AN ARTICLE ON QUALITY OF WORK LIFE

Introduction Human resource management

Human resources are the most valuable and unique assets of an organization. The successful management of an organizations human resource existing, dynamic and challenging task, especially at a time when the world has become a global village and economies are in a state of flux. The scarcity of talented resources and the growing expectations of the modern day worker have further increased the complexity of the human resource function. Even though specific human resource department, the actual management of human resources is the responsibility of all the managers in the organization. It is therefore necessary for all managers to understand and give due importance to the different human resource policies and activities in the organization. Human resource management outlines the importance of HRM and its different functions in an organization.

Meaning:
People are the main resource of all productive efforts in every organization. A detailed study of people is main function of HRM. HRM means the process of accomplishing organizational objectives by acquiring, retaining, terminating, developing and properly using the human resource in the organization. While acquiring the human resource, people with talent, skill and motivation should be recruit ed. HRM also considers that there should not be high manpower turnover. This means human resource adopted to work should remain in the organization for fairly a long time. Those employees who are unruly and do not follow the rules and procedures should be made to retire from service. Developing involves educating, training and makes the human resource to accept any type of current or future work. HRM encompasses every activity relating to human resource in an organization.

Definition:
Prof. Thomas G. Spates offers the following definition: HR administration is a code of the way of organizing and treating individuals at work so that they will each get greatest possible realization of their intrinsic abilities, thus attaining maximum efficiency for themselves and their group, and thereby giving to the enterprise of which they are a part its determining competitive advantage and its optimum results.

Quality of work life (qwl)

The defining of quality of work life involves three major parts: occupational health care, suitable working time and appropriate salary. The safe work environment provides the basis for the person to enjoy working. The work should not pose a health hazard for the person. The term "quality of work life" (QWL) was first introduced in 1972 during an international labor relations conference. The basic objectives of an effective QWL program are improved working conditions (mainly from an employee's perspective) and greater organizational effectiveness (mainly from an employers perspective). A win-win situation may result if QWL is positively linked to business performance. Positive results of QWL have been supported by a number of previous studies, including reduced absenteeism, lower turnover, and improved job satisfaction. Not only does QWL contribute to a company's ability to recruit quality people, but also it enhances a company's competitiveness. Common beliefs support the contention that QWL will positively nurture a more flexible, loyal, and motivated workforce, which are essential in determining the company's competitiveness Quality of work life is different from organization to organization. Work ethics and work culture determine the quality of work life. Poor the above two, worst becomes the quality of work life. De-motivated and/or non-motivated workforce never ever enjoys quality work life. Employees will have working-life quality when they:

Burn for their work, because it is an extension of what they want to do with their life. Develop and become master in chosen field.

Experience fellowship with colleagues and management and is proud of their place of work, and create real value for customers and the surrounding world by producing products and services of high quality. These four elements are called personal quality of life, mastery, fellowship and creation of real value.

Quality of life starts with taking responsibility for our own life and then it spreads in everwidening circles. Without personal development we cannot count on developing professionally, i.e. at work. Good quality of life is a prerequisite for the following, mastery, fellowship and creation of real value. Personal development is about two things: to develop the way we think of life, i.e. our philosophy of life, and to improve the way we actually live, i.e. our practice of life.

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.

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:  Being  Belonging, and

 Becoming. The Being domain includes the basic aspects of "who one is" and has three sub-domains. Physical being includes aspects of physical health, personal hygiene, nutrition, exercise, grooming, clothing, and physical appearance. Psychological being includes the person's psychological health and adjustment, cognitions, feelings, and evaluations concerning the self, and self-control. Spiritual Being reflects personal values, personal standards of conduct, and spiritual beliefs which may or may not be associated with organized religions.

Belonging includes the person's fit with his/her environments and also has three sub-domains. Physical Belonging is defined as the connections the person has with his/her physical environments such as home, workplace, neighborhood, school and community. Social Belonging includes links with social environments and includes the sense of acceptance by intimate others, family, friends, co-workers, and neighborhood and community. Community belonging represents access to resources normally available to community members, such as adequate income, health and social services, employment, educational and recreational programs, and community activities.

Becoming refers to the purposeful activities carried out to achieve personal goals, hopes, and wishes. Practical Becoming describes day-to-day actions such as domestic activities, paid work, school or volunteer activities, and seeing to health or social needs. Leisure Becoming includes activities that promote relaxation and stress reduction. These include card games, neighborhood walks, and family visits, or longer duration activities such as vacations or holidays. Growth Becoming activities promote the improvement or maintenance of knowledge and skills.