Choosing a meaningful career and developing skills in social responsibility: in the face of today’s challenges, training in sustainable development and CSR is urgently needed.
What is QWL?
A responsible organization is not just a company that places respect for the environment or social equality at the heart of its concerns. Quality of life at work and employee well-being are also central to CSR initiatives. A responsible, high-performance company is one that guarantees and respects the individual and collective well-being of its employees.
The ANI (Accord National Interprofessionnel) defines Quality of Life at Work (QWL) as “a feeling of well-being at work perceived collectively and individually, encompassing atmosphere, company culture, interest in the work, working conditions, sense of involvement, degree of autonomy and empowerment, equality, the right to make mistakes, recognition and appreciation of the work performed. ”
QWL refers to the conditions and characteristics of work in a company. By optimizing them, the organization contributes to employee motivation, company performance and overall satisfaction.
What are the psychosocial risks of not respecting QWL?
A non-existent or superficial QWL approach increases psychosocial risks for workers tenfold. If working conditions or human resources management are not continuously optimized, irreversible disorders can affect a company’s employees: these are known as RPS. These psychosocial risks can affect workers’ physical, mental and social health.
Among the most common RPS in the workplace are work-related stress, fatigue, concentration problems, etc. Actions such as assessing, eliminating and preventing RPS are essential to developing a sustainable and effective Quality of Working Life (QWL) approach. Find out more about AFNOR’s occupational health and safety solutions, based on ISO 45001, in our dedicated file.
How to combine CSR and QWL in the workplace?
QWL and CSR are linked by a common foundation: respect for people. An effective QWL approach reinforces a corporate social responsibility strategy. Conversely, by implementing concrete CSR practices, the company contributes to a better quality of life at work.
Let’s take the example of the COVID-19 health and economic crisis: a company that emphasizes flexibility at work in its CSR practices has no trouble encouraging telecommuting when necessary. Even in times of confinement, a company can play its part in maintaining QWL.
Enabling people to work remotely means reducing the stress and psychosocial risks associated with travel and the exposure of a virus. It also means realizing that the company can help reduce CO2 emissions by relieving congestion on the roads and on public transport. In this situation, CSR and QWL are aligned!
Is CSR already one of your corporate priorities? It’s time to add to your expertise by upgrading your skills in complementary areas, such as QWL.
QWL, CSR: how to develop team commitment?
The motivation and involvement of employees are crucial to an organization’s success. The HR function, the social-environmental committee and of course (top) management are mobilized around these issues, sometimes through the prism of QWL policies or corporate social responsibility initiatives.
