Stress and Organisational Citizenship Behaviours in Indian Business Process Outsourcing Organisations

Vol 24, No 3; Article by Ajay K Jain and Cary L Cooper; September 2012

The study is aimed at investigating the strength of the relationship of organisational stress with organisational citizenship behaviours (OCBs). In organisational behaviour literature, stress has shown a negative impact on job satisfaction, commitment, performance etc. However, we were unable to locate any study that would have examined the relationship between organisational stress and OCBs in the Indian BPO sector, which is a highly work related stress prone industry. Hence, the study is aimed to examine the impact of organisational stress dimensions on different forms of OCB in the BPO industry in India. Based on organisational role theory and social exchange theory, it was hypothesised that stress will have negative relationships with various forms of OCBs. The sample consisted of 402 operator level employees in business process outsourcing organisations. The data were collected in the national capital region. Stress was measured through ASSET (a stress screening questionnaire, Cooper, 1997) which had eight dimensions. OCBs were measured through the OCB questionnaire which was standardised in Indian work conditions and had eleven dimensions (Jain, 2003). The analytical approach using multiple regression analysis aimed at investigating how different dimensions of stress were associated with the dimensions of OCB. Results of regression analysis showed the differential impact of stress on different dimensions of OCB. The findings have important implications for managers and organisations from the organisational development intervention point of view; for example, high stress work conditions may reduce the chances of role incumbents' involvement in acts of citizenship behaviours.