A company that has recognized talent, whose work is valued and whose voice is heard, has a strong chance of retaining them. Nevertheless, competition is fierce in the job market. It is estimated that each employee is approached at least once a month on average. To prevent talent from leaving and to retain it, the American start-ups have a solution. It's all about quality of life and working conditions, or QWL.
What is the QWL?
The Quality of Life and Working Conditions is the official term that replaces the QWL since March 31, 2022 and the National Interprofessional Agreement. QWL focuses on working conditions, environmental, social and psychological dimensions that influence the well-being and health of employees at work. Creating a favorable work environment by taking into account the needs and interests of employees and the sustainable issues of the company.
The evaluation of the quality of life at work is based on various elements. It includes equal pay and behavior between men and women, the constraints of a job in terms of difficulty, the adaptation of workstations to disabled workers, the level of social protection, the balance between professional and private life, etc…
The perception and even more the reality of these elements weigh positively, as well as negatively on the profitability of a company. Working conditions that are judged to be generally poor will lead to demotivation, sick leave and high turnover. These elements have a negative impact on the financial result. On the contrary, a QWL that is considered satisfactory will be motivating for the staff. They will be loyal and involved in the success of the general activity of which they feel an integral part.
The importance of QWL
Talent management involves taking into account their well-being at work. A happy employee is an employee who is not at risk of burn-out. They are not stressed and therefore do not have absenteeism. The quality of life at work is a winning solution, since both the employee and the employer benefit from it. The notion of well-being at work has been slow to gain awareness. At the beginning it was wrongly considered as a waste of time, leading to a loss of money. However, the opposite is true, since a QWL policy reinforces the employee’s motivation at work, and therefore his productivity. This increase in commitment is further explored in our page“Boosting employee commitment“.
Determining the right QWL policy
There is no single QWL planning method that can be adapted by all companies according to a predefined model. The approach differs according to the specificities of each company.
The first phase: adapting your communication to your interlocutor.
Indeed, it is the employee feedback that will inform the human resources management about the atmosphere within the departments, about the possible problems related to a workstation and about the employees' expectations and needs. Their desiderata must be analyzed, considered and given feedback, either positive in expectation of implementation, or negative in support of an argument. Determining the framework for a good quality of life at work therefore involves this necessary communication between HR and employees.
The second phase: applying the practices of the theoretical teachings.
This approach is essential in career management because it demonstrates to employees that their opinion has been valued, that their request has been heard or that their work has been recognized. This results in improving what can be improved, eliminating dysfunctions and creating a feeling of cohesion under the same banner: that of the company.
Changing the employee’s relationship to work
Happiness at work is born from motivation at work. This is maintained by the trust that managers place in an employee. It is essential that the employee has a certain degree of autonomy that will exacerbate his or her sense of responsibility. The employee must feel that he is an important link and that a failure on his part will result in a break in the chain. They will thus find meaning in their work, which will strengthen their productivity and improve the company's performance.
A good quality of life at work also consists in breaking down the barriers between departments by establishing horizontal communication. This creates a group dynamic, a strong sense of belonging around a corporate culture and values shared by all. An employee who is happy and fulfilled in his or her work will be insensitive to the siren song.
To extend the issue, our clients also ask the question of the impact of digital technology and its use. We have designed a practical guide“Reconciling QWL and NVQ” on this subject.
