IMPACT OF JOB STRESS ON

EMPLOYEE IN MALAYSIA

HARIS RAYYAN BIN ABDULLAH

(STUDENT ID : 1123220421333)

A PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF

THE AWARD OF MASTER OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION (MBA)

Faculty of Business Administration

LINCON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

MALAYSIA

MAY 2023
 DECLARATION
I, Haris Rayyan Bin Abdullah declare that the aforementioned research paper and the work that it
includes belong to the original works of mine that I created after conducting original research of
my own.
The influence of stress among employee in Malaysia living in Penang. I confirm that:
1. The coursework was completed entirely or primarily while pursuing an MBA at this
educational institution.
2. Any portion of this thesis that has previously been submitted for an honors programme or
other qualification at this University or another educational institution has been explicitly stated.
3. Where I have consulted the published work of others, this is always clearly attributed
4. When I quote someone else work, I always give the source. The present dissertation is entirely
my own work, with the possible exception of such quotes.
5. I am grateful for all major sources of assistance.
6. Where the research paper is founded on tasks performed collaboratively by myself and others,
I defined who did what and the amount that I contributed.
7. Apparently the entirety of this piece of writing has been published prior to submission, or only
drafts of this work have been published.
Date: Student Name: HARIS RAYYAN
Student ID : 1123220421333
Signature :
Supervisor Signature:
Supervisor Name Ms. Rosalind Joyce
Designation
Faculty of ……….
Lincoln University College
Malaysia

Dean Signature:
Dean Name
Designation
Faculty of ……
Lincoln University College Malaysia
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would want to take this opportunity to offer my sincere gratitude to Ms. Rosalind Joyce
Sinnappan for all of her assistance with this study, patience, and guidance. She has always been
available to supervise and advise me during the entirety of my research study, for which I am
grateful. Also, I'd like to use this occasion to express my profound appreciation for the
recommendation of the research's core idea and the achievement of its conceptualization.

In addition, I'd like to extend my deepest appreciation to all of my friends who helped me
distribute and collect the questionnaires. My sincere appreciation goes out to every respondent
who provided their cooperation and time in doing the survey, demonstrating their willingness to
express their thoughts and attitude.

Last but not least, I would like to sincerely thank my family for their support and encouragement
during my Master of Business Administration studies at Lincoln University College.
 ABSTRACT

This study investigates and examines the effects of workplace stress on Malaysian workers who
reside in Penang. Penang was picked because it is one of Malaysia's most urbanized cities and
has one of the highest populations of any city in the country. In order to gather information from
primary sources that can address the study's research questions, questionnaires were used. To
address the research questions, a single set of data was collected for this cross-sectional study.
The methodical examination was used to ascertain the demographic, descriptive, consistency,
and the relationship between the independent and dependent variables to assess the effects of
stress management on Malaysian workers. The primary issues affecting employees, such as
working long hours, depression, the work atmosphere, job fulfillment, balance between work and
life, and the variable that is dependent, which is work performance in Penang, are also addressed
in this study among the independent variables. In order to reduce employee stress in Malaysia,
the study is useful to the employer, those who create policies, and the government. Also, this
study offers suggestions for future research on how to enhance and improve the findings from
this one.
 ABSTRAK

Penyelidikan ini meneroka dan mengkaji kesan tekanan kerja terhadap pekerja di Malaysia yang

tinggal di Pulau Pinang. Pulau Pinang dipilih kerana antara bandar yang paling ramai berbanding

bandar lain dan antara bandar paling bandar di Malaysia. Kajian ini menggunakan soal selidik

untuk mengumpul data daripada sumber primer yang boleh menjawab persoalan kajian. Ini

adalah kajian keratan rentas di mana data dikumpul sekali untuk menjawab persoalan kajian.

Analisis yang dilakukan oleh analisis teknikal untuk menentukan demografi, deskriptif,

kebolehpercayaan dan korelasi antara pembolehubah bebas dan pembolehubah bersandar. Untuk

menilai kesan pengurusan tekanan terhadap pekerja di Malaysia. Kajian ini juga membincangkan

antara pembolehubah bebas faktor utama yang mempengaruhi pekerja seperti waktu bekerja

yang panjang, persekitaran kerja, kepuasan kerja, keseimbangan kehidupan kerja, kemurungan

dan pembolehubah bersandar iaitu prestasi kerja di Pulau Pinang. Kajian ini memberi manfaat

kepada majikan, penggubalan dasar, dan kerajaan untuk mengatasi tekanan dalam kalangan

pekerja Malaysia. Selain itu, kajian ini juga mencadangkan kepada kajian akan datang untuk

menambah baik dan memperhalusi lagi hasil yang dicapai dalam kajian ini.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS Page

AUTHOR DECLARAION i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii

ABSTRACT iii

ABSTRAK iv

LIST OF CONTENTS v

LIST OF TABLES vi

LIST OF FIGURES vii

1.0 INTRODUCTION
 1.1 General Background 1

1.2 Research problem formulation 2

1.3 Problem Statement 7

1.4 Research Objective 8

1.5 Research Question 8

1.6 Significance of the study 8

1.7 Scope and limitation of the study 9

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Productivity and Performance 11

2.2 Job Stress and Job Satisfaction 14

2.3 Work Long Hours 16

2.4 Work Environment 18

2.5 Job Satisfaction 20

2.6 Work Life Balance 21

2.7 Depression 22

2.8 Stress Management 24

2.9 Conclusion 26

3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Framework 27

3.2 Research Hypothesis 27

3.3 Methodological Approach 29

3.4 Sampling and Data Collection Process 30
3.5 Research Instrument and Measures 31
 3.6 Data collection procedure 32
3.7 Assessing Reliability and Consistency 33

3.8 Profile of the Respondents 33

3.9 Analytical Techniques for Data Analysis 34

3.9.1 Factor Analysis 35

3.9.2 Descriptive Analysis Techniques 36

3.9.3 Inferential Analysis Techniques 37

3.9.4 Applying Multivariate Analysis 37

4.0 DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.1 Introduction 39

4.2 Study Analysis 40

4.3 Descriptive Analysis 42

4.4 Section A: Personal Information 43

4.5 Section B: Type of Stressors 47

4.6 Section C:Open-Ended Questions 60

5.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

5.1 Introduction 64

5.2 Overview 64

5.3 Discussion 65

5.4 Advantage of the study 66

5.5 Limitation of the study 66

 5.6 Recommendation for future studies 67

5.7 Conclusion 69

6.0 REFERENCES 71

7.0 APPENDICES 74
 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 General Background

We often hear the phrase "stress" associates, relatives, colleagues, instructors, and health care

providers. Today, even the term "stress" can be found in news outlets, media outlets, and other

forms of social media. But exactly what is stress? Stress is defined as "frustration, anxiety,

nervousness, or a change in the ordinary operation of the mind or body as a result of negative or

positive influences around us" in layman's terms. The National Association of Mental Health

distinguished between pressure and stress in a recent report, characterizing pressure as a

potentially not pleasant scenario that leads a person to feel tense or alert. Stress, on the other

hand, arises when an individual's capacity to tolerate pressure is overwhelmed. The World

Health Organization (WHO) defines stress as "a state of worry or mental tension caused by a

difficult situation." Stress is a natural human response that motivates us to deal with problems

and risks in our lives. ( Stress, 2022 ) Stress was broadly defined by Beehr (1976) as "any aspect

of an organizational job that creates negative effects for the individual." Most individuals find

stress to be a bad thing. Yet, stress, in the words of Lazarus (1991), is a deal that occurs a

dynamic process that constantly fluctuates based on the role stress absorbers play in diverse

cultures' evolving external economic and financial environments. Hans Seyle (1956), who is

referenced in Sengupta (2007), was a pioneer in stress research and developed the term "stress"

to characterize both the psychological and physiological responses to demanding situations or

stresses. He developed the engineering term "stress" to characterize the reactions to a force that,

when applied to bodies, causes deformation. He said that depending on how you handle stress,

1
that may not necessarily be a bad thing. While the stress of failure, shame, or infection is harmful,

the stress of thrilling, creative, successful labour is helpful. "Workplace stress happens when

workers attempt to deal with the tasks, obligations, and different kinds of pressure associated

with their positions, but face difficulties, anxiety, and worry in doing so." Stranks (2005),

referenced in Mesko et al 2013, pages 53-45 "Work stress is a mental state that can lead to

behavioral disorders in people" (Looker and Greeson, 1994, quoted in Mesko et al 2013, pages

53-45).” It is the outcome of a mismatch among job expectations and capacity to adapt. External

causes such as are also being blamed for a rise in workplace stress examples of technology

advancement and economic changes in a country. Transnational firms are also prone to stress

since their staff come from a variety of cultural backgrounds and their activities are carried out

globally.

Beyond potential stress brought on by family or personal concerns, globalization, and increased

pressure on the task at hand have all contributed to increased stress at work. Because of the

increasing employment instability, workers could feel worried and depressed. Tennant, page 697

(2002) We became interested in, sensitive to, and intrigued about the significance of the problem

as a result of the rising employee stress. Workplace stress can affect employees irrespective of

their gender, job position, or company. Looking everywhere and studying information of stress,

specifically stress at work, demonstrates that employees regard stress as an unavoidable factor.

When doing a task, stress is tied to one's ability to effectively handle supplies, demands from the

environment, and some other unnamed flaws in the method; yet, if it wasn't the case, considered

an universal topic, it would be viewed as an unforeseen condition. Babatunde (2013, p 79)

suggests for a number of executive decisions that might minimize job stressors, which is critical

for improving employee psychological wealth and well-being. He believes that these proactive

1
measures must be incorporated within the structural setting of work, such as employment-control,

work-schedules, levels of staffing, physical work atmosphere, organizational structure, and the

mental health frame of the employees. Babatunde further claimed that main methods for

improved organizational results include managerial stress awareness education, workload

modifications, danger identification, the construction of social structures that buffer stress

impacts, and role strategies.

1.2 Research problem formulation

The stress brought on by an event, both positive and negative, can have an impact on a person's

health. Positive stress can result from big events like winning the lottery for $1,000,000 or from

a happy, successful engagement, whereas negative stress can result from traumatic experiences

or harm someone's health. Events that are unfavourable, such the death of a close family member

or a fall in one's financial condition, can harm a person. (1989, p. 102 of Anderson & Arnoult's ).

(Warn 1994) identified stressors in remote regions as disruptions of typical sleep length and

diminished capacity to sustain an ordinary personal schedule. Physical pain may be associated to

uncomfortable conditions of work, for example an electric motor-noisy atmosphere, congested

transportation, intolerably high temperatures, working near 9 chemicals, and working away from

the sun's sunlight. (Fairbrother, and Warn 2003, page 10).

The lack of effective leadership can lead to conflict between employers and employees as well as

being a source of stress for everyone in the firm. Activities on board a ship, organizing

2
collaborative behaviour, for example, is typically seen as regular procedure and unconnected to

stress in ordinary situations. Working in a lonely atmosphere, on the other hand, can be

uncomfortable for the personnel. A capsule habitat is a community that is segregated from one's

place of residence, relatives, and acquaintances. When one's friends and family are away from

one another, the absence of consistency in one's life produces pressure. (Fairbrother, and Warn

2003, page 10)

If stress is defined from the perspective of emotions, we can observe that there isn't a clear

definition of emotions in the literature's; this is due to two factors: first, the term "emotion" is

used broadly, and second, emotions are described as a subjective aspect of a person's feelings

and moods. As a result, academics consider emotions in a variety of ways. People's emotions

vary depending on the circumstance, time frame, intensity, and consistency. Emotions are

frequently expressed in a variety of ways, such as social emotion, which expresses feelings such

as happiness, joy, shame, affection, etc. According to Parker and Ettinger (2007) on page 350,

the main causes of stress are most likely to be a lack of control over a circumstance or an event,

uncertainty or ambiguity, or a performance that falls short of expectations. Human resource

management also organizes several events and functions like festivals, campus parties, and other

activities in order to lower stress levels. However, the authors were intrigued to see if this is the

case at all workplaces or if this situation differs from place to place. The majority of the

employees are much more willing to manage their stress by seeking out some strategies to cope

with it in a better way.

The sentences above made us consider what would be stressful for workers at a multinational

manufacturing organization. Could it be that they must interact with people from different

3
cultures? Or is it just possible that jobs are linked to one another in the manufacturing sector?

Alternately, was it the disorderly and boisterous surroundings? In addition, we wanted to learn

what steps the company was doing, if any, to address any workplace stress issues, as well as how

employees at these businesses may reduce both personal and work-related stress.

Malaysians work an average of 15 hours a day, which is longer than the contracted hours

established by the Malaysian government. These outcomes vastly outperformed contracted

working hours in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia. Malaysia, however, is also among the

least productive countries (Econ, 2017). According to a survey by AIA Vitality that included the

four aforementioned nations, Malaysian workers are overworked, stressed out, and have

unhealthy lives. As a result, there are reports of severe health hazards and low productivity

among Malaysian workers. According to the study, 84 percent of Malaysian workers reported

having at least one health condition, and 53 percent were at risk for mental health issues because

of high levels of stress and a sedentary lifestyle.According to The Star (2018), stress-related

mental illness affects 29% of Malaysians. Additionally, it stated that by 2020, when more people

are anticipated to suffer higher levels of stress owing to work and family pressures, depression

would be a prominent mental health condition among Malaysians. In Malaysia, the rate of

depression cases increased rapidly from 12 percent in 2011 to 29 percent in 2017, a rise of more

than half in just six years, according to the data. The majority of people find it challenging to

handle the issues they encounter at work. When a person's troubles are caused by family

members and they have no alternative sources of assistance, their stress level increases

significantly.A contemporary epidemic that affects public health is stress or pressure. Mohd

Shaiful et al. (2018) examine the prevalence of occupational stress and the factors that predict it

in Malaysians. He reported that work-related stress incidence ranged from 6.0 percent to 71.7

4
percent per year. Teachers in primary schools received the most favourable overall rating

(71.7%), then followed by prison guards (45.8%), police (38.8%), secondary school teachers

(34.0%), and university professors (22.1%). Despite the fact that forecasts vary by occupation,

two dimensions can be inferred: organizational characteristics and personal considerations.

Workers are stressed out by organizational variables such as high demand for work, poor

working conditions, a lack of organizational encouragement, unstable employment, long hours at

work, the duty to achieve career progress, and interpersonal disputes. Grammatical gender, age,

marital status, the identification number of children, and coping mechanisms are individual

factors, on the other hand, that contribute to job stress.

The financial costs of workplace stress are discussed by Essiam, Mensah, and Gyamfi (2015).

They also state that an organization's work cannot be done under stress because it may result in

low production, disappointment, and poor physical health. Employee job happiness is affected by

a number of variables, including work overload, separation, long working hours, a safe work

environment, difficult workplace relationships, role uncertainty, annoyance, and a lack of

opportunities or inspiration for competence-level improvement.

(C.K., job satisfaction and stress) claims throughout their piece, they mention employment

pressures has a direct impact on employees' job satisfaction, performance, and company

production. Job stress and employee work satisfaction have a diametrically opposed relationship.

Employee satisfaction and lack of stress at work both have a favourable effect on the

productivity of the firm. Employee dissatisfaction and stress at work have a negative impact on

the productivity of the firm.

5
Job stress has a unique impact on the goals and events of the company, according to a study by

Soleimanpour (2015). According to him, some stresses are advantageous for the organization,

while other pressures and energy are required to alter societal flexibility. On the other hand,

pressure has a variety of unique consequences on both the productivity of the company and the

performance of the personnel. Many factors, including an excessive workload, role conflicts,

poor worker salaries, and the physical environment in which employees operate, have an impact

on job satisfaction.

The amount of work may also be increased divided into quantifiable (The scope of tasks that

need to be completed) and qualitative categories (the trouble of the effort). The amount of work

that one individual must complete is referred to as their workload. There is a distinction between

the actual effort expended and the subject's level of assignment awareness. Role conflict may be

related to situational aptitudes; it may also be something that lasts for only a brief period of time

or for a very long period of time. Whenever what is needed equal in a specific intra-role dispute

can occur in any sector of daily existence, including the workplace.

Function struggle occurs when a worker is subjected to demands that are incompatible, making it

difficult to agree to both. As we attempt to revert to the many roles we hold after comprehending

role conflict, we find that we are being pulled in a number of different directions. Ambivalency

between the parts develops as a consequence of social inclination to share success in addition to

the weight located on one person by two impressive and mismatched demand that compete with

one another.

The physical environment has a big impact on fitness and how healthy you will be in many

different ways. People's health is affected by the air quality, especially those who have breathing

6
disorders. It's possible for water to spread contagious diseases. The physical atmosphere of a

company affects how happy its employees are at work. Employees who find it difficult to fit into

their workplace's culture may view their employment as a burden and become dissatisfied, which

could have an adverse effect on the organization's productivity.

1.3 Problem Statement

An employee who experiences significant work stress may also feel undervalued, which lowers
performance. This is a result of employees' poor cognitive abilities and laziness at work.
According to Cordes and Dougherty (1993), emotional weariness, unfavourable self-assessments,
and low self-esteem are also linked to worker stress. A sufficient amount stress can inspire
potential staff members, that may also boost productivity at work. Workplace stress, on the other
hand, will have an immediate effect on worker productivity. (Jex, 1998). Technology workers
experience more stress than those in conventional industries, according to Tseng (2001). So,
study is required to identify the primary causes of worker stress and offer solutions for its
solution. This investigation is crucial because, if the issue is not remedied, it could eventually
harm the organization and its workers.

The issue is that there are several, according to the problem statement, aspects of work stress that

have an impact on employee job gratification, employee performance, and organizational

productiveness in Penang Malaysia.

7
1.4 Research Objectives

The main objectives of the study are:

1. 1. To look into the connection between job pressures, employee job happiness, and
worker output & productivity.
2. To determine the actual factor of work stress that affects employee job satisfaction,
productivity, and performance.

1.5 Research Questions

1. What is the relationship between job stress, employee job satisfaction and productivity &
performance?
2. What are the factors of job stress that impact on employee job satisfaction, productivity
& performance?

1.6 Significance of Study

This lesson demonstrates how a person's practical and academic lives are both directly impacted

by job stress. According to Dingeta's 2013 study, "Job Satisfaction And Organizational

Commitment Of Teacher Educators: The Case Of Arbaminch College Of Teacher Education

(Amcte)," there are numerous elements that affect an individual's level of satisfaction.

8
If professors are under stress at work, they are less likely to deliver lectures effectively, and

students are less likely to be interested in listening to lectures and experience stress from their

studies. Students can freely engage in study activities if they don't experience tension while

studying. If people in businesses experience stress at work, they are less likely to finish their jobs.

They experience work-related stress. This is due to a rise in work-related stress and a decline in

job satisfaction among employees. This study offers pertinent data about workplace stress and

employee job satisfaction that aids people in both their academic and practical lives. The

administration of educational organizations and sectors works to ensure that its staff members

are stress-free and delighted with their jobs.Ultimately, this study aims to contribute to a better

understanding of the complex relationship between job stress, job satisfaction, and productivity,

and how it impacts individuals in their academic and practical lives.

1.7 Scope and limitation of the study

We have described the breadth of the research's limitations in order to make the reader more

familiar with it. In the texts that follow, we have stated the size of our investigation. Our research

subject and research question are appropriate for the theories we have chosen. In the theoretical

section, we covered a variety of stress-related topics, including stress in the form of emotions

and internal and external stressors. We think the ideas we've selected are extremely pertinent to

the thesis topic and research question and generally make sense. We chose respondents from

both genders in an effort to prevent bias. It's possible that the respondents in our study weren't

able to accurately represent the entire population of full time workers, since our main target

wasn't specifically targeting to certain group of employees. Employees in practically all kinds of

9
organization, in overall, experience stress during working. However, the underlying causes of

stress differ from one environment to next as well as one firm to the next.

10
 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Productivity and Performance

"Stress has grown into a significant problem for businesses." It is unlikely to be dropped from

the programme as global rivalry grows and organizations confront harder market circumstances."

Arnold et al. (2010), p. 491. Kahn and Byosiere (1992) created a comprehensive framework for

researching occupational stress.Their model includes numerous critical aspects in the stress

process, including job stressors (task and role stressors), stress moderators (individual variations,

social support), and stress repercussions (burnout, heart disease). Landy and Conte (2010)

Research have shown that workplace pressure has an effect on workers' satisfaction with their

jobs and overall efficiency while a large number of businesses nowadays lay higher demands on

workers to do their job efficiently. Contemporary times are referred to as the "period of worry

and anxiety" (Coleman,1976). A variety of pressures are going to have an effect upon the level

of stress. Beehr and Newman (1978) characterized stress as an event that causes an individual to

veer off from their usual behaviour because of a alteration in their psychological and/or

physiological state, causing them to be obliged to do so. Implementing a more proactive

approach to balancing work and life, according to Kosek (2012), can help encourage enhanced

worker efficiency, better mental and physical health, satisfaction with work, and decreased

turnover. Kellow (2008) identified countervailing interventions and emphasized the role of

various opposing strategies in mitigating stress at work causes interventions were defined as

practices that focused on boosting the beneficial elements of work instead of decreasing

undesirable elements, and it is suggested that the beneficial development of staff members

11
physiological capital in the areas of self-efficacy, hope, trust, optimism, and resiliency is

essential for health and positive organizational behaviour that is required to validate successful

outcomes in the modern workplace. The end outcome of this pressure has been discovered to be

one of the main elements determining occupational stress in their employment (Chan et al.,

2000). According to a research conducted in the United Kingdom, an overwhelming majority of

employees were dissatisfied with their current environment in which they were asked to work

long hours and manage big workloads despite reaching production goals and due dates (Townley,

2000).

According to the interpretation developed by researchers, it is of the utmost importance for an

individual to be conscious of the difficulties they are feeling in their chosen field of work.

According to Monalisa Deka (2016) below Image-1 is the outcomes of workplace stress and its

consequences.

(Image-1 Workplace Stress)

12
Family and work are interrelated and dependent on one some other to the extent how occurrences

in a specific area create an effect on the standards lifestyle in another ( Sarantakos, 1996 ). The

statement "home-work interface" it describes the intersection of home and employment. This

relationship involves Simultaneously an indicator of stress in the workplace that is having a

consequence on family life and an attachment in which stress from working at sea has a

counterproductive impact on family life. It investigates if problems within the household are

brought into the workplace and whether or not work has a detrimental impact on family life

( Alexandros-Stamatios G.A et al., 2003 ). For example, it inquires when staff have to bring their

jobs home along or whether or not they are forced to set working aside when at home.A solid

home-work contact is required by workers to reduce their level of stress caused by work. Based

on Lasky (1995), family and financial responsibilities may constitute a substantial source of

"extra-organizational" stress, this may exacerbate or even create stress at work. In the opinion of

Russo and Vitaliano (1995), whether they occur immediately during an episode of protracted

stress at home or when combined with other substantial life stressors, stresses at work are likely

to have a considerable impact on results. Numerous studies have shown the detrimental effects of

high occupations or job pressure. According to Wilkes et al. (1998), time constraints and job

overloads were significant contributors to work stress among community nurses. In addition to

the standard physiological, psychological, and behavioral stress symptoms, stress caused by

workload is distinguished by reluctance to coming into the workplace and the belief that nothing

in terms of exertion will be sufficient ( Division of Human Resource, 2000 ). According to Al-

Aameri AS. (2003)'s findings, a single among the six factors of stress in the workplace is

13
workload pressure. Workload, job diversity, and wages are considered "the elements essential to

the occupation" by Alexandros-Stamatios G.A. et al. (2003).

The labour force is under increasing pressure to perform at their highest capacity and increase

their level of productivity since the world economy is rapidly evolving. Workers must do a range

of tasks while working in order to stay up with the rapidly germinate technologies if they are to

execute their line of work much efficaciously ( Cascio, 1995; Quick, 1997 ). The end outcomes

of this pressure level have been identified as one of the fundamental variables affecting job stress

in their workplace ( Cahn et al., 2000 ).

According to Robbins (1996), performance refers to the accomplishments and output of

personnel that are acknowledged by the organization. Job output is a combination of competence,

commitment, and the nature of the working environment. Employees are extremely satisfied with

the company incentives provided to them, which can take the form of monetary rewards like

gratuities and pay raises or non-financial benefits like vacation days and the credit of certificates

for an employee's particular accomplishment within the organization. This encourages them to

work amazingly efficiently. According to the study, an employee's job performance serves as a

gauge for their coworkers, resulting in high job satisfaction (Giga, 2003).

2.2 Job Stress and Job Satisfaction

The relation between stress and job satisfaction has been investigated in a number of research.

The 2 most frequently studied subjects in human resource management are job stress and

occupational happiness.According to Stamps & Piedmonte (1986), there is solid evidence

14
between job fulfillment and job stress. Four job stressors were found in one research of general

practitioners in England as being predictive of job unhappiness (Cooper, et al., 1989).In a

different study, Vinokur-Kaplan (1991) discovered a bad association among job satisfaction and

organizational features including workload as well as working conditions. Poor enjoyment, on

the other hand, might exacerbate stress, while a high level of fulfillment can mitigate its harmful

effects, claim Fletcher & Payne (1980). This study found an association among job satisfaction

and workplace stress. Studies by Landsbergis (1988) and Terry et al. (1993) support this, low job

satisfaction is correlated with overflowing levels of work stress. Cummins (1990) has also noted

that workplace stressors are associated with job discontent and a higher likelihood to leave the

company. According to a UK study by Sheena et al. (2005), some professions report bad than

ordinary ratings for all of the criteria ( physical health, psychological well-being, and job

satisfaction ). Colligan & Higgins (2005) characterise occupational stress as a complicated

psychological condition of mystery (Akanji, 2015). As for William and

Huber (1986) stress is a reaction from both psychologically and physically and to internal and

external factors of a situation in which the adaptiveness of an individual could be

overextended (Walonick 1993). Once an employment opportunity does not ''marry'' with your

talents or the correct resources, both bodily and emotional reactions and responses will be risky,

which is an indication of occupational stress (Sauter and Murphy, 2013). For academicians,

correlation between the multivariate can be crucial. If there is a clear relationship between two

variables, an academician may choose to intervene to raise one of the variables' level in the

hopes that it will also raise the other variable's level ( Koslowsky, et al., 1995 ). Stress at work

may originate from a variety of origins and impact people in a variety of ways. Although the

connection between an employee's health and happiness and the physiosocial aspects of the job

15
is established (Dollar and Metzer, 1999), only limited research has been done done to examine

the effects of different stressors on the performance of a worker. According to the demand-

control paradigm (Karasek, 1979), one of the major sources of occupational stress is job pressure

(Jungwee, 2007). Job stress is what causes the gap between needs and the ability to give mental

stability in the family (McCubbin and Figley 1983). In this research, we want to see how much

there is a connection between job stress and job satisfaction among Malaysian employees.

2.3 Work Long Hours

Overtime per week over ordinary working hours is characterised as long working hours. Many

jobs require workers to work overtime, so long working hours are common around the world.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), more than 488 million workers (about

7%) worldwide were required to work more than 55 hours per week (Pega et al., 2021).

The remarks by Jacobs and Gerson ( 1998 ) and Bluestone and Rose ( 1997 ) on Scholar's book

on burdened Americans from 1991 possess optimism since the resurgence of interest in the

subject of hours worked, particularly the worry over increases in overtime hours worked, is

essentially a result of lengthy hours at work are also more prevalent among most people of the

work groups examined in the study ( Robbins, 2003 ). It is highly difficult theoretically and

analytically to analyse how working long hours affects organizational effectiveness. Yet, based

on the facts at hand, it is impossible to conclude with certainty whether working long hours has

overall beneficial, negative, or neutral effects ( Broad, 2007 ). According to Fresh Books

(2021)Because of the burden on one's lifestyle, long weekly working hours raise stress levels.

Because of their heavy responsibilities, most individuals work late. That takes its toll on our

16
minds. From then, a stress cascade begins. You remain late because the job demands it. Staying

late causes you to forego things that might normally relieve tension. This might include family

time, exercise, eating healthy foods, or participating in leisure activities. Excessive

responsibilities not only induce stress, but they also prevent you from releasing that tension.

Extended hours at work not only rob individuals of their time to rest, but also endanger their

health. Long working hours are known to have a significant impact on health, including

hypertension (Cheng et al., 2021), cardiovascular disease (Lin et al., 2018), and diabetes (Baek et

al., 2019). Long working hours are also connected with poor mental health, such as job burnout

(Hu et al., 2016), work-related stress (Lee et al., 2016), and depression (Virtanen et al., 2018). As

a result, lengthy working hours have grown into one of the most important variables influencing

the physical and mental health of the workforce. However, the findings of the relevant studies

are debatable because studies on the health impacts of long working hours were inconsistent.

Working long hours is linked to occupational stress, well-being, and depression. Working hours,

occupational stress, and well-being were all found to be major predictors of depression in our

study. Working hours, through occupational stress, had a strong indirect influence on depression.

The findings of this study indicated that cutting working hours and minimising occupational

stress would be useful in preventing depression among couriers. More research is needed,

however, to confirm the link between working hours and depression.

H1: Extended work hours positively affect both employee well-being and job satisfaction

under specific conditions, but their impact varies depending on the individual and

organizational context.

17
2.4 Workplace Atmosphere

Physical stress can also be caused by the work environment. Whether it is due to noise, a lack of

privacy, poor climate management, or insufficient amenities, the work environment is crucial in

reducing workplace stress. Workplace burnout occurs when employees are subjected to

excessive stress over an extended period of time. Employees who work a lot of overtime hours

are prone to burnout. Burnout can result in weariness, mood fluctuations, irritation, and reduced

work performance. Interpersonal Conflicts and Managerial Support (or the lack thereof) are two

extremely significant characteristics of organizational structure and environment that may

constitute a source of anxiety for an employee. Inter-personal disputes can arise in the workplace

when resources are tight, if workers have competing interests, or when employees are not treated

properly. Interpersonal conflict can divert workers' attention away from critical professional

responsibilities resulting in physical health implications. Landy and Conte (2010), pp 452-453

Besides negative consequences of conflict between individuals include depression and job

dissatisfaction, as well as aggression, theft, and sabotage. (Frone 2000, as mentioned in Landy

and Conte, 2010, p 452-453). "A large body of evidence shows that a lack of managerial support

jeopardizes employee happiness." A great deal of assistance, on the other hand, can offer

tremendous benefits for workers."(Arnold et al., 2010, p 458). "Management behaviour has a

direct impact on the well-being of employees."Managers may either avoid or generate stress in

people they supervise. Managers also serve as "gate keepers" for their workers' exposure to

stressful working situations, and they are critical in identifying and addressing workplace stress."

Arnold et al 2010.p 458, citing Donaldson-Feilder et al 2008.

18
Representatives of the physical and behavioral world are significant elements of a typical work

environment. Physical settings are components linked to employees' willingness to tie

themselves physically to the workplace. Excellence in the workplace is so crucial in determining

how motivated, effective, and successful employees and staff are Sharma ( 2016 ). Today, the

most important problem is employee productivity, which is greatly impacted by the workplace

Mwendwa ( 2017 ). Worker deplete a substantial portion of their working hours, and in some

manner, their workplace environment has an impact on how they feel about themselves.

According to Kamarulzaman ( 2011 ), workers who are satisfied with their place of employment

would produce more fruitful outcomes from their time and effort. Employees are extremely

valuable resources in any organization. A good organization is one that looks for its personnel.

This is frequently accomplished by paying close attention to their job surroundings. This is due

to the fact that employees spend a significant portion of their life at the job performing their

duties. As a result, their mental and emotional states, focus, behaviour, actions, and talents are

influenced by their job environment. It has a significant impact on both staff engagement and

performance. In reality, the office environment makes an enormous difference to the

organization's ability to sustain an excellent level of employee productivity, and hence

organizational productivity. (Satyendra 2019)

H2: A favorable workplace atmosphere positively impacts both employee productivity

and job satisfaction.

19
2.5 Exploring Job Satisfaction

First, a broad explanation of the satisfaction phrase is included in an estimate of the concept of

job satisfaction. Scholars have attempted to define the concept of satisfaction in a variety of ways,

they additionally all agree that the result is contentment of a psychological process. influences

how employees in every organization behave. Brown ( 1997 ) Roussel and Igalens (2008).

Employee retention is influenced by emotional intelligence, employment location, pay,

relationships with coworkers, or promotions. These elements influence positive attitudes towards

this employment as a result of the uniqueness assessment. The majority of workers have a

preferred job, which is a challenging scenario. According to Broad (2007), in order for

employees to achieve corporate goals and create a positive work environment, they must be

provided with significant intrinsic and extrinsic incentives and Healthy workplace relationships

are essential for motivating staff to put in long hours Sharma (2016). Spector defined work

satisfaction in 1997 as "how people think about what they do and various facets of their work."

Lawler (1990) defines work satisfaction as "individual emotions about the advantages they

received on the job." Previous research has identified many aspects of occupational

happiness.They include organisational system of rewards, variables such as distribution of power

as well as control, and personal variations such as confidence and the need for success, according

to Lankauand Scandura(2002) and Lefkowitz(1994). According to (Williams 2001), the

fundamental influence of job satisfaction and job stress has been hypothesized, investigated

empirically Lee and Ashforth, 1993, and subjected to meta-analysis by (Sullivan and Bhagat,

1992). When employees are stressed on the job, it commonly manifests itself in poor work

practised. According to Kaliski (2007), job satisfaction indicates joy and excitement with one's

20
work and is the primary factor that leads worker to salary elevation, acknowledgement, and the

achievement of other goals that leads to a sense of self-actualization. According to a 2021 study,

there is a favourable association between work happiness and employee performance. This

means that 21st-century professionals priorities being happy and content at their professions over

their compensation. As a result, the hypothesis of an inverse link between stress and work

satisfaction is stated as follows.

H3: A supportive relationship exists between job satisfaction and employee productivity

and performance.

2.6 Work Life Balance

Work-life balance is an essential component of a good workplace. Maintaining a work-life

balance reduces stress and helps to prevent job burnout. One of the most prevalent health

conditions in the workplace is chronic stress. Physical implications include hypertension,

intestinal issues, persistent aches and pains, and cardiac difficulties. Chronic stress can also have

a bad influence on mental health since it is associated with an increased risk of depression,

anxiety, and sleeplessness. "There is proof that both men and women are unhappy with their

balance between work and life. "'As families with two careers have grown to be the norm instead

of the exception, conflict between work and family has grown into a pervasive cause of work

stress," writes Henderson (2011). "Interference or conflict can manifest itself in a variety of

ways." The sheer quantity of time demanded by tasks in one domain (home or work) may make

it impossible to devote sufficient time to roles in the other domain." Arnold (2010).

21
Looking for the correct work-life balance and relaxing with regard to duties to one's family and

job are key components of work-life balance. Alam ( 2015). ( Work-life balance essentially

refers to striking a harmony among three things: compensate work, non-paying labour, and

individual time. Work-life balance is the ability to balance one's employment, family, friends,

health, and self at any one time, according to Bennett (2004). Work-life balance was defined by

Chandrasekar (2011) as cognition of diverse origin and time demands, the capacity to allocate

spending energy and time on many tasks - and life-related activities, and the ability to apply this

information and make decisions. It was shown that organizations should have adequate work-life

balance policies if they wish to keep their employees. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is

crucial for a successful marriage, a happy family, and a fulfilling career. It also reduces

absenteeism and employee turnover. Kachalia & Caral (2016).

H4: A balanced work-life positively influences both employee productivity and

performance.

2.7 Depression

According to the Centers for Disease Control, psychological state (depression) and suicide are

serious public health problems that cause much than 40,000 American deaths every year (2017).

Doctors in charge of university counselling centres have seen a sharp rise in caseloads recently,

with considerably more students seeking help for mental health issues after 2010 than in the

years before Beiter ( 2015 ). Studies on the rising use of psychological services by middle and

high school students have additionally been conducted, according to Anderssen ( 2013 ) and

Noguchi ( 2014 ). If true, this might be indicate that there are a greater number of young

22
individuals than in prior years who are struggling with problems with mental health,increasing

their chances of suicides and other harmful effects, Berman (2009). Official did looked at the

connection in-between these problems and the pressure at work or the work environment

( Bennet, Williams, Page, Hood, & Woollard, 2004 ), also they discovered that mental state,

anxiety, and stress relate to poor or reduced workplace execution. (Cavanaugh, Boswell,

Roehling & Boudreau, 2000). In add-on, stress, worry, & despair all contribute to life discontent

(Alden & Phillips, 1990). One of the most frequent mental health issues is depression. Long

working hours have been demonstrated to be a major risk factor for depression (Nakata, 2017).

Park et al. (2020) discovered that the prevalence of stress, depression, and suicide increased as

working hours increased, and that all three parameters had a linear dose-response relationship

with working hours. Occupational stress has been linked to depression in one research (Park et

al., 2014). And the degree of association between depression and occupational stress varies by

occupation (Meltzer et al., 2009). However, few studies have looked into the link between

working hours, depression, and occupational stress.

H5: Depression has a favourable impact on employee performance and productivity.

23
2.8 Stress Management

Image-2 Smart Techniques For Stress Management

Above Image-2 by Edureka (2022) showing techniques that should be taken by employee and

employers in order to overcome the job stress in the organization.

Stress management is a crucial component of your life that you should put into practise if you

want to reduce your chronic stress, especially since it is usually meant to motivate you to

improve the way your life runs on a daily basis. Although stress is generally thought of as a

subjective sensation, it is possible to evaluate stress levels using a variety of physiological tests.

Techniques for managing stress might be challenging to evaluate because they are scarce and

differ depending on the person (Kamarul zaman et al., 2011).Not all tactics work for all types of

people. For various persons to experience the same level of stress, different solutions might be

necessary. Every person should practise stress management in their daily lives since it will help

24
them avoid self-damage, conduct perform their regular jobs effectively, and live joyfully. On that

point are many ways to reduce stress, and a few of them—long work hours, the workplace

environment, job satisfaction, work-life balance, and depression—are discussed in the section

after this one. Sharma and others (2016). The majority of the time, organizational tactics and

personnel work together to reduce the danger that workplace stress poses to workers' health. The

risk of stress on an employee's health can be reduced by a variety of individual measures, such as

daily training, trips to psychologists, job related therapy, and medical consultations. These

exercises and presentations are especially designed to educate staff members on how to

safeguard their physical well-being from unanticipated hazards. Using the given resources

services & resources, workers can modify their current status or enhance their abilities and

talents in the face of unpredictable surroundings.

(For instance, physical, social, and work). Additionally, there are numerous programmes of

instruction available to assist workers increase their skills. (for instance, accurate @ sufficient

use of organization, time organization, impressive communication, self-assertiveness, problem-

solving, etc.). These action encourage worker to actively combat stress and cope with it, which

results in higher achievement. The following characteristics are highlighted by the employee

thanks to training:

25
The aforementioned techniques have been shown to be effective in reducing or eliminating stress.
69–70 (Michie, 2002)

2.9 Conclusion

As a result, a worker's job performance serves as a gauge for the employer, ensuring that the

rewards will result in high job satisfaction for the employees. One of the crucial elements that

any person should have in their lives is stress management. Individuals can have different

approaches to managing their stress. Everyone should exercise stress management since it will

help them avoid self-destruction, carry out their everyday tasks properly, and live calmly.

Working long hours therefore has a beneficial impact on productivity and job happiness. Also,

the workplace atmosphere has a significant impact on employee productivity, performance, and

job satisfaction too. Furthermore, satisfaction with work influences worker and work efficiency

favorably. Not only have that, balanced work positively influenced the accomplishments of

workers and their efficiency. Finally, depression may lead to some consequences in job and

definitely it will influence the employee and productivity performance.

26
 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

Objective of this examination is to assess the effects of job stress on employees in Penang,

Malaysia. To achieve this, we have constructed a conceptual framework grounded in the

literature review, as shown in Figure 1.0

(Figure 1.0: The impacts of job stress among employees in Malaysia living in Penang)

3.2 Research Hypothesis

H1: Extended work hours positively affect both employee well-being and job satisfaction under
specific conditions, but their impact varies depending on the individual and organizational
context.

27
H2: A favorable workplace atmosphere positively impacts both employee productivity and job
satisfaction.

H3: A positive relationship exists between job satisfaction and employee productivity and
performance.
H4: A balanced work-life positively influences both employee productivity and performance.

H5 Depression positively influence the employee and productivity performance.

Figure 1.1 depicts their relationship with others. The meanings of these elements are as follows:

(1) Job stress, according to Beehr (1995), is "a condition in which some elements of the

work situation are regarded to produce bad psychological or physical health, or to cause

risk factors increasing the likelihood of poor health."

(2) There are general and specific components to job satisfaction. According to Hackman

and Okham (1980), general components include the overall perception of job enjoyment

and specific components include job security, pay, coworkers, supervision, and

opportunities for personal growth and development.

Each of the five sources of work-related stress has an impact on employee satisfaction in Penang,

Malaysia.

(Figure 2.0: shows the conceptual framework schematically)

28
3.3 Methodological Approach

For this study, a quantitative methodology will be employed to examine the effects of job stress

on employees residing in Penang, Malaysia. A descriptive research design will be utilized to

characterize the population through a representative sample of participants. This design is

suitable for understanding the experiences and viewpoints of employees within the target

population.

An online survey will be the instrument used to gather information as the primary research

instrument. The questionnaire will be formed based on the investigation subjective and the

conceptual framework established in the literature review. The questionnaire will comprise

various sections, such as demographic information, job stressors, coping strategies, job outcomes,

and individual outcomes.

The choice of a quantitative methodology is appropriate for this study as it enables the collection

of numerical data that can be analyzed using statistical methods. The questionnaire will assist in

identifying the relationship between job stress and employee job satisfaction, as well as

productivity and performance. Moreover, it will facilitate gathering data from a large number of

participants in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

Participants will be randomly selected from diverse industries in Penang, Malaysia, to ensure a

representative sample. The sample size will be determined using suitable statistical techniques to

guarantee that the results are statistically significant.

29
3.4 Sampling and Data Collection Process

To gather data, a quantitative survey design was implemented, based on the initial scope of the

research model. In quantitative research, the sample size is a critical factor in ensuring the

accuracy of results, cost-efficiency, and the convenience of the chosen population (Bartlett,

2001). Thus, a sample size of 50-60 respondents was selected using convenience sampling,

which enables data collection from a diverse array of individuals.

The study seeks to analyze the effect of job stress on employee job satisfaction and

productivity/performance among employees in Penang, Malaysia, a highly urbanized city. The

convenience sampling method was suitable for this study as it encompassed multiple

independent variables correlated with the dependent variable. Respondents were chosen based on

their willingness and availability to participate in the study and were sourced from various

sectors, including healthcare, education, manufacturing, and service industries.

Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire, comprising different sections such as

demographic details, job stressors, coping strategies, job outcomes, and individual outcomes.

Respondents were prompted to rate their responses on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from

strongly disagree to strongly agree. This approach enabled the calculation of a rating index for

each indicator identified to impact overall job performance.

Employing a quantitative survey design and a self-administered questionnaire facilitated data

collection from a sizable number of participants in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

Additionally, using a diverse sample of respondents from different industries ensured the

generalize ability of the study's findings.

30
As a result, it qualifies as a type of sampling without probability. The information from the

questionnaire for the study was collected entirely online using Google forms.

3.5 Research Instrument and Measures

The survey instrument employed in this study serves two primary purposes. First, it aims to

investigate the relationship between various variables concerning the impact of job stress on

employee productivity and job satisfaction. Second, it seeks to gather information about the

respondents' characteristics to help elucidate the differences among different categories.

The survey instrument comprises two sections. Section 1 encompasses multiple personal and

demographic variables, such as the respondent's name, gender, educational level, income level,

and age. This information is vital for understanding the demographics of the respondents and

their characteristics.

Section 2 of the survey instrument contains latent variables crucial to this study. These variables

include work hours, job satisfaction, work-life balance, and depression. The questions in this

section were formulated based on the literature review and prior studies. The study scales

utilized in this section were adapted from earlier literature and published research.

The first predictor variable in this study is long working hours, measured using five items. The

second variable is the workplace atmosphere, also gauged using five items. The subsequent

variable is job satisfaction, assessed using five items as well. Finally, the last two variables are

work-life balance and depression, both measured using five items each.

31
Using established scales and prior studies ensures the validity and reliability of the survey

instrument. The survey instrument is designed to collect data on the influence of job stress on

employee productivity and job satisfaction, in addition to the respondents' characteristics.

3.6 Data collection procedure

The questionnaire was distributed to a total of 70 employees in Penang who met the parameters

discussed above. The selection of these respondents was based on their availability and

willingness to participate in the study, as well as their diverse representation of different

industries in Penang.

The study's aim and research questions were explained to the respondents to ensure that they

understood the purpose of the questionnaire. This approach allowed the respondents to

conveniently fill out the questionnaire with the correct answers.

Out of the 70 distributed questionnaires, 53 were returned with complete and correct responses,

while the remaining questionnaires were incomplete or incorrect and thus were not used in the

analysis. The collected questionnaires were kept for further study and analysis.

The data collected from the questionnaires were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods,

such as correlation and regression analysis, to examine the relationship between job stress and

employee productivity and job satisfaction. The use of appropriate statistical methods ensures the

validity and reliability of the study's findings. Responses were collected normal working hours

and on government holidays, although the responses were allowed to filled 24 hr*7 days because

of its online availability.

32
3.7 Assessing Reliability and Consistency

To guarantee the reliability and validity of the study's findings, a reliability analysis was

performed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient is a measure of

internal consistency reliability, signifying the extent to which a set of items evaluates a single

construct or variable.

The reliability analysis revealed that all variables in the study had Cronbach’s alpha coefficient

value of greater than 0.70. This demonstrates that all 16 items in the survey instrument were

precise and pertinent for assessing employee opinions. Formula used to calculate is

α=(K−1)(K)​ Sy2Sy2−Sum Si2 from the data collection.

RELIABILITY OF MEASURE
Variables Number of Items Craonbach Alpha
Work Long Hours 4 0.703
Work Environment 4 0.724
Exploring Job Satisfaction 4 0.822
Work Life Balance 5 0.908
Depression 5 0.839
(Table 1.0: Reliability of Measure)

3.8 Profile of the Respondents

The study collected demographic and personal data from the respondents, including their gender,

age, and education background. The following table summarizes the percentage distribution of

the respondents by category:

33
PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS
Variables Category Percentage
Gender Male 67.9%
Female 32.1%
Age 19-28 22.8%
30-38 56.6%
40-49 20.6%
Highest Education SPM 17%
STPM/CERT/DIPLOMA 47.2%
DEGREE/MASTER 35.8%
(Table 2.0: Profile of the Respondents)

3.9 Analytical Techniques for Data Analysis

The collected data will be analyzed using the Microsoft Excel software, which is widely

employed for statistical analysis in social science research. Microsoft Excel has a built-in plug-in

called "Analysis Toolpak" that provides a number of useful statistical functions is particularly

adept at analyzing large-scale survey data, making it a suitable tool for this study. Based on the

literature review, it was observed that previous researchers commonly used this software for data

analysis in similar studies.

Utilizing Microsoft Excel, the collected data will undergo various statistical analyses, including

descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. Descriptive statistics will be

employed to summarize the demographic characteristics of the respondents and the different

variables examined. Correlation analysis will be used to explore the relationships between the

independent and dependent variables, while regression analysis will be employed to determine

the degree to which job stress impacts employee productivity and job satisfaction.

34
A thorough data analysis will be conducted using Microsoft Excel, allowing the researcher to

derive valuable conclusions and recommendations based on the study's findings. The use of

Microsoft Excel software will help ensure the accuracy and validity of the results obtained from

the data analysis.

3.9.1 Factor Analysis

Factor analysis serves as a statistical method aimed at simplifying data by uncovering underlying

patterns in the relationships between variables. This approach is employed to condense the

number of individual variables into a more manageable set of factors, accounting for the

maximum common variance across all variables. Factor analysis is instrumental in determining

which variables have the strongest associations with each other, allowing for the grouping of

similar variables into fewer factors.

During the pilot questionnaire phase of this study, factor analysis will be applied to identify any

superfluous or irrelevant variables and to consolidate variables sharing common underlying

factors. The goal is to streamline the data and decrease the number of variables to a more

manageable set without losing crucial information. By reducing the variables, factor analysis can

assist in pinpointing the most significant factors impacting job stress, employee productivity, and

job satisfaction.

35
3.9.2 Descriptive Analysis Techniques

Descriptive analysis constitutes a data analysis approach used to outline the primary attributes of

the data in straightforward terms. In this study, descriptive analysis will be employed to

summarize and present the collected data in a format that is easily understood and interpreted.

The goal is to deliver a clear and concise overview of the data key characteristics, encompassing

its distribution, central tendency, and variability.

Descriptive analysis techniques, such as mean, median, mode, standard deviation, and range, will

be utilized to summarize the data collected concerning job stress, employee productivity, and job

satisfaction. These measures will offer insights into the central tendency and variability of the

data, aiding in the identification of any patterns or trends within the data.

3.9.3 Inferential Analysis Techniques

Inferential analysis is a statistical method used to make predictions and generalizations about a

larger population based on a smaller sample. This method involves extrapolating from a

probability sample to the entire population, allowing researchers to draw inferences and make

conclusions about the population based on the sample data.

In this study, inferential analysis techniques such as hypothesis testing and regression analysis

will be used to test the research hypotheses and identify the relationships between job stress,

employee productivity, and job satisfaction. These techniques will help to determine the

36
statistical significance of the findings and establish the strength of the relationships between the

variables studied.

By using inferential analysis techniques, the researcher can generalize the findings from the

sample to the larger population and draw meaningful conclusions about the impact of job stress

on employee productivity and job satisfaction in Penang, Malaysia. Inferential analysis is a

powerful tool that allows researchers to make predictions and draw conclusions based on

empirical evidence, providing valuable insights into complex phenomena such as job stress and

its impact on employee well-being and organizational performance.

3.9.4 Applying Multivariate Analysis

Multivariate analysis refer to statistical methods employed to simultaneously assess multiple

variables. This approach involves observing and analyzing two or more outcome variables,

which helps gauge the extent to which independent variables impact dependent variables. In this

study, multivariate techniques will be adopted to scrutinize the complex connections between job

stress, employee productivity, and job satisfaction.

Techniques such as multiple regression analysis, factor analysis, and structural equation

modeling will be applied to explore the relationships among the variables under investigation.

These methods will facilitate the identification of the most significant determinants of job stress,

employee productivity, and job satisfaction while also determining the nature and strength of the

relationships between these variables.

37
The outcomes of the multivariate analysis will be employed to evaluate the research hypotheses

and to draw meaningful inferences about the effects of job stress on employee well-being and

organizational performance in Penang, Malaysia. By implementing multivariate techniques, the

researcher can discern the most vital factors that influence employee productivity and job

satisfaction, thus providing valuable recommendations on how organizations can efficiently

manage job stress to improve overall performance.

38
 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.1 Introduction

In this research paper, we have discussed the impact of stress on the employees especially on

their productivity and performances. There are various factors such as stress management, job

satisfaction, work environment, work life balance, salary and depression that contribute to the

impact of stress on employees. From this, we can conclude that all these do give some negative

impact on employees such as stress. Employees or workers that work under stress may not

performance well in their work and eventually will have low productivity.

The goal of the following section is to show the findings of the main information acquired from

the questionnaire in the form of questionnaires that were administered independently. The

surveys were prepared and distributed using Google Note.

Schindler and Cooper (2008, p 702) state that "data analysis refers to the procedure of editing

minimizing collected knowledge to a size that can be handled, generating overviews, seeking

trends, and employing quantitative methods."

39
4.2 Study Analysis

From the study, even though there are various factors that contribute to the impact of stress on

the employees, but the factor of working for long hours, salary concern and workload have

contributed to the most impact of stress on the employees. Where 41.5% said on salary, 15.09%

on working on long hours and 16.98% on workload. From this we can conclude that even though

there are various factors that give impact of stress on the employees but these three factors are

the main factors that contribute to the impact of stress on the employees.

Working for a long hours may have some negative impacts on the employees especially stress.

When an employees work on a long hours, this will make them to be less effective. They may be

more tired and the productivity may be effected too. Besides that, the performance of the

employees might be less and down due to the long working hours. As a result, the employees

may feel under stress which will lead it to poor performance in work and productivity too. From

this, many faults might be found in work and lead to less job satisfaction. So, with limiting the

working hours, employees may be out of stress and will give the best performance in their job or

any tasks assigned to them.

Workload is one of the second highest factor that have an impact of stress on the employees. Too

much of workload may decrease the work performance and productivity in some of the

employees. Workload that exceed than the ability for employees to complete their tasks or jobs

may make them to be under stress. This will eventually contribute too many disadvantages such

as stress, lack of confident, poor performance and many more. Thus, too over workload given to

an employees must be reduce because it may also risk the employees’ health. Organization or

any particular employers should always monitor the workload of each of the employees. This

40
will reduce or lighten the employee’s workload. When, the workload is less, eventually the

employees will feel much better and less stress. This will contributed to many advantages too.

Employees will be working in such a happy and positive environment which will lead to stress

free and thus will increase the employees’ performance in their work which will increase the

productivity too. Lastly, will make them to have satisfaction with their job.

Last but not least, salary has been the topmost factor that has been contributing to the stress

among employees. Yet, it has been true that inadequate salary or low salary might stress out the

employees. Employees may feel not valuable when they did not received the salary that they

have been expecting because of their handwork. So, this will lead to unhappy feeling in the

employees which will lead to the stress during the working hours. Because of this, employees

might show less interest in their work or any tasks assigned to them. They might not

performance well in each of the task given as they feel they are not getting a good or expected

salary. So, employers should give salary according to the performance and job done by the

employees. Besides, increments in the salary should be given to the employees that have been

performing well. As a result, this will reduce the stress in the employees and they will give the

best performance in their work. Thus, it will created a positive working environment.

As a conclusion, the impacts of stress in employees may make them to have low performance,

productivity and some may feel less job satisfaction.

As mention in chapter 3, in total of 53 responses received from various field of working peoples

at Penang Malaysia.

41
4.3 Descriptive Analysis

Variables Frequency Percentage %

Age : 19 and below 1 1.89
: 20-29 11 20.76
: 30-39 30 56.60
: 40-49 9 16.98
: 50-59 2 3.77
Gender : Male 36 67.92
: Female 17 32.08
Education Level :
SPM&Below 9 16.98
STPM/CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA 25 47.17
DEGREE/MASTER DEGREE 19 35.85
Working Experience :
0-3 years 6 11.32
4-6 years 11 20.75
7-10 years 17 32.08
More than 10 years 19 35.85
Working under pressure :
Yes 14 26.42
No 7 13.21
Sometimes 32 60.37
Feeling Stress :
Yes 22 41.51
No 4 7.55
Sometimes 27 50.94

(Table 3.0: Respondent Demographics Profile)

Table 3 above showed the respondent demographics profile. Based on the table, this data

analysis chapter is broken under three sections:

42
Section A contains specific details such as gender, education, and experience, ect..

Section B has inquiries on the various stresses.

Section C includes two open-ended inquiries regarding Stress Management Strategies and

Workplace Stress. Because the information gathered was qualitative, they were analyzed using

Microsoft Excel.

4.4 Section A: Personal Information

Question 1 Gender

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Responses Percentage Percentage

Male 36 67.90% 67.90% 67.90%

Female 17 32.10% 32.10% 100.00%
Total 53 100% 100%

(Table 4.0: Gender)

(Figure 3.0: Gender)

43
Male respondents is about 36 people with 67.92% and followed by female respondent with 17

people with the percentage of 32.08%. From this, we can concluded that male respondents has a

higher patent than female respondents.

Question 2 Age

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Age Percentage
Responses Percentage Percentage

19-28 12 22.8% 22.8% 22.80%

30-38 30 56.6% 56.6% 79.40%
40-59 11 20.6% 20.6% 100%
Total 53 100 100

(Table 5.0: Age)

(Figure 4.0: Age)

Table above showed the respondent demographics profile. Based on the table, the most age

group employees are from age group of 30-38 with the frequency of 30 people with percentage

of 56.60% followed by age group of 19-28 as the second highest with the number of people 11

44
with percentage of 20.76% out of 53 people. The rest of 11 people from 53 response was the age

average from 40-59 where the percentage of 20.6% out of 100%. From this can be conclude that

the age group of 30-39 is the most common age group of employees can be found working in any

organization in Penang Malaysia.

Question 3 Highest Education Level

Number
Valid Cumulative
Education Of Percentage
Percentage Percentage
Responses

SPM 9 17% 17% 17%

STPM/CERT/DIPLOMA
25 47.2% 47.2% 64.2%

DEGREE/ MASTER 19 35.8% 35.8% 100%

Total 53 100% 100%

(Table 6.0: Highest Education)

(Figure 5.0: Highest Education)

Based on the table , it shows that the level of education started from level Sijil Pelajaran

Malaysia (SPM), followed by Sijil Pelajaran Tinggi Malaysia (STPM) Certificate, Diploma,

Degree and Master Degree. It’s either they already persuade or still in the process of achieving it.

45
Based in the above table, about 9 of the respondents has the SPM&below of education level with

the percentage of 16.98%. This followed by STPM/CERTIFICATE&DIPLOMA with 25

respondents out of 53 and the percentage is 47.17%. Lastly, followed by group of

DEGREE&MASTER with 19 respondents out of 53 respondents with 35.85%. From this, it can

be seen that the education level with STPM/CEFRTIFICATE&DIPLOMA has the highest

respondents, followed by DEGREE&MASTER and the lowest respondents will be from

education level group SPM&BELOW.

Question 4 Working Experiences

Experiences Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
(Years) Responses Percentage Percentage

0-3 5 9.4% 9.4% 9.4%

4-6 11 20.8% 20.8% 30.2%
7-10 18 34.0% 34.0% 64.2%
More than 10 19 35.8% 35.8% 100%
Total 53 100% 100%

(Table 7.0 : Working Experiences)

46
 (Figure 6.0 : Working Experiences)

The largest working experience group is those who has been worked for more than 10 years

which is 19 respondents with 35.85%. This followed by working experience from 7 to 10 years

which is 17 respondents with 32.08%, from 4 to 6years which is 11 respondents with 20.75%

and the least is from 0 to 3 years working experience which is 6 respondents with 11.32%. From

this we can see most of the respondent are well experience in work and already adopt the

working environment for a long time of period.

4.5 Section B: Type of Stressors

1. Which of the following factors would you consider causes stress while at work?

Causes for Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Stress Responses Percentage Percentage

Working
Hours 8 8.20% 8.20% 8.20%

Salary 27 27.84% 27.84% 36.04%

Growth 23 23.73% 23.73% 59.77%

Relation w
superior 17 17.53% 17.53% 77.30%

Workload 22 22.70% 22.70% 100%

Total 97 100% 100%

(Table 8.0 : Causes for Stress)

47
 (Figure7.0 : Causes for Stress)

From the table , it shown that about 27 respondents sometimes have been under stress due to
many factors such as salary, workload, long working hours and others. It has the highest
percentage with 50.94%. Around 22 out of 53 respondents have stated they have been working
under stress. It has the second highest reading with 22 respondents with 41.51%. Since the
respondent may choose more than one option, there are 97 response collected for this survey.

As conclusion from Table , it can be summarize that most of the respondents do work under
pressure and stress due to many factors such as workload, working for long hours, salary concern,
growth, and relationship with the superior.

48
2.How you rate your overall performance?

Overall Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Performance Responses Percentage Percentage

Poor 1 1.90% 1.90% 1.90%

Satisfactory 12 22.20% 22.20% 24.10%

Good 26 48.10% 48.10% 72.20%

Excellent 15 27.80% 27.80% 100%

Total 54 100% 100%

(Table 9.0 : Overall Performances)

(Figure 8.0 : Overall Performances)

From table above 48.1% out of 54 responses are claiming they are good in their overall job

performances. This can be say majority of employee are willing to perform the best for their

organization. This statement was proven even more after 15 of the respondent are claim they were

excellent in their daily task performances at their work. Even there is 1 person claiming his/her

performances are poor, but the person also say he/she are performing well by choosing 2 answers in the

49
questionnaire. 12 person out of 53 are recording that they are feel satisfactory with their performance

in their daily job task performed.

3. I have very long working hours

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Q3 Responses Percentage Percentage

Strongly Agree 6 11.4% 11.4% 11.4%

Agree 12 22.6% 22.6% 34%
Neutral 18 34% 34% 68%
Disagree 12 22.6% 22.6% 90.6%
Totally Disagree 5 9.4% 9.4% 100.0%
Total 53 100.0% 100.0%

(Table 10.0 : Long Working Hours)

(Figure 9.0 : Long Working Hours)

The statement ‘’I have very long working hours’’ can be identify as working more than normal working

hours (extended hours without compensation )and also doing overtime with payed for the extra hours

of work. From the above data most of the respondent are strongly feel neutral on the working hours.

50
Almost 22.6% of respondent are both claiming ‘’Agree’’ and ‘’Disagree’’ on Q3, besides 11.4% are

strongly agree with the statement and 5 persons are ‘’Totally Disagree’’ with the question.

4. I’m allowed to give ideas and suggestions related to my work

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Q4 Responses Percentage Percentage

Strongly Agree 10 18.9% 18.9% 18.9%

Agree 10 18.9% 18.9% 38%
Neutral 22 41.5% 41.5% 79%
Disagree 8 15.1% 15.1% 94.4%
Totally Disagree 3 5.6% 5.6% 100.0%
Total 53 100.0% 100.0%

(Table 11.0 : Allowed to give ideas & suggestions related to work)

(Figure 10.0 : Allowed to give ideas & suggestions related to work)

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Giving ideas and suggestion related to his/her work were the Q4 objective to understand the situation of

the employee, from the survey 22 out of 53 respondents are feel neutral and total 38% of respondent

are feel ‘’Strongly Agree’’ & ‘’Agree” on the statement. 15.1% disagree with the statement and prove it

they are not given chance to give ideas and contribution to their working organizational. There are

about 5.6% out of 53 respondent are totally disagree with the statement and increase the hypothesis.

5. Salary Paid is good

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Q5 Responses Percentage Percentage

Strongly Agree 4 7.5% 7.5% 7.5%

Agree 11 20.8% 20.8% 28.3%
Neutral 15 28.3% 28.3% 56.6%
Disagree 21 39.6% 39.6% 96.2%
Totally Disagree 2 3.8% 3.8% 100.0%
Total 53 100.0% 100.0%

(Table 12.0 : Salary Paid Is Good)

52
 (Figure 11.0 : Salary Paid Is Good)

From total 53 respondent, 39.6% are disagree with the statement where its proven that the salary still

one of the most common problem facing by employee in their workplace. 15 persons out of 53 are

feeling neutral wit their wage and 28.3% are feel their salary is good enough for their sosial and daily life

expenses.

6. Too much work is allocated to me causing depression

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Q6 Responses Percentage Percentage

Strongly Agree 5 9.4% 9.4% 9.4%

Agree 26 49.2% 49.2% 58.6%
Neutral 17 32.0% 32.0% 90.6%
Disagree 5 9.4% 9.4% 100.0%
Totally Disagree 0 0.0% 0.0%
Total 53 100.0% 100.0%

(Table 13.0 : Too much work causing depression)

53
 (Figure 12.0 : Too much work causing depression)

Table showing 49.2% out of 53 respondents are “Agree” with the questionnaire “too much work is

allocated to me”. This confirm that most of employee feel they doing more works than they supposed to

work on. This was confirmed by none of the respondent select “Totally Disagree” option in the survey.

32% of the response are indicate they were neutral and 9.4% are “Strongly Agree’’ with the statement

“Too much of work allocate to me causing depression.

7. My work is repetitive & monotonous

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Q7 Responses Percentage Percentage

Strongly Agree 5 9.4% 9.4% 9.4%

Agree 21 39.7% 39.7% 49.1%
Neutral 19 35.8% 35.8% 84.9%
Disagree 6 11.3% 11.3% 96.2%
Totally Disagree 2 3.8% 3.8% 100.0%
Total 53 100.0% 100.0%

(Table 14.0 : Work is repetitive & Monotonous)

54
 (Figure 13.0 : Work is repetitive & Monotonous)

From the question 7, valid percentage of 39.7% were agree with the statement their work are repetitive

and monotonous. This prove that people who working the same task daily basis and feels no adventure

in the work and causing depressed. Out of 53 respondents, 35.8% were feel “Neutral” with above

statement and 3.8% of respondents feels their work is not repetitive. 9.4% of the responses are very

sure that they under pressure with the repetitive work they been doing for the pass of their working

experiences.

8. I don’t get enough rest/break in between work

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Q8 Responses Percentage Percentage

Strongly Agree 1 1.9% 1.9% 1.9%

Agree 11 20.8% 20.8% 22.7%
Neutral 30 56.2% 56.2% 78.9%
Disagree 8 15.5% 15.5% 94.4%
Totally Disagree 3 5.6% 5.6% 100.0%
Total 53 100.0% 100.0%

55
 (Table 15.0 : Getting enough rest/break in between work)

(Figure 14.0 : Getting enough rest/break in between work)

From the table above, 1.9% chosen “Strongly Agree”, 20.8% are “Agree”, 56.2% “Neutral, 15.5% are

“Disagree” and 5.6% select “Totally Disagree”. This outcomes shows rest/break doesn’t impact their

routine and working hours since more employer are having ‘‘flexible break hours and enough own time

while in working period.

9. I can't meet my family demand due to workload

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Q9 Responses Percentage Percentage

Strongly Agree 2 3.8% 3.8% 3.8%

Agree 4 7.5% 7.5% 11.3%
Neutral 25 47.2% 47.2% 58.5%
Disagree 14 26.4% 26.4% 84.9%
Totally Disagree 8 15.1% 15.1% 100.0%
Total 53 100.0% 100.0%

(Table 16.0 : Can’t meet family demand due to workload)

56
 (Figure 15.0 : Can’t meet family demand due to workload)

Even 26.4% of the survey responses are “Disagree” with the above statement, a cumulative of 58.5% are

are somewhere feel that they can’t meet their family demand due to workload. This shows that most of

employees are feel they not doing great with family but they have to complete whatever task pending at

their work. Slowly this can cause them to fall into depression and workload stress. Even 41.5% are claim

“Disagree & Totally Disagree” but majority of respondents are feels the other way.

10. I don’t get financial rewards or any appraisal for my hard work

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Q10 Responses Percentage Percentage

Strongly Agree 6 11.3% 11.3% 11.3%

Agree 23 43.4% 43.4% 54.7%
Neutral 18 34.0% 34.0% 88.7%
Disagree 4 7.5% 7.5% 96.2%
Totally Disagree 2 3.8% 3.8% 100.0%
Total 53 100.0% 100.0%

(Table 17.0 : Didn’t get financial rewards for hard work)

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 (Table 16.0 : Didn’t get financial rewards for hard work)

Above survey result showing that 43.4% of the respondents are “Agree” with questionnaire that they

feel not getting financial reward or any appraisal for their hard work at their organization. This followed

by 34% are feel neutral with the statement and 11.3% are “Strongly Agree”. Only 11.3% out of 53

respondents are feel their hard work and contribution towards their organization been appreciated.

This responses shows that most of the workers are expecting their employer to appreciate and

recognize them in their organization.

11. I’m financially unstable because of low wages/salary

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Q11 Responses Percentage Percentage

Strongly Agree 8 15.1% 15.1% 15.1%

Agree 17 32.0% 32.0% 47.1%
Neutral 21 39.8% 39.8% 86.9%
Disagree 4 7.5% 7.5% 94.4%
Totally Disagree 3 5.6% 5.6% 100.0%
Total 53 100.0% 100.0%

58
 (Table18.0 : Financially unstable due to low wage/salary)

(Figure 17.0 : Financially unstable due to low wage/salary)

Financially unstable due to low wages/salary contribute around 86.9% of cumulative percentages out of

53 respondents. Only a total of 7 person are choosing “Disagree & Totally Disagree”. Income is the main

aspect for each employee to stay focus in their career. When there is a dispute or not satisfied with their

salaries, the employees not anymore will feel comfortable and motivated to keep their hard work and

contribution towards the company.

12. Supportive work environment

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Q12 Responses Percentage Percentage

Strongly Agree 3 5.6% 5.6% 5.6%

Agree 17 32.0% 32.0% 37.6%
Neutral 25 47.3% 47.3% 84.9%
Disagree 7 13.2% 13.2% 98.1%
Totally Disagree 1 1.9% 1.9% 100.0%
Total 53 100.0% 100.0%

(Table 19.0 : Supportive work environment)

59
 (Figure 18.0 : Supportive work environment)

4.6 Section C:Open-Ended Questions

1. Do you work under pressure?

Work Under Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Pressure Responses Percentage Percentage
Yes 13 24.5% 24.5% 24.5%
No 8 15.1% 15.1% 39.6%
Sometimes 32 60.4% 60.4% 100%
Total 53 100% 100%

(Table 20.0 : Work under pressure)

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 (Figure 19.0 : Work under pressure)

Figure 21.0 also showed that most of the respondents are working under pressure sometimes

with 32 respondents responded to it with the percentage of 60.37%. Some of the respondents

have been working under pressure with 14 of respondents out of 53 said that they work under

pressure. It contributed to 26.42%. Only about 7 respondents with 13.21% have stated that they

did not work under pressure. As conclusion, it can be stated that most of the respondents work

under pressure.

2.Do you feel your stress level will impact your performances at work?

Performance Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
At Work Responses Percentage Percentage

Yes 18 34% 34% 34%

No 8 15.1% 15.1% 49.1%
Sometimes 27 50.9% 50.9% 100%
Total 53 100% 100%

(Table 21.0 : Stress level will impact your performances at work)

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 (Figure 20.0 : Stress level will impact your performances at work)

From the table 21.0 above, we found that 50.9% of responses are saying sometimes they found

themselves feel stress are impacting their performances at work and 34% of respondent are agreed that

stress are really impacting their performances at their work. Only 15.1% where 8 out of 53 respondent

are admitting that stress are causing or impacting their job performance.

3.Do you think stress management scheme programs will improve your work performance?

Number Of Valid Cumulative

Percentage
Responses Percentage Percentage
Yes 46 86.8% 86.8% 86.80%
No 7 13.2% 13.2% 100%
Total 53 100% 100%

(Table 22.0 : Stress management scheme/programs will improve work performance)

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 (Table 21.0 : Stress management scheme/programs will improve work performance)

Majority of the respondent are agreed that the stress management scheme programs will improve their

work performances. Total of 46 person were actually feels thus kind of motivation or scheme may relive

and help out to reduce the impact of workplace stress. Even 13.2%, 7 out of 53 of respondent are feel its

not going to improve anything in their daily working environment, its proven that the stress

management scheme is the great way to overcome the stress issue at workplace.

63
 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

5.1 Introduction

In this part or chapter, according to the topic which is the impact of stress on the employees, it

can be concluded that and explained thoroughly of this research. In this chapter, all the issues

that involve about the objectives of the research, and the research methodology will be discussed.

It will also based and discussed of the findings and the statistical analysis from before chapter.

Lastly, limitations and recommendations that could be likely offered to the future researchers

will be also talk about or discussed.

5.2 Overview

The overall idea of this research is to study the impact of stress among employees in Malaysia.

There are various factors that cause the stress among employees that eventually give some

impacts in the employees such as low work performance and productivity. Besides that, this

research too investigate the relationship between job stress and employee job satisfaction in the

organization.

Furthermore, from this research it can be determined that there are many reasons or factors that

lead to the stress and pressure to the employees. The main factor that lead to the stress among

employees in Malaysia as seen from the result is salary concern. Not only that but the more the

workload, the more the stress faced by the employees. Thus, long working hours has been one of

the reason too that made employees in Malaysia to have stress and eventually give some negative

impacts on employees. Other than that, the limited growth in the company has also lead to the

64
stress among thus impact the employees in many ways. Lastly, the relationship with the superior

has been one of the reason too that lead many employees to work under stress.

The questionnaire was distributed to a total of 60 employees in Penang who met the

considerations discussed above. The selection of these respondents was based on their

availability and willingness to participate in the study, as well as their diverse representation of

different industries in Penang.

Out of the 60 distributed questionnaires, 53 were returned with complete and correct responses,

while the remaining questionnaires were incomplete or incorrect and thus were not used in the

analysis. The collected questionnaires were kept for further study and analysis.

The data collected from the questionnaires has been analyzed using appropriate statistical

methods, such as correlation and regression analysis, to examine the relationship between job

stress and employee productivity and job satisfaction. The use of appropriate statistical methods

ensures the validity and reliability of the study's findings.

From the research conducted, there is a positive relation between job stress with employee job

satisfaction and productivity & performance.

5.3 Discussion

In this research, the profile of the respondents has been discussed. The total of 36 male and 17

female has been the respondents with the percentage of 32.08% for female and 67.92% for male.

As for the demographic profile, the largest age group is from 30-39 with 30 respondents that is

65
56.6% which may be the most common age group in any industries while the least age group is

19 and below which is 1 with 1.89%.

The level of education that most respondents are from STPM/CERTIFICATE&DIPLOMA.

There is 47.17% with 25 respondents with the group of education. It followed by

DEGREE/MASTER with 35.85% which is 19 respondents out of 53. The least group is belong

to SPM&BELOW, which is 16.98% with 9 respondents only.

Furthermore, the descriptive analysis has been extended as far too working experience, working

condition such as working under pressure and stress. As for the working experience, more than

10 years has the most respondents compared to others. It is 19 respondents with 35.85%. The

least working experience group is from 0 to 3years with 6 respondents, that is 11.32%. The

second most group is with working experience from 7 to 10 years that is 17 respondents with

32.08%, followed by from 4 to 6 years working experience which is 11 respondents with 20.75%.

Lastly, the majority respondents have stated that they have been working under pressure and

stress that give them various impacts such as low performance and productivity. It can be clearly

seen with majority of 32 with 60.37% stated that they sometimes work under pressure while

around 27 with 50.94% of the respondents stated that they have been under stress.

5.4 Advantages of this Study

This study on the title ‘The impact of stress among employees in Malaysia’ has many advantages

that can lead to many good implement in an organization. This study will create a good working

66
environment for future employees in order to reduce stress among employees and at the same

time improve the work performance and productivity.

From this study, we have known that many factors such as working for a long hours, salary or

low wages, workload and others have been contributing to stress in employees that give them

negative impacts. Working under pressure and stress have made most of the employees to have

lack of performance that might impact their productivity. It is not good for the employees as it

may increase tension and anxiety in them.

Besides that, low salary or wages might impact on employees which can lead them to be stress.

This may lead to uncertain to continue their work in the organization as they may feel insecure

with their future. Therefore, an organization must make sure that salary or wages should be equal

to the experience and performance of the employees.

Furthermore, more work load at one time may increase stress and have impact on certain

employees. With decreasing the workload, employees may feel less stress and have more

satisfaction with their job, thus might increase their performance and productivity.

Then, each employees should have a good relationship with the superior. With this, they feel

good enough to voice out their point of view in their job. When there is good relation with the

superior, employees will collaborate more effectively and thus created friendlier working

environment.

5.5 Limitation of the Study

Many problems have been faced in order to complete this study. As shown in this study, to

gather data, a quantitative survey design was implemented, based on the initial scope of the

67
research model. In quantitative research, the sample size is a critical factor in ensuring the

accuracy of results, cost-efficiency, and the convenience of the chosen population (Bartlett,

2001).

At first, the sampling was targeted to 100 respondents but due to some factors, only 70

respondents have been managed to distribute the questionnaire. This has caused to have much

smaller sample size. The questionnaire has been distributed via the internet to the respondents as

it has been difficult to reach each of respondents personally. So, the results may be vary and not

truly. Furthermore, the data that have been collected only focused on certain group of

respondents that have related impact of stress due to some factors in their working environment

and it did not represent the whole Malaysian. Given the cross-sectional nature of the current

investigation and data collection centred around self-report, conclusions deserve to be interpreted

with caution. There may be issues with lying, denial, or recollection in the self-report technique.

Furthermore, occupational stress & performance were not investigated objectively in this study.

If reliable metrics were used, the study's findings may be more definitive.

5.6 Recommendation for Future Studies

The main focus of this study is to find out the impacts of stress among employees in Malaysia

but it has only focused on Penang state. Many variables such as productivity&performance,

stress management, work long hours, work environment, job satisfaction, work life balance and

depression, reviews from the literature and reports, the goal of the study has been achieved.

68
This research has been focused only in Penang state with 70 sample size only and not all over the

Malaysia. This is because lack of resources and time. For more accurate result on this study, the

research or study should be conducted all over Malaysia with specific organization as there are

many field and scope of organization in Malaysia. With this more accurate results on the impact

of stress among employees may be achieved. Besides that, even though employees may facing

some impacts due to the stress and other factors, they must be able and ready to enhance

themselves in order to be successful in their careers. Lastly, each organization should consider in

creating a good working place or environment for the employees with reducing the pressure or

stress that might have negative effects on employees. Future research might look at additional

independent variables that influence employee performance.

5.7 Conclusion

As conclusion of this study, there are many factors or reasons that have lead to negative impact

on the employees. Working under stress and pressure may lead to many disadvantages too

especially to the employees. With that, it may affect the organization too. In order to overcome

this issues, organizations and the employees must work together to resolve the issues that have

been bothering them for future sake. It would additionally be helpful in such a setting to discuss

what companies and organizations in all industries, could do to improve the administration of

human resources by coming up with creative ways to lower stress levels, which would

consequently satisfy employee needs, resulting in improved workplace performance and

increased productivity.

Stress is a fact that must be handled by both organizations and individuals in order to create and

sustain a healthier, more productive workforce and working atmosphere. Recognizing the need

69
of addressing the sources of stress is the initial and most important phase in the stress reduction

approach. (Longenecker, 1999)

70
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 APPENDIX 1

Questionnaire

Section 1: Demographic Questions

Q1: What is your gender?

 Male

 Female

Q2: What is your age?

 20-30

 30-40

 40-50

 50 and above

Q3: What is your educational Qualification?

 SPM

 STPM/Cert/Diploma

 Degree/Master

Q4: Working Experiences (Years Of Service)

 0-3

 4-6

 7-10

 More than 10

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Section 2: Type of stressors

Q1: Which of the following factors would you consider causes stress while at work?

 Working Hours

 Salary

 Growth

 Relationship with superior

 Workload

Q2: How you rate your overall performance?

 Poor
 Satisfactory
 Good
 Excellent

Q3: I have very long working hours

 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Totally disagree

Q4: I’m allowed to give ideas and suggestions related to my work

 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree

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  Strongly disagree

Q5: Too much work is allocated to me causing depression

 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree

Q6: My work is repetitive & monotonous

 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree

Q7: I can't meet my family demand due to workload

 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree

Q8: I don’t get financial rewards or any appraisal for my hard work

 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree

Q9: I’m financially unstable because of low wages/salary

 Strongly agree

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  Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree

Q10: Supportive work environment

 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree

Section C: Open ended questions

Q1: Do you work under pressure?

 Yes
 No
 Sometimes

Q2: Do you feel your stress level will impact your performances at work?

 Yes
 No
 Sometimes

Q2.1: If '' Yes'' what are the impacts of the work stress to yourself ?

Q3: Do you think stress management scheme programs will improve your work performance?

 Yes
 No
 Sometimes

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 APPENDIX 2
LIST OF TABLE
Table Page

Table 1.0: Reliability of Measure 33

Table 2.0: Profile of the Respondents 34

Table 3.0: Respondent Demographics Profile 42

Table 4.0: Gender 43

Table 5.0: Age 44

Table 6.0: Highest Education 45

Table 7.0 : Working Experiences 46

Table 8.0 : Causes for Stress 47

Table 9.0 : Overall Performances 49

Table 10.0 : Long Working Hours 50

Table 11.0 : Allowed to give ideas & suggestions related to work 51

Table 12.0 : Salary Paid Is Good 52

Table 13.0 : Too much work causing depression 53

Table 14.0 : Work is repetitive & Monotonous 54

Table 15.0 : Getting enough rest/break in between work 55

Table 16.0 : Can’t meet family demand due to workload 56

Table 17.0 : Didn’t get financial rewards for hard work 57

Table18.0 : Financially unstable due to low wage/salary 58

Table 19.0 : Supportive work environment 59

Table 20.0 : Work under pressure 60

Table 21.0 : Stress level will impact your performances at work 61

Table 22.0 : Stress management scheme/programs will improve work performance 62

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 APPENDIX 3
LIST OF FIGURE
Figure Page

Figure 1.0: The impacts of job stress among employees in Malaysia living in Penang 27

Figure 2.0: shows the conceptual framework schematically 28

Figure 3.0: Gender 43

Figure 4.0: Age 44

Figure 5.0: Highest Education 45

Figure 6.0: Working Experiences 46

Figure 7.0: Causes for Stress 48

Figure 8.0: Overall Performances 49

Figure 9.0: Long Working Hours 50

Figure 10.0: Allowed to give ideas & suggestions related to work 51

Figure 11.0: Salary Paid Is Good 52

Figure 12.0: Too much work causing depression 53

Figure 13.0: Work is repetitive & Monotonous 55

Figure 14.0: Getting enough rest/break in between work 56

Figure 15.0: Can’t meet family demand due to workload 57

Figure 16.0: Didn’t get financial rewards for hard work 58

Figure 17.0: Financially unstable due to low wage/salary 59

Figure 18.0: Supportive work environment 60

Figure 19.0: Work under pressure 61

Figure 20.0: Stress level will impact your performances at work 62

Figure 21.0: Stress management scheme/programs will improve work performance 63

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