Quality of Work Life (QWL) Shared by Pratap Kumar Pathak

Welcome

Understanding “Quality of Work Life”

Context of Quality of Work Life Happy and satisfied, and productive workers are the basic outcomes of QWL. Four things are important for QWL Firstly, employees must take the work pleasing and challenging Secondly, they must be fit for it. Thirdly, they must not do too much of it. Fourthly, they must harmonize work life with personal life. Finally, they must have a sense of success.

Increasing Concerns over QWL QWL is based on sociotechnic approach to management dealing with stagnating productivity Focus on production, office operations and other areas with close relationships between the technical system and people. Emphasis only on blue-collar and lower-level work, ignores much of other managerial knowledge. QWL rose to prominence only in the 1970’s, there are now hundreds of case studies and practical programmes and a number of QWL centers, primarily in the United States, Great Britain and Scandinavia It has received enthusiastic support from a number of sources since it is regarded as a promising means of dealing with stagnating productivity, especially in the United States and Europe.

Increasing Concerns…continued It has been used as a participatory means of improving working conditions and productivity. It is used as an operative means of justifying higher pay. Government agencies have been attracted to QWL as a means of increasing productivity and reducing inflation. Way of obtaining industrial democracy, maintaining industrial peace, achieving decent work. Close attention to QWL provides a more humanized work environment.

What is “Quality of Work Life” Quality of work life is the sense of betterment and happiness at work, and the extent to which employees can enhance their personal lives through their work environment and experiences.

Quality of Work Life Most interesting approach to motivation concentrating on physical and mental satisfaction throughout the life in job. It is a mutually beneficial relationship between work, home, employee and the organization having impact on performance, productivity and satisfaction. Through QWL, organizations recognize their responsibility to develop jobs and working conditions that are excellent for people as well as for the economic health of the organization. It is systems approach to job design and a promising development in the broad areas of job enrichment, combined with a grounding in the socio-technical systems approach to management of human resources. It is an interdisciplinary field of inquiry and action combining industrial and organization psychology, industrial engineering, organization theory and management development, motivation and leadership theory and industrial relations

Adaptability and Capability Harmony between work and family life Quality of Work Life Job Satisfaction Human dignity Adaptability and Capability Harmony between work and family life Sense and prospect of development

Willingness = Desire and Commitment Socialization Quality of Work Life Ability to Work Willingness = Desire and Commitment Socialization Instruments of work efficiency Environmental Factors

Growth and Development Autonomy and Challenges Job Characteristics Conceptual Model Growth and Development Autonomy and Challenges Job Characteristics Personality Traits Sense of Competence Job Involvement Lower Absenteeism Job Satisfaction Lower Turnover High Enthusiasm High Satisfaction High Productivity

Key Determinants of QWL Dignity and Respect Job Satisfaction Prospect for Development Challenge at Work Sense of Success Social integration

Work/ Social life balance Five Dimensions of QWL Work/ Social life balance Job security Competency Development Quality of work Health and Wellbeing

Improve standard of living of employees Objectives of QWL Improve standard of living of employees Create Positive Attitude among employees Enhance Productivity Develop Motivation and Morale Enhance organizational effectiveness: Profitability, Market

Safe and healthy working conditions Supportive organizational behaviour and climate Job enrichment and job enlargement Development of employee’s professional capacity: job and behaviour Safe and healthy working conditions Protection of individual interests and rights Basic Elements of Quality of Work Life

Different Approaches to QWL Economic Value Technological Humanitarian Value Motivational Mechanistic

Impacts of QWL Impacts Meaningful/empowered job involvement Sense of competence Job satisfaction Job performance and productivity

Impacts of QWL Interventions: Study Results A study was done in 1973 by US Department of Health, Education and Welfare based on analysis of worker attitudes and the quality of working life. The study concluded that The primary cause of worker dissatisfaction is the nature of their work and the quality of their working life Blue-collar workers will work harder if their jobs are enriched and expanded so as to give them greater autonomy and control over their work.

Impacts of QWL…continued The major impacts of QWL initiatives included Productivity was increased Organic system in the organization activated Absenteeism and turnover reduced Morale of employee improved Participation of employees enhanced Sense of achievement and accomplishment Raised the concern over the needs of workforce diversity, OSH and social protection Become the basis for outsourcing and contingency employment

Measuring Quality of Work Life

Measurement Criteria for QWL Quality of Work Life Social relevance of work Opportunity to use and develop human capacities Adequate and fair compensation Safe and healthy work environment Opportunity for career growth Social integration Constitutionalism in the work organization Contribution of work on quality of life

Measuring Quality of Work Life: Different Indices Brief Index of Affective Job Satisfaction Work-related Quality of Life Scale Stress at Work Control at Work Job and Career Satisfaction Scale General Well-being Scale Home-work interface Scale Working Conditions Scale

Different Indices for Measuring QWL Brief Index of Affective Job Satisfaction Job satisfaction and level of affective commitment Factors of affection include: pay, promotion, supervision, relationship with co-workers, work itself Determinants of affection: Nationality, job level, job type, population type, age group Work-related Quality of Work Life Job and career satisfaction scale General well-being scale Stress at work sub-scale Control at work sub-scale Home-work interface scale Working conditions scale

General Well-being Scale Aims to assess the extent to which an individual feels good or content in themselves, in a way which may be independent of their work situation. Assesses issues of mood, depression and anxiety, life satisfaction, general quality of life, optimism and happiness. Job and Career Satisfaction Scale Development of professional competence Job-competence match Predictable career system Working Conditions Scale Assesses the extent to which the employee is satisfied with the fundamental resources, working conditions and security necessary to do their job effectively.  This scale also taps into satisfaction with the resources provided to help people do their jobs.

Factors of Measurement Environmental Factors Job-related Factors Cultural and Behavioural Factors Economic Factors Developmental Factors Relational Factors

Factors of Job Satisfaction as Core Need of QWL Internal Factors The work Job variety Autonomy Goal determination Feedback and recognition External Factors Achievement Role definition and clarity Opportunity and prospects Job security Social interactions Supervision Organizational culture Matching work schedules Seniority and expertise Compensation

Factors…..continued Personal and Individual Factors Commitment Expectations from work Job involvement Equity Influence of coworkers Job comparisons Valuing the job Personal outlook Age factor

e Key Challenges Work culture Adaptability to change: Management system and Technology Increased expectations Social value system Competitive environment: Challenge of stress e

Enhancing Quality of Work Life

Critical Issues of QWL Adequate and fair compensation Sufficient for maintaining a reasonable standard of living Performance and competency based salary/benefit structure Benefits comparable to amounts received by others in similar positions Safe and healthy working conditions Regard for occupational safety and health concerns Measures for protection from hazards, chemical exposures, discrimination and all forms of abuses Opportunity for career development Addressing employee’s self-esteem Developing skills and knowledge to support work performance Place for creativity and innovativeness Optimizing career prospects Addressing the strategic career needs of workforce diversity

Realization of Decent work Rights at work, dignity and respect Decent employment Social protection Social dialogue for grievance handling and dispute settlement Utilization of human capacity: acquired and potential Recognition of human capacity Opportunity for utilization of skills and competencies Fair appraisal of performance Involvement and participation in organizational decision making Challenging task through job enrichment and advancement

Opportunity for continued growth and security Work as path to advancement Job perceived as achievement Economic and social security Ownership building Sense of belongingness Team-building Accountability and responsibility Work and total life space Integration between personal life and job life Integration between family roles and organizational roles Social relevance of work life Social responsibility of organization Organizational outputs relevant to employee’s pride and social value Ethical and moral considerations of organization’s performance

Pay and stability of employees Occupational stress Key Issues in QWL Pay and stability of employees Occupational stress Advancement of Technology Workforce diversity and social inclusion Increased virtuality of management system Inadequacy of opportunities and resources Job security

Improving the QWL: Different Approaches Job reengineering Approach Job enrichment: attempt to build into jobs a higher sense of challenge and achievement Job enlargement Job rotation Feedback and reinforcement Decent work Approach Dignity of work Productive employment Social protection Participation and dialogue

Improving QWL…continued Motivation and morale Approach: Job Satisfaction Empowerment Approach Involvement in decision making Capacity development Authority delegation Autonomy Feedback and reinforcement Human Capacity Development Approach Job skills and competencies Behavioural skills and competencies

Operational Aspects of QWL Improvement Forming Self-managed work teams Participative management Flexible work schedules Recognition Job enrichment Socialization

Management Techniques to Improve QWL Employee Involvement Quality circle Autonomous work teams Participation in decision making Networking Job reengineering Job enrichment Job rotation Job enlargement Job flexibility Flexi time Flex place Flexibility in process and method Innovation and creativity Organization development Encouraging innovation Management support for innovative tasks Innovation schemes

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