Quality of Work Life

Quality of work life (QWL) has been identified as a personal reaction to the work environment and includes perceptions of control, satisfaction, involvement, commitment, work–life balance, and well-being in relation to one’s job and organization. As such, research has evolved over the years to include topics such as employee work and health outcomes, organizational processes and interventions, and work–life balance or integration. According to work by Lawler, QWL includes issues of employee job satisfaction, health, and well-being. In the 1970s and 1980s, QWL frequently referred to specific workplace interventions (e.g., team building and quality circles) that could lead to improved organizational performance. Thus, the concept of QWL has not been consistently clearly defined in the literature.

Early on, little to no responsibility was placed on the ...