Importance Of Managing Stress In Apparel Sector
Importance Of Managing Stress In Apparel Sector
Apparel industry plays a vital role in Sri Lnakan export sector and contribute considerable sum towards Sri Lanka Gross Domestic Products. Sri Lanka is recognized as best quality garments producer by well reputed buyers for it consistency in quality. Although the high technology not yet being introduced for manufacturing process, management with high technically sound and work force with high literacy still capable of maintaining reputation won over the 40 years. Producing a garment is a combination of elements by individuals which every single employee got a designated job role. Basically it is a repetitive work for 8 hours or more for a day. According to (M.Suresh, 2020), understand of employee stress level is highly important to control employee disputes / quarrels in order to improve and maintain the efficiency.
Why Stress in Apparel manufacturing
In apparel manufacturing process, every second is considered to have monetary value for both employee and employer. Therefore maximum utilize of time always benefited for both party. According to (Jana, 2010) utilization of time , True put time and pitch time play a major role for company profitability and employee earnings. Psychological stress is always created by the environment factors such as working condition / human behavior / Rules and regulation.
1) Repetitive working conditions - Everyone job role is designated in apparel industry and it is believed that an employee doing the same job for long time can produce high efficiency. On the other hand doing the same job role for long time always boring. But management reluctant to accept job rotation for certain employees although requested by the employees
2) Working environment and working pressures - Currently the order situation of apparel industry is unpredictable. So sudden increase of order volume can be happened at any season. Companies are always willing to accept this situation to make the revenue when possible to cover whole year. Too much of work load with limited time line and limited head count makes every individual busy physically and psychologically. Lack of inter personal support / inter department commitment / poor time management makes stress individual since objective time line never change.
3) Career opportunity - It is a natural expectation of employees to have promotion together with salary increment and increase of benefits. Promotions are always base on performance as well as availability of the vacancy. When Promotions are delayed or promote base on personalized recommendations, employee expectations are shattered. Lack of job security also make employee expectation decline.
4) Relationship with organization - Employer and employee mutual understanding and relationship always a healthy factor for pleasant working environment. When the relationships are broken, it creates dispute among boss and own colleagues/ unpleasant working environment and difficulty in dealing with subordinates.
5) Company Culture - Every organization has it's own culture and it is always a combination of pros and cons. A company with multi national work force always with high range of politics. Every nation try to defend their race by blaming or putting unwanted pressure on other. Workforce with narrow minded thinking pattern pull down the peaceful working environment.
Impact On Organization
1) Unhealthy work force - Employees with unstable health condition are considered to be inefficient. their slowness in work directly effect the company profit as well as fellow employees income. A company has to allocate additional fund for employees health concerns.
(World Health Organization, 2020)
2) High Absenteeism - Apparel manufacturing process considered to be human oriented and every second has a monetary value. Therefore employee present to work everyday is very much important for the high productivity and efficiency
3) Productivity - Line balancing is one of the important factors for high productivity. Absent of skill employee directly impact on line balancing thereby low productivity. There are some operations and skills in apparel sector which cannot be easily learn to perform effectively. There are specialized work force for these operations and getting one of them sick due to stress make whole process in inefficient.
4) Unpleasant working environment - Employees are hot tempered and not ready to listen or support fellow employees. Creates dispute among employees due to lose of patience finally develops till industrial dispute.
HR Activities To Overcome Stress
1) Flexible working hours which support employees to spend time with their family.
2) Organize and conduct free health program an campaign
3) Organize extra activities like get to gather / Trips / Musical programs / meditational programs
4) Involve in proper employee promotion activity and create opportunities for career development
5) Make employee cared environment or culture
6) Recognize achievement to appreciate
Conclusion
In modern HR perspective, employees are considered as part of the organization. They are part of company objectives and without them company can no longer grow or survive. Therefore it is the organization responsibility to create pleasant working environment for employee to perform. Make employees happy always benefited for the organization such as continuous improvement, increase of profit, harmony among employees, strengthen company good will.
. .
Reference
Suresh et al (2020) Employees stress level assessment: a case of apparel industry. iopscience.iop.org[online]. Available at https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/954/1/012018/meta. Accessed on 26th July 2023
Jana (2010) Understanding time's measures to achieve better production. apparelresources.com[online]. Available at https://apparelresources.com/business-news/manufacturing/great-knowledge-divide-measure-time/. Accessed on 26th July 2023.
Maureen (2022) 4ways to handle workplace stress today. vistage.com[online]. Available at https://www.vistage.com/research-center/personal-development/leadership-competencies/20220711-4-ways-to-handle-workplace-stress-today/. Accessed on 28th July 2023.
Sangeetha (2017) The impact of occupational stress on employees in textile industry: A review. researchgate.net[online]. Available at https://www.researchgate.net https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328725404_THE_IMPACT_OF_OCCUPATIONAL_STRESS_ON_EMPLOYEES_IN_TEXTILE_INDUSTRY_A_REVIEW Accessed on 28th July 2017.
World health organization (2020) Doing What Matters in Times of Stress. who.int [online]. Available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240003927gclid=Cj0KCQjw2qKmBhCfARIsAFy8buIoeJuhYIxz2SNI88wx23aq0X1tGFtJBGPU18b3T5cyGIe8bRx-gtIaAqe0EALw_wcB Accessed on 1st Aug 2023.
Thank you for sharing the insights into stress-related issues in the apparel industry. While promotions may support employees overcome stress, the vertical movement in the organisation usually has many constraints such as the limited number of roles and narrow budgets to increase pay. I think lateral movement in the organisation can be considered as another effective approach where employees are offered the opportunity to work in different departments or sectors whereby they are exposed to new environments and learning opportunities. Learning is known to be factor that can reduce stress (Zhang, et al., 2018).
ReplyDeleteReferences
Zhang, C., Myers, C. G. & May, D. M., 2018. To Cope with Stress, Try Learning Something New. [Online]
Available at: https://hbr.org/2018/09/to-cope-with-stress-try-learning-something-new
[Accessed 6 August 2023].
Without a doubt, your comment shows a contemporary and holistic view of human resources and their influence on companies.
ReplyDeleteStress management of apparel sector employees is important as the productivity of employees is directly impact on the financial performance and the article has addressed possible ways to overcome the such situations.
ReplyDeleteExcellent blog posts! Stress management is not just a luxury in the fast-paced apparel industry; it is also a necessity. The industry needs creativity and precision for everything from design to production, and excessive stress can impede both. Stress management is given top priority because it not only increases output but also fosters a happier, more creative workforce. So keep in mind that creating a stress-free environment while sewing is just as important as creating the ideal garment.
ReplyDeletefantastic blog post Stress management is not just a luxury in the fast-paced apparel industry; it is also a necessity. The demands of the industry can be taxing on both individuals and teams, from difficult design problems to constrained deadlines. Not only is stress management important for employee health, but it also has a direct impact on innovation, output, and overall business success. So keep in mind that a mindful approach to stress is always fashionable in the stylish world of fashion.
ReplyDeleteThis is a common condition for workers at all levels in the garment industry.
ReplyDeleteStress management offers a range of strategies to help better deal with stress and difficulty in life. Managing stress can help lead a more balanced, healthier life. Stress is an automatic physical, mental and emotional response to a challenging event. It's a normal part of everyone's life.
An organization has employees at all levels. Stress management is a common issue. Although managing it is challenging, managing the stress to lead an organization to a smooth journey towards the vision will facilitate the work plan.
ReplyDeleteThe apparel sector is often associated with challenging working conditions, such as long hours, low wages, physical strain, and lack of proper health and safety measures. By prioritizing stress management organizations can create a healthier and more productive work environment, leading to improved employee well-being, increased productivity, and overall success.
ReplyDeleteStress management is not only for the apparel industry but important for all industries. Employees are viewed from the standpoint of modern HR as being a part of the company. Without them, the company would be unable to expand or continue to exist. In order to ensure that employees can work effectively, it is the obligation of the business to establish a pleasant workplace. Making employees happy has numerous advantages for the business, including ongoing development, increased revenue, harmony among staff members, and strengthened brand loyalty.
ReplyDeleteWork stress is defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when job requirements do not match the worker’s capabilities, resources, and needs. Thank you sharing .
ReplyDelete