Work Life: The Quality Of Work Environment

The Quality of Work Life is the most important factor of the working environment because if

employee have high Quality of work life they are satisfied with their work and total working

environment and if employee have Low Quality of work life they are Less satisfied with their

work and total working environment. In this constantly changing and time-determined life we

are living in today, the quality of everyday existence is influenced by various factors, including

work, family, safety and leisure (Ballou & Godwin, 2007; Ellinger & Nissen, 1987; Huang,

Lawler & Lei, 2007)

The term ‘Quality of Work Life’ is originated from an international labor relations conference

in 1972 at Arden House, Columbia University, New York (Davis &

Cascio (1998), Ellinger and Nissen (1987) and Singhapakdi and Vitell (2007) define Quality of

Work Life as the perceptions to which an environment based on mutual respect, supports and

encourages individual participation and open communication in matters which affect

employee 's jobs, business, futures, and their feelings of self-worth. A working career takes up

more than half of daily life, and it is therefore necessary to find new ways to improve, not only

the quality of it, but also the factors relating to an employee 's perceived Quality of Work Life.

According to Lewis et al. (2001) A meta-analysis has been done, suggests QWL factors include

reduced work stress; organisational commitment and belonging ; positive communication;

autonomy; recognition; predictability of work activities; fairness; clear locus of control and

organisational decisions.

Wyatt and Wah (2001) examined four dimensions, which according to them constitute the QWL

of employees. These include: (i) a favourable working environment, (ii) personal growth and

The basic precept of this

approach is that people have basic needs they seek to fulfil through work. Employees thus

derive satisfaction from their jobs to the extent that their jobs meet these needs (Sirgy et al.,

2001).

Lowe et al. (2003) The study exploring the relationship between work-life experiences and

personal life of employees, observed employees are likely to perceive their workplace in a

positive way if certain conditions such as high intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, good social

support, influence over workplace decisions and available resources exist.

Greenhaus, Collins & Shaw, 2003; Schreuder & Coetzee, 2006; Sekwana, 2007; Van

Schalkwyk & Buitendach, 2004). It seems like organisations have become more concerned with

a work-life balance and current research specifically in South Africa has been focused on “work

wellness” or work-life balance, especially since there has been an increase in the number of

working women, dual-career couples and single-parent households.

Greenhaus et al. (2003, p. 513) define work-life balance as “the extent to which an individual