In health care organizations quality of work life (QWL) has been described as referring to the strengths and weakness in the total work environment, Organizational features such as policies and procedures, leadership style, operations and general contextual factors of setting, all have a profound effect on how staff views the quality of work life (Lau & May, 2008 & O’Brien et. Al., 2014).
QWL is defined as the favorable conditions and environments of a workplace that support and promote employee satisfaction by providing them with rewards, job security, and growth opportunities. However, some researchers point out that Quality of Work Life (QWL) is not only related to personnel’s well-being and their attitudes and feelings towards their job (Beaudoin & Edgar, 2003) but also goes beyond job satisfaction (Cheung & Tang, 2009).
From a nursing perspective, Brooks, et al. , (2011) defined the QWL as “the degree to which registered nurses are able to satisfy important personal needs through their experiences in their work organization while achieving the organization’s goals”. Therefore, the concept of employee satisfaction is about more than simply providing people with a job and a salary. It is about providing people with a place where they feel accepted, wanted and appreciated.
Regular assessment of QWL can potentially provide organizations with important information about the welfare of their employees, such as job satisfaction, general well-being, work-related stress and the home-work interface. Focusing on improving QWL to increase the happiness and satisfaction of employees can result in many advantages for the employee, organization and consumers. These include strengthening organizational commitment, improving quality of care and increasing the productivity of both the individual and the organization (Carlson, 2009).
According to Sirgy et al, (2001), a happy employee is productive, dedicated and committed. On the other hand, failure to manage these factors can have a major impact on employee behavioral responses.
Nurses' job satisfaction is an important issue for health care organizations. It has long been recognized as a crucial indicator of nurses' performance, cost savings, and quality of patient care (Zaghloul, et al, 2008). Nurses' job satisfaction and dissatisfaction had an impact on their practice that directly or indirectly can affect the patients' satisfaction (Spoken, 2007). It is assumed that satisfied nurses were tended to be more productive, creative and committed towards the profession and the organization (Al-Hassami, 2008). Conversely, dissatisfaction with work can cause poor job performance, lower productivity, and staff turnover (Zaghloul et al., 2008).
Price (2011) defined job satisfaction as an attitude an employee has toward his or her work. Low job satisfaction resulting from work-related stress and declining physical functioning have played a significant role in attrition from nursing.
Aims and Scope:
- Quality
- Work life
- Nurse
- Organizational features
- Job satisfaction
- Hospital