Stressed out: Lengthy and hectic work schedules call for effective stress management measures

According to a management consultant, ?The best practices in corporate governance can only emerge when informed by an established set of business principles and a defined approach towards organisational behaviour?. Most organisations have realised the importance of a code of behavioural norms for enhancing their productivity.

Organisations are created and designed by people to fulfil human objectives. Organisational behaviour, human resource management and industrial relations lay down the basics for understanding organisations and people in work settings. It is the study of the performance of individuals and groups in different structures and cultures within the workplace.

Organisational behaviour explores individual emotions and behaviour, team dynamics and the systems and structures of organisations to provide an understanding of the factors necessary for managers to create an organisation that is more ?effective? or ?successful? than its competitors. Employee involvement also contributes actively to the work culture of a company or an organisation. Hence, it forms a major part of any business school curriculum. The theories derive from a variety of disciplines, including sociology and psychology.

What do I have to do?

Organisational behaviourists study individual-level constructs like employee or group-level ones like membership, leadership, motivation, stress, performance, productivity, turnover, absenteeism, and job satisfaction. They also focus on issues such as personnel selection, performance appraisal, training and development, benefits and pay, ergonomics, and job design in an attempt to maximise worker productivity and well-being as well as organisational profitability. Three newer areas, namely, psychological contracts, stress and stress management approaches, and group processes (team-building) recognise the value of the human perspective in organisational life.

Specialists in this field often work as programme directors in areas of team-building and managerial effectiveness, leadership and team-building, stress management, communication skills, career planning, self growth and personal effectiveness, psychometric testing, competency mapping and emotional intelligence.

What should I study?

You must hold a three-years bachelors degree from a recognised university in India or abroad in any discipline. This course is also a part of organisational psychology or applied/social psychology. If you take this route, you should complete your bachelors degree in psychology followed by a masters degree and specialise in industrial/organisational psychology. This subject provides an introduction to basic individual and group processes, as they affect people in organisations. Major theories and models in key areas of organisational behaviour are examined, including group dynamics, motivation, stress, communication, conflict, power, strategy, structure and change management.

The course content of organisational behaviour in MBA programmes includes strategic human resource management, personal and interpersonal effectiveness, leadership, organisational restructuring, international organisational behaviour, HRM, and human resource development for total quality management (TQM).

What next?

The fields of consulting, counselling, people management and leadership have experienced significant growth over the past decade. Greater recognition of the skills necessary to manage people, assist individuals and groups and increase productivity in the workplace means there is a high demand for graduates with the necessary skills to communicate effectively, manage conflict, respond to rapid change, think strategically and act ethically. Graduates of organisational behaviour generally pursue positions as consultants, professors, or as staff psychologists in businesses and government. Doctoral graduates have greater opportunities to teach at the graduate level and access a broader range of consulting opportunities. There are excellent job prospects, both in the public and private sectors.

Where to study

• Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta
• Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai
• Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
• Indian Institute of Finance, New Delhi
• Indian School of Business, Hyderabad