Quality of work life (or QWL according to ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG) refers to living conditions within the corporate environment. It corresponds to the degree of satisfaction of the personal needs that the employee is able to obtain while exercising his function.
QWL is a broad concept, whose objective is to find the balance between the well-being of the worker and the effectiveness of the company. Quality of life at work is one of the indicators of organizational health.
Improvements in the quality of work life in companies go through adjustments in terms of infrastructure, hygiene and safety of the environment, as well as psychological and social aspects.
Examples of factors in quality of life at work
- Psychological and physical work environment
- Satisfaction with the function performed
- Motivation to exercise the activity
- Growth opportunity
- Personal development
- Organizational climate
- Fair and adequate remuneration
- Benefits granted
- Safety in function
- Recognition for work
- Activity feedback
- Relationship with colleagues and superiors
- Freedom of decision and participation
- Equal opportunities
Quality of life at work programs
The company can promote a series of actions in order to increase employee satisfaction levels, from simple and free activities to more complex projects. They vary according to the size and area of operation of the company.
Corporate wellness programs can be decisive in terms of occupational health, and are even a factor in reducing costs. Here are some examples of quality of life at work programs.
Training and promoting intellectual development
Investing in employee training, with courses and training, in addition to expanding knowledge, offers personal fulfillment and can serve as recognition and bonus.
If an employee with good results in his administrative function shows interest in a specialization course, offering the course to him will not only take him personally, but will also benefit the company, since the employee, besides being more motivated to execute your work, you will also be more qualified
Feedback and performance evaluation
A simpler and cost-free application program is the systematization of feedback. Organizing a performance evaluation routine brings numerous benefits to the company.
The feedback, when done, must be appropriate for the employee and use techniques that do not deal only with the negative points. An example is the sandwich feedback, in which the manager starts with praise, moves on to criticism, and returns to the employee’s strengths at the end of the conversation.
Providing solutions to adjust misconduct is also part of a good feedback strategy.
Flexible working hours
The schedule appears more and more as an important point of quality of life at work. In large Brazilian cities, traffic is complicated during the entry and exit times of most jobs. Many employees spend hours in transit to get to work on time, further reducing their free time and increasing stress levels.
The manager must closely observe his collaborators and try to understand how the displacement routine of each one is. It is necessary for the company to question the extent to which it is essential to the business that employees comply with business hours and, if possible, create a more flexible work schedule or even enable adherence to the home office.
Other programs that can be applied
- Day off (day off, without discount, on employee’s birthday)
- Labor gymnastics
- Work massage
- Ergonomics
- Career plan definition
- Study of positions and salaries
- Preparing for retirement
- Alternative therapies
- Nutritional guidance
- Cultural projects
The employee’s role in promoting QWL
Part of the quality of life at work is also the responsibility of the employee. Some attitudes need to be revised to improve the climate in the corporate environment as a whole.
Avoiding gossip and seeking to collaborate so that good interpersonal relationships are maintained is essential to building a good organizational climate.
Respecting deadlines is another precaution to be taken for the good of all, especially when a delay can affect the lives of other colleagues and impair their work.
The importance of quality of life at work
A higher quality of life at work means a more humanized organization and a higher level of team satisfaction.
Knowing that the employee spends most of his day in the work environment, the manager must take into account the impact that these hours have not only on physical health, but also on the mental health of the worker.
This impact is directly related to the organization’s results. In other words, the quality of life at work is directly associated with the employee’s level of performance, health, well-being and efficiency. Thus, quality of life at work programs aim to retain talent and increase productivity.
The implementation of quality of life at work programs has a significant impact on reducing staff turnover (turnover). As a result, the company enjoys high levels of motivation and engagement on the part of employees.
