4 steps to a QWL approach that benefits the whole company

Dear HR, managers and directors: in a world where the metro, work, sleep is often the norm, finding a balance between work and well-being is no longer an option. Quality of Life at Work (QWL) offers a strategic solution: reconciling business performance and employee fulfilment.

But QWL is not just a buzzword. It's an approach that radically transforms organisational practices. The aim? To provide a healthy, stimulating working environment that fosters social interaction.

A happy employee is a committed employee! By taking action on working conditions, improving productivity and attractiveness becomes a reality. Concrete actions, such as redesigning workspaces or promoting dialogue, put the employee back at the heart of the organisation.

Here, well-being at work has gone from utopia to winning strategy. Shall we look at it together? 🧐

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What is QWL in the workplace?

Quality of life at work: definition

Quality of Life at Work (QWL) refers to all the actions and conditions put in place to improve employee well-being while promoting organisational performance. It encompasses aspects as varied as

• physical conditions
• work/life balance
• social relations
• and recognition for work accomplished.

First introduced in the 1970s, QWL has evolved to become a pillar of modern HR strategies, with one central idea: satisfied and engaged employees are both more productive and more motivated, which directly benefits the company. 🤝

Why focus on QWL?

1. Well-being and performance

A favourable working environment reduces stress and strengthens team commitment. Fulfilled employees are often :

• More creative, because a healthy environment stimulates innovation.
• More collaborative, thanks to better communication and harmonious interpersonal relations.
• More stable, with lower turnover rates and greater loyalty to the organisation.

2. Attracting and retaining talent

In an increasingly competitive employment market, QWL has become a real lever for attracting and retaining the best profiles, particularly the younger generations.

✅ Offering a balance between professional and personal life not only improves a company's attractiveness, but also strengthens employee loyalty, as they are less inclined to seek opportunities elsewhere.

QWL or QWL: the differences between these concepts

Over time, QWL has evolved into Quality of Life and Working Conditions (QWLC), explicitly incorporating working conditions. This holistic approach emphasises the interconnection between individual well-being and organisational health. 🔗

What are the 6 key determining factors of QWL?

1. Physical working conditions

The quality of the physical environment directly influences the health and comfort of employees. This includes the safety of :

• equipment
• the ergonomics of workstations
• air quality,
• temperature,
• lighting
• and noise levels.

A poorly adapted environment can lead to health problems, such as musculoskeletal disorders, or reduce concentration and productivity. 😵‍💫

2. Organisation and workload

Poorly calibrated organisation can lead to tension and stress. The distribution of tasks, the management of priorities and the clarity of expectations play a crucial role.

An excessive or ill-defined workload can lead to burnout, while an imbalance in task allocation can create a sense of injustice or frustration within teams.

3. Interpersonal relations

Interactions between employees, but also between managers and teams, define the social climate at work.

• Harmonious relations foster cohesion, trust and collaboration.
• Conversely, recurring tension or conflict can damage morale and commitment, and increase psychosocial risks.

4. Recognising and valuing work

Recognition encompasses :

• constructive feedback
• appreciation of efforts,
• and valuing individual and collective contributions.

👉 This can include words of congratulation, positive appraisals or symbolic rewards. Beware, the absence of recognition often leads to employees becoming progressively demotivated, or even totally disengaged!

5. Work/life balance

This aspect aims to enable employees to manage their personal responsibilities while being productive at work. This involves policies that facilitate flexible working hours, teleworking and access to practical services such as childcare facilities and gyms.

Worth noting A work-life imbalance can lead to chronic fatigue and overall dissatisfaction, affecting both private and professional life.

6. Personal and professional development

Do you offer your employees opportunities to learn and develop? This enables them to project themselves into the organisation over the long term. This can take several forms:

• training,
• the possibility of diversifying assignments
• or setting up career development paths.

Yes, because a lack of prospects can lead to a feeling of stagnation and reduce employee commitment. 👎

What are the employer's obligations in terms of QWL?

Ensuring Quality of Life at Work (QWL) is not just a strategic choice, it is also a legal obligation for employers. In France, Article L4121-1 of the Labour Code requires employers to guarantee the safety and protect the physical and mental health of their employees. Here's an overview of the obligations:

• Assess psychosocial risks, in particular those linked to stress, harassment or work overload. Tools such as the Document Unique d'Evaluation des Risques (DUER) can be used to ensure regular monitoring.
• Implement concrete measures to reduce stress factors, such as adjusting workloads or providing appropriate resources. For example, encourage a balanced working environment by redesigning workspaces or offering flexible working hours.
• Train managers and teams to better understand and manage working conditions likely to generate tension. Are your employees aware of the best practices for maintaining a calm working environment and avoiding risky behaviour?
• Involve the Social and Economic Committee (CSE) in discussions on QWL... and encourage the active participation of employees in the development of well-being policies.

Who are the QWL players in the company?

QWL managers

Quality of Life at Work (QWL) managers play a central role in implementing and monitoring initiatives aimed at improving employee well-being. Their mission is not limited to devising action plans; they act as pillars to promote a corporate culture focused on commitment and performance.

🤓 The 4 main missions of QWL managers are:

1. Analysis of internal needs and identification of employee expectations through surveys, audits or individual interviews. This stage is crucial for defining relevant objectives that are aligned with the company's priorities.
2. Based on the needs identified, QWL managers devise appropriate strategies. They plan concrete initiatives to improve working conditions, promote work/life balance and strengthen interpersonal relations.
3. Measuring the impact of actions is a key task. QWL managers use social indicators such as absenteeism and staff turnover, as well as satisfaction questionnaires, to adjust initiatives and guarantee their effectiveness.
4. They ensure that best practice is disseminated and raise awareness of QWL issues among all those involved, from the Works Council to managers. Their role is also to promote a culture of listening and recognition.

For QWL managers, we tell you more about how to set up an effective QWL policy in your company.

The role of the CSE

The Social and Economic Committee (CSE) plays an essential role in the Quality of Life at Work (QWL) approach. As the employee representative body, it acts as a mediator between employees and management, while playing an active role in preventing psychosocial risks and improving working conditions.

🤓 The 4 main missions of the CSE in QWL are:

• The CSE is responsible for identifying risks to employees' physical and mental health. It analyses feedback from employees on issues such as stress, harassment or disorders linked to work organisation, and proposes appropriate solutions.
• The committee plays an active role in analysing and monitoring the actions taken by the company to improve QWL. It examines the results of social audits and well-being indicators, and helps to adjust measures based on feedback from employees.
• The CSE facilitates communication between employees and management. It brings employees' concerns to the attention of decision-makers and ensures that their expectations are taken into account in internal policies.
• The committee can propose or co-organise initiatives to promote well-being, such as stress management workshops, mental health awareness campaigns or events to promote social cohesion.

Management

Obviously, management plays a key role in the implementation and success of Quality of Life at Work (QWL) initiatives. As leaders, members of management embody the company's values and provide the impetus needed to integrate employee well-being into the overall strategy.

🤓 What is the role of management?

• Management defines QWL priorities, a clear and ambitious vision, and integrates them into the organisation's strategic objectives. This involves rigorous planning of actions and the resources needed to implement them.
• By adopting exemplary behaviour, leaders inspire managers and employees. Open communication, benevolent leadership and the ability to listen to the needs of their teams reinforce trust and motivation.

All employees

Employees are not to be outdone! They are more than just beneficiaries of the QWL approach, they are key players. Their active participation guarantees the relevance and success of the actions implemented. But how can this be achieved?

👉 By encouraging constructive feedback:

Encouraging employees to share their feedback is essential for improving internal practices. Their comments can reveal areas of tension or opportunities for improvement.

For example: introduce an anonymous quarterly survey on working conditions, with a follow-up of the results. These surveys can be used to prioritise actions to be taken, such as reorganising working hours to better meet the needs of teams.

👉 Encouraging commitment and co-creation:

Involving employees in the design of innovative solutions values their contributions and strengthens their commitment. By including them in the decision-making process, the company shows that it takes their ideas and their place into account.

For example: launch collaborative workshops where employees think about ways to improve their working environment, such as rethinking break areas or proposing a health and well-being programme.

4 steps to implementing QWL in your company

Step 1: Identify needs and set clear objectives

Before launching any initiatives, it is crucial to understand the specific expectations of employees and the challenges they face. This first step enables a precise diagnosis to be made and the QWL approach to be aligned with the company's priorities.

• How do you identify needs?
  • Carry out surveys or anonymous questionnaires to gather feedback on working conditions.
  • Organise interviews or focus groups to discuss sensitive issues in greater depth.
  • Analyse social indicators such as absenteeism and staff turnover to detect any structural problems.
• Set measurable objectives:
  The objectives must be specific and aligned with the expected results, such as reducing stress, improving work/life balance or strengthening interpersonal relations.

Step 2: Conduct a working conditions audit

Once the needs have been identified, it is essential to carry out a full audit to assess the physical, organisational and social conditions. This audit will help you to understand the causes of any malfunctions and prioritise actions.

• Aspects to be analysed:
  • Workspace layout (ergonomics, noise, light).
  • Workload and work organisation (realistic objectives, balance of responsibilities).
  • Relations between teams and the quality of management.
• Tools to be used:
  The Document Unique d'Evaluation des Risques (DUER) or analyses of workstations can provide objective data to guide action.

Step 3: List the available and necessary resources

To ensure the success of your QWL initiative, you need to assess existing resources and identify those that need to be mobilised. This includes human, material and financial resources.

• Assessment of existing resources :
  • Do you have a QWL manager or an internal reference person?
  • Are your managers trained to support QWL initiatives?
  • Do you have a sufficient budget to finance the planned actions?
• Anticipate additional needs:
  If necessary, consider hiring an external expert or training your teams in key areas such as stress management or improving industrial relations.

Stage 4: Implementing and monitoring the action plan

Implementing the actions is the stage where the QWL strategy comes to life. Effective deployment requires clear communication, methodical planning and regular monitoring.

• Launch actions gradually to ensure that they are adopted by the teams. Make sure that every employee understands the objectives and benefits of the measures put in place.
• Keep employees regularly informed of progress and any adjustments. Use a variety of channels (email, meetings, intranet) to maintain commitment.
• Assess the effectiveness of initiatives using key indicators such as absenteeism rates, survey feedback and team productivity. And adjust actions if necessary!

How do you measure quality of life at work... and limit the risks?

Quality of Working Life (QWL) can be measured, and thankfully so! But why? Because what can't be measured can't be improved. Evaluating QWL means ensuring that your efforts are bearing fruit and that your employees are in the best possible conditions to flourish and perform. Here's how to do it effectively. ⤵️

Satisfaction questionnaires: employee opinion at the heart of the process

Your employees are your best barometers. Using anonymous questionnaires, you can find out how they feel about key aspects such as :

• Their general satisfaction: are they happy to come to work in the morning?
• Work-life balance: do they find time to relax outside the office?
• Social relations: does the team atmosphere boost or depress them?

These well-designed surveys give you a clear picture of needs and expectations. Above all, they show your employees that their opinion counts. Ready to get your teams talking?

We invite you to consult our dedicated article, where you'll find 28 questions to help you put together your employee satisfaction questionnaire.

Social indicators: figures don't lie

Figures are your allies in understanding what's really going on in your company. Here's a reminder of the key indicators to look out for:

• Absenteeism rate: if your employees are often absent, it's not (always) a question of seasonal flu. It could be a sign of unhappiness linked to workload or working conditions.
• Turnover: a high turnover rate may be a sign of general demotivation or unaddressed frustrations.
• Length of sick leave: if it is increasing, it may be a sign of a deeper organisational problem.

Continuous improvement: listen, adjust, start again!

Measuring is good. Taking action is better. And never stopping is ideal. A continuous improvement approach ensures that your initiatives don't run out of steam after a few months.

• Listen to feedback: Analyse the results of your surveys and social indicators. What do they say about the atmosphere, the workload or relations between teams?
• Adjust priorities: If stress is at the top of the list of concerns, focus your efforts on stress management actions, such as workshops or dedicated resources.
• Innovate: Try out new approaches, such as flexible teleworking, internal coworking spaces, or even days without meetings. Be creative and keep your finger on the pulse.

Any ideas for improving QWL? A few examples from companies

Work environment and social climate

A well-designed work environment promotes well-being and reduces the risk of tension or stress.

• Set up comfortable workstations, with ergonomic furniture, and create areas where employees can relax, such as a break room or coffee corner. ☕
• Allow employees to organise their schedules according to their needs with flexible working hours. Also offer an adapted teleworking policy to facilitate work/life balance.

Participative management and professional equality

Inclusive management and respectful practices strengthen commitment and team cohesion.

• Involve your employees in the decision-making process by organising participative meetings or collaborative workshops.
• Promote diversity within your teams and implement policies that encourage professional equality.

See all software Employee Engagement

Give life to a QWL approach for your employees... and your company!

Quality of Life at Work (QWL) is not just a passing trend, it's an essential pillar for companies that want to last. By integrating QWL into your overall strategy, particularly as part of your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), you're doing much more than improving your image: you're laying the foundations for an attractive, innovative and resilient organisation.

Investing in QWL means attracting and retaining talent, stimulating the creativity of your teams and strengthening your ability to adapt in a constantly changing environment. It also means building a company where well-being fuels performance, and where every employee feels listened to, recognised and valued.

In short, QWL is not just a competitive advantage, it's a new standard for sustainable success. What if you were to unleash the superpower of well-being in your organisation right now? Because a company that takes care of its employees is a company that wins on all fronts. 🦸