Overcoming Occupational Stress Among Women in the Banking Sector: A Pathway to Enhanced Employee Performance

Abstract

The rapid transformation of India’s banking sector, fueled by digitalization and competitive performance systems, has intensified occupational stress—particularly among women employees balancing professional and domestic roles. This study examines the primary sources of occupational stress among women in public and private banks and evaluates its effect on employee performance. A descriptive–analytical design was adopted, involving 120 women employees from Delhi NCR, selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS through descriptive statistics, correlation, t-test, ANOVA, and regression techniques. Findings indicate that work–family conflict, workload, and time pressure are the major stressors influencing women employees. A strong negative correlation (r = –0.582) was found between occupational stress and job performance, with regression results showing that stress accounts for 33.9% of performance variation. Women in private banks experience higher stress levels than those in public banks, while early-career employees report greater strain than senior staff. These outcomes confirm that occupational stress significantly reduces productivity, concentration, and motivation. The study recommends adopting flexible work policies, employee wellness programs, and gender-sensitive HR practices to enhance resilience and performance.