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TopIntroduction
The mantra for creating a sensation in a long run for any organization in the competitive market lies in how it attracts, recruit, retain and motivate its workforce. More and more employees are realizing that like machine and money, personnel are a similarly predominant input in the continued existence of an organization in this turmoil world. Organizations require to adopt flexible approach so that they are equipped to develop their labour force. Therefore, organizations are needed to agree to take upon a strategy to enhance the employees 'Quality of work life' to assure equally the employee needs and organizational purpose.
Work is pervasive in all spheres of life of human beings. As the significance of human resource management, the level of education and knowledge is increasing day by day. It is not enough in organizational context to create flexible schedule, less stressful job and safe working environment, rather employees are more concerned with high Quality of work life.
The notion of Quality of work life was first came into the knowledge in early 1960 but it was possibly coined originally in Arden House in 1972 at the first international conference (Louis Davis & Cherns, 1975) and the notion cover a wide range of organizational phenomenon (Loscocco and Roschelle, 1991).
Different scholars have different connotations for the variable “Quality of work life”. Earlier Quality of work life was considered from the perspectives of working conditions and their impact on job satisfaction of employees. But now the scenario changes, as it has been viewed from the humanistic perspectives i.e. first considered as a human being and then an employee. Glasier (1976) believes that the term QWL is considered more than a job satisfaction, adequate payroll, and good working environment, more even than an equal employment opportunity. According to Walton (1982), the other important factors except from technological advancement of the economic growth and productivity is the QWL.
In this study, we analyse the growth of the latest economy from the vintage point of employees i.e. QWL which offers a multifaceted assessment for both men and women. Therefore, the study of quality of work life among men and women employees in IT industry is of paramount importance.
Conceptualizing the Variables
The present study has adopted the notion of quality of work life which was propounded by Angus McDonald (2001) and is based upon the two notional approaches given by Nadler and Lawler (1983) and Loscocco and Roschelle (1991). They have defined quality of work life as an “employees’ attitude towards, and perception of work and organization”, and conceptualized the term quality of work life with the factors as:
- (i)
Support from manager: The workforce can freely talk to their manager. The Employees believe that they have received sufficient supervision and supervisor is having adequate knowledge for the same.
- (ii)
Freedom from work related stress: The workforce believe that their assigned load is reasonable and they are stress free at the workplace.
- (iii)
Salary and additional benefits: The financial benefits in terms of the work and their education, previous work experience and responsibilities at work are adequate.
- (iv)
Job satisfaction, challenge, use of skills and autonomy: The amount to which employees perceived that their work is enjoyable, stimulating, challenging and offering variety and enjoy sufficient autonomy.
- (v)
Relationship with work colleague: The degree to which employees presume that there is good working culture among colleagues and they can develop healthy relationship at work.
- (vi)
Involvement and responsibility at work: The degree to which employees feel they are involved in the organization’s work and have opportunities to contribute to decisions at work.
- (vii)
Communication, Decision making and job security: The degree to which two way communications within the organization is perceived. Employees feel the job security and they do not need to look for other employment.