A PROJECT REPORT QUALITY WORK LIFE 45 Days Summer Training Project with ” HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Ltd.”
Submitted by: Priya Mudgal MBA – III Semester
Poornima School of Management ISI – 2, RIICO Institutional Area, Goner Road, Sitapura, Jaipur
Poornima school of Management (Department Of Management Studies) (ISI – 2, Goner Road, Sitapura, Jaipur) 1
CERTIFICATE OF Summer Project/Training during June – July, 2010 Certified that Mr. / Ms. Priya Mudgal , student of Master of Business Administration, III Semester has submitted his report on “Quality work life” after successfully completing the summer practical training at ’ HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Ltd. ‘ from June 17th to August 1st 2010, towards fulfillment of the syllabus requirement prescribed by Rajasthan technical University, Kota for MBA III semester Paper.
Dr. Vandana Sharma Director, PSOM
Acknowledgement It gives me pleasure to present this report. This report is out come of the study on “QUALITY OF WORK LIFE”. I got support from many people without their help I would not have got success. I wish to record sincere appreciation and thanks to them.
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First of all I would like to thanks Mr.Shatayprakash channel manager in Hdfc . HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Ltd for undertaking this project work. I’ll be failing in my duty if I do not thank Mr. R.K. Agarwal for hs constant moral support Finally, I am very thankful to all of my friends whose cooperation and suggestions have helped me in successful complete of this project.
Priya Mudgal
PREFACE
Paradigm shifts encompassing structural, functional and governance aspects should have normally formed the subjects of debate and discussion at the time of beginning 3
of the insurance sector reforms. These facets which were examined in nineties are now being taken up for discussion once again after more than a decade of implementing a wide range of reforms, a new concept has recently blossomed. Every single insurance company, be it from the private sector, or even the foreign counterparts, are embarking on providing its services to the customers by evolving new financial instruments and adopting new strategies. At this juncture, a question that needs to be answered is: ‘was not the case similar few years ago? Perhaps not. With the change of catch phase from ‘caveat emptor’ to ‘caveat vendor’, insurance companies are trying its level best to offer a transparent environment and quality of services to the invaluable customers. Emphasizing on the requisites of the costumers, the entire business concept has provided a host of new insurance product/services and instrument to the ever ending worlds. The predicament for insurance arises when hank customer abandons the traditional services of availing life protection cover. This argument has been increasingly raised by the discerning population of the best answer as well as a principal strategy for insurance confronted with a plethora of quandaries.
Table of Contents Preface 1. Executive summary 4
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2. Industry profile
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3. Company profile
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4. Objectives, Scope and Purpose
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5. Research Methodology
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6. Data & Analysis
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7. Conclusion
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8. Recommendations
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9. Limitations
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10.Bibliography
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Executive summary Quality work life basically is all about employee involvement, which consists of methods to motivate employees to participate in decision making. This help in building in good relationship. 5
In today's high tech, fast-paced world, the work environment is very different than it was a generation ago. It is not uncommon for a person to change careers an average of six times in his or her lifetime. It is now rare for a person to stay with a single company his or her entire working life. Because employees are often willing to leave a company for better opportunities, companies need to find ways not only to hire qualified people, but also to retain them. Unfortunately, many employees these days feel they are working harder, faster, and longer hours than ever before. Job-related employee stress can lead to lack of commitment to the corporation, poor productivity, and even leaving the company; all of which are of serious concern to management. Many employees bring work home with them on a regular basis, especially now that it is so easy for them to do that. With the wide availability of cell phones, pagers, personal digital assistants, and computers, employees find it harder to get away from the office. The project helps me to understand how a company’s HR Department try to improve their business by keeping good relations with employees. IT helps to understand how good working conditions help employees to work more efficiently. ‘Quality work life’ emphasises on how an employee and employer should keep a proper balance between their work and family. If emphasises how people can keep balance by making their work timings flexible. Employees in the future will likely be looking for corporations that have a new work environment, one that encourages each employee to work toward improvement in the product or service gives employees the responsibility and authority to make decisions, provides timely feedback, and rewards employees based upon the quality of the product and efforts. Team effort will assume central importance, especially that of self-directed work teams. Employees will choose employers who have aims and values that match theirs and who value balance in their employees' lives. Employees want to learn and advance, so opportunities for professional growth will attract employees. Health human resources have emerged as a top priority for research and action. This paper echoes calls for a fundamentally new approach to the people side of the health care system –treating employees as assets that need to be nurtured rather than costs that need to be controlled.
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This paper examines the research and relevant Canadian empirical evidence on work schedules, work time and work–life balance. It assesses trends and current practices in Canadian workplaces, particularly in sectors under federal jurisdiction. The paper also reviews empirical evidence on problems regarding work–life balance, increasing work-life pressures, and the need to accommodate evolving family structures. It also considers possible legislative and non-legislative solutions.
Industry profile In India, Insurance is a national matter, in which life and general insurance is yet a booming sector with huge possibilities for different global companies, as life insurance premiums account to 2.5% and general insurance premiums account to 0.65% of India's GDP. The Indian Insurance sector has gone through several phases 7
and changes, especially after 1999, when the Govt. of India opened up the insurance sector for private companies to solicit insurance, allowing FDI up to 26%. Since then, the Insurance sector in India is considered as a flourishing market amongst global insurance companies. However, the largest life insurance company in India is still owned by the government. The history of Insurance in India dates back to 1818, when Oriental Life Insurance Company was established by Europeans in Kolkata to cater to their requirements. Nevertheless, there was discrimination among the life of foreigners and Indians, as higher premiums were charged from the latter. In 1870, Indians took a sigh of relief when Bombay Mutual Life Assurance Society, the first Indian insurance company covered Indian lives at normal rates. Onset of the 20th century brought a drastic change in the Insurance sector. In 1912, the Govt. of India passed two acts - the Life Insurance Companies Act, and the Provident Fund Act - to regulate the insurance business. National Insurance Company Ltd, founded in 1906, is the oldest existing insurance company in India. Earlier, the Insurance sector had only two state insurers - Life Insurers i.e. Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), and General Insurers i.e. General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC). In December 2000, these subsidiaries were de-linked from parent company and were declared independent insurance companies: Oriental Insurance Company Limited, New India Assurance Company Limited, National Insurance Company Limited and United India Insurance Company Limited.
Insurance Companies In India • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited Birla Sun Life Insurance Co. Ltd HDFC Standard life Insurance Co. Ltd ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd. ING Vysya Life Insurance Company Ltd. Life Insurance Corporation of India Max New York Life Insurance Co. Ltd Met Life India Insurance Company Ltd. Kotak Mahindra Old Mutual Life Insurance Limited SBI Life Insurance Co. Ltd Tata AIG Life Insurance Company Limited Reliance Life Insurance Company Limited. Aviva Life Insurance Co. India Pvt. Ltd. Shriram Life Insurance Co, Ltd. 8
Sahara India Life Insurance Bharti AXA Life Insurance Future Generali Life Insurance IDBI Fortis Life Insurance Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Religare Life Insurance DLF Pramerica Life Insurance Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Agriculture Insurance Company of India Apollo DKV Insurance Cholamandalam MS General Insurance HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company ICICI Lombard General Insurance IFFCO Tokio General Insurance National Insurance Company Ltd New India Assurance Oriental Insurance Company Reliance General Insurance Royal Sundaram Alliance Insurance Shriram General Insurance Company Limited Tata AIG General Insurance United India Insurance Universal Sompo General Insurance Co. Ltd
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Clearing basics Before we begin the analysis of Indian insurance industry, let us clear some basics on insurance. •
In the words of a layman, insurance means managing risk. For instance, in
life insurance segment, the insurance company tries to manage mortality (death) rates among the wide array of clients. •
The insurance company works in a manner by collecting premiums from
policy holders, investing the money (usually in low risk investments), and then reimbursing this same money once the person passes away or the policy matures. The greater the probability for a person to have a shorter life span than the average mark, the higher premium that person has to pay. The case is the same for all other types of insurance, including automobile, health and property. 9
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Ownership of insurance companies is of two types:
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Shareholder ownership
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Policyholder ownership
Types of Insurance 1. Life Insurance - Insurance guaranteeing a specific sum of money to a designated beneficiary upon the death of the insured, or to the insured if he or she lives beyond a certain age. 2. Health Insurance - Insurance against expenses incurred through illness of the insured. 3. Liability Insurance - This insures property such as automobiles, property and professional/business mishaps.
Challenges facing Insurance Industry Threat of New Entrants: The insurance industry has been budding with
•
new entrants every other day. Therefore the companies should carve out niche areas such that the threat of new entrants might not be a hindrance. There is also a chance that the big players might squeeze the small new entrants. Power of Suppliers: Those who are supplying the capital are not that big a
•
threat. For instance, if someone as a very talented insurance underwriter is presently working for a small insurance company, there exists a chance that any big player willing to enter the insurance industry might entice that person off. •
Power of Buyers: No individual is a big threat to the insurance industry and big corporate houses have a lot more negotiating capability with the insurance companies. Big corporate clients like airlines and pharmaceutical companies pay millions of dollars every year in premiums.
•
Availability of Substitutes: There exist a lot of substitutes in the insurance industry. Majorly, the large insurance companies provide similar kinds of services – be it auto, home, commercial, health or life insurance.
How to choose an insurance company? There are many factors to probe into when an investor chose an insurance company. 10
•
The consumers as well as the investors should only focus on the insurer's
financial strength and capability to meet ongoing responsibilities to its policyholders. •
The fundamentals of the insurance company should be strong and should
not indicate a poor investment opportunity as this might also deter growth.
Company profile HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Ltd. is one of India's leading private insurance companies, which offers a range of individual and group insurance solutions. It is a joint venture between Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited (HDFC Ltd.), India's leading housing finance institution and a Group Company of the Standard Life, UK. HDFC as on December 31, 2007 holds 72.38 percent of equity in the joint venture.
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HDFC STANDARD LIFE INSURANCE PARENTAGE HDFC Limited. •
•
HDFC is India leading housing finance institution and has helped build more than23, 00,000 houses since its incorporation in 1977. In Financial Year 2003-04 its assets under management crossed Rs. 36,000 Cr. As at March 31, 2004, outstanding deposits stood at Rs. 7,840 crores. The Depositor base now stands at around 1 million depositors. Rated AAA by CRISIL and ICRA for the 10th consecutive year.
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Stable and experienced management.
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High service standards
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Awarded The Economic Times Corporate Citizen of the year Award for its long-standing commitment to community development. • Presented the Dream Home â award for the best housing finance provider in 2004 at the third Annual Outlook Mone Awards. HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Limited., being one of the key players in the insurance sector in India, offers a host of individual and group insurance solutions, suiting customer requirements. It happens to be a joint venture between Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited (HDFC Limited), and a Group Company of the Standard Life Plc, UK. It was per the data on February 28, 2009 that HDFC Ltd. held 72.43% and Standard Life 2006, Ltd. held 26.00% of equity in the JV. The remaining stake is held by others. Established on 14th August 2000, HDFC Standard Life Insurance Co. Ltd. is a joint venture between Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited (HDFC Limited) 12
- India's leading housing finance institution, and a Group Company of the Standard Life Plc, UK. The Company is one of leading private insurance companies, offering a range of individual and group insurance solutions, in India. Being a joint venture of top financial services groups, HDFC Standard Life has adequate financial expertise to manage long-term investments safely and resourcefully. HDFC Standard Life Insurance offers a range of individual and group solutions, which can be easily personalized to specific needs. Its group solutions have been planned to offer complete flexibility, together with a low charging structure. As of 31 December, 2008, the Company's new business premium income stood at Rs. 1,839.70 Crores; it has covered over 812,811 lives so far. Given below is a comprehensive list of policies and products on offer by HDFC Standard Life Insurance:
Protection Plans • • •
HDFC Term Assurance Plan HDFC Loan Cover Term Assurance Plan HDFC Home Loan Protection Plan
Children's Plans • • • •
HDFC Children's Plan HDFC Unit Linked Young Star II HDFC Unit Linked Young Star Plus II HDFC Unit Linked YoungStar Champion
Retirement Plans • • • •
HDFC Personal Pension Plan HDFC Unit Linked Pension II HDFC Unit Linked Pension Maximiser II HDFC Immediate Annuity
Savings & Investment Plans • • • •
HDFC Unit Linked Endowment Plus II HDFC SimpliLife HDFC Unit Linked Endowment II HDFC Unit Linked Enhanced Life Protection II 13
• • • • • • •
HDFC Unit Linked Wealth Maximiser Plus HDFC Unit Linked Endowment Winner HDFC Endowment Assurance Plan HDFC Money Back Plan HDFC Single Premium Whole of Life Insurance Plan HDFC Assurance Plan HDFC Savings Assurance Plan
Health Plans • •
HDFC Critical Care Plan HDFC SurgiCare Plan
Group Plans • • • • •
Group Term Insurance Plan Group Variable Term Insurance Plan Group Unit Linked Plan - Gratuity Group Unit Linked Plan - Superannuation Group Unit Linked Plan - Leave Encashmen
The MD and CEO of HDFC Standard Life Mr. Deepak Satwalekar, has given the company new directions and has helped the company achieve the status it currently enjoys. HDFC Standard Life brings to you a whole range of insurance solutions be it group or individual or NAV services for corporations, they can be easily customized as per specific needs. HDFC Standard Life Insurance India boasts of covering around 8.7 lakh lives by March'2007. The gross incomes standing at a whopping Rs. 2, 856 crores, HDFC Standard Life Insurance Corporation is sure to become one of the leaders and the first preference for any life insurance customer. The Bancassurance partners of HDFC Standard Life Insurance Co Ltd are HDFC, HDFC Bank India Limited, Union Bank of India, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, Saraswat Bank and Bajaj Capital.
OTHER PRODUCTS 14
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Rural Products
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Social Development Insurance Plan
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Tax Benefit Schemes
The premium payment options available to the customers vary from online payment to direct desk payments at the HDFC Standard Life Branches, by courier services or in drop boxes provided. You can also pay by ECS or Automatic Debit System or credit cards or standing instruction mandate. HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company is a customer oriented corporation and aim at complete customer satisfaction. The lapsation and renewal policy of HDFC Standard Life are clearly defined on the official website. Online renewal forms are also available. For any change in personal details like the contact details or the nominee of the policy or policy benefits, online servicing is also available. Even the claim procedure has been simplified since affect of the loss life is irreparable and is thus fully understandable at HDFC Standard Life. A completely hassle-free process has been formulated to provide maximum convenience.
HISTORY HDFC Standard Life Insurance Co. Ltd was incorporated on 14th august 2000. It is a joint venture between Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited India and UK based Standard Life Company. Both the joint venture partners being one of the leaders in their respective areas came together in this 81.4:18.6 joint Venture to form HDFC standard life insurance company limited. The MD and CEO of HDFC Standard Life Mr. Deepak Satwalekar, has given the company new directions and has helped the company achieve the status it currently enjoys. HDFC Standard Life brings to you a whole range of insurance solutions be it group or individual or NAV services for corporations, they can be easily customized as per specific needs. HDFC Standard Life Insurance India boasts of covering around 8.7 lakh lives byMarch'2007. The gross incomes standing at a whopping Rs. 2, 856 crores, HDFC Standard Life Insurance Corporation is sure to become one of the leaders and the first Preference for any life insurance customer. 15
The Banc assurance partners of HDFC Standard Life Insurance Co Ltd are HDFC, HDFC Bank India Limited, Union Bank of India, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, Sarawat Bank and Bajaj Capital. The premium payment options available to the customers vary from online payment to direct desk payments at the HDFC Standard Life Branches, by courier services or in drop boxes provided. You can also pay by ECS or Automatic Debit System or credit cards or standing instruction mandate. HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company is a customer oriented corporation and aim at complete customer satisfaction. The causation and renewal policy of HDFC Standard Life are clearly defined on the official website. Online renewal forms are also available. For any change in personal details like the contact details or the nominee of the policy or policy benefits, online servicing is also available. Even the claim procedure has been simplified since affect of the loss life is irreparable and is thus fully understandable at HDFC Standard Life. A completely hassle-free process has been formulated to provide maximum convenience. HDFC Standard Life first came together for a possible joint venture, to enter the Life Insurance market, in January 1995. It was clear from the outset that both companies shared similar values and beliefs and a strong relationship quickly formed. In October1995 the companies signed a 3 year joint venture agreement. Around this time Standard Life purchased a 5% stake in HDFC, further strengthening the relationship. The next three years were filled with uncertainty, due to changes in government andon going delays in getting the IRDA (Insurance Regulatory and Development authority) Act passed in parliament. Despite this both companies remained firmly committed to the venture. In October 1998, the joint venture agreement was renewed and additional resource made available. Around this time Standard Life purchased 2% of Infrastructure Development Finance Company Ltd. (IDFC). Standard Life also started to use the services of the HDFC Treasury department to advise them upon their investments in India. Towards the end of 1999, the opening of the market looked very promising and both companies agreed the time was right to move the operation to the next level. Therefore, in January 2000 an expert team from the UK joined a hand picked team from HDFC to form the core project team, based in Mumbai. 16
Around this time Standard Life purchased a further 5% stake in HDFC and a 5% stake in HDFC Bank. In a further development Standard Life agreed to participate in the Asset Management Company promoted by HDFC to enter the mutual fund market. The Mutual Fund was Launched on 20th july 2000. Incorporation
of
HDFC
Standard
Life
Insurance
Company
Limited:
The company was incorporated on 14th August 2000 under the name of HDFC Standard life insurance company limited. Their ambition from the beginning was to be the first private company to re-enter the life insurance market in India. On the 23rd of October 2000, this ambition was realised when HDFC Standard Life was the first life company to be granted a certificate of registration. HDFC are the main shareholders in HDFC Standard Life, with 81.4%, while Standard Life owns 18.6%. Given Standard Life's existing investment in the HDFC Group, this is the maximum investment allowed under current regulations. HDFC and Standard Life have a long and close relationship built upon shared values and trust. The ambition of HDFC Standard Life is to mirror the success of the parent companies and be the yardstick by which all other insurance companies in India are measured. HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Limited is one of India's leading private life insurance companies offering a range of individual and group insurance solutions. It is a joint venture between Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited.
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Objectives, Scope and Purpose Objectives •
To assess and find out the overall service and quality performance of HDFC standard life insurance towards their employees.
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To know in which service quality performance dimension the company is performing well and in which dimension it needs improvement.
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To know employees requirements or expectation from company.
Scope •
Restructuring of multiple dimensions of the organisation by instituting a mechanism, which introduces and sustains changes over time.
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Focus on work teams.
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Autonomy in planning work.
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Focus on skill development.
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Increased responsiveness to employee concerns.
Purpose Quality work life is viewed as an alternative to the control approach of managing people. Therefore, organizations are required to adopt a strategy to improve the employees quality work life to satisfy both the organizational objectives and employee needs.
Research Methodology Research methodology, which is followed by researcher, is Descriptive study . PRIMARY DATA:The primary data has been obtained by interaction with the officials and staff in the division in the organization and also obtained through the observation of the staff members in different departments in that particular division
SECONDARY DATA:1. Through the Annual reports of the corporation, from the Manuals and also from
records available in the organization. Some other data also collected from the reports ,registers and books and from the files available in the organization
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2. Information collected from various HRM books.
SAMPLING PLAN SAMPLE DESIGN:The method of sampling used was Random sampling. Random sampling from a finite population refers to that method of sample selection which gives each possible sample combination an equal probability of being picked up and each item in the entire population to have equal chance of being included in the sample.
SAMPLE SIZE:The researcher has allowed to do the project in particular division in the organisation. The study is limited to only that particular division. SAMPLESIZE:50 .
Data & Analysis Data QUALITY OF WORK LIFE (QWL)
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Quality of work life denotes all the organizational inputs which aim at the employee satisfaction and enhancing organizational effectiveness. By the globalization the modern employees are experiencing distress. To meet the challenges posed by present standards, organizational must focus their attention in bringing a balance between work life and personal life. The underlying assumption is that work life balance will ultimately ensure Quality of work life. Sigmund Freud is considered to be the father figure of Psycho analysis. His prescription for a healthy person is a combination of “ Lieben und Arbeiten” that is Love and Work. In present working environment the workers are looking for quality of life as a superior human end ever. Such end ever calls for a trade off between work life and family life. Today an employee desires work to be more meaningful and challenging because quality is the acid test. A Quality of work life gives an opportunity for deep sense of full filament. Employees seek a supportive work environment that will enable them to balance work with personal interests. Such balance contributes to superior human existence in ample measure. Quality of work life provides a more humanized work environment. It attempts to serve the higher order needs of workers as well as their basic needs. Quality of Work Life indicates that the work should not have excessively negative conditions. It should not put workers under undue stress. It should not damage or degrade their humanness. It should not be threatening or unduly dangerous. Finally it should contribute to, or at least leave un paired, workers abilities to perform in other life 21
roles. Such as citizen, spouse and parent. That is work should contribute to general social advancement. Employees in several companies that instituted Quality of work life experienced better health and greater safety on the job. Other benefits included improved employee satisfaction, morale, job interest, commitment and involvement ; increased opportunity for in dividable growth ; greater sense of ownership and control of the work environment development of managerial ability for circle leaders, improved communication in the organization and greater understanding and respect between management and workers. The term Quality of work life has been applied to a wide variety of organizational improvement efforts. The common elements seem to be has good man indicates, an“ attempt to restructure multiple dimensions of the organizational and to institute a mechanism which introduces and sustains changes overtime .Aspects of the change mechanism are usually an increase in problem solving between the union and management Responsiveness to employee concerns. In every organization, people and their behaviour assumes vital role in determining the performance and effectiveness .while many studies concentrated on physical and financial performance of organization. Studies on behavioural aspects seems to be inadequate. So, the attempts must to understand the human side of the enterprise. In the present scenario, where the world is moving from traditi on a lisation to modernization, computerization and globalization there is an intense competition. The situations are becoming more complex and the modern employees are experiencing distress. To meet the challenges posed by present standards organization must focus their attention in bringing a balance between work and family life. The Quality of work life movement provides a value frame work and a philosophy which has a long term implication for the human development and enrichment. It tries to balance both the work and family life. Hence integrated approach with regard to Quality of work life is required for the success of an individual and an organization. This underlines then necessity of searching studies on the nature of human relations and the problems of human relations and the problems of human behaviour in the organization and suggest measures to cope with the problems. Hence, an in depth on aspects like Quality of work life can throw light on many non-identified aspects of 22
human behaviour which may help in understanding the issues involved and improving the overall performance of these organizations. It is almost impossible today to pick up a newspaper or news-magazine without finding a reference to quality of work life. In the search for improved productivity, manager and executives alike are discovering the important contribution of QWL. QWL entails the design of work systems that enhance the working life experiences of organizational members, thereby improving commitment and motivation for achieving organizational goals. The Quality of working life refers to the relationship between a worker and his environment, adding the human dimension to the technical and economic dimensions within which work is normally viewed and designed. QWL relates to the facilities and conditions in which workers have to work. According to J. L Ioyd Suttle, Quality of work life is the degree to which members of a work organization are able to satisfy important personal needs through their experiences in the organization. More specifically, QWL may be set into operation in terms of employees perceptions of their physical and psychological well-being at work.
WHAT IS QWL? Definition of QWL: First Second Third
definition definition definition
196919691972-
1972QWL
=
variable
1975QWL
=
approach
1975QWL
=
methods
Fourth definition 1975- 1980QWL = movements Fifth definition 1979- 1982QWL = everything The term QWL refers to the favourableness or unfavourableness of a total job environment for people. QWL programs are another way in which organisations recognise their responsibility to develop jobs and working conditions that are excellent for people as well as for economic health of the organisation. The elements in a typical QWL program include – open communications, equitable reward systems, a concern for employee job security and satisfying careers and participation in decision making. Many early QWL efforts focus on job enrichment. In 23
addition to improving the work system, QWL programs usually emphasise development of employee skills, the reduction of occupational stress and the development of more co-operative labour-management relations. Vigorous Domestic and International competition drive organisations to be more productive. Proactive managers and human resource departments respond to this challenge by finding new ways to improve productivity. Some strategies rely heavily upon new capital investment and technology. Others seek changes in employee relations practices. Human resource departments are involved with efforts to improve productivity through changes in employee relations. QWL means having good supervision, good working conditions, good pay and benefits and an interesting, challenging and rewarding job. High QWL is sought through an employee relations philosophy that encourages the use of QWL efforts, which are systematic attempts by an organisation to give workers greater opportunities to affect their jobs and their contributions to the organisation’s overall effectiveness. That is, a proactive human resource department finds ways to empower employees so that they draw on their “brains and wits,” usually by getting the employees more involved in the decisionmaking process.
APPROACH TO QUALITY OF WORK LIFE The Quality of work life involvement traditionally has been closely identified with the job redesign efforts based on socio-technical systems approach. However during the 1980’s the concept of Quality of work life has been broadened to include a number of approaches aimed at join decision making. Collaboration and mutual respect between management and Employees , increased autonomy at work place, and self management. Thus the Quality Circles adopted by Japanese and Indian industries as well as democratization of work process though self-regulating autonomous groups in the Scandinavian countries and USA are all considered part of this movement. Employees , increased autonomy at work place, and self management. Thus the Quality Circles adopted by Japanese and Indian industries as well as
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democratization of work process though self-regulating autonomous groups in the Scandinavian countries and USA are all considered part of this movement.
A Rationale (principle) Job specialisation and simplification were popular in the early part of this century. Employees were assigned narrow jobs and supported by a rigid hierarchy in the expectation that efficiency would improve. The idea was to lower cost by using unskilled workers who could be easily trained to do a small, repetitive part of each job. Many difficulties developed from that classical job design, however. There was excessive division of labour. Workers became socially isolated from their co-workers because their highly specialised jobs weakened their community of interest in the whole product. De-skilled workers lost pride in their work and became bored with their jobs. Higher-order (social and growth) needs were left unsatisfied. The result was higher turnover and absenteeism, declines in quality and alienated workers. Conflict often arose as workers sought to improve their conditions and organisations failed to respond appropriately. The real cause was that in many instances the job itself simply was not satisfying.
Forces For Change A factor contributing to the problem was that the workers themselves were changing. They became educated, more affluent (partly because of the effectiveness of classical job design), and more independent. They began reaching for higher-order needs, something more than merely earning their bread. Employers now had two reasons for re-designing jobs and organisations for abetter QWL: •
Classical design originally gave inadequate attention to human needs.
•
The needs and aspirations of workers themselves were changing.
Humanised Work Through QWL
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One option was to re-design jobs to have the attributes desired by people, and redesign organisations to have the environment desired by the people. This approach seeks to improve QWL. There is a need to give workers more of a challenge, more of a whole task, more opportunity to use their ideas. Close attention to QWL provides a more humanised work environment. It attempts to serve the higher-order needs of workers as well as their more basic needs. It seeks employ the higher skills of workers and to provide an environment that encourages them to improve their skills. The idea is that human resources should be developed and not simply used. Further, the work should not have excessively negative conditions. It should not put workers under undue stress. It should not damage or degrade their humanness. It should not be threatening or unduly dangerous. Finally, it should contribute to, or at least leave unimpaired, workers ’abilities to perform in other life roles, such as citizen, spouse and parent. That is, work should contribute to general social advancement.
Job Enlargement vs. Job Enrichment The modern interest in quality of work life was stimulated through efforts to change the scope of people’s jobs in attempting to motivate them. Job scope has two dimensions – breadth and depth. Job breadth is the number of different tasks an individual is directly responsible for. It ranges from very narrow (one task performed repetitively) to wide (several tasks). Employees with narrow job breadth were sometimes given a wider variety of duties in order to reduce their monotony; this process is called job enlargement. In order to perform these additional duties, employees spend less time on each duty. Another approach to changing job breadth is job rotation, which involves periodic assignment of an employee to completely different sets of job activities. Job rotation is an effective way to develop multiple skills in employees, which benefits the organisation while creating greater job interest and career options for the employee. Job enrichment takes a different approach by adding additional motivators to a job to make it more rewarding. It was developed by Frederick Herzberg on the basis of his 26
studies indicating that the most effective way to motivate workers was by focusing on higher-order needs. Job enrichment seeks to add depth to a job by giving workers more control, responsibility and discretion over hoe their job is performed. Its general result is a role enrichment that encourages growth and self-actualisation. The job is built in such a way that intrinsic motivation is encouraged. Because motivation is increased, performance should improve, thus providing both a more humanised and a more productive job. Negative effects also tend to bereduced, such as turnover, absences, grievances and idle time. In this manner both the worker and society benefit. The worker performs better, experiences greater job satisfaction and becomes more self-actualised, thus being able to participate in all life roles more effectively. Society benefits from the more effectively functioning person as well as from better job performance.
Applying Job Enrichment Viewed in terms of Herzberg’s motivational factors, job enrichment occurs when the work itself is more challenging, when achievement is encouraged, when there is opportunity for growth and when responsibility, feedback and recognition are provided. However, employees are the final judges of what enriches their jobs. All 27
that management can do is gather information about what tend to enrich jobs ,try those changes in the job system and then determine whether employees feel that enrichment has occurred. In trying to build motivational factors, management also gives attention to maintenance factors. It attempts to keep maintenance factors constant or higher as the motivational factors are increased. If maintenance factors are allowed to decline during an enrichment program, then employees may be less responsive to the enrichment program because they are distracted by inadequate maintenance. The need for a systems approach in job enrichment is satisfied by the practice of gain sharing. Since hob enrichment must occur from each employee’s personal viewpoint, not all employees will choose enriched jobs if they have an option. A contingency relationship exists in terms of different job needs, and some employees prefer the simplicity and security of more routine jobs.
Core Dimensions: A Job Characteristics Approach How can jobs be enriched? And how does job enrichment produce its desired outcomes? J. Richard Hack man and Greg Oldham have developed a job characteristics approach to job enrichment that identifies five core dimensions –skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback. Ideally, a job must have all five dimensions to be fully enriched. If one dimension is perceived to be missing, workers are psychologically deprived and motivation may be reduced. The core dimensions affect an employee’s psychological state, which tends to improve performance, satisfaction and quality of work and to reduce turn over and absenteeism. Their effect on quantity of work is less dependable. Many managerial and white-collar jobs, as well as blue-collar jobs, often are deficient in some core dimensions. Although there are large individual differences in how employees react to core dimensions, the typical employee finds them to be basic for internal motivation. The dimensions and their effects are shown in the following figure and discussed in greater detail here. In one instance a manufacturer set up production in two different ways. Employees were allowed to choose between work on a standard assembly 28
line and at a bench where they individually assembled the entire product. In the beginning few employees chose to work at the enriched jobs, but gradually about half the workers chose them the more routine assembly operation seemed to fit the needs of the other half.
The Human Resource Department’s Role
The role of human resource department in QWL efforts varies widely. In some organisations, top management appoints an executive to ensure that QWL and productivity efforts occur throughout the organisation. In most cases, these executives have a small staff and must rely on the human resource department for help with employee training, communications, attitude survey feedback, and similar assistance. In other organisations, the department is responsible for initiating and directing the firm’s QWL and productivity efforts. Perhaps the most crucial role of the department is winning the support of key managers. Management support – particularly top management support appears to be an almost universal prerequisite for successful QWL programs. By substantiating employee satisfaction and bottom-line benefits, which range from lower absenteeism and turnover to higher productivity and fewer accidents, the department can help convince doubting managers. Sometimes documentation of QWL can result from studies of performance before and after a QWL effort. Without documentation of these results, top management might not have continued its strong support. The policies and practices of the department also influence motivation and satisfaction indirectly. Rigorous enforced safety and health programs, for example, 29
can give employees and supervisors a greater sense of safety from accidents and industrial health hazards. Likewise, compensation policies may motivate and satisfy employees through incentive plans, or they may harm motivation and satisfaction through insufficient raises or outright salary freezes. The motivation and satisfaction of employees act as feedback on the organisation’s QWL and on the department’s day-to-day activity.
Motivation
Motivation is a complex subject. It involves the unique feelings, thoughts and past experiences of each of us as we share a variety of relationships within and outside organisations. To expect a single motivational approach work in every situation is probably unrealistic. In fact, even theorists and researches take different points of view about motivation. Nevertheless, motivation can be defined as a person’s drive to take an action because that person wants to do so. People act because they feel
30
that they have to. However, if they are motivated they make the positive choice to act for a purpose – because, for example, it may satisfy some of their needs.
Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is the favourableness or unfavourableness with which employees view their work. As with motivation, it is affected by the environment. Job satisfaction is impacted by job design. Jobs that are rich in positive behavioural elements – such as autonomy, variety, task identity, task significance and feedback contribute to employee’s satisfaction. Likewise, orientation is important because the employee’s acceptance by the work group contributes to satisfaction. In sort, each element of the environmental system, can add to, or detract from, job satisfaction.
Rewards Satisfaction and Performance
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A basic issue is whether satisfaction leads to better performance, or whether better performance leads to satisfaction. Which comes first? The reason for this apparent uncertainty about the relationship between performance and satisfaction. Whether satisfaction is going to be improved depends on whether there wards match the expectations, needs and desires of the employee as shown at the bottom of the above figure. If better performance leads to higher rewards and if these rewards are seen as fair and equitable, then results in improved satisfaction .On the other hand, inadequate rewards can lead to dissatisfaction. In either case, satisfaction becomes feedback that affects one’s self-image and motivation to perform. The total performance-satisfaction relationship is a continuous system, making it difficult to assess the impact of satisfaction on motivation or on performance, and vice-versa.
Promotion
32
A promotion takes place when an employee moves to a position higher than the one firmly occupied .His / Her responsibility, status and pay also increases. Promotions are of two types. 1. Vertical promotions:- under which the employees are promoted from one rank to the next higher rank in the same department. 2. Horizontal promotions:- under which employees may be promoted to higher rank on the other departments.
The advantages of having promotion schemes • They provide an opportunity to the present employees to move into jobs that provide greater satisfaction and prestige. • They generate within on organization motivational, conditions for better work performance and desired behaviour of all its members. • Finally, they save as an orderly, logical and prompt source of recruitment for management to fill vacancies as they arise. • They generate within on organization motivational, conditions for better work performance and desired behaviour of all its members. • Finally, they save as an orderly, logical and prompt source of recruitment for management to fill vacancies as they arise.
Career Planning 33
If an organization wants to retain its employees it must satisfy their aspirations for growth and development of advancement in their career .A career plan is a blue print in which the entire career of employees is mapped out from the point of their entry in to the point of their retirement from the organization. Career planning is mostly done for supervisory and managerial positions. Career planning is an integral part of manpower planning.
ADVANTAGES OF CAREER PLANNING 1. It motivates employees to avail of the training & development facilities. They are convinced that promotions will not fall in their laps merely by luck or through connection. 2. It increases employees loyalty to the organization. By this they can easily integrate their goals with organization goals. 3. It encourages employees to remain in the organization. By this the labour turnover is reduced. 4. It creates organizations better image in the employment market which helps organization to attract competent people. 5. It contributes to manpower planning as well as to organizational development and effective achievements of corporate goal. The basic concept underlying the Quality of work life is what has come to be known as “humanization of work”. It involves basically the development of an environment
34
of work that simulates the creative abilities of the workers generates co-operation and interest in self growth.”
JOB DESIGN
Job design include job enlargement, job rotation & job enrichment a. Job enlargement :- Job enlargement as a concept deals with expansion of the job contents by Allowing Employees inspect their work , affect minor repairs on the work and equipment and select the iron work methods or ‘set-ups’. These refers as to vertical enlargement.’ Another is ‘horizontal enlargement’ under this scheme one simply adds a larger numbers of some what similar tasks to the present job. b. Job rotation :- It refers to systematically moving employee from one job to another. From the point of view of an organization job rotation helps develop a common culture because of wide and common exposure and at the same time infuses “freshblood” in the task. c. Job enrichment :- It refers to the process of making jobs more interesting and satisfying, adding to that sense of achievement, increasing responsibility and providing opportunities for advancement and growth.
AUTONOMOUS WORK TEAMS
35
An autonomous work team is one which can plan, regulate and control its own work world. The management only specifies the goals that too in collaboration with the team. The team organizes the contents and structure of its job, evaluates its own performance, establishes its speed and chooses its production method. It makes its own internal distribution of tasks and decides its own membership. Autonomous team approach increases satisfaction and reduces turnover and absenteeism.
Analysis 36
1) Visually appealing physical facilities
From the graph it is clearly seen that the respondents are fall in satisfaction range. Highest frequency is observed in satisfactory level as well as in less
satisfactory level. So, for visual appearing facility employees are having satisfactory level.
37
2)
Showing sincere interest in solving a employee’s problem.
From the graph it is clearly seen that the respondents are fall in satisfaction range. So, for showing sincere interest in solving a employee’s problem
employees are having satisfactory to moderate satisfactory level.
38
3)
Company always being willing to help employees.
From the graph it is clearly seen that the respondents are fall in
moderate satisfactory and satisfactory range. Highest frequency is observed in moderate satisfactory level. So, for these parameter employees are having good satisfactory level.
39
4)
The behavior of employers instilling confidence in their employees.
From the graph it is seen that the respondents are fall in satisfactory and moderate satisfactory range. Highest frequency is observed in satisfactory level. So, for these parameter employees are having moderate satisfaction.
40
5)
Employers being consistently courteous with their employees/peers.
From the graph it is clearly seen that the respondents are fall in
satisfaction range mostly. Highest frequency is also observed in satisfactory level as well as in
lmoderate satisfactory level. So, for parameter employees are satisfied.
41
6)
Company’s policies towards remunaration/promotion/increament.
From the graph it is clearly seen that the respondents are fall in
satisfaction range and less satisfaction range. Highest frequency is observed in satisfactory level. So, for these parameter employees are having comparative less
satisfactory level.
42
7) Level of job satisfaction based on service provided like external and internal training, extra curricular programs etc.
From the graph it is clearly seen that the respondents are fall in satisfaction range and less satisfaction range. Highest frequency is observed in satisfactory level and less satisfactory level. So, for these parameter employees are having comparative very less satisfactory level.
43
Today’s workforce consists of literate workers who expect more than just money from their work. In the modern scenario, QWL as a strategy of Human Resource Management is being recognised as the ultimate key for development among all the work systems, not merely as a concession. This is integral to any organisation towards its whole some growth. This is attempted on par with strategies of Customer Relation Management.
Strategy and Tactics Over the years, since industrial revolution, much experimentation has gone in to exploiting potential of human capital in work areas either explicitly or implicitly. Thanks to the revolution in advanced technology, the imperative need to look into QWL in a new perspective is felt and deliberated upon. Major companies are tirelessly implementing this paradigm in Human Resources Development (some call it People’s Excellence).
Globalisation has lowered national boundaries, creating a knowledge-based economy that spins and spans the world. Major economies are converging 44
technologically and economically, and are highly connected at present moment. The new global workplace demands certain prerequisites such as higher order of thinking skills like abstraction system thinking and experimental inquiry, problem-solving and teamwork. The needs are greater in the new systems, which are participative ventures involving workers managed by so-called fictional proprietors.
Men Counted In simple terms, all the above requirements can be easily achieved by providing improved quality of work life to the workers available on rolls. Workers are often referred to as teams or groups in general parlance and whatever the do go to the credit of the teamwork. The concept of teamwork has evolved from the organised toil that has its own social dimensions. Good teams can hardly be imported from outside. They usually occuras an indigenous incidence at the workplace and nurturing the same over time is the responsibility of management. Here, it may also be discerned that the composition of available workers in no more a local phenomenon as in the past. Mobility is caused by migration beyond culture barriers and isolation, relocation and globalised deployment. This phenomenon has become universal and is causing great changes in the work environment at factories as well as offices. The new influx of skilled workers seeking greener pastures is even questioning the skills of new employers and there by restructuring the new environs on par with those of best in the world, unwittingly though.
Money Matters For good QWL, cash is not the only answer. Today, the workers are aware of the job requirements of job as also the fact that the performance of the same is measured against the basic goals and objectives of the organisation and more importantly, wages are paid according to the larger picture specific to the industry and the employer’s place in the same.
45
The increased share of workers in wages and benefits through legislation as well as competitive interplay of superior managements in various fields of industry and business on extensive levels has reshaped the worker’s idea of quality of work life. Moreover, other things being equal, the employers are increasingly vying with their rivals in providing better working conditions and emoluments. This may be owing to many reasons besides the concern for the human angle of workers, like the employer’s tendency to climb on the bandwagon, to reap to the desired dividends or to woo better talent into their fold as skill base addition and other non-economic inputs like knowledge bases. Doubtlessly, the increased tendency of recruiting knowledge bases is giving the modern managements payoffs in myriad ways. Some of them are intended potentials for product innovations and cost cuttings. Talking of product, it may appear far-fetched to some that product is being assessed in the market for its quality and price by the environment created in the areas where workers and customers are dealt and transact, like ambience in facilities / amenities as also the company’s pay scales. This goes to prove that QWL of manufacturer / service provider is synonymous with the quality of product.
Non economic – ‘Job Security’ The changing workforce consists of literate workers who expect more than just money from their work life. Their idea of salvation lies in the respect they obtain in the work environment, like how they are individually dealt and communicated with by other members in the team as well as the employer, what kind of work he is entrusted with, etc.
Some of these non-economic aspect are: Self respect,
satisfaction, recognition, merit compensation in job allocation, incompatibility of work conditions affecting health, bullying by older peers and boss, physical constraints like 46
distance to work, lack off legible working hours, work-life imbalances, invasion of privacy in case of certain cultural groups and gender discrimination and drug addiction.
One or more of the problems like above can cast a ‘job-insecurity’
question, for no direct and visible fault of the employer. Yet, the employer has to identify the source of workers problems and try to mitigate the conditions and take supportive steps in the organisation so that the workers will be easily retained and motivated and earn ROI. The loss of man-hours to the national income due to the above factors is simply overwhelming. Employer should in still in the worker the feeling of trust and confidence by creating appropriate channels and systems to alleviate the above shortcomings so that the workers use their best mental faculties on the achievement of goals and objectives of the employer. To cite some examples, employers in certain software companies have provided in restructure to train the children of workers in vocational activities including computer education, so that the workers need not engage their attention on this aspect. Employee care initiatives taken by certain companies include creation of Hobby clubs, Fun and Leisure Clubs for the physical and psychological well- beingness of workers and their families. After all, the workers are inexorably linked to the welfare of their families, as it is their primary concern. Dual income workers, meaning both spouses working are the order of the day. The work life balance differs in this category and greater understanding and flexibility are 47
required with respect to leave, compensation and working hours in the larger framework.
Teamwork Teamwork is the new mantra of modern day people’s excellence strategy. Today’s teams are self-propelled ones .The modern manager has to strive at the group coherence for common cause of the project. The ideal team has wider discretion and sense of responsibility than before as how best to go about with its business. Here, each member can find a new sense of belonging to each other in the unit and concentrate on the group’s new responsibility towards employer’s goals. This will boost the cosiness and morale of members in the positive environment created by
each other’s trust. Positive energies, free of workplace anxiety, will garner better working results. Involvement in teamwork deters deserters and employer need not bother himself over the detention exercises and save money on motivation and campaigns.
Boss Factor Gone are the days when employers controlled workers by suppressing the initiative and independence by berating their brilliance and skills, by designing and entrusting 48
arduous and monotonous jobs and offer mere sops in terms of wages and weekly off. Trust develops when managers pay some attention to the welfare of the workers and treat them well by being honest in their relations. The employer should keep in mind that every unpaid hour of overtime the worker spends on work is an hour less spent with the family.
New performance appraisals are put into vogue to assess a worker’s contribution vis-à-vis on employer’s objectives and to find out the training and updating needs and levels of motivation and commitment. As observed in some advanced companies, the workers themselves are drawing their benefits by filing appraisal forms and drawing simultaneously the appropriate benefits by the click of the mouse directly from their drawing rooms, courtesy e-HR systems. In addition, there are quite a number of channels for informal reviews. Feedback on worker’s performance, if well interpreted and analysed, could go a long way in improving ethics at workplace.
Involvement and Communication Multi-skilling and exposing workers to different lines of activity in the unit indirectly leads to the greater involvement and better job security of worker in the organisation. The employer too, can make use of the varied skills to any altered situations of restructuring and other market adaptations. Thus, the monotony of work life can be alleviated. The employer, armed with the depth of cross-trained human resources, need not go hunting for new talent and thus save on the unspent pay packets, which can be spent usefully on the amenities for workers. No doubt, rivals should be envying him for this edge.
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The change should be apparent in mutual trust and confidence towards effective understanding of the needs of worker and employer. The new knowledge-based workers are mostly young in the fields of technology and management. They are more forth coming in trusting the boss and older peers. Now, all modern managements are cognisant of the innate desire of workers to be accepted as part of the organisation for identity and other social reasons. Effective dialogue is put into play between management and those who execute through well-organised communication channels paving the way for improved cooperation and participation on emotional level. The decision making level is nose diving to the floor level manager, where the poor guy has to think of n number of quick decisions on behalf of the organisation. Unless the team is behind and involved with commitment, the manager cannot implement the new tasks in production, distribution, peoples excellence, customer relations, etc., thanks to the ‘e’ factor prefixed to the names of majority of departments. Logically, harmony plays its part in cost efficiency. Successful managers are those who listen to their workers.
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Influences Overwork is tolerated in emerging industries unlike government departments apart of the game and work culture. This is so, what with the soaring competition among the tightly contested players. The point is empowerment of workforce in the area of involvement.
All said and one, the workers are considered as the invisible branch ambassadors and internal customers in certain industries .It is evident that most of the managements are increasingly realising that quality alone stands to gain in the ultimate analysis. Restructuring the industrial relations in work area is the key for improving the quality of product and the price of the stock. Without creating supportive environment in restructured environment, higher quality of work cannot be extracted. It is already high time the older theories of industrial relations should be unlearnt.
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Conclusion
Quality work life basically is all about employee involvement, which consists of methods to motivate employees to participate in decision making. This help in building in good relationship. HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Ltd. is one of India's leading private insurance companies, which offers a range of individual and group insurance solutions. Researchers’ main aim is to assess and find out the overall service and quality performance of HDFC standard life insurance towards their employees, to know in which service quality performance dimension the company is performing well and in which dimension it needs improvement and to know employees requirements or expectation from company. Research methodology used in analysis and data collection is descriptive study .The primary data has been obtained by interaction with the officials and staff. Secondary data is obtained through the Annual reports of the corporation, from the Manuals and also from records available in the organization. And other information is collected from various HRM books. The method of sampling used was Random sampling. The study is limited to only that particular division and sample size is 50. HDFC needs to improve on mainly these three factors i.e. Visual appearing facility, Policies related to remuneration, promotion etc. and job satisfaction. HDFC should maintain these four factors i.e. showing sincere interest in solving employee’s
52
problem, company’s always willing to help employees, behaviour of employers instilling confidence in employees. How true and difficult is to paraphrase the profound truth contained in the words of one of the greatest human beings of the modern world. The harsh reality of modern life is that Quality of Work Life (QWL) has taken a beating because most of us are working harder than ever. On average people in the developed countries spend an astonishing 14to 15 hours a day against the accepted 8 to 9 hours. What is very disturbing is that the trend is on the rise. Burn out; stress leading to health hazards is the natural offshoot. The concept of lifetime employment or job security through hard work has been on a decline since more and more people are on short-term contracts and lack security of long-term employment. Although traditional work structures seem to be dissolving, this hasn’t necessarily resulted in more flexibility for the workers. Employers, by and large, are still reluctant to absorb employees on a permanent basis before they have ‘proved their worth’. The psychological pressure on the employee is tremendous and their lives are characterised by a pronounced conflict between professional and private lives. Lesser employees doing greater work make the work monotonous and gruelling for the employee. The implication of all this is that it leaves the worker with less and less time for interests, family and leisure time in general. It is not uncommon to see people who aspire to have work and personal life in synchronisation. The work life balance has become the buzzword for the present generation. Thus in an ideal world, most people would like their output assessed by the results they achieve at work and not by the hours they spend slaying away at their desk. Thus, in turn, would leave them free to pursue their personal interests outside work. Only a handful of employees have understood this intrinsic desire of employees and have turned it into a competitive advantage. Occupational Psychology assumes a key role as it contributes to work models but also with the thorough study of factors underlying the work/life balance. The study of work and family life is a relatively recent field. They argue out a case for alternative work models. Workplace flexibility is increasingly becoming important both for the employers as well as the employees. A good fit between people’s personal and work roles can go along way in resolving conflicts. In fact researchers claim that by helping to manage 53
employee’s work/life conflicts the company actually increases “psychological availability for work” of an employee. This is at least true of some learning organisations that are open to such novel HR practices. They look at flexible work arrangements as an opportunity for more efficient recruitment, decrease in staff turnover and absenteeism. Very importantly it helps them to project an improved corporate image.
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Recommendations Following recommendation can be made on quality work life of HDFC standard life insurance: HDFC needs to improve on mainly these three factors i.e. Visual appearing
facility, Policies related to remuneration, promotion etc. and job satisfaction HDFC should maintain these four factors i.e. showing sincere interest in
solving employee’s problem, company’s always willing to help employees, behaviour of employers instilling confidence in employees. HDFC is mainly performing tremendously well on employers being consistently courteous with employees/peers. HDFC needs more focus on Job satisfaction parameter.
J Richard Hackman and J L Suttle have recommended 6 strategies to improve QWL in organizations. •
Effective career guidance
•
Reward Systems
•
Role of supervision and management
•
Job design
•
Design and maintaining group and intergroup relationship.
•
Internal and external strategies for change.
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Effective career guidance Manpower planning is an important adjunct of business planning or corporate planning. There cannot be effective manpower planning if there is ineffective career planning in the organization. Career planning is an integral part of manpower planning. Career planning is choosing an occupation, keeping in view, one’s resources and environmental conditions. Career planning is not an event or an end in itself, but a process, which requires continuous examination of the goal,
the
strategies to be chosen, the resources and limitations on the part of the individual, the organization and the environment. This is aimed at : 1) To improve the performance of subordinates in their present job, in terms of
results to be accomplished. 2) To prepare employees, to accept increasing responsibility in their present job. 3) To help subordinates, to grow and develop for higher level jobs.
Career planning is basically an individual’s responsibility. However in the organizational context , it is the organization’s responsibility to guide and direct the employee to develop and utilize their knowledge abilities and resources, towards organization development and effectiveness.
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Reward Systems The only way employees will fulfil your dream is to share in the dream. Reward systems are the mechanisms that make this happen. "However, reward systems are much more than just bonus plans and stock options. While they often include both of these incentives, they can also include awards and other recognition, promotions, reassignment, non-monetary bonuses (e.g., vacations), or a simple thank-you”. The greatest management principle is that the things that get rewarded get done. "You get more of the behaviour you reward. You don't get what you hope for, wish for or beg for. You get what you reward." When your employees do hit the target and meet a stretch standard you set for them, reward them immediately. Never stall. By doing this, you help employees directly connect the reward with behaviour and higher performance they've attained."Fail to reward the right behaviour and you will most likely get the wrong results."
Role of supervision and management The role of a supervisor, as differentiated from that of a manager, often is very hazy in a multilevel organization. In some cases every level of management gets involved in supervision and duplicates the supervision function. Often these misuses of functions are justified on the basis of "Management by Walking Around," "Show of Interest and Concern with the Worker," etc. These management fads and euphemisms 57
not only produce negative results, they will cause other deep-rooted problems for the organization. First, by managers doing the job of supervisors, managers do not have the time to perform their own managerial duties which are essential and distinctly different. Second, when an organization recognizes that managerial activities are not being performed, the organization creates additional levels of management -- causing the burden of unreasonable overhead costs. Third, the managers usurp the function of supervisors, not allowing the supervisors to learn and strengthen themselves. No amount of supervisory training is going to compensate for the lack of opportunity to perform. Fourth, at best these misuses of functions are going to create many duplications of effort. Organizations have to realize that supervision is different from managing and that each level requires a different set of skills and a different set of responsibilities. Various levels of the organization are not the result of outgrowth from the previous one. We truly do have levels if discontinuity in organizations. For example, when a worker gets promoted to supervisor, he or she must realize that this new position is different -- not only in superficial issues such as title, salary, benefits, perks, parking locations, etc., but also in the nature of the work. Supervision requires learning and performing supervisory skills. Also, when supervisors become managers, they have to recognize the level of discontinuity again. Managers are not glorified supervisors. Their function is substantially different, and they too have to learn and perform these different functions. One of the important realizations is to "let the supervisors supervise." This simple statement is the essence of success. Those who do not understand or practice that simple axiom are doomed to reap the results of their own doing.
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Job design Work arrangement aimed
at
reducing
or
overcoming job dissatisfaction
and employee alienation arising from repetitive and mechanistic tasks. Through job design, organizations try to raise productivity levels by offering non –monetary rewards such as greater satisfaction from a sense of personal achievement in meeting the enlargement, job
increased
enrichment, job
various techniques used
59
challenge in
and responsibility of
rotation, a
and job job
one's
work. Job
simplification are
the
design exercise.
Design and maintaining group and intergroup relationship Internal conflict can be the most serious and destructive force an organization faces. Decisions can take forever — personal agendas override team priorities — critical information is not communicated — productivity is lost. In a competitive marketplace, it is essential for successful organizations to harness and redirect the energy consumed by conflict and redefine it as positive opportunity. When conflicts are resolved, the growth of mutual trust and respect and an appreciation of the problems faced by other teams have an immediate impact on the bottom line. Barriers to inter-group effectiveness become clear and sound steps to eliminate them can be designed and implemented with the full understanding of all parties involved. •
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Communication is stronger and more effective
•
Politics and power plays are dramatically reduced
•
Commitment is strengthened
•
Faster, higher-quality decisions prevail
•
Action is swift and focused
The Building Spectacular Partnerships Seminar The theory and techniques of Grid conflict resolution provide an essential tool for creating and maintaining synergistic relationships. •
Based on extensive and proven behavioral research, Grid
International has assisted companies in addressing and resolving organization conflict since 1961. •
Through a series of measured activities, teams solve problems
with an emphasis on shifting the character of a relationship from negative to overwhelmingly positive. •
The program's strength lies in its self-convincing learning and
emphasis on co-created solutions. Used between management and union,
subsidiaries,
purchasers,
suppliers,
divisions
and
departments, project teams and individuals, Building Spectacular Partnerships provides a proven means of forging resilient, healthy, and productive relationships.
The Building Spectacular Mergers Seminar Effective integration of corporate cultures is critical to a successful merger. The reality is that over 80% of mergers fail to attain their anticipated potential due to issues such as organization history, people, culture, and misunderstanding... and 50 percent fail outright. Building Spectacular Mergers aids participants to explore the conditions necessary for building a sound relationship. Basing newly developing relationships on mutual
61
trust
and
respect
lays
the
foundation
for
achieving
cooperation,
sound
communication, and increased productivity. The seminar facilitates participants in diagnosing the operational and cultural elements of the merger by unearthing, identifying, and overcoming barriers to its success. Structured around mutually determined goals and objectives, participants design a collaborative strategy to achieve the full potential of a merger. The theory and techniques of Building Spectacular Mergers are an essential management tool for creating and maintaining a successful merger.
Internal and external strategies for change • • • • • • •
Designing specific strategies to enable you to shape a new business or revive one that is tired or poorly performing. Diagnosing the gaps between where you are and where you want to be and manage that change. Creating and implementing specific change, HR and learning strategies to take the organisation to the next level of performance. Partnering with clients to reshape a business culture, simplifying the complex and arduous process. Isolating and embedding specific behaviours that anables the organisation to grow. Creating the matrix organisation and removing barriers to working across silos. Building the precise platform upon which to develop customer retention and acquisition strategies. 62
• • • • • • • • • • • •
Facilitating Rapid Improvement initiatives with measured results. Motivating staff, improving Leadership, Innovation and Change skills. Shaping Post acquisition integration getting the new business up and running quickly. Creating and designing T&D to produce learning to deliver continuous improvement. Coaching staff through difficult times. Diagnosing complex organisational problems. Collecting data and developing unique methods to isolate and the remove the root cause of problems. Reporting to the Top Team with options for change. Implementing action plans that originate from a diagnosis and analysis of complex situations and take action with the Top Team. Presenting and developing training and learning strategies to help people transition any change. Designing and measuring improvement metrics. Speaking honestly about issues and problems to be overcome.
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Limitations Though adequate care has been taken while doing the project. This Project still suffers from certain limitations. They are • The Quality of work life involves a wider range. The present study examines it from identified and selected dimensions only. However it is possible that there may be other factors which might not have been covered in this study. • Some respondents did not properly respond to the Questionnaire; thus to eliminate this aspect the researcher has also conducted some personal interviews. •The Management allowed the researcher to collect the data from the limited respondents only.
Though the positive effect of QWL is already established, all parties of the organization still resist to any schemes or procedure to improve QWL. The management may feel the QWL at the present levelis satisfactory and more steps need be taken to improve it. Employee on the other hand resist to changes with a pre conceived notion that any scheme that the management takes up to would be to increase production without extra cost. Another barrier to the improvement ofQWL is lack of financial resources. Strategies for improving QWL are self managed work teams, job redesign and enrichment, effective leadership and supervisory behavior, career development, alternative work schedules, job security, administrative or organizational justice and participating management. By implementing such changes management can createa
64
sense of involvement, commitment and togetherness among the employees which paves way for better QWL
ISSUES AND CONCERNS Our major concerns focus on how the concept of quality of work life has evolved and the state of its application today. The issues that concern us include the vagueness of the concept, faddism /religious experience vs. scientific/pragmatic perspective, the focus on low-level employees, naive views of causes of individual behavior, naive views of organizational behavior, and quality of work life and productivity. an the other hand resist to changes with a pre conceived notion that any scheme that the management takes up to would be to increase production without extra cost. Another barrier to the improvement of QWL is lack of financial resources. Strategies for improving QWL are self managed work teams, job redesign and enrichment, effective leadership and supervisory behavior, career development, alternative work schedules, job security, administrative or organizational justice and participating management. By implementing such changes management can create sense of involvement, commitment and togetherness among the employees which paves way for better QWL. • Vagueness of the concept: QWL
has
not
been
firmly
and
clearly
defined.
In
fact,
some
proponents of QWL have talked explicitly about not developing specific definitions.
We
believe
this
has
led
to
continued
misunderstanding
and puzzlement on the part of many managers, and it is no surprise that
concern
over
the
fuzziness
of
the
concept
has
hindered
its
implementation and development. • Fadism/religiosity vs. science: Many
of
as
cure-all,
a
those
who as
have
discussed
something
that
or
will
advocated
work
wonders
QWL as
refer if
by
to
it
some
mystical process. In the extreme, it's viewed as some sort of religious experience — that is, when you've got it, or when you've had it, you'll know 65
what
it
is.
This
contrasts
with
the
scientific
or
pragmatic
perspective that describes QWL as a couple of concepts and tools that might be useful
and that might work in certain
situations. Again, the
problem is that ideologists alienate those who haven't bought into the ideological
content
of
the
definition,
which,
they
feel,
can
create
in
some
unreasonable expectations.
• Na'ive views of individual behaviour: Recently,
those
organizations
who
have
have
proposed
talked
that
it
about
will
lead
QWL
to
greater
effectiveness
because it will make workers "happy" —and that, being more satisfied, they
will
produce
more.
Research
on
organizations
has
demonstrated
consistently for the last 25 years that satisfaction does not necessarily lead to higher levels of performance although it may lead to decreases in
turnover
and
absences.
Again,
the
expectation
that
happy
workers
will be productive workers is misleading and therefore may be setting up unreasonable expectations.
• Na'ive views of organizational behaviour: A good many of those experts who have proposed QWL activities have described a process whereby pilot projects may be run and good ideas, the
having
seen
organization
the
and
light be
of
day,
will
institutionalized
naturally or
made
spread
throughout
permanent.
They
also assume that projects at the lowest levels will succeed even if the environment
within
the
larger
organization
is
unfavorable
to
them.
What we know about the systemic nature of organizations leads us to be very skeptical about the degree of potential for highly participative processes
that
authoritarian
are
top-down
instituted
at
low
organizations.
The
organizational lessons
of
levels the
in job-
enrichment movement in the late 1960s showed this again and again. Similarly,
to
expect
throughout
the
organization
66
that
pilot ignores
projects the
reality
will that,
somehow in
spread
general,
pilot
projects
tend
to
be
encapsulated
and
do
not
get
disseminated
even
when they are successful. • Focus on low-level employees: Much
QWL
employees.
emphasis
QWL
has
has
been
been
described
on
first-level
or
as
something
the
line-operative top
tells
the
middle to do to the bottom in organizations. This creates problems in two ways: First, employees at the bottom are frequently being asked to do
things
that
participative
the
decision
top
is
making.
unwilling This
to
do;
inconsistency
specifically, or
"Do
what
to
use
I
say,
not what I do" approach clearly has some inherent drawbacks. Middle managers or technical personnel have just as severe QWL problems as those of line-operative employees. To assume that only the person on the assembly line is concerned with QWL ignores other large groups of people who are entitled to the same level of consideration.
• Quality of work life and productivity: The
actual
productivity
relationship is
often
between
ignored.
quality
Some
of
work
assume
that
life QWL
efforts
and
activities
will
inevitably lead to increased productivity. In many cases, this is simply not true. Such activities may lead to higher levels of commitment, lower levels
of
turnover,
productivity. such
The
individual
and
higher
important
thing
outcomes
as
quality, to
but
keep
satisfaction
not
in
necessarily
mind and
is
that
to
higher
QWL
and
can
be
productivity
addressed by some of the same kinds of actions, but they aren't in a direct
cause-and-effect
relationship.
Careful
analysis
of
each
activity
is needed to determine what effect it is likely to have. It is naive to assume
that
merely
higher productivity.
67
doing
something
related
to
QWL
will
lead
to
Bibliography •
http://www.docsto.com
•
http://www.mbaguys.com
•
http://www.scribd.com
•
http://www.wikipedia.com
68
