Quality of life in the workplace

The importance of promoting good conditions, and psychic, physical and social balance within organisations.

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Context

The professional side constitutes an important part of the life of human beings, that are working harder to achieve the desired success. Unfortunately, this can be the cause of increased stress and exhaustion within organisations, attracting several psychological and physical illnesses¹. Therefore, quality of life is a basic requirement for improving the worker’s performance. Quality of life, according to the World Health Organisation, is the individual’s perception of their position in life, in the context of their culture and about their goals, expectations, standards and concepts, which considers all dimensions of our existence to perceive well-being. Considering that work is a relevant dimension in our lives, it should also provide quality of life.

This topic has been discussed since the 1960s when the first studies about productivity were conducted. At that point, the main concern was to provide better physical work conditions, especially in industries, to reduce injuries, sick leaves, and turnover². Then, the human factor started to be considered, and nowadays the perspective is more complete: the search for psychic, physical and social balance, in which the needs and limitations of human beings are respected, resulting in personal and professional growth. Thus, the quality of life in the workplace (QLW) can be defined as the set of actions of an organisation that involves diagnosis and implementation of managerial, technological, and structural innovations inside and outside the work environment, aiming to provide full conditions for human development³.

Implications

Human capital is currently one of the companies’ most important assets, once everything else is developed from it. Therefore, promoting QLW can generate great results, such as greater motivation to work, adaptability to change, increased creativity, willingness to innovate, productivity, involvement with the organisation, and satisfaction². On the other hand, the lack of QLW is related to low productivity, high cost of medical care, high absenteeism and turnover, physical and mental fatigue, lack of motivation in performing tasks and in pursuing the company’s interests⁴. In that way, not investing in QLW can become an even higher cost. That being said, an organisation, that is concerned with investing in its employee’s quality of life, can more easily achieve its goals.

However, other factors have driven the increased interest in QLW, such as globalisation and the competitiveness of organisations. A great competitive advance for organisations in times of globalisation is leadership focused on people, based on the appreciation of human potential. Given the great increase in market demands, organisations respond by investing in better conditions, thus increasing the productivity of their employees¹. Today, there is a consensus that the human factor is a differentiating element and responsible for organisational success, which makes organisations increasingly concerned with the training and well-being of their employees. Furthermore, with the evolution of knowledge, people are increasingly informed and demand solutions to their problems, forcing organisational leaders to continually adapt².

But… how does it work in practice?

It is noticed that the needs for personal fulfilment, as portrayed in Maslow’s Hierarchy Needs (image below), are the most difficult to be achieved, which makes it essential for organisations to lead teams in which creativity, autonomy, and strategic thinking are in constant presence⁵.

Therefore, several organisational practices can be improved, providing a better quality of life for workers. Among them, motivational practices stand out, such as profits, benefits, awards, career plans, professional recognition, and employee participation in the decision-making process². In addition, it is also important to invest in employee training, promote autonomy and a positive environment for developing interpersonal relationships⁴. Last but not least, are the physical conditions provided by the organisation, such as the adequacy of tools and equipment, promotion of safety and hygiene, and working methods². It is important to emphasise that due to the uniqueness of organisations and their personnel, practices must be appropriate to the context and objectives of the organisation.

In short, organisational practices must consider the following aspects: fair and adequate compensation, safe working conditions, use and development of skills, opportunities for growth and security, social integration in the organisation, constitutionalism, and flexibility to provide a good balance with the personal life⁵. As we can see, if we provide QLW we can help each individual to fulfil all aspects of Maslow’s pyramid.

We can see some concrete examples below:

• Flexibility: focusing on results rather than hours worked can provide better QLW since it is easier to conciliate personal needs;
• Providing benefits (health insurance, gym & other healthy related partnerships, mental health assistance) can show that you care about your employee.
• Create a relaxed and funny space to work at, with break rooms to talk, to rest a little bit, to have some snacks and to play some games. This can help people to be less stressed, since they can have some pauses, and consequentially have more energy to work after;
• Democracy is highly appreciated between employees: try asking them about what they want to change and ask for their ideas on new actions for QLW.

Conclusion

People spend most of their days and life within the organisations they work for, which underscores the importance of solving everyday problems that interfere with their well-being, such as communication problems, interpersonal conflicts, personal issues, lack of active leadership and team spirit, thus moving towards a more harmonious environment in the work context. Thus, the importance of the organisational psychologist is highlighted, who can and should interfere in the sense of providing good working conditions, not only physical but also psychological, social, and emotional.

Finally, it is clear that providing QLW is not a utopian goal, as there are several ways, from the simplest to the most complex, to implement it. An organisation that wants to meet the competitiveness of the labour market must pay attention to these factors, which become increasingly essential.

References (APA Style)

1. Silva, C. A., & Ferreira, M. C. (2013). Dimensões e indicadores da qualidade de vida e do bem-estar no trabalho. Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa, 29(3), 331–339. DOI:10.1590/S0102–37722013000300011
2. Nascimento, F., Miranda, A. S., Neves, A., dos Santos, L. D. C., Chagas, R. S., & Mattos, R. G. C. (2012). A importância da qualidade de vida no trabalho e sua influência nas relações humanas. Anuário de Produções Acadêmico-científicas dos discentes do Centro Universitário Araguaia, 2(1), 61–77.
3. Albuquerque, L. G., & Limongi-frança, A. C. (1998). Estratégias de recursos humanos e Gestão da Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho: o stress e a expansão do conceito de qualidade total. Revista de Administração, 33(2), 40–51.
4. Ferreira, G., & Dias, C. (2017). A importância da qualidade de vida no trabalho e da motivação dos colaboradores de uma organização. Psicologia E Saúde Em Debate, 3(2), 30–43. DOI:10.22289/V3N2A3
5. Silva, K. A., & Faria, B. E. M. (2018). Qualidade de vida no trabalho: a contribuição do psicólogo organizacional. Psicologia e Saúde em debate, 4(2), 115–129. DOI:10.22289/2446-922X.V4N2A7