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Declaration

GagandeepKaur,a bonafide student of N.C. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

ISRANA,PANIPAT.Roll No 08/37(4th Semester)here by declare that the
Final project entitled”QUALITY OF WORK LIFE AT N.F.L.’is an original work and
The same has not been submitted to any other institute for the award of
Any other degree.

GAGANDEEP

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Though words are often inadequate to express the feelings of heart, one must

acknowledge the genuine help & support received from others during the

fulfillment of particular task. I would therefore like to convey my thanks to all

those people who contribute directly or indirectly in the completion of my research

project.

First of all I would like to extend my thanks to Ms. Renu Siwatch, who helped, co-

operated and guided me & with whose sincere advice, I completed my study

successfully. So, I am very thankful to him.

I also acknowledge my sincere thanks to all my respondents.

(Gagandeep kaur)

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Certificate

This is to certify that Gagandeep Kaur Roll No. MBA/08/37 (HR) has completed the
project titled “Quality Of Work Life at N.F.L” under my supervision and guidance. The
work is original and has not been submitted anywhere else for any other degree or
diploma to the best of my knowledge and can be considered for evaluation.

Signature of the Guide Signature of the Head of Department

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INDEX

S. NO. TOPICS PAGE NO.

CHAPTER – 1 INTRODUCTION 1-16
1.1 What is Quality of Work Life?
1.2 Overview of industry 16-49
CHAPTER – 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 14-21
CHAPTER – 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 50-52
3.1 Objectives of the study
3.2 Research design
3.3 Sampling Plan
3.4 Data Collection Methods
3.5 Limitations
CHAPTER – 4 DATA ANALYSIS &
INTERPRETATIONs 53-62
CHAPTER – 5 FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS 63-65
5.1 Findings
5.2 Recommendations
BIBLIOGRAPHY 66
Questionnaire

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CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION

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WHAT IS QWL?

The term refers to the favorableness or unfavorableness of a total job environment

for people. QWL programs are another way in which organisations recognize their
responsibility to develop jobs and working conditions that are excellent for people as
well as for economic health of the organisation. The elements in a typical QWL
program include – open communications, equitable reward systems, a concern for
employee job security and satisfying careers and participation in decision making. Many
early QWL efforts focus on job enrichment. In addition to improving the work system,
QWL programs usually emphasize development of employee skills, the reduction of
occupational stress and the development of more co-operative labour-management
relations.

Vigorous Domestic and International competition drive organisations to be more

productive. Proactive managers and human resource departments respond to this
challenge by finding new ways to improve productivity. Some strategies rely heavily
upon new capital investment and technology. Others seek changes in employee relations
practices.

Human resource departments are involved with efforts to improve productivity

through changes in employee relations. QWL means having good supervision, good
working conditions, good pay and benefits and an interesting, challenging and rewarding
job. High QWL is sought through an employee relations philosophy that encourages the
use of QWL efforts, which are systematic attempts by an organisation to give workers
greater opportunities to affect their jobs and their contributions to the organisation’s
overall effectiveness. That is, a proactive human resource department finds ways to
empower employees so that they draw on their “brains and wits,” usually by getting the
employees more involved in the decision-making process.

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A Rationale

Job specialisation and simplification were popular in the early part of this century.
Employees were assigned narrow jobs and supported by a rigid hierarchy in the
expectation that efficiency would improve. The idea was to lower cost by using unskilled
workers who could be easily trained to do a small, repetitive part of each job.

Many difficulties developed from that classical job design, however. There was
excessive division of labour. Workers became socially isolated from their co-workers
because their highly specialized jobs weakened their community of interest in the whole
product. De-skilled workers lost pride in their work and became bored with their jobs.
Higher-order (social and growth) needs were left unsatisfied. The result was higher
turnover and absenteeism, declines in quality and alienated workers. Conflict often arose
as workers sought to improve their conditions and organisations failed to respond
appropriately. The real cause was that in many instances the job itself simply was not
satisfying.

Forces For Change

A factor contributing to the problem was that the workers themselves were
changing. They became educated, more affluent (partly because of the effectiveness of
classical job design), and more independent. They began reaching for higher-order needs,
something more than merely earning their bread. Employers now had two reasons for re-
designing jobs and organisations for a better QWL:
1. Classical design originally gave inadequate attention to human needs.
2. The needs and aspirations of workers themselves were changing.

Humanised Work through QWL

One option was to re-design jobs to have the attributes desired by people, and re-
design organisations to have the environment desired by the people. This approach seeks
to improve QWL. There is a need to give workers more of a challenge, more of a whole

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task, more opportunity to use their ideas. Close attention to QWL provides a more
humanized work environment. It attempts to serve the higher-order needs of workers as
well as their more basic needs. It seeks to employ the higher skills of workers and to
provide an environment that encourages them to improve their skills. The idea is that
human resources should be developed and not simply used. Further, the work should not
have excessively negative conditions. It should not put workers under undue stress. It
should not damage or degrade their humanness. It should not be threatening or unduly
dangerous. Finally, it should contribute to, or at least leave unimpaired, workers’ abilities
to perform in other life roles, such as citizen, spouse and parent. That is, work should
contribute to general social advancement.
DEFINING QUALITY OF WORK LIFE

The best way of approaching quality of life measurement is to measure the extent to

which people's 'happiness requirements' are met - ie those requirements which are a

necessary (although not sufficient) condition of anyone's happiness - those 'without which

no member of the human race can be happy.'

WHAT IS QOL? QOL may be defined as subjective well-being. Recognising the

subjectivity of QOL is a key to understanding this construct. QOL reflects the difference,

the gap, between the hopes and expectations of a person and their present experience.

Human adaptation is such that life expectations are usually adjusted so as to lie within the

realm of what the individual perceives to be possible. This enables people who have

difficult life circumstances to maintain a reasonable QOL.

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Quality of Life is tied to perception of 'meaning'. The quest for meaning is central to the

human condition, and we are brought in touch with a sense of meaning when we reflect

on that which we have created, loved, believed in or left as a legacy. .

Our definition of quality of life is: The degree to which a person enjoys the important

possibilities of his/her life. Possibilities result from the opportunities and limitations each

person has in his/her life and reflect the interaction of personal and environmental factors.

Enjoyment has two components: the experience of satisfaction and the possession or

achievement of some characteristic, as illustrated by the expression: "She enjoys good

health." Three major life domains are identified: Being, Belonging, and Becoming.

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1.2 Overview of Industry

NFL manufactures and markets three types of Bio-Fertilizers, Rhizobium, Phosphate

Solubilishing Bacteria (PSB) and Azetobactor. Starting with a mere 23 MT production in
1995-96, the production has risen to 204 MT (Approx) in 2007-08. The Company
presently markets its bio-fertilizers in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh,
Uttrakhand, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir,
Punjab, Haryana & Rajasthan.

Bio-fertilizers are used to supplement chemical fertilizers as also to maintain soil fertility;
besides the following:-

1. Bio-Fertilizers are Supplement to Chemical Fertilizers.2. Bio-Fertilizers are cheap and

can reduce the cost of cultivation. 3. Fix Biological Nitrogen in the soil, which is readily
available to the plant.
4. Increase crop yield by 4-5% on an average.
5. Improve soil properties and sustain soil fertility.
6. Provides plant nutrient at low cost and useful for the consecutive crops.
The applicability of Bio-Fertilizers marketed by NFL of different crops is as under:
Name of Bio-Fertilizers Contribution Most Beneficiary Crop

A. NitrogenBio-Fertilizer
1. Rhizobium(Symbiotic)
a) Fixes 50-300 Kg. N/hactre
b) Leaves residual nitrogen for succeeding crop.
c) Increase yield by 10-35%
d) Maintains soil fertility.
Pulse Legumes : Gram, Peas, Lentil, Moong, Urd, Cowpea, Arhar. Oil
Legumes : Groundnut and Soyabeans.
Fodder Legumes : Barseem, Lucorn.
Forest Legumes : Sababul, Shisam, Shinsh.

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2. Azetobactor
(Non-Symbiotic)
a) Fixes 20-40 mgN/g of C-Source
b) Produces growth promoting substances like vitamin B groups, Indole acetic acid and
Giberellic acid.
c) 0-15% increase in yield.
d) Maintains soil fertility.
e) Biological control of plant diseases by suppressing some plant pathogens.

Wheat, Jowar, Barley, Maize, Paddy, Mustard, Sunflower, Sesamum. Cotton, sugarcane,
banana, grapes, papaya,watermelon, onion, potato, tomato, cauliflower, chilly, lady
finger, rapseed, Linseed, tobacco. Mulberry, Coconut, spices, fruits, flowers. Plantation
crops, forest plants

B) Phosphorous
Bio-fertilizer
1. P.S.B. Phosphate
solubilising Bacteria
a) Solublizes insoluble
phosphate.
b) Increases yield by 10-30%.
c) Produce enzymes which
mineralise organic
phosphorous to a soluble
form.
Non-specific : All Plants.

PANIPAT UNIT

The Panipat Unit of NFL.is situated on National Highway No. 1 and Delhi-Amritsar
railway trunk route. Panipat city is about 90 km from Delhi and is covered in National

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Capital Region. Panipat is a historical city, which was the scene of three historical battles.
Panipat is also famous for its handloom industry.
The Govt. of India approved the Panipat project on 10th February 1975 for
implementation. Prime consultants for design, engineering, erection and commissioning
of the plant were M/s Toyo engineering corporation of Japan and M/s engineers India
Ltd. Starting from the zero-date 30.4.75, the feed in was achieved on 1.9.78 ie. within 40
months of the zero –date. The Unit went in commercial production from 1.9.79. The total
cost of the project was rs.221.33 crores.
Performance of the Unit in all areas of its performance has also been acknowledged.
It has won number of awards and recognitions in the field of production,
productivity, safety, welfare, innovation, environment protection, skills etc. The
Unit is well known for its commitment towards environment protection and social
welfare in the region.
Panipat Unit is considered the show window of the company. The Unit being near to
national capital, it hosts a number of distinguished guests and visitors from with and
outside the country. The visitors show keen interest in the functioning of the plant and
appreciate the progress made by the fertilizers industry in the country.

SALIENT FEATURES OF THE PLANT

1. Annual Capacity : 5,11,500 MT

In terms of Urea 2,35,290 MT in terms of Nit.

2. Annual Requirement of Raw Materials:

• Fuel-oil/LSHS : 3,00,000 M.T.
• Coal : 5,45,000 M.T.
• Power : 2,18,000 M.W.H
• Water : 5,630 Million Gallon

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3. Estimated Cost : Rs. 182.88 crores

4. Foreign Exchange : Rs. 56.45 crores

5. Capacities of the Plant :

• Ammonia : 900 M.T. per day
• Urea : 1,550 M.T.per day
• Steam Generation : 3 boilers each of 150 MT/hr.
• Captive Power Plant : 1 boiler of 210 MT/hr
2 Turbo generation of 15 *2 =30
MWH

6. Land : 442Acres- Plant

131 acres- Township

NFL produces two popular brands of chemical Fertilizers, ie Kisan Urea. &Kisan
Khad.NFL has signed a memorandum of understanding with the govt. of India in
1991-92. All the years, after signing the MOU, Govt. has rated the performance of
the company as ‘excellent’. Company has been performing at high level of capacity
utilization.

PLANTS UNDER PANIPAT UNIT

AMMONIA UREA PLANT SMC OFFSITES

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AMMONIA PLANT

The ammonia plant is based on fuel oil as feedstock and is designed to produce 900
MT/Day of Ammonia. The fuel is partially oxidized in the gasification reactor at 1,350
degree C by shell gasification process. The raw gas produced in the reactors mainly
consists of H2, CO, CO2 and H2S. The heat generated in the process is recovered in the
waste heat boilers to produce High-pressure steam at 100 Kg/Cm2.about 80% of the
carbon produced in the Gasification Reactors, is recycled along with the feedstock.

Hydrogen Sulphide (H2s) in the raw gas is removed by absorption in cold

methanol in desulphurisation Section of Rectisol. The Carbon monoxide (Co) in the
desulphurised gas is converted to Carbon Di Oxide (CO2) by double stage H.T. Shift
Convension. The CO2 is, later, removed from the process gas in Decarbonation
Section of Rectisol. H2S and CO2 from the Raw Gas/ process gas are removed by
low temperature Methanol in the Rectisol Section and both the gases are recovered
by regeneration of Methanol at low pressure. H2S in the form of clause gas is sent to
Sulhur Recovery Plant for recovery of Sulphur. The CO2 gas is sent to Urea Plant
for synthesizing with Ammonia to manufacture Urea. An Absorption Refrigeration
Unit (ARU) provides refrigeration in Rectisol Section.

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AMMONIA PLANT

The process gas from Rectisol Section is sent to the Nitrogen Wash Unit (NWU) to
remove the traces of impurities (CO, Methanol, and Methane) by liquid Nitrogen wash.
Nitrogen is further added to the process gas (i.e. Hydrogen) to obtain a ratio of 3 : 1 of
N2 & H2. This synthesis gas mixture is compressed to 230 Kg/Cm2 pressure and
synthesis of N2 and H2 is carried out in the Haldor Topsoe loop in a radial flow
Ammonia Convertor and Ammonia is produced.
Oxygen requirement (for partial oxidation of fuel oil) and Nitrogen requirement (for
synthesis gas) is met by an Air Separation Unit of 900 MT/ Day capacity. In ASU, the
atmospheric Air is compressed to 7 Kg/Cm2 and liquefied. Oxygen and Nitrogen are
separated in HP and LP Distillation columns at cryogenic temperatures.

UREA PLANT

Urea Plant is designed to produce 1,550 TPD based on Mitsui Toatsu Total Recycle ‘C’
improved process. The Ammonia and Carbon Di-oxide, produced in Ammonia plant, are
pressurized to about 250 Kg/cm2 pressure. Synthesis takes place in Urea Reactor, where
Ammonia and CO2 react at 250 Kg/cm2 pressure and 200 degree C temperature to

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produce Urea. The Reactor outlet products are then decomposed. The Urea solution,
produced in this process, is crystallized in the Vacuum Crystallizer. Crystal slurry is
centrifuged to separate crystals, which are then dried in the dryer and pneumatically
conveyed to the top of prilling tower. Urea crystals are melted in the melter and the
molten Urea is sprayed through Acoustic Granulators from 68-meter high prilling tower.
Urea in the form of prills is collected at the bottom of the prilling tower on CFD bed,
where it is cooled by air. Products Urea is, then, sent to Bagging Plant and bagged in 50
kg bags.

UREA PLANT

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING UREA

For manufacturing urea, first of all fuel oil is burnt at 1350 oC & we get Carbon monoxide
(CO) & Hydrogen (H2). With the help of air separation unit Nitrogen gas is separated
from air. Carbon monoxide is converted into Carbon dioxide. Then Nitrogen & Hydrogen
is combined to get Ammonia & then by the reaction of Ammonia & Carbon dioxide we
get Urea. This is the whole process of manufacturing Urea:-

Burning at 1350oC

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Fuel Oil CO + H2

Extracting

ASU (Air separation unit) N2 (Nitrogen) + O2 (oxygen)

N2 + 3H2 2NH3

CO CO2

NH3 + CO2 UREA

PRODUCT MANUFACTURED AT NFL, PANIPAT

MAIN PRODUCT –UREA

Kisan urea is highly concentrated, solid, nitrogenous fertilizer, containing 46.0%

nitrogen. It is completely soluble in water hence nitrogen is easily available to crops.
Kisan Urea is ideally suitable for all type of crops and for foliar spray, which instantly
removes nitrogen deficiency. Kisan Urea also has a strong and long lasting effect on crop
resulting in quality crops. Carbonic acid present in Kisan Urea helps in absorption of
nutrients like phosphate and potash by roots of crop.

PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE-
Peaks in production scale are as follows:-

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RECORDS:

Highest production of ammonia on single 1041MT (against 900MT/Day rated

day capacity) on 02.1.1998
Highest production of urea on single day 1918MT (against 1550MT/Day rated
capacity) on 17.12.2000
Highest annual production of ammonia 316619MT (against 297000MT rated
(97-98) capacity)
Highest annual production of urea 562250MT (against 511500MT rated
(97-98) capacity)

PERCENTAGE SHARE OF NFL IN COUNTRY’S UREA PRODUCTION

20.00% GNFC
18.00% KRIBHCO SHYAM
16.00% TCL
14.00% INDO GULF
12.00% NFCL
10.00% KRIBCHO
8.00%
RCF
6.00%
CHAMBAL
4.00%
OTHERS
2.00%
NFL
0.00%
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr IFFCO

OFF SITES & UTILITIES

The Off Sites and Utilities consist of following facilities:

Raw Water Reservoirs &Filtration Plant: To store 85 million gallon of water to meet
7 days requirement. The filtration plant is of 2,400 M3/hr.

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Demineralized Water: To supply 400 M3/hr.of demineralized water and to polish 100
M3/hr. of condensate.

Steam Generation Plant: Three pulverized coal fired boiler of 150 T. /hr. each at 105
kg/cm2 pressure and 495 degree C temperature.

Instrument and Plant Air: Four Instrument Air Compressors and one Service Air
Compressor, each of 1,420 NM3/hr.capacity.

Cooling Tower: Four cooling towers for Ammonia, Captive Power and Urea Plants.

Coal Handling: To supply 150 MT/hr. of crushed coal to three Steam Generation Plant
Boilers and 200MT/hr. to Captive Power Plant Boiler.

Fuel Oil Handling and Storage: Three tanks for storage of fuel oil, each of 10,000 KL
capacity. Facility for unloading a rake of railway tank wagons of fuel oil/LSHS.

LPG, Methanol, LDO and Caustic Handling: Facility for unloading and storage.
Emergency Power: D.G. set of 1,500 KW capacities. Railway Siding: To unload Coal,
Fuel Oil, Caustic and Methanol. To load bagged urea. To load unload liquid Ammonia.
SMC

S: - STEAM GENERATION PLANT

M: - MATERIAL HANDLING
C: - CAPTIVE POWER PLANT

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CAPTIVE POWER PLANT

The Captive Power Plant has been installed to meet the total power requirement of the
plants. Two Turbo Generation of 15 MW each, generate power at 11 KV. The Power
Plant can be run in parallel with the northern grid or in isolation. A Boiler of 210 t/hr. has
been provided to supply steam to the Turbo Generators and meet part of the steam
requirement of the process plants. The Boiler is designed to operate on coal with support
oil or fully on fuel oil.

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CHAPTER-2

LITERATURE REVIEW

CRITERIA OF MEASURING QWL

(i) Adequate and Fair Compensation

There are different opinions about the adequate compensation. The committee on Fair

Wages defined fair wage as “. . the wage which is above the minimum wage but below

the living age.”

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(ii) Safe and Healthy Working Conditions

Most of the organisations provide safe and healthy working conditions due to

humanitarian requirements and/or legal requirements. In fact, these conditions are a

matter of enlightened self-interest.

(iii) Opportunity to Use and Develop Human Capabilities

Contrary to the traditional assumptions, QWL is improved the extent that the worker can

exercise more control over his or her work, and the degree to which the job embraces an

entire meaningful task”

but not a part of it. Further, QWL provides for opportunities like autonomy in work and

participation in planning in order to use human capabilities.

(iv) Opportunity for Career Growth

Opportunities for promotions are limited in case of all categories of employees either due

to educational barriers or due to limited openings at the higher level. QWL provides

future opportunity for continued growth and security by expanding one’s capabilities,

knowledge and qualifications.

(v) Social Integration in the Work Force

Social integration in the work force can be established by creating freedom from

prejudice, supporting primary work gars a sense of community and inter-personnel

openness, legalitariani and upward mobility.

(vi) Constitutionalism In the Work Organisation

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QWL provides constitutional protection to the employees only to the level of desirability

as it hampers workers. It happens because the management’s action is challenged in

every action and bureaucratic procedures need to be followed at that level. Constitutional

protection is provided to employees on such matters as privacy, free speech, equity and

due process.

(vii) Work and Quality of Life

QWL provides for the balanced relationship among work, non- work and family aspects

of life. In other words, family life and social life should not be strained by working hours

including overtime work, work during inconvenient hours, business travel, transfers,

vacations, etc.

(viii) Social Relevance of Work

QWL is concerned about the establishment of social relevance to work in a socially

beneficial manner. The workers’ self-esteem would be high if his work is useful to the

society and the vice versa is also true.

SPECIFIC ISSUES IN QWL

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Trade unions claim that they are responsible for the improvement in various facilities to

workers whereas management takes credit for improved salaries, benefits and facilities.

However, P/HR manager has (identified) specific issues in QWL besides normal wages,

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salaries, fringe benefits, etc. and takes lead in providing them so as to maintain higher

order QWL. IKlott, Mundick and Schuster suggested 11 major QWL issues. They are:

(I) Pay and Stability of Employment

Good pay still dominates most of the other factors in employee satisfaction. Various

alternative means for providing wages should be developed in view of increase in cost of

living index, increase in levels and rates of income tax and profession tax. Stability to a

greater extent can be provided by enhancing the facilities for human resource

development.

(ii) Occupational Stress

Is a condition of strain on one’s emotions, thought process and physical condition? Stress

is determined by the nature of work, working conditions, working hours, pause in the

work schedule, worker’s abilities and nature and match with the job requirements. Stress

is caused due to irritability, hyper—excitation or depression, unstable behaviour, fatigue,

stuttering, trembling psychometric pains, h smoking and drug abuse. Stress adversely

affects employ productivity. The P/HR manager, in order to minimize the stress, has

identify, prevent and tackle the problem. He may arrange the treatment of the problem

with the health unit of the company.

(iii) Organisational Health Programmes

Organisational health programmes aim at educating employees about health

problems, means of maintaining and improving of health, etc. These programmes cover

drinking and smoking cessation, hypertension control, other forms of cardiovascular risk

reduction, family planning, etc. Effective implementation of these programmes result in

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reduction in absenteeism, hospitalisation, disability, excessive job turnover and premature

death. This programme should also cover relaxation, physical exercise, diet control, etc.

(iv) Alternative Work Schedules

Alternative work schedules including work at home, flexible working hours, staggered

hours, reduced work week, part-time employment which may be introduced for the

convenience and comfort of the workers as the work sch which offers the individual the

leisure time, flexible hours of work is preferred.

(v) Participative Management and Control of Work

Trade unions and workers believe that workers’ participation in management and 1e

improves WL. Workers also feel that they have control êr their work, use their skills and

make a real contribution to the job if they are allowed participate in creative and

decision-making process.

(vi) Recognition

Recognizing the employee as a hum being rather than as a labourer increases the

QWL Participative management, awarding the rewarding systems, congratulating the

employees for their achievement, job enrichment, offering prestigious designations to the

jobs, providing well furnished and decent work places, offering membership in clubs or

association, providing vehicles, offering vacation trips are some means to recognize the

employees.

(vii) Congenial Worker-Supervisor Relations

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Harmonious supervisor-worker relations gives the worker a sense of social association,

belongingness, achieve of work results, etc. This in turn leads to better QWL.

(viii) Grievance Procedure

Workers have a sense of fair treatment’ when the company gives them the opportunity to

ventilate their grievances and represent their case succinctly rather than settling the

problems arbitrarily.

(ix) Adequacy of Resources

Resources should match with st4ted objectives, otherwise, employees will not be able to

attain the Objectives. This results in employee dissatisfaction and lower QWL

(x) Seniority and Merit in Promotions

Seniority is generally taken as for promotion in case of operating employees. Merit is

considered as the basis for advancement for managerial people whereas seniority-c is

preferred for promotion of ministerial employees. The promotional policies and activities

should be fair and just in order to ensure higher QWL.

(xi) Employment on Permanent Basis

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Employment of workers on casual, probationary basis gives them a sense of insecurity.

On the other hand, employment on permanent basis gives them security and leads to

higher order QWL

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF QWL

The strategies for improvement in quality of worklife include self-managed work teams,

redesign and enrichment, effective leadership and supervisory behaviour, career

development, alternative work schedules, job security, administrative orgastisational and

participating management.

(i) Self-managed Work Teams

These are also called autonomous work groups or integrated work teams. These work

teams are formed with 10 to 20 employees who plan, co-ordinate and control the

activities of the team with the help of a team leader who is one among them. Each team

performs all activities including selecting their people. Each team has authority to make

decisions and regulate the activities. The group as a whole is accountable for the success

or failure. Salaries are fixed both on the basis of individual and group achievement.

(ii) Job Redesign and Enrichment

Narrow jobs can be combined into larger units of accomplishment. Jobs are redesigned

with a view to enriching them to satisfy higher order human needs.

(iii) Effective Leadership and Su isory Behaviour

For effective leadership and supervisory behaviour ‘9-9’ style of managerial grid is

suitable.

(iv) Career Development

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Provision for career planning, communicating and counselling $he employees about the

career opportunities, career path, education and development and for second careers

should be made.

(v) Alternative Work Schedules

Provision for flexible working hours, part-time employments, job- sharing and reduced

work week should be made.

(vi) Job Security This tops the employees’ list of priorities. It should be adequately taken

care of.

(vii) Administrative or Organisational Justice

The principles of justice, fair and equity should be taken care of in disciplinary

procedure, grievance procedures, promotions, transfers, demotion, work assignment,

leave, etc.

(viii) Participative Management Employees should be allowed to participate in

management participative schemes which may be of several types. The most

sophisticated among them is quality circle.

Implementation of these strategies ensures higher level of quality of worklife.

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QUALITY OF WORK LIFE AS HR STARTEGY – AN ANALYSIS

Today’s workforce consists of literate workers who expect more than just money from
their work.

In the modern scenario, QWL as a strategy of Human Resource Management is

being recognised as the ultimate key for development among all the work systems, not
merely as a concession. This is integral to any organisation towards its wholesome
growth. This is attempted on par with strategies of Customer Relation Management.

Strategy and Tactics

Over the years, since industrial revolution, much experimentation has gone into
exploiting potential of human capital in work areas either explicitly or implicitly. Thanks
to the revolution in advanced technology, the imperative need to look into QWL in a new
perspective is felt and deliberated upon. Major companies are tirelessly implementing this
paradigm in Human Resources Development (some call it People’s Excellence).

Globalisation has lowered national boundaries, creating a knowledge-based

economy that spins and spans the world. Major economies are converging
technologically and economically, and are highly connected at present moment. The new
global workplace demands certain prerequisites such as higher order of thinking skills
like abstraction system thinking and experimental inquiry, problem-solving and team
work. The needs are greater in the new systems, which are participative ventures
involving workers managed by so-called fictional proprietors.
Men Counted
In simple terms, all the above requirements can be easily achieved by providing
improved quality of work life to the workers available on rolls. Workers are often
referred to as teams or groups in general parlance and whatever the do go to the credit of
the teamwork.

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The concept of teamwork has evolved from the organised toil that has its own
social dimensions. Good teams can hardly be imported from outside. They usually occur
as an indigenous incidence at the workplace and nurturing the same over time is the
responsibility of management. Here, it may also be discerned that the composition of
available workers in no more a local phenomenon as in the past. Mobility is caused by
migration beyond culture barriers and isolation, relocation and globalized deployment.
This phenomenon has become universal and is causing great changes in the work
environment at factories as well as offices. The new influx of skilled workers seeking
greener pastures is even questioning the skills of new employers and thereby
restructuring the new environs on par with those of best in the world, unwittingly though.

Money Matters
For good QWL, cash is not the only answer. Today, the workers are aware of the
job requirements of job as also the fact that the performance of the same is measured
against the basic goals and objectives of the organisation and more importantly, wages
are paid according to the larger picture specific to the industry and the employer’s place
in the same.

The increased share of workers in wages and benefits through legislation as well
as competitive interplay of superior managements in various fields of industry and
business on extensive levels has reshaped the worker’s idea of quality of work life.
Moreover, other things being equal, the employers are increasingly vying with their rivals
in providing better working conditions and emoluments. This may be owing to many
reasons besides the concern for the human angle of workers, like the employer’s tendency
to climb on the bandwagon, to reap to the desired dividends or to woo better talent into
their fold as skill base addition and other non-economic inputs like knowledge bases.
Doubtlessly, the increased tendency of recruiting knowledge bases is giving the modern
managements payoffs in myriad ways. Some of them are intended potentials for product
innovations and cost cuttings. Talking of product, it may appear far-fetched to some that
product is being assessed in the market for its quality and price by the environment
created in the areas where workers and customers are dealt and transact, like ambience in

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facilities / amenities as also the company’s pay scales. This goes to prove that QWL of
manufacturer / service provider is synonymous with the quality of product.

Non economic – ‘Job Security’

The changing workforce consists of literate workers who expect more than just
money from their work life. Their idea of salvation lies in the respect they obtain in the
work environment, like how they are individually dealt and communicated with by other
members in the team as well as the employer, what kind of work he is entrusted with, etc.
Some of these non-economic aspect are: Self respect, satisfaction, recognition, merit
compensation in job allocation, incompatibility of work conditions affecting health,
bullying by older peers and boss, physical constraints like distance to work, lack of
flexible working hours, work-life imbalances, invasion of privacy in case of certain
cultural groups and gender discrimination and drug addiction. One or more of the
problems like above can cast a ‘job-insecurity’ question, for no direct and visible fault of
the employer. Yet, the employer has to identify the source of workers problems and try
to mitigate the conditions and take supportive steps in the organisation so that the
workers will be easily retained and motivated and earn ROI. The loss of man-hours to
the national income due to the above factors is simply overwhelming.

Employer should instil in the worker the feeling of trust and confidence by
creating appropriate channels and systems to alleviate the above shortcomings so that the
workers use their best mental faculties on the achievement of goals and objectives of the
employer.

To cite some examples, employers in certain software companies have provided

infrastructure to train the children of workers in vocational activities including computer
education, so that the workers need not engage their attention on this aspect. Employee
care initiatives taken by certain companies include creation of Hobby clubs, Fun and
Leisure Clubs for the physical and psychological well-being ness of workers and their
families. After all, the workers are inexorably linked to the welfare of their families, as it
is their primary concern.

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Dual income workers, meaning both spouses working are the order of the day.
The work life balance differs in this category and greater understanding and flexibility
are required with respect to leave, compensation and working hours in the larger
framework.

Teamwork
Teamwork is the new mantra of modern day people’s excellence strategy.
Today’s teams are self-propelled ones. The modern manager has to strive at the group
coherence for common cause of the project. The ideal team has wider discretion and
sense of responsibility than before as how best to go about with its business. Here, each
member can find a new sense of belonging to each other in the unit and concentrate on
the group’s new responsibility towards employer’s goals. This will boost the cosiness
and morale of members in the positive environment created by each other’s trust.
Positive energies, free of workplace anxiety, will garner better working results.
Involvement in teamwork deters deserters and employer need not bother himself over the
detention exercises and save money on motivation and campaigns.

Boss Factor
Gone are the days when employers controlled workers by suppressing the
initiative and independence by berating their brilliance and skills, by designing and
entrusting arduous and monotonous jobs and offer mere sops in terms of wages and
weekly off. Trust develops when managers pay some attention to the welfare of the
workers and treat them well by being honest in their relations. The employer should keep
in mind that every unpaid hour of overtime the worker spends on work is an hour less
spent with the family.

New performance appraisals are put into vogue to assess a worker’s contribution
vis-à-vis on employer’s objectives and to find out the training and updating needs and

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levels of motivation and commitment. As observed in some advanced companies, the

workers themselves are drawing their benefits by filing appraisal forms and drawing
simultaneously the appropriate benefits by the click of the mouse directly from their
drawing rooms, courtesy e-HR systems. In addition, there are quite a number of channels
for informal reviews. Feedback on worker’s performance, if well interpreted and
analysed, could go a long way in improving ethics at workplace.

Involvement and Communication

Multi-skilling and exposing workers to different lines of activity in the unit
indirectly leads to the greater involvement and better job security of worker in the
organisation. The employer too, can make use of the varied skills to any altered
situations of restructuring and other market adaptations. Thus, the monotony of work life
can be alleviated. The employer, armed with the depth of cross-trained human resources,
need not go hunting for new talent and thus save on the unspent pay packets, which can
be spent usefully on the amenities for workers. No doubt, rivals should be envying him
for this edge.

The change should be apparent in mutual trust and confidence towards effective
understanding of the needs of worker and employer. The new knowledge-based workers
are mostly young in the fields of technology and management. They are more
forthcoming in trusting the boss and older peers. Now, all modern managements are
cognisant of the innate desire of workers to be accepted as part of the organisation for
identity and other social reasons.

Effective dialogue is put into play between management and those who execute
through well-organised communication channels paving the way for improved co-
operation and participation on emotional level. The decision making level is nose diving
to the floor level manager, where the poor guy has to think of n number of quick
decisions on behalf of the organisation. Unless the team is behind and involved with
commitment, the manager cannot implement the new tasks in production, distribution,
peoples excellence, customer relations, etc., thanks to the ‘e’ factor prefixed to the names

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of majority of departments. Logically, harmony plays its part in cost efficiency.

Successful managers are those who listen to their workers.

Influences
Overwork is tolerated in emerging industries unlike government departments as
part of the game and work culture. This is so, what with the soaring competition among
the tightly contested players. The point is empowerment of workforce in the area of
involvement.

All said and one, the workers are considered as the invisible branch ambassadors
and internal customers in certain industries. It is evident that most of the managements
are increasingly realising that quality alone stands to gain in the ultimate analysis.
Restructuring the industrial relations in work area is the key for improving the quality of
product and the price of the stock. Without creating supportive environment in
restructured environment, higher quality of work cannot be extracted. It is already high
time the older theories of industrial relations should be unlearnt.

QUALITY OF WORK LIFE – THE HUMAN IMPLICATIONS

“One cannot do right in one area of life whilst he is occupied in doing wrong in
another. Life is one invisible whole” – Mahatma Gandhi

How true and difficult is to paraphrase the profound truth contained in the words of
one of the greatest human beings of the modern world. The harsh reality of modern life is
that Quality of Work Life (QWL) has taken a beating because most of us are working
harder than ever. On average people in the developed countries spend an astonishing 14
to 15 hours a day against the accepted 8 to 9 hours. What is very disturbing is that the
trend is on the rise. Burn out; stress leading to health hazards is the natural offshoot. The
concept of lifetime employment or job security through hard work has been on a decline
since more and more people are on short-term contracts and lack security of long-term
employment.

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Although traditional work structures seem to be dissolving, this hasn’t necessarily

resulted in more flexibility for the workers. Employers, by and large, are still reluctant to
absorb employees on a permanent basis before they have ‘proved their worth’. The
psychological pressure on the employee is tremendous and their lives are characterised by
a pronounced conflict between professional and private lives. Lesser employees doing
greater work make the work monotonous and gruelling for the employee. The implication
of all this is that it leaves the worker with less and less time for interests, family and
leisure time in general.

It is not uncommon to see people who aspire to have work and personal life in
synchronisation. The work life balance has become the buzzword for the present
generation. Thus in an ideal world, most people would like their output assessed by the
results they achieve at work and not by the hours they spend slaying away at their desk.
Thus, in turn, would leave them free to pursue their personal interests outside work. Only
a handful of employees have understood this intrinsic desire of employees and have
turned it into a competitive advantage. Occupational Psychology assumes a key role as it
contributes to work models but also with the thorough study of factors underlying the
work/life balance. The study of work and family life is a relatively recent field. They
argue out a case for alternative work models.

Workplace flexibility is increasingly becoming important both for the employers as

well as the employees. A good fit between people’s personal and work roles can go a
long way in resolving conflicts. In fact researcher’s claim that by helping to manage
employee’s work/life conflicts the company actually increases “psychological availability
for work” of an employee. This is at least true of some learning organisations that are
open to such novel HR practices. They look at flexible work arrangements as an
opportunity for more efficient recruitment, decrease in staff turnover and absenteeism.
Very importantly it helps them to project an improved corporate image.

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Occupational psychology conducted in UK points out that manager’s feel to be

working unjustifiably long hours and to be pushing their staff too hard. Only a relatively
small percentage felt reasonably sure that they have indicated their preference for more
flexible working hours. Nearly half perceived increased difficulties in balancing their
work and personal life and well over half said pressure to perform at work left them less
and less time for their personal life, making them feel that they are missing out. The
analysis of this research data was descriptive and no attempts were made to analyse any
traits underlying the work/life balance. There are two important issues to be looked at.
They are:
1. Two distinct factors underlying the work/life balance. One is related to the general
status quo of the workplace and the other one to attitudes held by the individual.
2. That these factors would correlate with other variables, such as commitment, gender
or age.

It is instinctive human desire to secure oneself in material comforts in the early phase
of life to enjoy good quality of life at a later point in the life span. The point that many do
not realise is that life is not so compartmentalised that one can do the activities in a
sequential order – one after the other. Life is a bundle that contains all the strands
together and hence the need to balance work life and other related issues. There is
nothing wrong in having career ambitions. We all have a deep human hunger to create
something great through the work we do and shine in our chosen profession.

One important dimension is the relationship balance. Many of us rationalise by

rationing “quality time” for the family. Fact of the matter is that we tend to perceive that
the time spent with family should be qualitatively superior and quantity doesn’t matter.
One must go the extra mile and ensure that the right quantity of time is provided for the
bonds of trust and love to grow. Children, in particular, believe that the more time you
spend with them reflects how much you love them. It is said laughter is the shortest
distance between two people. The “Relationship Balance” creates a sense of fulfilment
and the synergy spill over positively in all of the other areas of your life. The warmth and
love on the home front enables a person to focus intensively and concentrate fully on the

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professional work and achieve high degree of success. The other important dimension is
career balance. Einstein once said that one should be a person of value rather than a
person of success. There is a natural human urge in most of us to have deep sense of
fulfilment through our work lie. Our personal life will be very dull and boring if work life
isn’t exciting and doesn’t offer scope to bring out the dormant talent in us. The urge to do
some commercial activity by creative methods to succeed in the market place and obtain
monetary as well social rewards is inherent in all human beings.

The point of wisdom is simply this: Do not trade-ff the pleasure of living for the
sake of achievement. Instead, joyfully achieve. Balance your commitment to being the
best you can be at work with a deep commitment to being a great family person and
loving friend. Understand that without balance in every core area of your life, you’ll
never find lasting happiness and a sense that you have lived well.

THE HUMAN FACTOR IN REWARDING EMPLOYEES

Seldom have we come across individual who does not respond to appreciation. In
fact, we consider such people as aberrations. Yet, how many of the managers are
sensitive to this issue? Their number is hardly encouraging. Most of them do not consider
it to be a major part of their job today. The work schedules have become stiff with the
increasing demands on productivity and employees are expected to act in a manner that
benefits the company. Resources are thin, budgets tight and in this training is the first
casualty. This implies that an employee has to look within, rather than look up to the
organisation to enhance his/her skills.

The business environment today is characterised by speed and technology.

Personal interface by the managers has been replaced by computer interface. The
minimum personal interaction that a manager has with an employee is devoted to finding
out the business details, and there is hardly any room left for the manager to find out

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whether an employee has done an exceptionally good job while carrying out his “task”.
The blessings of technology are a mixed bag.

In his book, Mega Trends, John Naisbett gives an excellent account of the
changing work environment. He says that our work environments become more and more
technical; there will be a greater employee need to become more personal and humane.
He calls this phenomenon high-tech/high-touch. The irony is that all this is happening at
a time when the aspiration of the employees is to have a greater meaning in their lives,
particularly in the context of their job.

The paradox of the situation is that what motivates people most takes so relatively
little to do-just a little time and thoughtfulness for fresher. In a recent research study of
1500 employees conducted by Dr. Gerald Graham, personal congratulations by managers
of employees who do a good job were ranked first among 67 potential incentives
evaluated. Second on the list was a personal note for good performance written by the
manager.

Eve information can be rewarding. Numerous studies indicate that open

communication was ranked as the most important reason that the employees reported for
staying with their present jobs. Everyone wants to know “what’s going on?”- Especially,
as it affects them, and merely telling them is motivating. When we ponder over this
aspect, the question that arises is whether is it really that difficult to tell people that?

When it comes to rewards, most managers perceive that the only thing that
motivates their employees is money and more money. While money can be a significant
way of letting employees know their worth to the organisation, it may not always be the
sole sustaining motivational factor to most individuals. In other words, money is
important enough, and yet, may not be the be all or end all of employee motivation. More
often than not, non-pecuniary factors may equally motivate employees to do their best on
the job.

The most limiting reason for money to be a motivator is that in most

organisations, performance reviews and corresponding salary increases occur only once

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in a year. To motivate employees, performance need to reward the achievements and

progress made towards the goals by employees more frequently. Regular reward-not
necessarily monetary-needs to take place on almost daily basis.

The intangibles matter a great deal to an employee. It may be small yet significant for
the workers that they are being appreciated for the work they’ve done, being kept
informed about things that affect them and have a sympathetic manger who takes time to
listen. None of these intangibles are very costly, but they all do take the time and
thoughtfulness of a manger who tends to be caring. By being a little creative, a manager
can find out what specifically motivates his/her employees and ignites the spark in them.
His/her job is to make those things happen. When one of the employees has put in extra
effort on a key project or achieved a goal that has been mutually set, he/she should
recognise the achievement fittingly in a unique and memorable way. Managers will find
that the more creative and unique they are with the reward, the more fun it will be for
both of them. The examples can be only limited by the manager’s imagination. It could
be sending a birthday gift to the employee’s beloved daughter to footing the bill of the
family dinner. The manager can grant employees, who have performed exceptionally
well, a pass for three-day weekend.

Recognition and rewards can be very powerful motivational tools. It is quite

intriguing to realise that a simple and sincere recognition with minimum cost, paperwork
and administration can impact employees in a profound way. At Walt Disney, one of the
company’s 180 recognition programs is called The Spirit of Fred Award, named after an
employee named Fred. When Fred first went from an hourly to a salaried position, five
people taught him the values necessary for success at Disney. This help inspired the
award, in which the name “Fred” became an acronym for friendly, resourceful,
enthusiastic and dependable. First given as a lark, the award has come to be highly
coveted in the organisation.

Rewarding employees for exceptional work they’ve done is critical to keep them
motivated enough to continue their best. Although money is important, a manager can

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obtain better employee performance by using personal, creative and amusing forms of
recognition.

BALANCING THE WORK AND LIFE OF EMPLOYEES

Researches indicate that balanced work-life can lead to greater employee

productivity. With the progressive shift of the economy towards a knowledge economy,
the meaning and Importance of tile quality of work life is also assuming a new
significance. The article details the factor$ that should be tuned to attain balance
between work and life of an employee.

You must have both love and work in your life to make you healthy. Don't you
agree? Well, this is what Sigmund Freud had said decades ago for healthy workers.
Family is an essential ingredient for the love that exists in the life of the employees. But
are the corporates structuring the work patterns so as to ensure the necessary balances?
Are the corporates providing opportunities to their employees to spend quality time in
their personal lives? Many researchers indicate that maintaining a good balance in work
and life has become a priority for the corporates in the developed nations.

At the dawn of industrialization, the needs and priorities of employees were at the
lower end of Maslow’s need hierarchy pyramid. The priority was given more to physical
and material security. However, with rapid cultural and economic developments, the
priorities outside job became very different. Employees started looking for higher and
meaningful quality of life as a result of the outcomes of their work. After all, what are
they working for? A good happy and a decent life.

With the increasing shift of the economy towards knowledge economy, the meaning
and importance of the quality of work life is also assuming a new significance. Today,
the connotation of the term 'work' has also become different. It has more to do with the
intellectual exercise than physical labour. As a result, the corporates need to streamline
and restructure their work schedules in order to bring about a balance in work life of their

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employees. Understanding and managing the levels and complexities of diverse

motivational needs is another area, which requires careful attention from the corporates to
bring about work-life balance.

Let us now look at the factors that have created the need for maintaining work life
balance.

Various researchers have pointed out the following.

Shifts in Societal Patterns

Gone are the days of joint families where you had to care for elders and they, in
turn, had to nurture your emotions. Today's nuclear families with both the partners
working, have created new dynamics that has become emotionally demanding to the
employees. Financial and social obligations have assumed a different level of
significance today. Not only this, the needs of organisations today have also changed.
Money is getting accumulated in tiny pockets, among those sections of people who
possess the ‘most wanted’ knowledge. And these so-called ‘knowledge workers’ are the
ones who are in acute need to balancing their work and life.

Technological Breakthroughs
Tremendous progress in the fields of information technology and communication
system has changed our worldview. At the same time, it demands more from today’s
employees. Strict deadlines, tighter schedules and ever-escalating corporate targets are
the natural outcome of it.

New Horizon of Expectations

Due to the above reasons there has been a total shift in the level of expectations
for today’s employees. In fact, in the book Geeks and Geezers, Thomas and Bennis
explain how attitudes towards work and life balance varies from generation to generation.
Baby boomers are no longer ready to give their lives to the company they work for.
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Whereas the Generation X’s and Y’s are more committed to meet the demands of both
work and family life. In turn, they seek a newly defined and restructured way of getting
jobs assigned to them.

Researchers have pointed out that a balance between work and life is maintained
when there is no conflict between work and family demands. Though this seems to be
idealistic situation, what the corporates need to remember is that the conflicts should not
reach unacceptable levels where it would tend to affect the productivity of the employee.
According to 1998 America @ Work (SM) study conducted by Aon Consulting
Worldwide Inc., an HR consulting firm based in Chicago, the employees of today put
their commitment to organisations they work for only if the management recognises the
importance of their personal and family life.

Striking a balance between work and life is as difficult for the corporates as it is
for the employees. However, the onus of maintaining this is more on the corporates
because, as pointed out by the famous Hawthorne Experiment, the world of individuals
primarily centres on their place of work. So a careful perusal of the working patterns and
scheduling of jobs will be one of the first steps in designing work schedule that can
balance life and work. The HR managers, along with the functional heads and line
mangers, should try to bring in flexibility to the working patterns within the
organisations. A trade off between organisational needs and personal needs of the
employees has to be worked out. Following are some of the ways in which it cane be
done. Though this is in no way an exhaustive list, yet it does provide a starting point for
corporates to develop flexible work schedules that can balance work and life.

Creating Institutional Support Mechanisms

The first and the foremost requirement is to create conditions that will provide
organisational support towards maintaining the flexibility of work and life of the
employees. These entail the propagation of the culture of work flexibility, HR policies
and other organisational regulations that allow the employees to maintain a good mix of
personal lives with their career.

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There is a need to clearly chalk out the connection between maintaining this
flexibility and the corporate objectives. For instance, managers at Eli Lilly begin their
job in the company with a clear understanding of what the company expects. They
undergo a weeklong program, called Supervisor School that blends the business case for
work life initiatives. Thus, the management ensures that the flexibility in work is linked
with the objectives of the organisation. But this is not enough. What is needed is to
ensure and communicate the support of the senior management. The top management of
the company must clearly communicate its eagerness and willingness to restructure the
work schedules in such a manner that it can balance the work and life of the employees.
This will require clear articulation from the company that it values the personal lives of
its employees. The employees must understand that their organisation also keeps in mind
the value of their life and personal relationship. Such articulation can be done through
the company’s vision and mission statements.

Providing Managerial Support

Only lip service towards work life balance will not suffice. Organisations must
make sure that there are proper organisational systems of work design that allows
employees to have flexible time. This may even require a new look towards HR manual,
which the organisation may have.

It is also necessary to evaluate such systems of flexibility from time to time. Otherwise,
stagnancy will creep into the work schedules, which might create new dimensions of the
problem in the work life patterns. To keep pace with the changing patterns of work and
life of employees, the organisations can arrange special training programs that will
inform the employees about the new working trends. This can be done through sharing
successful models of work schedules and real life case studies.
Practising What You Preach
Above all, the organisations need to execute their flexible work schedules.
Flexible work patterns must become a part of organisational initiatives. This will require

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the creation of a networked environment that can provide a ‘back up’ system to support
work relationship. Essentially this will require employees to become cross functional, so
that a temporary emergency or a shortfall in one department can be met by other
departments. Thus, the role of HR department needs to be revisited and made more
expansive and supportive towards organisational and individual needs.

Sustain It
Once the organisation follows and internalises the practice of flexible work
schedules for its employees, it is very necessary that it sustains it over a long period of
time. Such sustainability can e brought about by clear demarcations of accountability and
means to measure it. In other words, the focus and purpose of creating balanced work life
should be maintained at any cost. This will also call for review and evaluation of the
current work environment and make modifications in the schedules accordingly.

Several researchers have shown that a balanced work-life creates greater

employee productivity. What important is the long-term and not the short-term, which
seems to become the focus of many organisations. So, though it may apparently seem
that employees are having more leisure, the effect of a balanced work-life will show up
positively in the bottom line of the company.

Benefits of improving work-life balance

Aiding employee recruitment and retention

1. More employees may stay on in a job, return after a break or take a job with one
company over another if they can match their other needs better with those of their
paid work.

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2. This results in savings for the employer – avoiding the cost of losing an experienced
worker and recruiting someone new.

3. Employers who support their staff in this way often gain the bonus of loyalty from
those staff.

4. The British Work-Life Balance Study 2000, including a representative survey of 2500
workplaces, found that 58 per cent of employers thought that work-life balance
practices had improved staff motivation and commitment, and 52 per cent thought
labour turnover and absenteeism were lower, and that they helped retain female
employees. The Australian 2002 Benchmarking Study found that organisations
implementing work-life strategies and evaluating them observed reduced turnover,
absenteeism, and increased return from parental leave.

Reducing absenteeism

1. Many companies that have introduced family-friendly or flexible working practices

have seen benefits through reductions in absenteeism. Sickness rates may fall as
pressures are managed better, while employees may have better methods of dealing
with work-life conflicts than taking unplanned leave.

2. Workers (including their managers) who are healthy and not over-stressed may be
more efficient.

Improving the quality of people's working lives

1. Minimizing work-life role conflict can help prevent role overload and help people
have a more satisfying working life, fulfilling their potential both in paid work and
outside it.

2. Work life balance can minimize stress and fatigue at work, enabling people to have
safer and healthier working lives. Workplace stress and fatigue can contribute to
injuries at work and at home.

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3. Self-employed people control their own work time to some extent. Most existing
information on work-life balance is targeted at those in employment relationships.
However, the self-employed too may benefit from maintaining healthy work habits
and developing strategies to manage work-flows which enable them to balance work
with other roles in their lives.

Matching people who wouldn’t otherwise work with jobs

1. Parents and careers, people with disabilities and those nearing retirement are among
those who may increase their workforce participation if more flexible work
arrangements are possible. Employment has positive individual and social benefits
beyond the financial rewards.

2. Employers may also benefit from a wider pool of talent to draw from – this is
particularly to their benefit when skill shortages exist.

3. The Baseline Study of Work-Life Balance Practices in Great Britain found that there
was strong demand amongst lone parents, careers and disabled people for flexible
working time arrangements.

Benefiting families and communities

1. In a situation of conflict between work and family, one or other suffers. Overseas
studies have found that family life can interfere with paid work, and the reverse. At
the extreme, if family life suffers this may have wider social costs.

2. Involvement in community, cultural, sporting or other activities can be a benefit to

community and civil society at large. For instance, voluntary participation in school
boards of trustees can contribute to the quality of our children's education. While such
activities are not the responsibility of individual employers, they may choose to
support them actively, since community activities can demonstrate good corporate
citizenship, as well as helping develop workers' skills which can be applied to the
workplace.

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The benefits gained by organisations who have introduced flexible employment

practices include:

- An edge over rivals in recruiting the best people;

- Lower staff turnover;
- Improved reputation and corporate image;
- Increased numbers returning to work after maternity leave;
- A wider pool of talent from which to promote;
- Flexibility to meet emergencies, crises or unpredictable demand;
- Tasks organised around work rather than work around rigid job definitions
and processes;
- Strengthened loyalty;
- A more satisfied, happier team;
- Reduced stress levels;
- Less sickness and unscheduled absence;
- Improved time keeping;
- Better return on investment in training.

Universally adopted policies and practices of work life balance

1. Part Time Working

Usually defined as less than 30 hours per week. Hours may be worked over any number
of days.

Benefits Points to consider

allows cover for busy periods
popular option for women
part-time working regulations
extend the rights of part-time
workers more in line with those of
full time staff
can increase overall staff numbers

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and therefore training costs and

returning from maternity leave
fixed overheads
negative associations with low
pay/low status

2. Flexi-time
Workers choose the hours they work within defined limits. Usually there are set 'core'
times for attendance and controls over the maximum credit or debit hours which can be
built up and carried over a period of time.

Benefits Points to consider

can help with travel needs to be well
difficulties organized/managed
requires a degree of self
can help reduce absence
management
enables company to extend the
hours when a service can be
provided
working times can be adjusted
to meet peaks/troughs
improved time keeping

3. Annualised Hours

Agreed weekly hours are replaced by an annual hours arrangement and a forward
working pattern of rostered and reserve hours. By agreement, reserve hours may be
triggered at short notice. Pay is usually set at a regular, guaranteed monthly sum’s

Benefits Points to consider

increases flexibility to handle administratively complex to
1
seasonal fluctuations in demand design and operate
allows parents and carers to
arrange their working hours implications of national
2
around term time/school minimum wage legislation
holidays
allows parents and carers to take
3
advantage of off peak holidays

4. Term Time Working

An arrangement in which reduced hours or time off is agreed for school holidays.

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Benefits Points to consider

helps recruit and retain absence during prime holiday
1 employees with school age time may make it difficult to
children arrange cover

5.Flexible Rostered

Arrangements which allow employees to schedule their working times and patterns to
match predicted staffing level needs over a set period. Hours earned or owed may be
stored in a 'time bank'.

Benefits Points to consider

1 reduces absenteeism requires central administration
reduces time taken off for
2 voluntary co-operation essential
sickness
increases flexibility to meet implications of national
3
workload peaks and troughs minimum wage legislation.
individual choice increases implications of working time
4
motivation regulations

6.Shift Swap

Simple working arrangements which allow employees to cover for colleagues and to take
time off without using up holiday allowance.

Benefits Points to consider

1 reduces absenteeism requires central administration
reduces time taken off for
2
sickness

7. Voluntarily Reduced Work Time

Often referred to as 'V-Time'. Employees trade pay for time over an agreed period with
an option to return
to full time afterwards.
Benefits
can help retain staff faced with a
difficult personal situation or
1
medium term domestic
emergency

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8. Tele-working or Flexi place

An arrangement in which employees work from home or an external location and may
communicate via a computer link.

Benefits Points to consider

1 reduces overheads issues of supervision
better retention of staff with
2 issues of communication
caring responsibilities
3 higher productivity requires self management
increases pool of potential implications of national
4
recruits minimum wage legislation

9. Job Share

Two, or more, people divide responsibility for one full time job.

Benefits Points to consider

may add to management
1` adds to the expertise available
responsibilities
improves information sharing
2 increases training/fixed costs
and joint working
requires good communication
can sustain higher productivity
3 between sharers and their
over a shorter working week
managers
continuity management is
4 important (for example in
customer relationships)

10. Career Break

An extended period of paid, or more commonly, unpaid time off with an agreement of a
job on return. Return to work may be phased.

Benefits Points to consider

job cover may need to be
1 helps retain staff who are carers
planned
increases return to work after skills may decline during
2
maternity leave absence
experience may be enhanced extra effort needed to keep in
3
during the break touch and up to date

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11. Family Leave

Arrangements which support new parents through enhanced maternity leave allowance,
paternity leave, adoption leave, family emergency. May include time off for moving
home, family marriage, and bereavement.

Benefits Points to consider

helps recruitment and retention arrangements must take account
1
of key employees of rights to parental leave
2 increases loyalty

12. Workplace Childcare Facilities

Arrangements which may include on site nursery, out of school 'club', or holiday play
scheme offering places to employees. Baby feeding/changing stations may be provided.

Benefits Points to consider

a viable option only for large
1 can utilize redundant premises organizations or as part of a
partnership
many employees prefer childcare
can simplify the journey to
2 near to home if work is at a
childcare/work
distance
can enable breast feeding to schemes must be registered with
3 continue after a mother has local authorities and meet
returned to work statutory requirements
childcare providers are exempt
highly visible symbol of
4 from VAT and cannot reclaim
employer commitment
VAT paid to their suppliers
improved recruitment and
5
retention
can increase a father's
6 commitment in childcare
responsibilities
capital costs may qualify for tax
7
relief

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CHAPTER-3

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RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY

3.1 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

 To find out effects of quality of work life initiatives on employees

• To find out way to improve quality of work life.

• To gain an insight into current working life policies and practices, as well as work-

life balance issues

3.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

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For achieving the objectives of study, survey was conducted. For survey, personal
interviews of various managerial level employees were undertaken. more personal with
close ended questions.
The Management was interviewed on various aspects likely to have impact on the
quality of work life & on the turn over of the employees viz. no. facilities provided to the
employees, procedure for the promotions, increments in pay, bonus schemes incentive
sector etc. given to the employees.

3.3Sample Size:
I have covered 100 workers.

3.4Types of Data:I have used primary as well as secondary data. Some data is been
taken from internet, and some is gathering through questionnaire.

3.5LIMITATIONS
1. The samples of workers are not representative of the total workforce.
2. The workers hesitate disclosing the true facts in order to secure their job.

3. There is no measure to check out whether the information provided by the

Workers are correct or not.

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CHAPTER-4
DATA ANALYSIS
AND
INTERPRETATIONS

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1. Which of the following best describe your working area?

WORK PROFILE

Marketing Back Operation

Finance / Accounting Human Resources
MIS

32% of the respondents are from marketing field. 10% are from back operations. 19% are
from finance. 15% are from MIS. And 24% are from human resource.

2. .Are you satisfied with your work environment?

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QWL

No Response
18%

Satisfied Satisfied
Unsatisfied 52%
Unsatisfied
30%
No Response

Out of 100 respondents, 52% said that they are satisfied with their work place
environment. 18% were unsatisfied, and rest did not respond. It shows that more than
50% of the respondents are satisfied with their working environment.

3. Satisfaction with working condition or facilities provided?

QWL

Sanitation
12%
Transport
46%

Safety
38%
Drinking Water
4% Sanitation
Safety
Drinking Water
Transport

Majority of respondents were mainly satisfied with the transport facility i.e. 46%. 38%
were satisfied with safety at workplace arrangements.

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4. Is there any extra facilities like food or Transportation being provided?

QWL

Concession
28%

Free
72%
Free
Concession

Majority i.e. 72% respondents were availing free transportation or food facilities. Rest of
28% were getting these at concession rates

5. Is job rotation facility provided?

QWL
No
22%

Yes
No
Yes
78%

In the survey 78% responded that their job rotation facility is provided to them by their
organizations. While 22% said no such facility is provided at their respective work place.

6. Any extra facilities like health camps or yoga camps being held for
health benefits?
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QWL

No
42%
Yes
Yes
No
58%

58% of the respondents said their organization do hold such camps for them, while 42%
said no such facility is provided to them by their organizations.

6. Carer’s leave (e.g. allows employees to take time off to care for and
support a sick family or household member) .

carer's leave

very un important
unimportant
don’t know
important
very important

Overall 90% of the total respondents felt that carer’s leaves that are being provided by
their organizations are important to them. 8% said they are not aware of such facilities
and 2% felt that such facilities are not of much importance to them

8. Opportunity for leave if care arrangements for children or other

dependants break down (e.g. if day-care mother gets sick the employee is

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allowed to take leave to care for his/her child)

emergency leave

very un important
unimportant
don’t know
important
very important

59% said that emergency leaves are very important to them, 28% said that its important
for them, 5% said that such leaves are not of much importance to them, and rest 8% are
not aware of such leaves in their organizations.

9. Study/training leave (allows employees to take time off for study or

training)
study/training leave

very un important
unimportant
don’t know
important
very important

45% of respondents don’t feel that such facility is of any use to them, 40% feel that such
facilities are of great help for enhancing the quality of their work life, rest 15% are not
aware of such facilities at their work place.

10. Pooling of leave entitlements (e.g. ability to pool all leave entitlements
(i.e. sick leave, carer's leave etc.) giving employees a larger number of days
if they need it for family reasons)
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pooling of leave entitlements

very un
important
unimportant

don’t know

important

very important

Total 85% respondents feel that this policy helps them balance their work and life. Only
4% of the total respondents feel otherwise. Rest of the respondents i.e. 11% are not aware
of such policy.

11. Unpaid maternity/paternity and adoption leave

maternity/ adoption leave

very un important
unimportant
don’t know
important
very important

This is one question on which all the respondents agree that this policy is very important
for them.

12. A carers room or flexibility of bringing children to work in emergencies

(e.g. provision of a safe location where staff can carry out their regular work
duties while caring for dependents until other arrangements can be made)

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flexibility of bringing children at work

in case of emergency

very un important
unimportant
don’t know
important
very important

Only 5% of the total respondents don’t feel that flexibility of bringing children to work in
emergencies is not that much important issue. Rest 95% feels that it is very important for
them.

13. Cap on overtime (a limit on the number of hours overtime that can be
worked)
cap on overtime

very un important
unimportant
don’t know
important
very important

51% feel that this policy is very important. 37% feel this policy is important. 12% feel
that such policy is not at all important for them. This policy ensures that employees do
not neglect their health.

14. Time off in lieu, rostered days off (allows employees to take time off for

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overtime they worked, instead of payment)

time off in leiu of money for overtime

very un important
unimportant
don’t know
important
very important

34% respondents feel that this is not a good work life balance policy because the very
reason for which they do over time i.e. money if not given to them then they don’t feel
like working for over time. Rest of 66% feels that it is very important. As they will get to
spend quality time with their family which is more important then monetary benefits

15. Self-rostering and/or staggered start and finish times (picking your own
start and finish times and/or days as long as you work an agreed number of
hours)

self-rostering

very un important
unimportant
don’t know
important
very important

Majority i.e. 85% feels that this is one of the best policies and is of great importance. As
this policy helps workers to work according to their comfort level. Only 5% respondents
feel that it is not of much importance to them. Rest 10% has no idea about such policy.

16. Counseling services for employees (the organization pays for counseling
services for employees experiencing, among other things, work/family

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stress)

counseling services for employees

very un important
unimportant
don’t know
important
very important

92% respondents say that for them counseling services are very important where as 6%
feel that such practices are of not much significance to them, and rest 2% are not aware of
such practices.

17. Exercise facilities (the organization provides on site or subsidizes

exercise facilities/gym membership)

membership facilities in clubs

very un important
unimportant
don’t know
important
very important

62% respondents say that membership facilities are very important and have a positive
impact on their personal lives. 33% said that such facilities don’t affect their personal
lives and are not important to them.

18. Relocation or placement assistance (where an employee has to move for

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work purposes, the organization helps the whole family adapt to the new
environment)

relocation assistance

very un important
unimportant
don’t know
important
very important

Here all the employees agreed that relocation assistance is very important for them.

CHAPTER-5

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FINDINGS AND

SUGGESTIONS

5.1FINDINGS

Of the total number of respondents, 32% are from marketing field. 10% are from back
operations. 19% are from finance. 15% are from MIS. And 24% are from human
resource.

Workers are well satisfied with the working conditions and the facilities provided.

Extra facilities like food or transportation being provided, but in return they charge the
perks but in addition those perks are not so high as compared to the well high class
facilities. Meanwhile the job rotation is provided 78 %

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 QWL

Health and yoga camps are to be provided for meditation and relaxing after a hectic work
but not as compared to the burden of the work as only 58 % are provided such facilities
and they consider it important also.

Management flexibility with respect to the social responsibility to the workers is not up
to the mark.

It is found that employees value emergency leaves, study leave, and carer’s leave a lot
Pooling of leave so that employees can use them when need arises is very popular policy
with employees. Some other popular work life balance policies with employees are:
maternity/ adoption leave and relocation assistance policy.

We found that organizations are concerned for the health of their employees that’s why
they have introduced the policy of cap on time where a limit is put on the number of
hour’s overtime that can be worked by the employees.

Time off in lieu of money and self roistering are two very innovative policies.

5.2SUGGESTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

After analyzing the data we have come to the conclusion that employers need to handle
employees in such a manner that employees don’t get frustrated with the stress and over
burdened of the work.

Facilities like food and transportation to be provided free, company has to provide more
growth opportunities to the workers.

Time to time job rotations and job incentives has to be provided.

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 QWL

Health and yoga camps to provide on regular basis to make their workers get rid of stress
of work load.

Employees should be given free memberships in the clubs so that they can refresh
themselves.

Social responsibility should have to increase at professional level.

Policies like time off in lieu of money, self roistering and flexi time should be used more
prominently in the organizations.

Policies like:
a) Adoption Leave
b) Career Break
c) Right to Request Flexible Working
d) Flexi-time
e) Job Share
f) Maternity Leave
g) Parental Leave, Carer’s Leave and Time off for Dependants
h) Paternity Leave
i) Childcare Facilities
Should be used as per the customized needs of the employees.

BIBILOGRAPHY

 INTERNET
• www.google.com
• www.ask.com
• www.wikepidea.com

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 BOOKS
• Human Resource and Personnel Management – William Wrether
• ICFAI University Press – HRM Review
• Kothari, C.R., 1990 Research Methodology, Methods and Techniques
(2nd edition), India, Vishwa

QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear Respondent,

I am a student of MBA (Final Year) at N.C.College of engineering Israna.As a

part of our curriculum; I am supposed to undertake a survey on “Quality of Work Life”.
I will be obliged if you provide full and correct information up to your knowledge.
Name of the Organization: _______________________________________
Name of the Employee: _______________________________________

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 QWL

How important is this policy to you personally?

(1 2 3 4 5)
(Very Unimportant Unimportant Don't know Important Very Important)

1.Carers leave (e.g. allows employees to take time off

to care for and support a sick family or household member)
1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ----- ------

2. Opportunity for leave if care arrangements for

children or other dependants break down (e.g. if
day-care mother gets sick the employee is allowed
to take leave to care for his/her child) 1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ----- ------

3. Study/training leave (allows employees to take time

off for study or training) 1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ----- ------

4. Is job rotation facility provided?

Yes No

5. Are you satisfied with your work environment?

Satisfied
Unsatisfied
No Response
6. Satisfaction with working condition or facilities provided?
Yes No
Sanitation
Safety
Drinking Water
Transport

7. Is there any extra facilities like food or Transportation being provided?

Yes No
If Yes, then Free Concession

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 QWL

8. Pooling of leave entitlements (e.g. ability to pool

all leave entitlements (i.e. sick leave, carer's
leave etc.) giving employees a larger number of days
if they need it for family reasons) 1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ----- ------

Parenting and Pregnancy Policies

9. Unpaid maternity/paternity and adoption leave 1 2 3 4 5

------ ------ ------ ----- ------

10. A carers room or bringing children to work in

emergencies (e.g. provision of a safe location where
staff can carry out their regular work duties while caring
for dependents until other arrangements can be made) 1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ----- ------

11. Which of the following best describe your working area?

Marketing
Back Operation
Finance / Accounting
Human Resources
MIS

12. Are you satisfied with your work environment?

Satisfied
Unsatisfied
No Response

Flexible Work Arrangements

13. Cap on overtime (a limit on the number of hours
overtime that can be worked) 1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ----- ------

14. Time off in lieu, rostered days off (allows

employees to take time off for overtime they worked,
instead of payment) 1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ----- ------

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15. Self-rostering and/or staggered start and finish

times (picking your own start and finish times and/or
days as long as you work an agreed number of hours) 1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ----- ------

16. Counselling services for employees (the

organisation pays for counselling services for
employees experiencing, among other things,
work/family stress) 1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ----- ------

17. Exercise facilities (the organisation provides on

site or subsidises exercise facilities/gym membership) 1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ----- ------

18. Relocation or placement assistance (where an

employee has to move for work purposes, the
organisation helps the whole family adapt to the new
environment) 1 2 3 4 5
------ ------ ------ ----- ------

Thank you for your participation

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