in middle. At 43, some people are in upper
middle management. The pressure is even greater.
3. Health: Health contributes to stress. Some people are always hale and hearty,
irrespective of age and positions they occupy in organisations. Some others are
always sick. Healthy people tend to cope with stress better than their sickly
counterparts.
4. Education: Education can influence stress in two ways. On the negative side, when
an individual has not attained a certain educational level that has been attained by
everybody else holding a similar job, the person may feel unworthy to be in that
particular position. This can cause stress. On the positive side, education can help people
moderate or control the negative aspects of stressors.
5. Cognitive Affective Differences: These are psychological in nature. These include
need satisfaction, locus of control, and type of personality. People who have strong urge
for need satisfaction work hard and tend to excel others. This attribute can be the basis
for overwork and burnout.
6. Locus of control: Locus of control refers to one’s feeling of the extent to which one
is able to control the surrounding world. Greater an individual's perception of
control over environment, lesser is the person prone to stress and vice versa.
A third cognitive factor is personality in terms of stress: Type A personality and
Type B personality. Type A personalities are continually involved in a chronic
incessant struggle to get more and more done in less and less time, more prone to stress.
Type B personalities, on the other hand, are more patient and easier going. They are
interested in attainting goals but follow different ways for the purpose.
Type B personalities are therefore, less prone to stress.
Coping strategies for stress
Coping strategies may be categorized into (a) Individual strategies, and
(b) Organizational strategies.

(a) Individual Strategies:

More prominent among them are time management, physical exercise,
relaxation, yoga, social support, situation control and unburdening oneself.
1. Time Management: Most of us are poor in time management. The result is feeling
of work overload, skipped schedules and attendant tension. The truth is, if one can
manage time effectively, he or she can accomplish twice as much as the person
who is poorly organized. Some basic principles in time management are:
(i) Preparing daily a list of activities to be attended to;
(ii) Prioritizing activities by importance and urgency,
(iii) Scheduling activities according to the priorities set; and
(iv) handling the most demanding parts of a job when one is alert and productive.
2. Physical Exercise: Exercise in any form helps people to cope with the stress. It is
for this reason that people of all ages are seen taking early morning walk, or
engaging themselves in jogging, swimming or playing games.
3. Relaxation: Relaxation through meditation, hypnosis or biofeedback.
4. Yoga: Yoga is probably the most effective remedy for stress.
5. Social Support: It is truism that people need and benefit from social support.
Applied as a strategy to reduce job stress, this would entail forming close
associations with trusted, empathetic coworkers and colleagues who are good
listeners and confidence builders.
6. Control the Situation: One must avoid unrealistic deadlines. He or she must do his
or her best and at the same time be aware of limits. It is impossible, to
please everyone.
7. Open up to Others: One must give vent to one's feeling, emotions, fears and
frustrations in the presence of others who care for him or her.

(b) Organizational Strategies:

 Individuals are capable of increasing their own resistance to stress, but find it
almost impossible to eliminate work related stresses. In other words, while they may be
able to help minimize its effects, they may not be able to prevent stress in the
first place this reason, organizations can play a key role in stress management.
1. Personal Wellness: Personal wellness is a term used to describe the pursuant of
one's physical and mental potential through a personal health promotion program.
A supervisor can impact personal wellness of his subordinates through positive
example, encouragement, and by practicing the basic concepts and techniques of
human resource management. When the manager is successful in creating a healthy
work climate and environment, everyone should benefit from the increased
capacity of people to handle successfully the change and stress that inevitably
accompanies their lives at work
2. Improved Communication: Increased communication with employees reduces
uncertainty by lessening role ambiguity and role conflict.
3. Participative Decision Making: Role stress is detrimental to a large extent because
employees feel uncertain about goals, expectations, how they will be evaluated and
the like. By giving these employees a voice in those decisions that directly affect their
job performances, management can increase employee control and reduce the role
stress. So managers should consider increasing employee participation in decision
making.
4. Job Redesign: Job redesign involves enriching jobs either by improving job
content factors (such as responsibility, recognition and opportunities for
achievement, advancement, growth etc.) or by improving core job characteristics (such
as skill variety, task identity, autonomy, and feedback). Enriched tasks will eliminate
the stress found in more routine and structured jobs.
5. Selection and Placement: Certain jobs are more stressful than others.
Individuals too differ in their response to stress situations. Individuals with little
experience or an external locus of control, tend to be stress-prone. Selection and
placement decisions should take these facts into consideration.

Early Retirement
 Retirement is a reward for a lifetime of social contribution. It is a time for
leisure, individualism, self-fulfillment and any plans an individual may have been
setting aside. With increasing life expectancies, many people reach retirement and
realize that a significant amount of their lives still lies ahead. Understanding that
retirement will usher in many changes in an individuals life, both positive and
negative, can help make the adjustment.
As a result of a 1986 Amendments to age Discrimination in Employment
act (ADEA) most employees cannot be forced to retire at any age. As a result
employers have had to develop different policies to comply with these regulations.

In many employer pension plans “normal retirement” is the age at which

employees can retire and collect full pension benefits. Employers must decide
whether individuals who continue to work past 60 should receive the full benefits
packages especially pension credits. As possible changes in social security increase
the age for full benefits past 60, these policies likely will be modified. Despite
the removal of mandatory retirement provisions, the age at which individual retire has
continued to decline in U.S. About 75% of all workers retire before age of 60 years.
Provisions early retirement currently are included in many pension plans.
Early retirement gives people an opportunity to get away from a long-term job;
individuals who have spent 25 to 30 years working for the same employer may wish to
use their talents in other areas. Phased in and part time retirement also are used by some
individuals and firms.
Some employers use early retirement buyout programs to cut back their work
forces and reduce costs. Care must be taken to make these early retirement buyout
program led to the passage of a federal law entitled the older workers.

Key factors influencing retirement decisions

1. Health: One of the strongest predictors for the timing of retirement is health.
People in poor health are likely to retire earlier than people in good health. Very few
people become ill simply because they retire. In fact, retirement itself has little
direct effect on overall health.
2. Age: The most common retirement age is 60 for both men and women. Although
more than half of all people in the paid workforce retire before age 65, others
continue to work past the typical retirement age. Mandatory retirement ages also have
an influence.
3. Children at home: People who have children at home are less likely to retire than
those whose children are on their own.
4. Pension programs or other retirement resources: The availability of financial
support during retirement influences both standard and early retirements. People who
depend on Social Security for retirement income typically retire later than those who
have additional sources of retirement income.
5. Work characteristics: People who are self-employed or highly committed to their
work typically retire later than those who work for others and are less committed
to their jobs. Ill health and a good pension program are significant pushes toward
retirement for people who find gratification in their work. Those in low-level repetitive
jobs are likely to retire as soon as they' re eligible to receive a pension. Sometimes,
people retire from a regular or lifelong occupation and take a bridge job a new type of
job, often part-time, in a completely different line of work.
6. Culture: How retirement is typically perceived in your culture may affect your
perception of it as well.

Retirement phases
Retirement often occurs in phases.
• Pre-retirement: Preparing for retirement, whether it' s months or years down
the road or in the near future.
• Honeymoon: Immediately after you retire, one may go through a sense of
euphoria that' s partly the result of the new found freedom. It can be a busy
period, filled with many hobbies and activities.
• Disenchantment: Life may begin to slow down. An emotional let down or
depression may occur.
• Reorientation: They may explore new avenues of involvement with loved
 ones, friends or the community. During this phase, the retired might offer
your services to others through volunteer organizations.
• Stability: The individual might feel a sense of mastery of the retirement role.
• Termination: The individual may experience this phase if you become
disabled or you decide to return to full-time work.

Operational Definition:

1. Work Life Balance: Work Life Balance does not mean an equal balance but
trying to schedule an appropriate number of hours for each of the various work and
personal activities.
2. Work life: Work is defined as paid employment. Work life is the work place where
employees work.
3. Job stress: Stress is defined as an adaptive response to an external situation that
response to an external situation that results in physical, psychological, and /or
behavioural deviations for organizational participants.
4. Eustress: Eustress is the term used for positive stress. Eustress is viewed as
motivator since in its absence the individual lacks that “edge” necessary for the peak
performance.
5. Early Retirement: Early retirement gives people an opportunity to get away from
long-term job. Employees working for same may wish to use his/her talents in other
areas.
6. IT Professionals: IT Professionals is person who has skills and knowledge in the
field of information technology, who is paid for his services.
7. IT Sectors: IT sector is a part or division, of a national economy where the main
job is related to information technology
8. Stratified random sampling: The population can be segregated into several
mutually exclusive sub populations, or strata. The process by which the sample is
constrained to include elements from each of the segments is called stratified
sampling.
9. Exploratory studies: Exploration useful when the researcher lack a clear idea of the
problems they will meet during the study. Exploratory studies that are carried out with
the objective of discovering “future research task”. The immediate purpose of
exploration is usually to develop question for further research.
10. Qualitative techniques: An exploratory study relies more heavily on qualitative
techniques.
11. Sampling Frame: The sampling frame is closely related to population. It is the
list of elements from which the sample is actually drawn. It is a complete and correct
list of population members only.