Nimhans develops first tool in India to measure work stress

The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Sciences (Nimhans) has developed TAWS-16, a tool that organisations can use to assess work stress among employees.

Though some companies are already measuring their employees’ stress levels in various ways, TAWS-16 is the first tool in India to exclusively measure work-related stress.

Based on the results, organisations can change their policies which can lead to employee well-being and also increase productivity. The tool is available on the web link and as a mobile app in multiple languages and Nimhans is offering it for free to interested organisations.

A study validating the tool has been published in the journal PLOS One on January 6. “Some stress is necessary for good performance. But harmful work stress is linked to many non-communicable diseases (NCDs), like hypertension, diabetes and mental disorders. NCDs are a major burden in India now, and a significant section of those affected are workers,” said Dr Gautham M S from the Centre of Public Health at Nimhans, who led the research to develop the tool.

There have been no large-scale studies to measure work stress in India. But various studies show a prevalence between 10% and 75%.

TAWS is a questionnaire that the employee can fill up in five minutes. It measures different categories of work stressors, related to the employee’s role in the organisation, career development, organisational environment and support, and work-life balance. This includes questions on deadlines, multitasking, supervisors’ support, etc.

In addition to stressors, the tool also measures two other aspects - the person’s ability to cope with stressors, and any psychosomatic symptoms they have (headache, disturbed sleep, etc).

It recommends repeated assessment and counselling for those found to have mild work stress scores and detailed Stress Management Training for those with moderate stress. For those with severe work stress, the tool recommends clinical work-up for NCD risk, along with counselling and Stress Management Training.

The tool has already been used on a pilot basis in over 10 organisations across India. Initial observations show that work stress levels are not as high as those shown in other Indian studies that used generic tools. In the cement and automobile industries, for example, only 10-11% were found to have work stress. But the stress prevalence is higher in the IT and apparel industries - 17.7% and 22.2% respectively.

“The tool can be easily included in the annual health checkup of employees. Employees’ health is seen as a drain on the company’s resources, but it has a huge impact on productivity. So it should instead be seen as part of the company’s bottom line,” Dr Gautham said.

“Also, employees leaving on grounds of stress is common problem managers face. The tool can help identify any company rule that’s causing employees stress, and correct it,” he added.