Finding Effects of Job Stress on Performance & Applying PDCA cycle for Improvement on

Bangladeshi Textile Industry Workers

ABSTRACT

Purpose- The purpose of the study is to find out the effect of job stress on the performance of Bangladeshi Textile Industry
workers and to improve the effectiveness using the PDCA cycle. The aim is to develop an effective method that will help the
workers to reduce their stress and progress their performance level.
Methodology- The study employed a descriptive approach. This used both qualitative and quantitative research methods The
sample size adopted was two hundred and five through the help of convenience sampling techniques. The impact of the stress on
the workers was assessed by structured questionnaires. Factor analysis was conducted to identify the factors related to the stress of
the workers that have an impact on the work performance of the workers. Regression analysis was carried out to examine the
impact of stress on workers’ performance. PDCA cycle was implemented and the data were retaken to analyze the difference.
Findings- According to results, the factors had not only direct effects but also indirect effects on employee job performance
through job stress. In their research, being disappointed at the job role, frustration and problem regarding concentration, poor
working relationship & physical environment were identified as the stress origin factors and work pressure and frustration, lack of
resources, and job insecurity were identified as the factors that impact the performance of the workers of textile industries in
Bangladesh.
Research limitations- The study sought to find out about only work stress and its effects on job performance. It is therefore
recommended that research is done on non-work stress or both work stress and nonwork stress and their influence on job
performance. PDCA cycle was applied as a tool for the improvement. Other tools or processes can be applied in this manner for
better outcome.
Practical implications- The aim was to develop an effective method that will help the workers to reduce their stress and progress
their performance level. This study suggests that the policy makers should focus on the stress factors identified in this research that
have an impact on the performance of the workers in this industry. If the stress factors can be minimized then the performance level
will be increased thus resulting in greater productivity.
Originality/Value- The study possesses some significant value as the stress origin factors and the performance impact factors were
determined and the PDCA cycle was implemented for improvement and the results are there.
Keywords- Job stress, Employee performance, PDCA cycle, Factor reduction.

1. Introduction

Stress has become a global phenomenon that manifests itself in a variety of ways in every workplace. Employees are working
longer hours in today's workplace because increased levels of responsibility force them to strain themselves even more rigorously
in order to fulfill rising expectations regarding work performance. Almost three billion employees worldwide have encountered a
significant problem termed "stress" in every organization over the last several decades, which has affected employee performance
and has become an integral element of every field operation. As today's management creates the 'will to work' required for the
achievement of organizational goals, organizations have been compared to energized their workers through motivation and other
promotional activities to work beyond their abilities (Chabra, 2010; Cole, 2004). As a result, job stress has emerged as the most
frequent kind of stress in today's enterprises and it is one of the most significant issues that businesses must address in order for
workers to do high-quality work in a comfortable environment.

There is a significant effect of globalization on international textile and apparel trade. Today, the developed countries are hugely
dependent on the developing nations for textile and garment manufacturing. At present, Bangladesh ranks second in the world as
the largest apparel producers with a $20 billion business in which 80% is earned by exporting goods. Bangladesh's Textile Industry
has been a key contributor to the country's economy over the past two decades. This industry contributed for almost 80% of the
country's overall export revenues (Ahmed, Raihan, & Islam, 2013). Recently, it has been seen that employees are routinely taking
to the streets and demonstrating for various objectives. The causes might be related to the workers' unhappiness. Experts in this
field believe that the causes for workers' bad performance are related to salary payment and stress at work, both of which are
caused by employers (Choudhury, & Rahman, 2017). As a result, businesses are losing working hours, missing production
objectives, and hurting the industry's export revenues. The purpose of this research is to analyze the phenomenon of job stress and
employee performance in the Textile Industry of Bangladesh. The study aims at determining the factors that are affecting the
performance of the workers in the workplace as well as the factors that are the main source of job stress. After the determination of
the factors, this study attempted to reduce those factors to improve the worker job performance by minimizing stress variables. For
this persistence, the “Kaizen” process, more specifically the “PDCA cycle” was applied to reduce these factors and achieve the
desired results.

Kaizen is a Japanese hybrid word, where “Kai” means change and “Zen” means good. Generally, Kaizen is for small incremental
improvement but carried out on a continual success. Kaizen can be applied to get improvement in personal life, social life, home
life, and working life. The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle is like a checklist that contains four stages. To get from „problem-
faced‟ to „problem-solve‟, one must go through all the stages. The four stages are Plan-Do-Check-Act. The idea of the PDCA
cycle was developed by Walter Shewhart, who developed a statistical process control chart in the Bell Laboratories in the USA
during the 1930s. KAIZEN has been applied which is a continuous improvement strategy towards a large achievement
permanently. PDCA cycle is very important for the workers and the industry because this process can minimize the stress factors
that will result in improved workers' productivity and performance.This is also to the improving job satisfaction and job
performance by reducing job stress. It is essential that the employees’ psychological aspects are being looked into for their job
stress. Employers can create a safe and reduced stress environment to work.

2. Literature Review

Industrialization is an essential prerequisite for the rapid economic growth of a developing country like Bangladesh. In Bangladesh
industrialization is spreading at an excellent rate. Millions of workers are working in these industries. Bangladesh is now the
second-largest apparel and textile exporting country that helped Bangladesh's economy to ensure middle-income status in the world

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(Marium Akter, 2018). In the current scenario, the textile industry employs almost 4 million people in Bangladesh. 45% of the
industrial employment is the result of the textile industry. But it is noticeable that the job performance of the workers working in
these industries is not up to the mark because of some reasons, mostly due to stress. Factory owners and garments workers are the
two most vital players in the Textile industry. They are complementary to each other. A good relationship between them is
indispensable for the lift of the industry. But there is a communication gap between them. Factory owners should listen to the
demands of workers. To avert further unrest that leads to stress, it is crucial to shrinkage the gap between the owners and workers
of garments factories (Choudhury & Rahman, 2017). Stress affects the employees’ mental capabilities, by which they are not able
to perform and serve their organizations effectively. The working lives of these workers are often disturbed by the unfavorable
working conditions that lead to work stress, job dissatisfaction, job insecurity, and low productivity of the workers (Islam et al.,
2019). There have been five major sources of stress identified by Arnold, Robertson, and Cooper (1991). These are factors intrinsic
to the job, the organizational role played, relationships at work, career development, and organizational structure and climate
(Amoako et al., 2017).Stress at work reduces employees' capacity to make decisions, and as a result, they lack the willingness to
take initiative and make decisions on their own (Zafar et al., 2015).Stress, according to (Mimura & Griffiths, 2003) as referenced
by Shah et al. (2012), plays a vital role in boosting workers' performance at the expense of their health. Varca (2009) also looked at
the link between employee job-related stress and the value and quality of services provided to clients. Overall, the findings revealed
a link between work-related stress and the quality of services provided. Workplace stress is also a major favorable predictor of
employee performance, according to the researchers. Rubina et al. (2008) looked at the link between stress and worker performance
and found that there was a negative connection. Furthermore, they discovered that male workers had a stronger bond than female
workers (Khan et al., 2018).They viewed stress as a response to external or internal processes, which reach levels that strain
physical and psychological capacities beyond their limit. According to Blumenthal (2003), for thousands of years, the bodies of
cavemen/women were primed to deal with the harshness and rigorous nature of their environment (RAVINARAYANA &
RAMAKRISHNA, 2016).

A similar study was conducted by Ali, et. al. and found out that, factors such as workload, role conflict, and inadequate monetary
rewards are the prime reasons for job stress that causes a decrease in the performance of employees (Jalagat, 2017). Mondy (2011)
states that "workload are the tasks assigned to the workforce or the employee to be completed at any given time using the skills and
potential of the workforce"(Pawirosumarto & Iriani, 2018). While job control is considered an enabling psychosocial resource that
can potentially alleviate job stress, work-life balance practices are also believed to moderate the relationship between job demands
and stress outcomes (Chiang et al., 2010).

Meneze (2006) explained the concept of productivity as the employee’s ability to produce work or goods and services according to
the expected standards set by the employers, or beyond the expected standards. According to Bojke et al. (2012), one can calculate
productivity by comparing the total output to the total input used to produce this output. According to a Singapore guide to
productivity measurement (2011), these productivity measures quantify and facilitate an objective assessment of employees’
performance (Pérez et al., 2017). According to Viswesvaran and Ones (2000), job performance are work behaviors relevant to
organizational goals, within the individual’s control, and measurable, observable, scorable, etc

To upgrade the productivity of an industry, it needs to be aware of stress management. By identifying the stress factors and
performance factors the overall optimization is needed. So there needs a strategic plan to implement it. It is therefore needing that
organizations consider the concept of “The Wheel of Life” of an employee as one important concept that can easily be put off
balance by the quality of work- and work-related stress. These working stress factors can be measured and the consequences can be
improved by the Total Quality Management philosophy renowned as Kaizen. The solution can be generated if the actual cause can
be found. This study will deal with the reasons and causes that affect workers in their work, mostly stress, will measure the stress
symptom factors, and find the solution to improve the working performances with the help of the PDCA cycle.Total Quality
Management is a philosophy that focuses on involving all people in an organization in the quest for quality or quality improvement.
There are a strategic approach and basic tools of total quality management (TQM). Hasan et al (2017) applied the PDCA cycle, a
concept included in TQM philosophy to improve the personal skills of Engineering students and successfully initiated a study on
students. Hasan et al (2018) experimentally applied TQM tools to determine root causes and used the PDCA cycle concept of TQM
and successfully improved the effectiveness of workers. This research also follows the approach strictly. Quality is a criterion,
which refers to “fitness for use” or characteristics of a product or service that defines its ability to consistently meet or exceed
customer requirements. Ford, Joseph (1999) introduced the assessment and performance measurement with seven determinant
choice criteria groupings for customer satisfaction of their higher study (Abdur Rahim et al., 2019).

Quality is a factor that can be improved by applying different tools. An uncontrolled situation/process can be easily handled and
easily brought into control by applying TQM. Pareto Analysis and Root-Cause Analysis are two basic Tools of TQM (Total
Quality Management) which are used to find out the cause of defects or problems of a system. The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA)
cycle is like a checklist that contains four stages. To get from ‘problem-faced to ‘problem-solve’. Where “Plan clarify objectives,
identify possible causes, benchmark best practice”, “Do refer to carry out trials, analysis data to find how the problem occurs, find
possible solutions”, “Check to verify results, training, Communication” & “Act refers to review, feedback, make corrections &
presentations” (Hasan & Hossain, 2018). the PDCA model is more practical and has been applied not only in quality but also in
project management (Srivannaboon, 2009). Based on the discussion above, the researcher estimates that PDCA practices affect
innovation capabilities, work productivity, and service quality in the workplace by facilitating problem-solving. The use of the
PDCA cycle practice can facilitate the acquisition, sharing, and institutionalization of new knowledge and skills that are useful for
improving the competitiveness of the company sustainably (Manik et al., 2020).

It will broaden a path for the workers to maintain a balance between their work and personal life. So, the work stress, their impact,
and the remedies using the PDCA cycle will be discussed in the research.

Conceptual Framework:

Step 1. Step 2. Step 3.

Determining Applying Kaizen Evaluate
Stress origin (PDCA Cycle) improvement of
factors and   effectiveness
Performance   2 after applying
impact factors   Kaizen (PDCA
    Cycle)
     
3. Methodology

Data Collection- The persistence of this study was to detect the factors concerning the effect of job stress on the performance of
the workers of Textile industries in Bangladesh. Both primary and secondary data were used to conduct this study. Preliminary data
were collected from different textile industry workers of Bangladesh. The secondary data were collected from books, magazines,
journals, periodicals, annual reports of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), relevant
publications, newspaper articles, and reports. The survey was conducted among different companies within Bangladeshi Textile
Industries. The data were collected through google form and informal interviews of workers and employees of these organizations.
The interviewers were properly trained on the items included in the questionnaire for data collection before commencing the
interview.

Determination of sample size- Bangladesh is now one of the world's leading clothing exporters, and the industry employs 3.6
million workers approximately. The sample size of the study was determined by using the following formula suggested by Yamane
(1967).

N
n= 2
1+ N e
Where n is the sample size, N is the population size, and e is the level of precision. For this study, the level of precision is
presumed as 0.07, and the population size is 3.6 million. Putting these values in the above equation, the required sample size
becomes approximately 204. This study interrogated 205 workers from 8 different textile-based companies where the figure is
above the critical sample size of 204 for employing multivariate analysis.

Demographic information of the Respondents- This study was conducted on 205 workers from different Textile industries of
Bangladesh. The respondent workers are mostly (47.3%) at the age of 18-30 years followed by (31.2%) at the age of 31-40 years,
(14.6%) at the age of 41-50 years & (6.8%) at the age of 50 years and above (Table 3.1).

Table 3.1 Age of the Respondents

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid 18-30 97 47.3 47.3 47.3
31-40 64 31.2 31.2 78.5
41-50 30 14.6 14.6 93.2
50+ 14 6.8 6.8 100.0
Total 205 100.0 100.0

Among the respondents, 43.4% of the respondents are male workers, and 56.6% were female workers. So, here the percentage of
the female workers was higher than the male workers (Table 3.2).

Table 3.2 Gender of the Respondents

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid Female 116 56.6 56.6 56.6
Male 89 43.4 43.4 100.0
Total 205 100.0 100.0

The marital status of the respondents shows that 62% of them are married, which is the most percentage among the respondents,
followed by 32.2% were unmarried & 5.9% were widowed (Table 3.3).

Table 3.3 Marital Status of the Respondents

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid Married 127 62.0 62.0 62.0
Unmarried 66 32.2 32.2 94.1
Widow 12 5.9 5.9 100.0
Total 205 100.0 100.0

The highest educated respondents are class 6 to class 9, followed by SSC, class 1 to class 5, HSC, and Bachelor and above (Table
3.4).

Table 3.4 Educational Qualification of the Respondents

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid Bachelor and above 30 14.6 14.6 14.6
Class 1 to Class 5 32 15.6 15.6 30.2
Class 6 to Class 9 68 33.2 33.2 63.4
HSC 31 15.1 15.1 78.5
SSC 44 21.5 21.5 100.0
Total 205 100.0 100.0

Most of the workers under study are with 4-10 years of experience followed by 1-3 years, above 15 years, below 1 year, and above
10-15 years (Table 3.5).

Table 3.5 Working Experience of the Respondents

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 Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid <1 Year 18 8.8 8.8 8.8
>15 Years 34 16.6 16.6 25.4
1-3 Years 60 29.3 29.3 54.6
10-15Years 16 7.8 7.8 62.4
4-10 Years 77 37.6 37.6 100.0
Total 205 100.0 100.0

Questionnaire Design- The questionnaires of this study were established through literature review and the expertise school of
thought. The survey was appropriate through convenience sampling as it was a cost-effective and efficient means of gathering data,
given that the population of the study was substantial and dispersed across a large geographic area. Responses to all the statements
in the questionnaires were measured on a five-point scale ranging from 1 to 5, with 1 indicating strongly disagree, 2 indicating
disagree, 3 indicating neutral, 4 indicating agree, and 5 indicating strongly agree. One of the comparative advantages of using this
scale is its suitability for the applications of various statistical tools used in marketing and social research studies (Malhotra, 1999).
The collected data were statistically processed subsequently to get relevant information. The reliability statistics show that the
internal consistency of the questionnaire is under the acceptable limit (Nunnally, 1978). Cronbach's alpha is a measure of internal
consistency, that is, how closely related a set of items are as a group. It is considered to be a measure of scale reliability. The
Cronbach's Alpha was identified as 0.798, which is at the acceptable level (Table 3.6).

Table 3.6 Reliability Statistics

Cronbach's Alpha Based on

Cronbach's Alpha Standardized Items N of Items
.798 .798 12

Analysis and Interpretations

Along with descriptive statistics, inferential statistical techniques such as Factor Analysis and Multiple Regression Analysis were
used to analyze the data. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with an Orthogonal Rotation (Varimax) using the SPSS
(Statistical Package for Social Sciences) was performed on the survey data. Multiple Regression Analysis such as, Multiple
Regression was conducted by using SPSS to identify the relationships between the dependent and independent variables and the
significant factors.

Stress Origin Factors

The KMO and Bartlett test evaluate all available data together. A KMO value over 0.5 and a significance level for the Bartlett's test
below 0.05 suggest there is substantial correlation in the data. Variable collinearity indicates how strongly a single variable is
correlated with other variables. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) sample adequacy test was used to measure .722. When the results
obtained are examined, it shows the suitability of the sample size. The Barlett test result sig .000 (p <0.05), which was used to
evaluate the suitability of the data (Table 3.7).

Table 3.7 KMO and Bartlett's Test of stress variables

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy.
.722

Bartlett's Test of Approx. Chi-Square 416.031

Sphericity
df 66
Sig. .000

The study identified the origins of the stress of the textile industry workers in Bangladesh. Factor analysis results show that the
communalities of the variable regarding stress origin are very high, indicating that the data set has a higher level of relations ships
among them (Table 3.8).

Table 3.8 Communalities of the origins of stress variables

Variables Initial Extraction

1. I feel a sense of dissatisfaction 1.000 .558
2. I feel negative, futile, or depressed about my job
1.000 .295
3. I am having difficulty concentrating
1.000 .432
4. My resistance to illness is lowered
1.000 .633
5. I feel physically and spiritually depleted
1.000 .668
6. I need to work more than 10 hours a day
1.000 .660
7. I feel a sense of potential risk and danger at work
1.000 .746
8. I feel bored cause of doing the same work over and over again
1.000 .623

9. I feel frustrated in doing role overload

1.000 .641
10. I feel a burden in acquiring new technologies
1.000 .689

11. I feel emotionally confronted with incompatible role expectations

1.000 .524

12. It affects me adversely for a poor working relationship with my colleagues

1.000 .568

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 Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

The results of the analysis also identified four stress origin factors through EFA. The factors are: (i) Disappointed at the job role (ii)
Frustration and problem regarding concentration (iii) Poor working relationship (iv) Physical environment. The most critical factor
is Disappointed at the job role (24.61%), followed by Frustration and problem regarding concentration (13.22%), Poor working
relationship (12.09%), and Physical environment (8.71%) (Table 3.9).

Table 3.9 Total Variance Explained of stress variables

Initial Eigenvalues

Stress Factors Total % Of variance Cumulative %

1. Disappointed at the job role 2.954 24.618 24.618
2. Frustration and problem regarding
1.587 13.222 37.840
concentration
3. Poor working relationship
1.451 12.090 49.930
4. Physical environment
1.046 8.713 58.643

Here, the scree plot shows the eigenvalues on the y-axis and the number of factors on the x-axis. It always displays a downward
curve. The point where the slope of the curve is clearly leveling off (the “elbow) indicates the number of factors that should be
generated by the analysis. In the figure.1 the number of components that are above the scree or the point where it tends to not drop
much is four. For the other points the rate of change or the slop here is quite minimal as we move across.

Figure 3.1 Scree plot of the stress factors

Table 3.10 shows the rotated component matrix of the variables, which indicates that the factors constituted with the variables have
a higher level of correlations between them. It shows that the factor named Disappointed at the job role is constituted with four
variables. The variables have a higher level of factor loadings, indicating that the variables have a higher level of correlations with
the factor. The second factor is constituted with four variables, the third factor is formed with two variables, and the fourth factor is
also constituted with two variables. It is notable that all the variables have high correlations with the respective factors.

Table 3.10 Rotated Component Matrixa of stress variables

Component
Stress Origin Variables 1 2 3 4
I feel bored cause of doing the same work .770
over and over again
I feel frustrated in doing role overload
.792
I feel emotionally confronted with
incompatible role expectations .625
I feel negative, futile, or depressed about my
job .321
I feel a sense of dissatisfaction
.584
I am having difficulty concentrating
.600
My resistance to illness is lowered
.433
I feel physically and spiritually depleted
.786
I need to work more than 10 hours a day
.770
It affects me adversely for a poor working
relationship with my colleagues .568
I feel a sense of potential risk and danger at
work .838
I feel a burden in acquiring new technologies
.807

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.a
a. Rotation converged in 6 iterations.
The results of regression analysis show that all the four stress origin factors can explain the dependent variable, i.e., work
dissatisfaction, by 17.5% (R Square), indicating that the model is significant (Table 3.11).

Table 3.11 Model Summary

Adjusted R Std. Error of the

Model R R Square Square Estimate
1 .418a .175 .163 .98340

Analysis of variance shows that all four factors are significantly related to the origin of the stress at work of the textile industry
workers. It indicates that all the predictors are significantly related to work dissatisfaction. The overall regression model was
significant, F (3,201) = 14.21, p < .001, R Square = .175 (Table 3.12).

Table 3.12 ANOVAa

Model Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
1 Regression 41.229 3 13.743 14.211 .000b

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 Residual 194.380 201 .967
Total 235.610 204
a. Dependent Variable: I feel a sense of dissatisfaction
b. Predictors: (Constant), I feel a burden in acquiring new technologies, I feel bored cause of doing the same
work over and over again, it affects me adversely for a poor working relationship with my colleagues

The individual factor relationships with the overall stress at works also show that all four factors are significantly related (Table
3.13). This indicates each of the stress origin factors identified through this analysis is significantly connected to the dependent
variable. That means that if there is a change in each factor, there will be a change in dependent variable.

Table 3.13 Coefficientsa

Standardized
Unstandardized Coefficients Coefficients
Model B Std. Error Beta t Sig.
1 (Constant) 1.426 .359 3.970 .000
I feel bored cause of doing the
same work over and over again .318 .075 .288 4.224 .000

It affects me adversely for a

poor working relationship with
.211 .067 .215 3.126 .002
my colleagues

I feel a burden in acquiring new

technologies -.051 .069 -.048 -.743 .458

a. Dependent Variable: I feel a sense of dissatisfaction

Performance Impact Factors

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) sample adequacy test was used to measure .771. When the results obtained are examined, it shows the
suitability of the sample size. The Barlett test result sig .000 (p <0.05), which was used to evaluate the suitability of the data (Table
3.14).

Table 3.14 KMO and Bartlett's Test of performance impact factors

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy. .771

Bartlett's Test of Approx. Chi-Square 833.614
Sphericity df 66
Sig. .000

The study also identified the impact on the performance due to stress variables of the textile industry workers in Bangladesh. Factor
analysis results show that the communalities of the variable regarding performance are very high, indicating that the data set has a
higher level of relations ships among them (Table 3.15).

Table 3.15 Communalities of the performance impact factors

Variables Initial Extraction

1. I feel frustrated on the job 1.000 .585
2. I get upset in the job more than usual 1.000 .494
3. I blame myself for anything bad that happens on the job
1.000 .485

4. I am always worried to lose my job 1.000 .693

5. I need to work extra hours every day without overtime
1.000 .587

6. My productivity is acceptable without overworking

1.000 .587

7. My department is understaffed 1.000 .281

8. I always hurry or rush to complete deadline at work
1.000 .692

9. Shortage of required materials put me in frustration

1.000 .887

10. Lack of logistics put me under pressure 1.000 .877

11. I feel disappointed for poor working conditions
1.000 .486

12. My decision-making ability seems less than usual

1.000 .480

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

The results of the analysis also identified three factors that impact on the performances of the workers through EFA. The factors
are: (i) Work Pressure and Frustration (ii) Lack of resources (iii) Job Insecurity. The most critical factor is Work Pressure and
Frustration (32.765%), followed by Lack of resources (16.924%), Job Insecurity (9.767%) (Table 3.16).

Table 3.16 Total Variance Explained of performance impact factors

Initial Eigenvalues

Performance impact Factors Total % Of variance Cumulative %

1. Work 3.932 32.765 32.765
Pressure and
Frustration
2. Lack of 2.031 16.924 49.690
resources
3. Job 1.172 9.767 59.457
Insecurity

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In the figure.2 the number of components that are above the scree or the point where it tends to not drop much is three which
indicates the three factors that has been generated. For the other points the rate of change or the slop here is quite minimal as we
move across.

Figure 3.2 Scree plot of the performance impact factors

Table 3.17 shows the rotated component matrix of the variables, which indicates that the factors constituted with the variables have
a higher level of correlations between them. It shows that the factor named Work Pressure and Frustration is constituted with seven
variables. The variables have a higher level of factor loadings, indicating that the variables have a higher level of correlations with
the factor. The second factor is constituted with two variables, the third factor is formed with three variables. It is notable that all
the variables have high correlations with the respective factors.

Table 3.17 Rotated Component Matrixa of performance impact factors

Component
Impact Variables 1 2 3
I feel frustrated on the job .689
I get upset in the job more than usual
.702
I blame myself for anything bad that happens on the job
.612

My productivity is acceptable without overworking

.765

My department is understaffed
.504

I feel disappointed for poor working conditions

.540

My decision-making ability seems less than usual

.684

Shortage of required materials put me in frustration

.931

Lack of logistics put me under pressure

.925

I am always worried to lose my job

.755
I need to work extra hours every day without overtime
.662

I always hurry or rush to complete deadline at work

.743

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. a
a. Rotation converged in 5 iterations.

The results of regression analysis show that all the three performance impact factors can explain the dependent variable, i.e.,
Blaming for anything bad that happens on the job, by 16.2% (R Square), indicating that the model is significant (Table 3.18).

Table 3.18 Model Summary

Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate

1 .403a .162 .154 1.04037

Analysis of variance shows that all three factors are significantly related to the impact on the performance at the workplace of the
textile industry workers. It indicates that all the predictors are significantly related to work dissatisfaction and frustration. The
overall regression model was significant, F (2,202) = 19.566, p < .001, R Square = .162 (Table 3.19).

Table 3.19 ANOVAa

Model Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
1 Regression 42.356 2 21.178 19.566 .000b
Residual 218.639 202 1.082
Total 260.995 204
a. Dependent Variable: I blame myself for anything bad that happens on the job
b. Predictors: (Constant), I always hurry or rush to complete deadlines at work, my department is understaffed

The individual factor relationships with the overall impact at works also show that all three factors are significantly related (Table
3.20). This means that each of the performance impact factors found via this research is linked to the dependent variable in a
substantial way. This indicates that if one of the factors changes, the dependent variable will change as well.

Table 3.20 Coefficientsa

Standardized
Unstandardized Coefficients Coefficients
Model B Std. Error Beta t Sig.
1 (Constant) 1.107 .341 3.248 .001
My department is understaffed .102 .077 .086 1.316 .190

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 I always hurry or rush to complete
deadlines at work .444 .077 .378 5.760 .000

a. Dependent Variable: I blame myself for anything bad that happens on the job

Applying Kaizen (PDCA) cycle:

Kaizen is opposite to big spectacular innovations. It needs a little investment and attempts to reduce losses in the practical work
arena and affect work efficiency via the use of a precise and complete method. Losses may be eliminated in a systematic manner
utilizing various Kaizen tools. These activities are not limited to production areas alone but can be implemented in administrative
areas as well.The PDCA cycle is a checklist of the four stages that one must go through to get from “problem-faced” to “problem-
solved”. The four stages are:

• Plan: Clarify objectives, Identify possible causes, Benchmark best practices.

• Do: Carry out trials, Analysis data to find how the problem occurs, Find possible solutions.
• Check: Verify results, Training, Communication.
• Act: Review, Feedback, Make corrections, Presentations.

In this research, we have indicated some of the stress origin variables and the variables that are impacting performance. These
variables are: “I feel a burden in acquiring new technologies”, “I feel a sense of potential risk and danger at work”, “I always hurry
or rush to complete deadlines at work”, “I feel disappointed for poor working conditions”. The variables are not significantly
related to each other. The factors can be minimized by eliminating these variables that are affecting the workers in terms of stress
and performance. Using the PDCA cycle here would be beneficial thus in this purpose PDCA cycle has been applied in the
following:

Figure 3.3 PDCA cycle process

A proper planning can be achieved by asking some questions of him/herself.

 What is his/her desired result? – Set a result goal according to the plan.
 What are the requirements for minimizing stress factors? – Find the solutions to reduce the prime factors that cause
stress.
 What are the initiatives that can get a better output? – Make this decision according to your memorizing and
understanding capability.

PDCA cycle can solve problems and implement solutions in a rigorous, methodical way. The model is useful for testing
improvement measures on a small scale before updating procedures and working practices. Let's look at each of the four stages to
mitigate the stress origin factors and performance impact factors of the workers:

Plan: (Initial Stage)- Schedule a day for energy and focus because scheduling breaks throughout the day to walk, stretch at the
desk or do a breathing exercise. Then he/she has to prioritize his/her priorities. By making a to-do list through focusing on those
tasks that will have the most impact and are best aligned with the goals. Training to ensure staff will be able to utilize their new
tools. Training sessions should be limited to small groups so employees can get personal guidance and acquire hands-on
experience. When it comes to shared spaces, though, keep them neat and tidy. The break room, bathrooms, copy room, and supply
areas should be easy to navigate. Resources should be accessible.

Do- A worker needs to be organized with the time that will lead to less rushing in the morning to avoid being late as well as less
hustling to get out at the end of the day. Don’t gossip, don’t share too many personal opinions about religion and politics, and steer
clear of "colorful" office humor. Need to avoid people who don’t work well with others. He needs to be confident and well known
about what is expected of him and be clear on the requirements. For technical aspects, he can make the first phase of new
technology deployment a limited release to the teams where it’s likely to have the most positive effect. Ensure that the supervisors
or other employees whom the rest of the staff looks to for advice and leadership will show enthusiasm. Brighten up the spaces with
natural light and colors. It will help to set up, organize, decorate and even paint their workspaces.

Check- Now take a short break and question yourself about the improvement. Become more aware of the patterns for being in a
better position to alter them. A good strategy to avoid the perfectionism trap is always striving to just do the best and making time
to congratulate yourself on your efforts. The right employee attitude can make all the difference. So, emphasize its value and
benefits. Moving throughout the day can also be a welcomed break from a stressful work schedule. Accept the interruption, cut it
off, or diagnosis its importance and make a plan. Take good notes, and keep them until the project has been completed, evaluated,
and followed upon. Now analyze and compare the results and find the factors that you wanted to change but still unchanged. Plan
for them to repeat the process.

Act- Act rather than react. Identify the aspects of the situation you can control and aspects you can't. Once you shift your focus
from others' perception of your work to the work itself, you're more likely to impress them which is the act of self-imposed
identification of stress. Flexible the schedule so that the rush hour can be minimized. Expectations need to be defined and questions

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need to be answered. Be a resource so that other employees have all of the necessary supplies and resources to do their jobs
whenever asked. Instead of being harsh and critical of yourself, try pumping yourself up. Continue the process. Record the mistakes
and weaknesses.

PDCA cycle aims at reducing losses in the practical work sphere and affecting work efficiencies. By using this detailed and
thorough procedure one can systematically eliminate the causes.

4.Results

PDCA was applied and there was a positive response from a majority of the workers. The PDCA cycle was applied for almost 3
months and after the time being Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with an Orthogonal Rotation (Varimax) was conducted again
using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) to detect and compare the factors concerning the effect of job stress on the
performance of the workers.

Stress origin factors:

At first, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) sample adequacy test was used to measure .761. When the results obtained are examined, it
shows the suitability of the sample size. The Barlett test result sig .000 (p <0.05), which was used to evaluate the suitability of the
data (Table 4.1).

Table 4.1 KMO and Bartlett's Test

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy.
.761

Bartlett's Test of Sphericity Approx. Chi-Square 336.267

df 45
Sig. .000

The study identified the origins of the stress of the textile industry workers in Bangladesh after applying PDCA. Factor analysis
results show that the communalities of the variable regarding stress origin are very high, indicating that the data set has a higher
level of relations ships among them (Table 4.2).
Table 4.2 Communalities of the origins of stress variables

Initial Extraction
1. I feel a sense of dissatisfaction 1.000 .566
2. I feel negative, futile, or depressed about my job
1.000 .380

3. I am having difficulty concentrating 1.000 .366

4. My resistance to illness is lowered 1.000 .623
5. I feel physically and spiritually depleted 1.000 .707
6. I need to work more than 10 hours a day 1.000 .552
7. I feel bored cause of doing the same work over and over again
1.000 .591

8. I feel frustrated in doing role overload 1.000 .631

9. I feel emotionally confronted with incompatible role expectations
1.000 .506

10. It affects me adversely for a poor working relationship with my colleagues

1.000 .597

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

The results of the analysis identified three stress origin factors that were four factors previously through EFA. The factors are: (i)
Disappointed at the job role (ii) Frustration and problem regarding concentration (iii) Poor working relationship. The most critical
factor is Disappointed at the job role (28.58%), followed by Frustration and problem regarding concentration (15.48%) and Poor
working relationship (11.14%) (Table 4.3).

Table 4.3 Total Variance Explained of stress variables

Initial Eigenvalues

Stress origin factors Total % of Variance Cumulative %

1. Disappointed at the
job role 2.858 28.579 28.579
2. Frustration and
Problem regarding
1.548 15.482 44.061
concentration

3. Poor working
relationship 1.114 11.140 55.201

Here, the scree plot shows the eigenvalues on the y-axis and the number of factors on the x-axis. In figure.4 the number of
components that are above the scree or the point where it tends to not drop much is three. For the other points, the rate of change or
the slop here is quite minimal as we move across.

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 Figure 4.1 Scree plot of the stress factors

Table 4.4 shows the rotated component matrix of the variables, which indicates that the factors constituted with the variables have a
higher level of correlations between them. It shows that the factor named Disappointed at the job role is constituted with four
variables. The variables have a higher level of factor loadings, indicating that the variables have a higher level of correlations with
the factor. The second factor is constituted with four variables, the third factor is formed with two variables. Notably, all the
variables have high correlations with the respective factors.

Table 4.4 Rotated Component Matrixa of stress variables

Component
1 2 3
I feel frustrated in doing role overload .786
I feel bored cause of doing the same work over and over again
.747

I feel emotionally confronted with incompatible role expectations

.608

I feel negative, futile, or depressed about my job

.393

I feel physically and spiritually depleted .833

I feel a sense of dissatisfaction .575
I am having difficulty concentrating .521
My resistance to illness is lowered .378
It affects me adversely for a poor working relationship with my colleagues
.538

I need to work more than 10 hours a day

.716

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. a
a. Rotation converged in 5 iterations.

Performance Impact Factors:

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) sample adequacy test was used to measure .731. When the results obtained are examined, it shows the
suitability of the sample size. The Barlett test result sig .000 (p <0.05), which was used to evaluate the suitability of the data (Table
4.5).

Table 4.5 KMO and Bartlett's Test of performance impact factors

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy.

.731

Bartlett's Test of Sphericity Approx. Chi-Square 637.954

df 45
Sig. .000

The study also identified the impact on the performance due to stress variables of the textile industry workers in Bangladesh. Factor
analysis results show that the communalities of the variable regarding performance are very high, indicating that the data set has a
higher level of relations ships among them (Table 4.6).

Table 4.6 Communalities of the performance impact factors

Initial Extraction
1. I feel frustrated on the job 1.000 .603
2. I get upset in the job more than usual
1.000 .529

3. I blame myself for anything bad that happens on the job

1.000 .505

4. I am always worried to lose my job

1.000 .346

5. I need to work extra hours every day without overtime

1.000 .429

6. My productivity is acceptable without overworking

1.000 .553

7. My department is understaffed
1.000 .271

8. Shortage of required materials put me in frustration

1.000 .774

10
9. Lack of logistics put me under pressure
1.000 .766

10. My decision-making ability seems less than usual

1.000 .471

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

The results of the analysis identified two factors that impact on the performances of the workers through EFA. The factors are: (i)
Work Pressure and Frustration (ii) Insecurities with lack of resources. The most critical factor is Work Pressure and Frustration
(32.203%), followed by Insecurities with lack of resources (20.252%) (Table 4.7).

Table 4.7 Total Variance Explained of performance impact factors

Initial Eigenvalues

Performance impact Factors Total % of Variance Cumulative %

1. Work Pressure and Frustration 3.220 32.203 32.203
2. Insecurities with lack of resources
2.025 20.252 52.455

In the figure.5 the number of components that are above the scree or the point where it tends to not drop much is two which
indicates the two factors that has been generated.

Figure 4.2 Scree plot of the performance impact factors

Table 4.8 shows the rotated component matrix of the variables, which indicates that the factors constituted with the variables have a
higher level of correlations between them. It shows that the factor named Work Pressure and Frustration is constituted with six
variables. The variables have a higher level of factor loadings, indicating that the variables have a higher level of correlations with
the factor. The second factor is constituted with four variables. It is notable that all the variables have high correlations with the
respective factors.

Table 4.8 Rotated Component Matrixa of performance impact factors

Component
1 2
My productivity is acceptable without overworking
.742

I get upset in the job more than usual

.726
I feel frustrated on the job .725
My decision-making ability seems less than usual
.684
I blame myself for anything bad that happens on the job
.663
My department is understaffed
.510
Shortage of required materials put me in frustration
.877

Lack of logistics put me under pressure

.874
I am always worried to lose my job
.575
I need to work extra hours every day without overtime
.465

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. a

a. Rotation converged in 3 iterations.

Discussion:

According to all the results above, the factors had not only direct effects but also indirect effects on employee job performance
through job stress. In their research, being disappointed at the job role, frustration and problem regarding concentration, poor
working relationship & physical environment were identified as the stress origin factors and work pressure and frustration, lack of
resources, and job insecurity were identified as the factors that impact the performance of the workers of textile industries in
Bangladesh. Employee job performance can be predicted by their working factors as well as their job stress. The higher the
unsatisfied factors and the higher the level of job stress, the lower the employee's performance is. The PDCA cycle was applied
with some resolutions that the factors might decrease in a timely manner. PDCA is an iterative design and management method
used in business for the control and continuous improvement of processes. The purpose was to improve employee performance by
reducing the stress factors through PDCA. After a while, the survey was re-conducted and the data were analyzed in SPSS through
EFA. This time disappointed at the job role, frustration, and problem regarding concentration and poor working relationship were
found as the stress origin factors in the scree plot, and the variables that resulted in the factor renowned as the physical environment
were eliminated. The performance impact factors were also reduced by this time as the scree plot shows that only two factors
remained in the study that had an impact on the performance of the workers. The rotated component matrix, along with the total
variance and scree plot, means that this study provides reliable shreds of evidence that the research’s conceptual framework is
considered statistically acceptable in the human resources field.

5.Conclusion

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The purpose of this study was to determine stress origin factors and their influence on the performance of Bangladeshi Textile
Industry workers. Stress Symptoms Variables and Performance Impact Variables were subjected to Factor Analysis and Multiple
Regression Analysis. The regression analysis findings suggest that all four stress origin factors may explain the dependent variable,
i.e., I feel a sense of dissatisfaction. The four parameters are all strongly connected to the total job stress of the workers, according
to analysis of variance. Individual component connections with total workplace stress also reveal that all four elements are
interconnected. Three performance effect variables were found through factor analysis. The findings of the regression analysis
demonstrate that all three performance impact factors may explain the dependent variable, employees' work performance. All the
performance impact factors are strongly connected to the overall performance of the workers, according to an analysis of variance
(ANOVA). All of the performance impact variables are substantially associated, according to the individual factor correlations with
total worker performance. As a result, the characteristics revealed in this study are critical for improving the performance of
Bangladeshi Textile Industry workers. We applied PDCA cycle in this regard to improve the effectiveness of the workers’
performance. It was a continuous process and after applying the cycle the factors were reduced and the results were quite
satisfactory. However, there is plenty of room for future research to enhance the findings of this study by incorporating additional
samples.

Recommendation for further research:

Future study on this issue should concentrate on stress impacts in relation to a specific industry (such as manufacturing, service, or
government), as well as demographic characteristics. The study sought to find out about only work stress and its effects on job
performance. It is therefore recommended that research is done on non-work stress or both work stress and nonwork stress and their
influence on job performance. PDCA cycle was applied as a tool for the improvement. Other tools or processes can be applied in
this manner for better outcome.It's critical that the working environment is constantly examined for stress-related issues.
Furthermore, it is critical not only to monitor the parameters, but also to establish a healthy environment in which workers can
work efficiently, and there should be an appropriate compensation system in place to incentivize them to do so.

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