Tea garden executives suffer from increased stress, need to address mental well-being: Study

Guwahati, Jul 6 (PTI) Tea garden executives suffer from increasing workplace stress and addressing their mental well-being is necessary for the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the industry, according to a study. The survey was conducted on several companies under the North East Tea Association (NETA). The study, conducted by Pransu Raj Kaushik under the supervision of Dibrugarh University's Chairperson of Centre for Management Studies (CMS) Pratim Barua, pointed out that workplace stress among middle- and lower-level executives in the companies under NETA is influenced by both organisational practices and employees' personal backgrounds. Kaushik, an assistant Professor at the CMS, said that among the groups studied, lower-level executives reported the highest levels of workplace stress. The study also found that an executive's domicile influences workplace stress, showing a noticeable difference in stress levels between executives domiciled in Assam and those from outside the state. This difference indicates "that personal and social factors associated with domicile may shape how employees perceive and respond to workplace challenges," Kaushik said. He, however, added that this difference is meaningful but not large enough to be considered alarming. "The findings suggest that the demanding nature of work in tea estates affects employees regardless of their domicile. At the same time, the study found a meaningful difference in stress levels between the two groups, suggesting that an employee's domicile influences the extent to which workplace stress is experienced.,'' Kaushik told PTI. Kaushik pointed out that a key finding is that executives working in the tea companies under NETA reported workplace stress in a consistent and uniform manner. He said that one of the primary reasons for the affliction of stress is that lifestyle-related perks previously available to executives in the tea industry are now almost defunct due to several reasons. Another important finding of the study, for which he was awarded the PhD degree in Business Administration by Dibrugarh University, is that not all stress is harmful, but it can also have a positive effect by motivating employees, improving performance, and encouraging them to meet challenging work demands when the work environment is supportive. ''Overall, the findings highlight the need for companies under NETA to strengthen stress management practices while also creating conditions that promote positive forms of stress, enabling executives to remain motivated, productive, and psychologically healthy,'' he added. NETA Advisor Bidyananda Barkakoty told PTI that tea garden executives occupy a pivotal position in the management of tea estates, balancing demanding operational, administrative, and human resource responsibilities. ''Despite the critical nature of their role, workplace stress and mental health among tea garden executives have remained relatively unexplored areas of academic research, but the study addresses an important research gap and provides valuable insights that may help organisations strengthen employee well-being, enhance productivity, and improve human resource practices,'' he said. The study is expected to contribute meaningfully to a better understanding of workplace stress in the tea sector and encourage greater attention to the mental well-being of tea garden executives, thereby supporting the industry's long-term sustainability and effectiveness, Barkakoty said. PTI DG NN