‘Scope and Failure of Quality of Work Life in Govt. Organisation in India’ I have written two articles first on Change Management and second on Human Relationship Role & Leadership on e-FMS Official Magazine. Both the articles are from core managment area. Below is my another little effort and I hope people will like it. I have tried to bring the facts before us and not to hurt feelings and rights of the people. Acceptibility to facts is great. The value of quality in anything that we do can never be failed to be appreciated or underrated. Quality of work life plays a vital role in the life of employees in shaping their personalities, career and shaping their commitment towards co-workers, organization and society. In modern days, any organisation in absence of quality work life has no future. Most of the private organisations have taken initiatives towards good quality work life and some of them have been successful in optimising their productivity with the help of the common efforts of employees working therein. In a simple way, good quality of work life is to extend dignity in terms of good supervision, good working condition, good pay & benefits, job security, challenging & rewarding job etc. to employees. But government organisations in India do not pay adequate attention to these aspects hence, morale of employees in this sector is very low here, whose consequences are well known to all. The quality of work life can be defined as activities which take place at every level of an organization, which seeks greater organizational effectiveness through the enhancement of human dignity and growth, through which the organisation, unions and employees learn how better to work together to determine themselves what actions, changes and improvements are desirable and feasible in order to achieve common goals of organization, unions and employees, but it is true that there is no fine-tuning among government, organisation, unions and employees due to variety of reasons known to all. This system is at the brink of total failure, whose result is quite obvious. Today it has become a big challenge for any organization, specially a government one, to create and sustain a healthy environment at work place for the enhancement of employee’s motivation and satisfaction towards the work. Various domestic and international competitive drives need better understanding among these major constituents (government, organisation, unions and employees) of an organization for sustainable growth. A proactive manager needs to properly respond to this challenge. Some strategies rely heavily upon employee relationship process to improve productivity. Some other successful organisations resorted one of the reasons for their success is that by tapping the ideas and enthusiasm of employee by providing employees with a good quality of work life. Taking only a salary to home is not enough for most of the employees working in an organisation. They want something different which satisfies their self-fulfilments at workplace and it is a good quality of work life which motivates an employee to be satisfied all the time with his or her present work and to take upcoming responsibilities and this motivation is a most important tool for the growth of any organization and employee. Hence, a manager should carefully understand the importance of quality of work life and it must not be ignored. An organization has no potential if it ignores the quality of work life. In the past, organizational working environment was given least consideration. Employees used to work under adverse working settings. But, with time, situation also improved in organizations. Though numerous improvements have taken place, still lots of developments need to be done in positive perspective for industrial growth. Research indicates that even a little change at work place can considerably affect the personnel and work. It is well known to us that how small variation in temperature, noise, lighting or pollution can affect the employee performance and their attitudes? Similarly, every change undoubtedly affects employees and their performance directly or indirectly, whose consequences are seen in achievement of an organization or in performance of an employee or in attitudes of an employee. It is unfortunate in India that most of the managers do not make adequate provisions in their annual budgets for investment on its workforce due to lack of management skills or knowledge or awareness or as they feel sometimes that such investment will not give desired results. They do not know human resources are the energies, skills, talents and knowledge of any organization, without which any organization can’t have the future. Investment on workforce always refers to all forms of investments in order to enhance motivation, energies, skills, talents, knowledge and aptitude of workforce of organizations. According to me, such investment never goes in vein. Human resources are said to be the most important asset of any organization. If human resources are the most important asset of any organization then, why organizations do not invest sufficient amount of time, efforts and money on their human resources available with them? There are two ways of looking at what quality of work life means. One way equates quality of work life with a set of objectives, organizational conditions and practice such as promotions from or within the policies, democratic supervision, employee involvement, safe working conditions etc. The other way equates quality of work life with employee’s perceptions that they are safe, relatively well satisfied and able to grow and develop as human beings. These ways relate quality of work life to the degree to which the full range of human needs is met. Hence, the quality of work life is a complex and multifaceted concept implying a concern for the members of an organization irrespective of the level they belong to and so a manager should have managerial practices and knowledge and more importantly have an in-depth understanding of employee’s behaviours. Enhancement of good quality of work life leads to the psychologically and physically healthier employees with positive feeling and also it motivates employees to learn further for present and future roles. As suggested by experts, quality of work life works on some basic principles about which employees at all levels have higher expectations and these principles are briefly underlined: Security and safety: Security and safety has been prime concern for employees at work place since starting. Though various security and safety measures are taken into account, still we see a gulf. Today most of the organizations offer contractual job and due to which they can’t pay sufficient amount of security and safety to its employees. In absence of security and safety, employees feel fear and negative stress and one can’t perform in a manner an organization or an employee wants under fear and negative stress. Hence, an organization should try to come ahead with comprehensive plans and provide security and safety all times to its employees. Individualism: Every people carries unique personality and potentiality and this is very important for an organization to understand for its growth. So an organization should have space enough to provide opportunities to improve such individual instincts. Equity: Impartiality should not be adopted by an organization. Everyone should be equal under the law. There should be respect for individual personal rights and principles of natural justice and equity. Hard work should be recognised and should be considered for rewards. An employee should be promoted for their excellent work. Democracy: Employees give desired result in democratic environmental settings, research indicates. So, an organization should open space enough to provide meaningful rights to its employees that give employees freedom to express their views regarding the working conditions and other official issues. Thus employees may stay away from negative stress and fear and they can focus on work in more constructive manners resulting to desired result. Individual growth: Every employee keeps desire to grow and scales heights continuously in organisation where he works. If there are enough opportunities, employees can peruse for career goals set in the past and use their potentials fully for the growth of an organization as well as for themselves. Employees feel highly motivated when an organisation shows them a clear path as to how they can meet their ambitions. Compensation: Compensation becomes a vital issue for an employee when he or she comes in an organization. He or she needs adequate compensation to meet out socially determined standard of living and, therefore, an organization going to hire a multifaceted employee should keep role of compensation in mind. Environment: Role of environment on employee performance plays an important role and so healthy and safe working condition is recommended for desirable performance. A trustful environment should be set up in an rganization for higher rate of performance of an employee. Various approaches have been adopted by most of the successful organizations to improve quality of work life and key to all approaches is the employee participation in all activities relating to their work. In fact, quality of work life is directly concerned with the work environment and the impact of work on employees, so, the active participation of employees in solution of problems and decision making is thought to be necessary. Through employee participation, employees feel a sense of belongingness to an organization and they get a citizenship of an organization and develop organizational commitment. Besides all, another most important principle is a willingness to share the powers amongst the members of the organization by the top level of management according to me. Without this willingness, one can’t talk about the promotion of good quality of work life or democratic and transparent environment at work place in an organization. To share the power is not a simple and an easy task. It requires a lot of skills, knowledge and talents in a manager. A manger, who identifies his or her role as a leader, helper, information gatherers, problem solving, role model, consultant, facilitator, proper information disseminator or coordinator can easily share the powers among the members of an organization but, today most of the organizations lack leader – a real leader. Here it is important to keep one thing in mind that delegation of power should not be confined to the limited person. It must be given to all members of the organization. This would empowers them and keep the organizational environment in equilibrium state. In India, organizations have only paid superficial attention to such a vital area and getting maturity to this aspect is a long way to go for them with honest approach. However, some efforts look in some areas in governments sectors, although, there are bundles of lacking and issues which need to be addressed genuinely. A lot of issues are there and the time has come for re-engineering of entire organisational systems failing which there is no scope for development. Let me bring some relevant and burning issues to elucidate the facts. Look at an example of pay & benefits and challenging & rewarding job. Pay & benefits have always been overlooked especially when we talk about lower and middle class employees. Recent change made with the pay & benefits also looks similar and no commendable effort has been taken by the government representatives, while drawing the pay slabs. New pay & benefits scheme has enlarged the huge scale of gap which looks among employees. A junior class employee gets Rs. 10,000 at his or her initial stage of appointment whereas a class one employee Rs. 1,00,000 and more, I mean ten times more to a junior class employee and proportionately, other benefits are also similar. The power of money is known to all. How it makes a fool man ‘Great’ and how it makes a great man ‘Fool’. In India, the power of top level of employees in organisations is very common. After all, it is fact that employees having lucrative salary package do more wrong practices. How autocratically and coercively they react and do handle their employees a junior and middle class employee can only understand. A bearer knows where the shoe pinches. Here this proverb matches in true sense. If a junior or a middle class employee possess enough qualification and experience and deserve for the higher level of position then would an organisation give an opportunity to such employees for career growth? No, Not at all. There is no such provision in government bodies. In actual sense, there is no succession planning in government organisations on the ground level in most of the organisations. However, the Assured Career Progression (ACP) is introduced. But, it is not being implemented properly due to whatever the reasons. This is one subject. Second is that I look it at a different perspective. Under the ACP, one is promoted to the next level of position after a fixed period of time. While promoting, only period is considered and not other aspects like levels of experience, knowledge, skills, sense of thinking, achievement, performance, obligation towards duties and organization and etc. of an individual. Would not it lead to frustration amongst the employees? Obviously, it leads the same and sometimes its repercussions become unexpected for individual employees and for organisations concerned. But, I will never support one to exercise wrong practice, if an organisation fails to extend such benefits to its employees. I think an individual should be made or trained to be fit for the next level of position and one who deserves for next level should also be provided opportunity enough before ACP term comes. Every employee wants rise in his or her career and if there are enough opportunities in an organization, employees can peruse for career goals. Employees feel highly motivated when an organisation shows them a clear path for their growth. But, unfortunately, organisations often do not exercise such practice because of variety of reasons known to all. Thus, the demand of employees is not matched within an organisation. No effort is seen as to how an employee can grow within the certain limits in existing settings in the organisation. What happens, if an employee carries outstanding performance? Does the organisation can offer safe and rewarding career? Yes, but unfortunately in prevailing system the recognition does not come in true sense for meritorious performance and thus a certain amount of confusion start hovering in the mind of employees and finally employees begin to look for better opportunities outside the organization. Key people leave in frustration and an organisation suffers badly. So, the career planning is required to be done since it makes a big difference to both employees and organisation. In absence of it, employees do not get right break at right time. Morale of employees then becomes low and they would always be on their toes to find out the escape route from the organization or they stay with the organization due to their family liabilities. Remember, employees sitting at the top level can’t alone yield desired result without collective efforts of these junior and middle class employees. But this class are always neglected. They are forced to live like animals in and outside organisation due to the system and this is never ending process and contagious disease here. Organisation would not run and would not get benefits from the high employee turnover and any recruitment efforts made in panic to full fill the vacancies would not be so effective. New employee appointments create additional selection and training cost to an organization. Bridging the gaps through the short term appointments would also not go to pay desired result. Hence, an organisation should try to put career planning well in place to educate employees about the opportunities that exist internally for talented and experienced people. In absence of such practices, organisations can’t thing for its prosperity and healthy progress. People in organisation are treated as per their posts and not according to their values, ethics, conviction, dedication, commitment, performance and integrity that they keep and carry for their organisation. A peon, if comes office late or do any minor offence, he is scolded and reprimanded as if he or she has done heinous crime or as if he or she has carried out any terror activities, because most of the organizations have not yet developed a scientific mechanism to keep monitoring and controlling over employees. If a senior employee or a top of an organisation does the same then nothing will happen at all and here this is a common phenomenon. Take another similar example. An organization generally does not appreciate if a sweeper performs his or her work honestly, effectively and efficiently because he or she is a sweeper. Appreciation or recognition must be shown to every members of the organization irrespective of levels of work they do. The organization must not neglect any of its members. The reason behind the success of any organization is indefatigable support of all employees be it sweeper, peon or manager. This is fact and if this is fact then why the organization does not pay adequate attention to it. However, according to me, the entire responsibilities go to education systems for some of these causes. Education makes us human. Our traditional education system is dead whose result can be felt and seen. Modern education system is to do marketing. At primary level the standard of government schools we are seeing. At one hand, heavy developments in creative, analytical, conceptual and reasoning thinking is seen into young generations but simultaneously at other hand heavy fall is also noticed as far as value, ethics, character, responsibility, commitment, dedication and convictions etc. are concerned. Recruiters test the level of creative, analytical, conceptual and reasoning thinking of job seekers but, forget to test other relevant aspects viz.value, ethics, character, social responsibility and convictions that an individual should carry and this small lacking becomes a big cause of concern for society and organisation and for an individual itself. Today’s education system can bring handsome jobs and lucrative package to an individual but, it can’t make an individual a human being. I have also objection to the ways strategies or plans that are formulated, implemented, evaluated and controlled. At formulation level number of relevant information is not kept in mind. At the implementation stage, various significant facets are not considered. More importantly, people lack knowledge and skills and so they do not implement the laid down plans properly in a scientific manner. It would obviously be correct to say that the foundation of strategies formulation is not laid down in a recommended way and keeping continuous evaluation process and control over strategies while implementation is far from the discussion. It’s very suitable and well known example is that the government has been trying to use Hindi language across the government offices and the country since last 65 years and result we have. Whatever the reasons might have been, but it is not implemented as of now because of the reasons which seek rounds of discussion. Lot of similar concerns are there for discussion. One more interesting issue I would like to discuss. In government organizations, still there is an autocratic system at various fronts. Take an example. People are forced to live and work under ‘Pre Independence British Rule in India’. An organization employs people for 24x7 hours. People are not allowed to undertake any work outside the organization being in job. They are not allowed to leave the town/city where the organization is situated without the permission. It means, people have to survive on an organization in all case and what an organization gives them we know. If a peon is getting salary of Rs. 10000 per month, he has to run his or her family on just this salary. He can’t do other work outside the organization to meet his or her family’s requirements. Cumbersome rules and procedures are laid down in such a way that one can interpret and use for his or her personal benefits. I look misuse of entrusted power everywhere and this sooner or later would not prone to corrupt practices? Is it a real democracy? Is it our principle of equity? How can we think for strengthening democratic and transparent environment in an organization? All these are the causes which stop talents from joining government organizations and it would be a big challenge for organizations in years to come if correctives measures not taken on time. I am associated with NIFT for the last 9 years and confidently, I can say that NIFT has been thriving to promote truly a democratic and transparent system by introducing various tools & mechanism and the result has been noteworthy. In 2-3 years, miracle changes have taken place and these e fostered a transparent environment and autonomy across the centres. NIFT and its stakeholders are enjoying the results. NIFT’s honest and unique intent of regular work out process on scope of further development is structuring foundation for sustainable strong interpersonal relationship amongst the stakeholders. *****
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 17:05:04 +0000
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