CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION
Good companies become great through a series of initiatives done consistently
over time. There are no shortcuts. It is pain full process, but they must be done to keep
companies alive for tomorrow challenges, not just for todays challenges.
In 1983 in the first ever business worlds most respected companies survey
was conducted, companies were assessed on eight parameters quality of management,
quality of products and services, innovativeness, financial soundness, ability to attract
and retain talent, environmental responsibility, profitability and work place environment.
The most obvious and commonly used metrics such as market share, market
capitalization and turn over, were deliberately left out. The whole idea of having a survey
such as this was to gauge how it peers, based mostly on criteria that went way beyond the
numbers perceived a company. Over the years, the survey has been progressively refined,
and now parameters added. None of the newer parameters (now there are 19) violate the
original principle that this was meant to be a perception based survey.
Hence quantitative metrics such as profits, etc, are still eschewed, yet,
what gets reiterated time and again is the respect in business is very much intertwined
with market reality and performance. That respect rankings are as good as any other size,
market, capitalization to mirror changing realities.

1.1

DEFINITION:
1

Quality of work life refers to the favorableness or unfavorableness of a total job

environment for people. QWL programs are another way in which organizations
recognize their responsibility to develop jobs and working conditions that are excellent
for people as well as for economic health of the organization.
1.2

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

The objective of the study is as follows

To find out reasons for work life quality and its balance.

The activities that take place at entry level of an employee.

To find out effects of quality on work life on an employee.

To find out way to improve work life balance in organization.

To gain an insight into current working time policies and practices, as well as worklife balance issues.

To complement existing Foundation data and research on working time largely based
on surveys of individual workers and on literature reviews.

1.3

To find the effect of managers on the employees and their job satisfaction
SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study emphasis in the following scope:

In the process of liberalization and globalization all the business organizations facing

lot of challenges in the market.

Every organization is required to evaluate performance and their quality of work life

of their employees.
Each and every organization should focus attention of improving their organization

Excellency.
The present study throwing a light on analyzing the measurement of quality of work
life of employees at HDFC BANK.

The scope is also widened to find out the expectations of the employees from the
management with respect to the above concept.

1.4

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
Research methodology is the systematic way to solve the research problem.

It gives an idea about various steps adopted by the researcher in a systematic manner with
an objective to determine various manners.
1.5

RESEARCH DESIGN:
A research design is considered as the framework or plan for a study that

guides as well as helps the data collection and analysis of data. The research design may
be exploratory, descriptive and experimental for the present study. The descriptive
research design is adopted for this project.
1.6

RESEARCH APPROACH:
The research worker contacted the respondents personally with well-prepared

sequentially arranged questions. The questionnaire is prepared on the basis of objectives

of the study. Direct contract is used for survey, i.e., contacting employees directly in order
to collect data.
1.7

RESEARCH INSTRUMENT:
The researcher has used a structured questionnaire as a research instrument

tool which consists of open ended questions, multiple choice and dichotomous questions
in order to get data. Thus, Questionnaire is the data collection instrument used in the
study. All the questions in the questionnaire are organized in such a way that elicit all the
relevant information that is needed for the study
1.7.1

STATISTICAL TOOLS:
The statistical tools used for analyzing the data collected are percentage

method, bar diagrams and pie diagrams.

1.7.2

ANALYSIS OF DATA:
The data are collected through survey and books, reports, newspapers and

internet etc., the survey conducted among the employees of HDFC BANK Pvt. Ltd. The
data collected by the researcher are tabulated and analyzed in such a way to make
interpretations.
Various steps, which are required to fulfill the purpose, i.e., Editing and Tabulating.

Editing refers to separate, correct and modify the collected data.

Tabulation refers to bring together the similar data in rows and columns and
totaling them in an accurate and meaningful manner

The collected data are analyzed and interrupted using statistical tools and Techniques.
1.8

RESEARCH PERIOD:

The research period of the study is for about 45 days.

1.9

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:

The limitations of the survey are

The information provided by the workers is not definitely true.

Out of all the employees data is collected only from 150 employees

The samples of workers are not representative of the total workforce.

The workers hesitate disclosing the true facts in order to secure their job.

CHAPTER II
COMPANY PROFILE
COMPANY PROFILE
The Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited (HDFC) was amongst the
first to receive an 'in principle' approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up a
bank in the private sector, as part of the RBI's liberalization of the Indian Banking
Industry in 1994. The bank was incorporated in August 1994 in the name of 'HDFC Bank
Limited', with its registered office in Mumbai, India. HDFC Bank commenced operations
as a Scheduled Commercial Bank in January 1995.
HDFC is India's premier housing finance company and enjoys an impeccable track record
in India as well as in international markets. Since its inception in 1977, the Corporation
has maintained a consistent and healthy growth in its operations to remain the market
leader in mortgages. Its outstanding loan portfolio covers well over a million dwelling
units. HDFC has developed significant expertise in retail mortgage loans to different
market segments and also has a large corporate client base for its housing related credit
facilities. With its experience in the financial markets, a strong market reputation, large
shareholder base and unique consumer franchise, HDFC was ideally positioned to
promote a bank in the Indian environment.
HDFC Bank's mission is to be a World-Class Indian Bank. The objective is to build
sound customer franchises across distinct businesses so as to be the preferred provider of
banking services for target retail and wholesale customer segments, and to achieve
healthy growth in profitability, consistent with the bank's risk appetite. The bank is
committed to maintain the highest level of ethical standards, professional integrity,
corporate governance and regulatory compliance. HDFC Bank's business philosophy is
based on four core values - Operational Excellence, Customer Focus, Product Leadership
and People.

Capital Structure:As on 31st March, 2012 the authorized share capital of the Bank is Rs. 550 crore. The
paid-up capital as on the said date is Rs. 469,33,76,540 (234,66,88,270 equity shares of
Rs. 2/- each). The HDFC Group holds 23.15% of the Bank's equity and about 17.29 % of
the equity is held by the ADS / GDR Depositories (in respect of the bank's American
Depository Shares (ADS) and Global Depository Receipts (GDR) Issues). 30.68 % of the
equity is held by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) and the Bank has 4,47,924
shareholders
The shares are listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange Limited and The National Stock
Exchange of India Limited. The Bank's American Depository Shares (ADS) are listed on
the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol 'HDB' and the Bank's Global
Depository Receipts (GDRs) are listed on Luxembourg Stock Exchange under ISIN No
US40415F2002.
FINANCIAL RESULTS:
Profit & Loss Account: Quarter ended June 30, 2012
The Banks total income for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, was ` 9,536.9 crores as against
` 7,098.0 crores for the quarter ended June 30, 2011. Net revenues (net interest income plus
other income) were at ` 5,013.5 crores for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, an increase of
26.3% over ` 3,968.0 crores for the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Net interest
income (interest earned less interest expended) for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, grew by
22.3% to ` 3,484.1 crores. This was driven by loan growth of 21.5% and a net interest margin
for the quarter of 4.3%.
Other income (non-interest revenue) for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, was ` 1,529.5
crores, up 36.6% over that in the corresponding quarter ended June 30, 2011. The main
contributor to other income for the quarter was fees & commissions of ` 1,143.3 crores, up by

23.9% over ` 922.7 crores in the corresponding quarter ended June 30, 2011. The two other
components of other income were foreign exchange & derivatives revenue of ` 314.8 crores
(` 230.1 crores for the corresponding quarter of the previous year) and profit on revaluation /
sale of investments of ` 66.5 crores (loss of ` 41.3 crores for the quarter ended June 30, 2011).

Business:-

HDFC Bank offers a wide range of commercial and transactional banking services and
treasury products to wholesale and retail customers. The bank has three key business
segments:
Wholesale Banking Services
The Bank's target market ranges from large, blue-chip manufacturing companies in
the Indian corporate to small & mid-sized corporates and agri-based businesses. For
these customers, the Bank provides a wide range of commercial and transactional
banking services, including working capital finance, trade services, transactional
services, cash management, etc. The bank is also a leading provider of structured
solutions, which combine cash management services with vendor and distributor
finance for facilitating superior supply chain management for its corporate
customers. Based on its superior product delivery / service levels and strong
customer orientation, the Bank has made significant inroads into the banking
consortia of a number of leading Indian corporates including multinationals,
companies from the domestic business houses and prime public sector companies. It
is recognised as a leading provider of cash management and transactional banking
solutions to corporate customers, mutual funds, stock exchange members and
banks.

Retail Banking Services

The objective of the Retail Bank is to provide its target market customers a full
range of financial products and banking services, giving the customer a one-stop
window for all his/her banking requirements. The products are backed by worldclass service and delivered to customers through the growing branch network, as
well as through alternative delivery channels like ATMs, Phone Banking,
NetBanking and Mobile Banking.

The HDFC Bank Preferred program for high net worth individuals, the HDFC Bank
Plus and the Investment Advisory Services programs have been designed keeping in
mind needs of customers who seek distinct financial solutions, information and
advice on various investment avenues. The Bank also has a wide array of retail loan
products including Auto Loans, Loans against marketable securities, Personal
Loans and Loans for Two-wheelers. It is also a leading provider of Depository
Participant (DP) services for retail customers, providing customers the facility to
hold their investments in electronic form.

HDFC Bank was the first bank in India to launch an International Debit Card in
association with VISA (VISA Electron) and issues the Mastercard Maestro debit
card as well. The Bank launched its credit card business in late 2001. By March
2010, the bank had a total card base (debit and credit cards) of over 14 million. The
Bank is also one of the leading players in the merchant acquiring business with
over 90,000 Point-of-sale (POS) terminals for debit / credit cards acceptance at
merchant establishments. The Bank is well positioned as a leader in various net
based B2C opportunities including a wide range of internet banking services for
Fixed Deposits, Loans, Bill Payments, etc.

Treasury
Within this business, the bank has three main product areas - Foreign Exchange and
Derivatives, Local Currency Money Market & Debt Securities, and Equities. With
the liberalisation of the financial markets in India, corporates need more
sophisticated risk management information, advice and product structures. These
and fine pricing on various treasury products are provided through the bank's
Treasury team. To comply with statutory reserve requirements, the bank is required
to hold 25% of its deposits in government securities. The Treasury business is
responsible for managing the returns and market risk on this investment portfolio.

Management:Mr. C.M. Vasudev has been appointed as the Chairman of the Bank with effect from 6th
July 2010. Mr. Vasudev has been a Director of the Bank since October 2006. A retired
IAS officer, Mr. Vasudev has had an illustrious career in the civil services and has held
several key positions in India and overseas, including Finance Secretary, Government of
India, Executive Director, World Bank and Government nominee on the Boards of many
companies in the financial sector.
The Managing Director, Mr. Aditya Puri, has been a professional banker for over 25
years, and before joining HDFC Bank in 1994 was heading Citibank's operations in
Malaysia.
The Bank's Board of Directors is composed of eminent individuals with a wealth of
experience in public policy, administration, industry and commercial banking. Senior
executives representing HDFC are also on the Board.

Senior banking professionals with substantial experience in India and abroad head
various businesses and functions and report to the Managing Director. Given the
professional expertise of the management team and the overall focus on recruiting and

retaining the best talent in the industry, the bank believes that its people are a significant
competitive strength.
Credit Rating
The Bank has its deposit programs rated by two rating agencies - Credit Analysis &
Research Limited (CARE) and Fitch Ratings India Private Limited. The Bank's Fixed
Deposit programme has been rated 'CARE AAA (FD)' [Triple A] by CARE, which
represents instruments considered to be "of the best quality, carrying negligible
investment risk". CARE has also rated the bank's Certificate of Deposit (CD) programme
"PR 1+" which represents "superior capacity for repayment of short term promissory
obligations". Fitch Ratings India Pvt. Ltd. (100% subsidiary of Fitch Inc.) has assigned
the "AAA ( ind )" rating to the Bank's deposit programme, with the outlook on the rating
as "stable". This rating indicates "highest credit quality" where "protection factors are
very high"
The Bank also has its long term unsecured, subordinated (Tier II) Bonds rated by CARE
and Fitch Ratings India Private Limited and its Tier I perpetual Bonds and Upper Tier II
Bonds rated by CARE and CRISIL Ltd. CARE has assigned the rating of "CARE AAA"
for the subordinated Tier II Bonds while Fitch Ratings India Pvt. Ltd. has assigned the
rating "AAA (ind)" with the outlook on the rating as "stable". CARE has also assigned
"CARE AAA [Triple A]" for the Banks Perpetual bond and Upper Tier II bond issues.
CRISIL has assigned the rating "AAA / Stable" for the Bank's Perpetual Debt programme
and Upper Tier II Bond issue. In each of the cases referred to above, the ratings awarded
were the highest assigned by the rating agency for those instruments?
Corporate Governance Rating
The bank was one of the first four companies, which subjected itself to a Corporate
Governance and Value Creation (GVC) rating by the rating agency, The Credit Rating
Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL). The rating provides an independent
assessment of an entity's current performance and an expectation on its "balanced value
creation and corporate governance practices" in future. The bank has been assigned a
'CRISIL GVC Level 1' rating which indicates that the bank's capability with respect to

10

wealth creation for all its stakeholders while adopting sound corporate governance
practices is the highest.
On May 23, 2009, the amalgamation of Centurion Bank of Punjab with HDFC Bank was
formally approved by Reserve Bank of India to complete the statutory and regulatory
approval process. As per the scheme of amalgamation, shareholders of CBoP received 1
share of HDFC Bank for every 29 shares of CBoP.
The merged entity will have a strong deposit base of around Rs. 1,22,000 crore and net
advances of around Rs. 89,000 crore. The balance sheet size of the combined entity
would be over Rs. 1,63,000 crore. The amalgamation added significant value to HDFC
Bank in terms of increased branch network, geographic reach, and customer base, and a
bigger pool of skilled manpower.
In a milestone transaction in the Indian banking industry, Times Bank Limited (another
new private sector bank promoted by Bennett, Coleman & Co. / Times Group) was
merged with HDFC Bank Ltd., effective February 26, 2000. This was the first merger of
two private banks in the New Generation Private Sector Banks. As per the scheme of
amalgamation approved by the shareholders of both banks and the Reserve Bank of India,
shareholders of Times Bank received 1 share of HDFC Bank for every 5.75 shares of
Times Bank.
HDFC Bank Ltd. (BSE: 500180, NYSE: HDB) is a commercial bank of India,
incorporated in August 1994, after the Reserve Bank of India allowed establishing private
sector banks. The Bank was promoted by the Housing Development Finance Corporation,
a premier housing finance company (set up in 1977) of India. HDFC Bank has 1,412
branches and over 3,295 ATMs, in 528 cities in India, and all branches of the bank are
linked on an online real-time basis. As of September 30, 2010 the bank had total assets of
INR 1006.82 billion. For the fiscal year 2011-12, the bank has reported net profit of
Rs.2,244.9 crore, up 41% from the previous fiscal. Total annual earnings of the bank
increased by 58% reaching at Rs.19,622.8 crore in 2011-12.

11

Business Focus
HDFC Bank deals with three key business segments Wholesale Banking Services,
Retail Banking Services, and Treasury. It has entered the banking consortia of over 50
corporates for providing working capital finance, trade services, corporate finance and
merchant banking. It is also providing sophisticated product structures in area of foreign
exchange and derivatives, money markets and debt trading and equity research.
Wholesale Banking Services
The Bank's target m inroads into the banking consortia of a number of leading Indian
corporate including multinationals, companies from the domestic business houses and
prime public sector companies. It is recognized as a leading provider of cash management
and transactional banking solutions to corporate customers, mutual funds, stock exchange
members and banks.
Retail Banking Services
The objective of the Retail Bank is to provide its target market customers a full range of
financial products and banking services, giving the customer a one-stop window for all
his/her banking requirements. The products are backed by world-class service and
delivered to customers through the growing branch network, as well as through
alternative delivery channels like ATM, Phone Banking, Net Banking and Mobile
Banking.
HDFC Bank was the first bank in India to launch an International Debit Card in
association with VISA (VISA Electron) and issues the Master card Maestro debit card as
well. The Bank launched its credit card business in late 2001. By March 2012, the bank
had a total card base (debit and credit cards) of over 13 million. The Bank is also one of
the leading players in the merchant acquiring business with over 70,000 Point-of-sale
(POS) terminals for debit / credit cards acceptance at merchant establishments. The Bank
is well positioned as a leader in various net based B2C opportunities including a wide
range of internet banking services for Fixed Deposits, Loans, Bill Payments, etc.

12

Treasury
Within this business, the bank has three main product areas - Foreign Exchange and
Derivatives, Local Currency Money Market & Debt Securities, and Equities. These
services are provided through the bank's Treasury team. To comply with statutory reserve
requirements, the bank is required to hold 25% of its deposits in government securities.
The Treasury business is responsible for managing the returns and market risk on this
investment portfolio.
Distribution Network
HDFC Bank is headquartered in Mumbai. The Bank has a network of 1,725 branches
spread in 771 cities across India. All branches are linked on an online real-time basis.
Customers in over 500 locations are also serviced through Telephone Banking. The Bank
has a presence in all major industrial and commercial centres across the country. Being a
clearing/settlement bank to various leading stock exchanges, the Bank has branches in the
centre where the NSE/BSE has a strong and active member base.
The Bank also has 3,898 networked ATMs across these cities. Moreover, HDFC Bank's
ATM network can be accessed by all domestic and international Visa/MasterCard, Visa
Electron/Maestro, Plus/Cirrus and American Express Credit/Charge cardholders.
Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited or HDFC (BSE: 500010),
founded 1977 by Ravi Maurya and Hasmukhbhai Parekh, is an Indian NBFC,
focusing on home mortgages. HDFC's distribution network spans 243 outlets that include
49 offices of HDFC's distribution company, HDFC Sales Private Limited. In addition,
HDFC covers over 90 locations through its outreach programmes. HDFC's marketing
efforts continue to be concentrated on developing a stronger distribution network. Home
loans are also Sharcket through HDFC Sales, HDFC Bank Limited and other third party
Direct Selling Agents (DSA).

13

To cater to non-resident Indians, HDFC has an office in London and Dubai and service
associates in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Al Khobar, Jeddah and Riyadh
in Saudi Arabia.

Awards and Achievements - Banking Services

HDFC Bank began operations in 1995 with a simple mission: to be a "World-class
Indian Bank". We realized that only a single-minded focus on product quality and
service excellence would help us get there. Today, we are proud to say that we are well on
our way towards that goal.
It is extremely gratifying that our efforts towards providing customer convenience have
been appreciated both nationally and internationally.
2012

IDRBT Banking Technology

Best Bank in 'IT for Operational Effectiveness' category

Excellence Awards 2011-12

Asia Money 2012

Best Domestic Bank in India

India's Top 500 Companies

Best Bank in India

-Dun & Bradstreet Corporate

Awards
Finance Asia

- Best Managed Company

- Best CEO - Mr. Aditya Puri

UTI Mutual Fund CNBC TV

- Best Performing Bank - Private

18 Financial Advisor Awards

2011
Asian Banker International

- Best Retail Bank in India

Excellence in Retail Financial - Best Bancassurance

Services Awards 2012

- Best Risk Management

14

5th Loyalty Summit award

Customer and Brand Loyalty

Skoch foundation 2012

SHG/JLG linkage programme

ICAI Awards 2011

Excellence in Financial Reporting

2011

Financial Express Best

- Best in Strength and Soundness

Bank Survey 2010-11

- 2nd Best in the Private Sector

CNBC TV18's Best Bank & - Best Bank

Financial Institution Awards - Mr. Aditya Puri, Outstanding Finance
Professional
Dun & Bradstreet Banking

Best Private Sector Bank - SME Financing

Awards 2011
ISACA 2011 award for IT

Best practices in IT Governance and IT Security

Governance
IBA Productivity Excellence New Channel Adopter (Private Sector)
Awards 2011
DSCI (Data Security

Security in Bank

Council of India)
Excellence Awards 2011
Euromoney Awards for

Best Bank in India

Excellence 2011
FINANCE ASIA Country

- BEST BANK

Awards 2011: India

- BEST CASH MANAGEMENT BANK

- BEST TRADE FINANCE BANK

Asian Banker

Strongest Bank in Asia Pacific

BloombergUTV's Financial

Best Bank

Leadership Awards 2011

IBA Banking Technology

Winner -

Awards 2010

1) Technology Bank of the Year

15

2) Best Online Bank

3) Best Customer Initiative
4) Best Use of Business Intelligence
5) Best Risk Management System
Runners Up Best Financial Inclusion
IDC FIIA Awards 2011

Excellence in Customer Experience

2010

Outlook Money 2010 Awards Best Bank

Businessworld Best Bank

Best Bank (Large)

Awards 2010
Teacher's Achievement

Mr. Aditya Puri

Awards 2010 (Business)

The Banker and PWM 2010

Best Private Bank in India

Global Private Banking

Awards
Economic Times Awards for

Business Leader of the Year - Mr. Aditya Puri

Corporate Excellence 2010

Forbes Asia

Fab 50 Companies - 5th year in a row

NDTV Business Leadership

Best Private Sector Bank

Awards 2010
The Banker Magazine

World's Top 1000 Banks

MIS Asia IT Excellence

BEST BOTTOM-LINE I.T. Category

Award 2010
Dun & Bradstreet Banking
Awards 2010

Overall Best Bank

Best Private Sector Bank

16

 Best Private Sector Bank in SME Financing

Institutional Investor

HDFC Bank MD, Mr. Aditya Puri among "Asian

Magazine Poll

Captains of Finance 2010"

IDRBT Technology 2009

Winner - 1) IT Infrastructure 2) Use of IT within

Awards

the Bank
Runners-up - IT Governance (Large Banks)

ACI Excellence Awards 2010 Highly Commended - Asia Pacific HDFC Bank
FE-EVI Green Business

Best performer in the Banking category

Leadership Award
Celent's 2010 Banking

Model Bank Award

Innovation Award
Avaya Global Connect 2010

Customer Responsiveness Award - Banking &

Financial Services category

Forbes Top 2000 Companies

Our Bank at 632nd position and among 130

Global High Performers

Financial Express - Ernst &

Young Survey 2009-10

Best New Private Sector Bank

Best in Growth
Best in strength

Asian Banker Excellence

Awards 2010

Best Retail Bank in India

Excellence in Automobile Lending
Best M&A Integration
Technology Implementation

The Asset Triple A Awards

Best Cash Management Bank in India

Euromoney Private Banking

1) Best Local Bank in India (second year in a

and Wealth Management Poll row) 2) Best Private Banking Services overall
2010

(moved up from No. 2 last year)

Financial Insights Innovation

Innovation in Branch Operations - Server

Awards 2010

Consolidation Project

17

Global Finance Award

Best Trade Finance Provider in India for 2010

2 Banking Technology

1) Best Risk Management Initiative and 2) Best

Awards 2009

Use of Business Intelligence.

SPJIMR Marketing Impact

2nd Prize

Awards (SMIA) 2010

Business Today Best

Listed in top 10 Best Employers in the country

Employer Survey

CHAPTER - III
QWL-THE CONCEPT
3.1

IMPORTANCE:
The quest for improved productivity through human resources has its beginning

in the early 100s. F. W. Taylor's scientific management principles created a new

awareness regarding the human resources, who were earlier considered as mere
instruments of production, ready to work from dawn t dusk under whatever conditions
and being motivated by the lure of money. From then, till today continuous research and
experiments have been undertaken to understand human beings at work and the ways to
improve their job satisfaction, balanced with the aim of organizations to combine better
productivity with job and employee satisfaction. In order to achieve this twin objective,
different approaches have been developed and applied. The concept of QWL has
originated from this continuous research process.

18

Quality of work life (QWL) has assumed increasing interest and importance in both
industrial as well as developing countries of the world. In India, its scope seems to be
more than a sheer work organization movement which focuses on job security and
economic growth to the employees.
The American Society of Training and Development established a task force on the
QWL in 1979. This task force defined QWL as "a process of work organizations which
enable its members at all levels to activity participate in shaping the organizations,
environment, methods and outcomes. This value based process is aimed towards meeting
the twin goals of enhanced effectiveness of organizations and improved quality of life at
work for employees".

WHAT IS QWL?
The term refers to the favorableness or unfavourableness of a total job
environment for people. QWL programs are another way in which organizations
recognize their responsibility to develop jobs and working conditions that are
excellent for people as well as for economic health of the organization. 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 addition to improving the
work system, QWL programs usually emphasis development of employee skills, the
reduction of occupational stress and the development of more co-operative
Labor -management relations.
Vigorous Domestic and International competition drive organizations to be more
productive. Proactive managers and human resource departments respond to this
19

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 organization to give workers greater
opportunities to affect their jobs and their contributions to the organizations overall
effectiveness.

3.2

A RATIONALE:
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 labor. Workers became socially isolated from their co-workers
because their highly specialized 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 organizations failed to respond
appropriately. The real cause was that in many instances the job itself simply was not
satisfying.
20

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 redesigning jobs and organizations for a better QWL:
1. Classical design originally gave inadequate attention to human needs.
2. The needs and aspirations of workers themselves were changing.
One option was to re-design jobs to have the attributes desired by people, and redesign organizations 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
humanized work environment. It attempts to serve the higher-order needs of workers as
well as their more basic needs. It seeks to 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.

DEFINING QUALITY OF WORK LIFE

The best way of approaching quality of life measurement is to measure the extent to
which people's 'happiness requirements' are met i.e. those requirements which are a
necessary (although not sufficient) condition of anyone's happiness - those 'without which
no member of the human race can be happy.'
WHAT IS QOL? QOL may be defined as subjective well-being. Recognizing the
subjectivity of QOL is a key to understanding this construct. QOL reflects the difference,
21

the gap, between the hopes and expectations of a person and their present experience.
Human adaptation is such that life expectations are usually adjusted so as to lie within the
realm of what the individual perceives to be possible. This enables people who have
difficult life circumstances to maintain a reasonable QOL.
Quality of Life is tied to perception of 'meaning'. The quest for meaning is central to the
human condition, and we are brought in touch with a sense of meaning when we reflect
on that which we have created, loved, believed in or left as a legacy.
Our definition of quality of life is: The degree to which a person enjoys the important
possibilities of his/her life. Possibilities result from the opportunities and limitations each
person has in his/her life and reflect the interaction of personal and environmental factors.
Enjoyment has two components: the experience of satisfaction and the possession or
achievement of some characteristic, as illustrated by the expression: "She enjoys good
health." Three major life domains are identified: Being, Belonging, and Becoming.

3.3

CRITERIA OF MEASURING QWL:

(I) Adequate and Fair Compensation

There are different opinions about the adequate compensation. The committee on Fair
Wages defined fair wage as the wage which is above the minimum wage but below the
living age.

(ii) Safe and Healthy Working Conditions

Most of the organizations provide safe and healthy working conditions due to
humanitarian requirements and/or legal requirements. In fact, these conditions are a
matter of enlightened self-interest.

(iii) Opportunity to Use and Develop Human Capabilities

Contrary to the traditional assumptions, QWL is improved the extent that the worker can
exercise more control over his or her work, and the degree to which the job embraces an
entire meaningful task but not a part of it. Further, QWL

22

Provides for opportunities like autonomy in work and participation in planning in order to
use human capabilities.

(iv) Opportunity for Career Growth

Opportunities for promotions are limited in case of all categories of employees either due
to educational barriers or due to limited openings at the higher level. QWL provides
future opportunity for continued growth and security by expanding ones capabilities,
knowledge and qualifications

(v) Social Integration in the Work Force

Social integration in the work force can be established by creating freedom from
prejudice, supporting primary work a sense of community and inter-personnel openness,
egalitarian and upward mobility.

(vi) Constitutionalism in the Work Organization

QWL provides constitutional protection to the employees only to the level of desirability
as it hampers workers. It happens because the managements action is challenged in every
action and bureaucratic procedures need to be followed at that level. Constitutional
protection is provided to employees on such matters as privacy, free speech, equity and
due process.

(vii) Work and Quality of Life

QWL provides for the balanced relationship among work, non- work and family aspects
of life. In other words, family life and social life should not be strained by working hours
including overtime work, work during inconvenient hours, business travel, transfers,
vacations, etc.

(viii) Social Relevance of Work

23

QWL is concerned about the establishment of social relevance to work in a socially

beneficial manner. The workers self esteem would be high if his work is useful to the
society and the vice versa is also true.

FIGURE 1.1

24

3.4

ISSUES:

Trade unions claim that they are responsible for the improvement in various facilities to
workers whereas management takes credit for improved salaries, benefits and facilities.
However, P/HR manager has (identified) specific issues in QWL besides normal wages,
salaries, fringe benefits, etc. and takes lead in providing them so as to maintain higher
order QWL. IKlott, Mundick and Schuster suggested 11 major QWL issues.
They are:

(I) Pay and Stability of Employment

25

Good pay still dominates most of the other factors in employee satisfaction. Various
alternative means for providing wages should be developed in view of increase in cost of
living index, increase in levels and rates of income tax and profession tax. Stability to a
greater extent can be provided by enhancing the facilities for human resource
development.

(ii) Occupational Stress

Is a condition of strain on ones emotions, thought process and physical condition? Stress
is determined by the nature of work, working conditions, working hours, pause in the
work schedule, workers abilities and nature and match with the job requirements. Stress
is caused due to irritability, hyperexcitation or depression, unstable behavior, fatigue,
stuttering, trembling psychometrics pains, h smoking and drug abuse. Stress adversely
affects employ productivity. The P/HR manager, in order to minimize the stress, has
identified, prevent and tackle the problem. He may arrange the treatment of the problem
with the health unit of the company.

(iii) Organizational Health Programmers

Organizational health programmers aim at educating employees about health
problems means of maintaining and improving of health, etc. These programmers cover
drinking and smoking cessation, hypertension control, other forms of cardiovascular risk
reduction, family planning, etc. Effective implementation of these programmers' result in
reduction in absenteeism, hospitalization, disability, excessive job turnover and premature
death. This programmer should also cover relaxation, physical exercise, diet control, etc.

(iv) Alternative Work Schedules

Alternative work schedules including work at home, flexible working hours, staggered
hours, reduced work week, part-time employment which may be introduced for the
convenience and comfort of the workers as the work such which offers the individual the
leisure time, flexible hours of work is preferred.

(v) Participative Management and Control of Work

26

Trade unions and workers believe that workers participation in management and 1e
improves WL. Workers also feel that they have control their work, use their skills and
make a real contribution to the job if they are allowed participate in creative and
decision-making process.

(vi) Recognition
Recognizing the employee as a hum being rather than as a laborer increases the
QWL Participative management, awarding the rewarding systems, congratulating the
employees for their achievement, job enrichment, offering prestigious designations to the
jobs, providing well furnished and decent work places, offering membership in clubs or
association, providing vehicles, offering vacation trips are some means to recognize the
employees.

(vii) Congenial Worker-Supervisor Relations

Harmonious supervisor-worker relations gives the worker a sense of social association,
belongingness, achieve of work results, etc. This in turn leads to better QWL.

(viii) Grievance Procedure

Workers have a sense of fair treatment when the company gives them the opportunity to
ventilate their grievances and represent their case succinctly rather than settling the
problems arbitrarily.

(ix) Adequacy of Resources

Resources should match with st4ted objectives; otherwise, employees will not be able to
attain the Objectives. This results in employee dissatisfaction and lower QWL.

(x) Seniority and Merit in Promotions

Seniority is generally taken as the base for promotion in case of operating employees.
Merit is considered as the basis for advancement for managerial people whereas
seniority-c is preferred for promotion of ministerial employees. The promotional policies
and activities should be fair and just in order to ensure higher QWL

(xi) Employment on Permanent Basis

27

Employment of workers on casual, the probationary basis gives them a sense of

insecurity. On the other hand, employment on permanent basis gives them security and
leads to higher order QWL.

3.5

STRATEGIES:

3.5.1 STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF QWL

The strategies for improvement in quality of work life include self-managed work teams,
redesign and enrichment, effective leadership and supervisory behavior, career
development, alternative work schedules, job security, administrative organizational and
participating management.

(I) Self-managed Work Teams

These are also called autonomous work groups or integrated work teams. These work
teams are formed with 10 to 20 employees who plan, co-ordinate and control the
activities of the team with the help of a team leader who is one among them. Each team
performs all activities including selecting their people. Each team has authority to make
decisions and regulate the activities. The group as a whole is accountable for the success
or failure. Salaries are fixed both on the basis of individual and group achievement.

(ii) Job Redesign and Enrichment

Narrow jobs can be combined into larger units of accomplishment. Jobs are redesigned
with a view to enriching them to satisfy higher order human needs.

(iii) Effective Leadership and Supervisory Behavior

For effective leadership and sup supervisory behavior 9-9 style of managerial grid is
suitable.

(iv) Career Development

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Provision for career planning, communicating and counseling the employees about the
career opportunities, career path, education and development and for second careers
should be made.

(v) Alternative Work Schedules

Provision for flexible working hours, part-time employments, job- sharing and reduced
work week should be made

(vi) Job Security

This tops the employees list of priorities. It should be adequately taken care of.

(vii) Administrative or Organizational Justice

The principles of justice, fair and equity should be taken care of in disciplinary
procedure, grievance procedures, promotions, transfers, demotion, work assignment,
leave, etc.

(viii) Participative Management

Employees should be allowed to participate in management participative schemes which
may be of several types. The most sophisticated among them is quality circle.
Implementation of these strategies ensures higher level of quality of work life.
3.5.2 QUALITY OF WORK LIFE AS HR STARTEGY AN ANALYSIS
Todays 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
recognized as the ultimate key for development among all the work systems, not merely
as a concession. This is integral to any organization towards its wholesome growth. This
is attempted on par with strategies of Customer Relation Management.

Strategy and Tactics

29

Over the years, since industrial revolution, much experimentation has gone into
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 Peoples Excellence).
Globalization has lowered national boundaries, creating a knowledge-based
economy that spins and spans the world. Major economies are converging
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 team
work. 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 they do go to the credit of
the teamwork.

The concept of teamwork has evolved from the organized toil that has its own
social dimensions. Good teams can hardly be imported from outside. They usually occur
as 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 globalized 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 thereby
restructuring the new environs on par with those of best in the world, unwittingly though.

30

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 organization and more importantly, wages
are paid according to the larger picture specific to the industry and the employers place
in the same.

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 workers 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 employers 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 companys 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

31

compensation in job allocation, incompatibility of work conditions affecting health,

bullying by older peers and boss, physical constraints like distance to work, lack of
flexible 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 organization 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 instill 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
infrastructure 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-being nests 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
required with respect to leave, compensation and working hours in the larger framework.

Teamwork
Teamwork is the new mantra of modern day peoples excellence strategy. Todays
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

32

can find a new sense of belonging to each other in the unit and concentrate on the groups
new responsibility towards employers goals. This will boost the coziness and morale of
members in the positive environment created by each others 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 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 workers contribution
vis--vis on employers 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 workers performance, if well interpreted and

analyzed, 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
organization.

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
33

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.

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

forthcoming in trusting the boss and older peers. Now, all modern managements are
cognizant of the innate desire of workers to be accepted as part of the organization for
identity and other social reasons.
Effective dialogue is put into play between management and those who execute
through well-organized 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 organization. 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.

Influences
Overwork is tolerated in emerging industries unlike government departments as
part 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 done, 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 realizing that quality alone stands to gain in the ultimate

34

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.

3.5.3 QUALITY OF WORK LIFE THE HUMAN IMPLICATIONS

One cannot do right in one area of life whilst he is occupied in doing wrong
in another. Life is one invisible whole Mahatma Gandhi

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 14
to 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 hasnt
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
characterized by a pronounced conflict between professional and private lives. Lesser
employees doing greater work make the work monotonous and grueling 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.

35

It is not uncommon to see people who aspire to have work and personal life in
synchronization. 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 peoples personal and work roles can go a long
way in resolving conflicts. In fact researchers claim that by helping to manage
employees work/life conflicts the company actually increases psychological availability
for work of an employee. This is at least true of some learning organizations 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.
Occupational psychology conducted in UK points out that managers feel to be
working unjustifiably long hours and to be pushing their staff too hard. Only a relatively
small percentage felt reasonably sure that they have indicated their preference for more
flexible working hours. Nearly half perceived increased difficulties in balancing their
work and personal life and well over half said pressure to perform at work left them less
and less time for their personal life, making them feel that they are missing out.
The analysis of this research data was descriptive and no attempts were made to analyze
any traits underlying the work/life balance. There are two important issues to be looked
into
They are:

36

1. Two distinct factors underlying the work/life balance. One is related to the general
status quo of the workplace and the other one to attitudes held by the individual.
2. That these factors would correlate with other variables, such as commitment, gender
or age.

It is instinctive human desire to secure oneself in material comforts in the early

phase of life to enjoy good quality of life at a later point in the life span. The point that
many do not realize is that life is not so compartmentalized that one can do the activities
in a sequential order one after the other. Life is a bundle that contains all the strands
together and hence the need to balance work life and other related issues. There is
nothing wrong in having career ambitions. We all have a deep human hunger to create
something great through the work we do and shine in our chosen profession.
One important dimension is the relationship balance. Many of us rationalize by
rationing quality time for the family. Fact of the matter is that we tend to perceive that
the time spent with family should be qualitatively superior and quantity doesnt matter.
One must go the extra mile and ensure that the right quantity of time is provided for the
bonds of trust and love to grow. Children, in particular, believe that the more time you
spend with them reflects how much you love them. It is said laughter is the shortest
distance between two people. The Relationship Balance creates a sense of fulfillment
and the synergy spill over positively in all of the other areas of your life. The warmth and
love on the home front enables a person to focus intensively and concentrate fully on the
professional work and achieve high degree of success. The other important dimension is
career balance. Einstein once said that one should be a person of value rather than a
person of success. There is a natural human urge in most of us to have deep sense of
fulfillment through our work lie. Our personal life will be very dull and boring if work
life isnt exciting and doesnt offer scope to bring out the dormant talent in us. The urge
to do some commercial activity by creative methods to succeed in the market place and
obtain monetary as well social rewards is inherent in all human beings.
The point of wisdom is simply this: Do not trade-off the pleasure of living for the
sake of achievement. Instead, joyfully achieve. Balance your commitment to being the

37

best you can be at work with a deep commitment to being a great family person and
loving friend. Understand that without balance in every core area of your life, youll
never find lasting happiness and a sense that you have lived well.

3.5.4 THE HUMAN FACTOR IN REWARDING EMPLOYEES

Seldom have we come across individual who does not respond to appreciation. In
fact, we consider such people as aberrations. Yet, how many of the managers are sensitive
to this issue? Their number is hardly encouraging. Most of them do not consider it to be a
major part of their job today. The work schedules have become stiff with the increasing
demands on productivity and employees are expected to act in a manner that benefits the
company. Resources are thin, budgets tight and in this training is the first casualty. This
implies that an employee has to look within, rather than look up to the organization to
enhance his/her skills.
The business environment today is characterised by speed and technology. Personal
interface by the managers has been replaced by computer interface. The minimum
personal interaction that a manager has with an employee is devoted to finding out the
business details, and there is hardly any room left for the manager to find out whether an
employee has done an exceptionally good job while carrying out his task. The blessings
of technology are a mixed bag.
In his book, Mega Trends, John Anisette gives an excellent account of the
changing work environment. He says that our work environments become more and more
technical; there will be a greater employee need to become more personal and humane.
He calls this phenomenon high-tech/high-touch. The irony is that all this is happening at a
time when the aspiration of the employees is to have a greater meaning in their lives,
particularly in the context of their job.
The paradox of the situation is that what motivates people most takes so relatively
little to do-just a little time and thoughtfulness for fresher. In a recent research study of

38

1500 employees conducted by Dr. Gerald Graham, personal congratulations by managers

of employees who do a good job were ranked first among 67 potential incentives
evaluated. Second on the list was a personal note for good performance written by the
manager?
Eve information can be rewarding. Numerous studies indicate that open
communication was ranked as the most important reason that the employees reported for
staying with their present jobs. Everyone wants to know whats going on?- Especially,
as it affects them, and merely telling them is motivating. When we ponder over this
aspect, the question that arises is whether is it really that difficult to tell people that?
When it comes to rewards, most managers perceive that the only thing that
motivates their employees is money and more money. While money can be a significant
way of letting employees know their worth to the organization,
It may not always be the sole sustaining motivational factor to most individuals. In other
words, money is important enough, and yet, may not be the all or end all of employee
motivation. More often than not, non-pecuniary factors may equally motivate employees
to do their best on the job.
The most limiting reason for money to be a motivator is that in most
organizations, performance reviews and corresponding salary increases occur only once
in a year. To motivate employees, performance need to reward the achievements and
progress made towards the goals by employees more frequently. Regular reward-not
necessarily monetary-needs to take place on almost daily basis.
The intangibles matter a great deal to an employee. It may be small yet significant
for the workers that they are being appreciated for the work theyve done, being kept
informed about things that affect them and have a sympathetic manger who takes time to
listen. None of these intangibles are very costly, but they all do take the time and
thoughtfulness of a manger that tends to be caring. By being a little creative, a manager
can find out what specifically motivates his/her employees and ignites the spark in them.
His/her job is to make those things happen. When one of the employees has put in extra
39

effort on a key project or achieved a goal that has been mutually set, he/she should
recognise the achievement fittingly in a unique and memorable way. Managers will find
that the more creative and unique they are with the reward, the more fun it will be for
both of them. The examples can be only limited by the managers imagination. It could
be sending a birthday gift to the employees beloved daughter to footing the bill of the
family dinner. The manager can grant employees, who have performed exceptionally
well, a pass for three-day weekend.
Recognition and rewards can be very powerful motivational tools. It is quite
intriguing to realise that a simple and sincere recognition with minimum cost, paperwork
and administration can impact employees in a profound way. At Walt Disney, one of the
companys 180 recognition programs is called The Spirit of Fred Award, named after an
employee named Fred. When Fred first went from an hourly to a salaried position, five
people taught him the values necessary for success at Disney. This help inspired the
award, in which the name Fred became an acronym for friendly, resourceful,
enthusiastic and dependable. First given as a lark, the award has come to be highly
coveted in the organization.
Rewarding employees for exceptional work theyve done is critical to keep them
motivated enough to continue their best. Although money is important, a manager can
obtain better employee performance by using personal, creative and amusing forms of
recognition.

3.6

WORK LIFE BALANCE:

3.6.1

BALANCING THE WORK AND LIFE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES

40

Researches indicate that balanced work-life can lead to greater employee

productivity. With the progressive shift of the economy towards a knowledge
economy, the meaning and Importance of tile quality of work life is also assuming a
new significance. The article details the factor$ that should be tuned to attain
balance between work and life of an employee.

You must have both love and work in your life to make you healthy. Don't you
agree? Well, this is what Sigmund Freud had said decades ago for healthy workers.
Family is an essential ingredient for the love that exists in the life of the employees. But
are the corporate structuring the work patterns so as to ensure the necessary balances?
Are the corporate providing opportunities to their employees to spend quality time in
their personal lives? Many researchers indicate that maintaining a good balance in work
and life has become a priority for the corporate in the developed nations.
At the dawn of industrialization, the needs and priorities of employees were at the
lower end of Maslows need hierarchy pyramid. The priority was given more to physical
and material security. However, with rapid cultural and economic developments, the
priorities outside job became very different. Employees started looking for higher and
meaningful quality of life as a result of the outcomes of their work. After all, what are
they working for? A good happy and a decent life.

With the increasing shift of the economy towards knowledge economy, the meaning
and importance of the quality of work life is also assuming a new significance. Today, the
connotation of the term 'work' has also become different. It has more to do with the
intellectual exercise than physical labor. As a result, the corporate need to streamline and
restructure their work schedules in order to bring about a balance in work life of their
employees. Understanding and managing the levels and complexities of diverse
motivational needs is another area, which requires careful attention from the corporate to
bring about work-life balance.

41

Shifts in Societal Patterns

Gone are the days of joint families where you had to care for elders and them, in
turn, had to nurture your emotions? Today's nuclear families with both the partners
working have created new dynamics that has become emotionally demanding to the
employees. Financial and social obligations have assumed a different level of
significance today. Not only this, the needs of organizations today have also changed.
Money is getting accumulated in tiny pockets, among those sections of people who
possess the most wanted knowledge. And these so-called knowledge workers are the
ones who are in acute need to balancing their work and life.

Technological Breakthroughs
Tremendous progress in the fields of information technology and communication
system has changed our worldview. At the same time, it demands more from todays
employees. Strict deadlines, tighter schedules and ever-escalating corporate targets are
the natural outcome of it.

New Horizon of Expectations

Due to the above reasons there has been a total shift in the level of expectations
for todays employees. In fact, in the book Geeks and Geezers, Thomas and Bennie
explain how attitudes towards work and life balance vary from generation to generation.
Baby boomers are no longer ready to give their lives to the company they work for.
Whereas the Generation Xs and Ys are more committed to meet the demands of both
work and family life. In turn, they seek a newly defined and restructured way of getting
jobs assigned to them.

Researchers have pointed out that a balance between work and life is maintained
when there is no conflict between work and family demands. Though this seems to be
idealistic situation, what the corporate need to remember is that the conflicts should not
reach unacceptable levels where it would tend to affect the productivity of the employee.

42

According to 1998 America @ Work (SM) study conducted by Aon Consulting

Worldwide Inc., an HR consulting firm based in Chicago, the employees of today put
their commitment to organizations they work for only if the management recognizes the
importance of their personal and family life.

Striking a balance between work and life is as difficult for the corporate as it is for
the employees. However, the onus of maintaining this is more on the corporate because,
as pointed out by the famous Hawthorne Experiment, the world of individuals primarily
centers on their place of work.

So a careful perusal of the working patterns and

scheduling of jobs will be one of the first steps in designing work schedule that can
balance life and work. The HR managers, along with the functional heads and line
mangers, should try to bring in flexibility to the working patterns within the
organizations.

A tradeoff between organizational needs and personal needs of the

employees has to be worked out. Following are some of the ways in which it can be
done. Though this is in no way an exhaustive list, yet it does provide a starting point for
corporate to develop flexible work schedules that can balance work and life.

Creating Institutional Support Mechanisms

The first and the foremost requirement are to create conditions that will provide
organizational support towards maintaining the flexibility of work and life of the
employees. These entail the propagation of the culture of work
Flexibility, HR policies and other organizational regulations that allow the employees to
maintain a good mix of personal lives with their career.
There is a need to clearly chalk out the connection between maintaining this
flexibility and the corporate objectives. For instance, managers at Eli Lilly begin their
job in the company with a clear understanding of what the company expects. They
undergo a weeklong program, called Supervisor School that blends the business case for
work life initiatives. Thus, the management ensures that the flexibility in work is linked
with the objectives of the organization. But this is not enough. What is needed is to
43

ensure and communicate the support of the senior management. The top management of
the company must clearly communicate its eagerness and willingness to restructure the
work schedules in such a manner that it can balance the work and life of the employees.
This will require clear articulation from the company that it values the personal lives of
its employees. The employees must understand that their organization also keeps in mind
the value of their life and personal relationship. Such articulation can be done through
the companys vision and mission statements.

Providing Managerial Support

Only lip service towards work life balance will not suffice. Organizations must
make sure that there are proper organizational systems of work design that allows
employees to have flexible time. This may even require a new look towards HR manual,
which the organization may have.
It is also necessary to evaluate such systems of flexibility from time to time.
Otherwise, stagnancy will creep into the work schedules, which might create new
dimensions of the problem in the work life patterns. To keep pace with the changing
patterns of work and life of employees, the organizations can arrange special training
programs that will inform the employees about the new working trends. This can be done
through sharing successful models of work schedules and real life case studies.

Practicing What You Preach

Above all, the organizations need to execute their flexible work schedules.
Flexible work patterns must become a part of organizational initiatives. This will require
the creation of a networked environment that can provide a back up system to support
work relationship. Essentially this will require employees to become cross functional, so
that a temporary emergency or a shortfall in one department can be met by other
departments. Thus, the role of HR department needs to be revisited and made more
expansive and supportive towards organizational and individual needs.

44

Sustain It
Once the organization follows and internalizes the practice of flexible work
schedules for its employees, it is very necessary that it sustains it over a long period of
time. Such sustainability can e brought about by clear demarcations of accountability and
means to measure it. In other words, the focus and purpose of creating balanced work life
should be maintained at any cost. This will also call for review and evaluation of the
current work environment and make modifications in the schedules accordingly.
Several researchers have shown that a balanced work-life creates greater
employee productivity. What important is the long-term and not the short-term, which
seems to become the focus of many organizations. So, though it may apparently seem
that employees are having more leisure, the effect of a balanced work-life will show up
positively in the bottom line of the company.

3.6.2 BENEFITS OF IMPROVING WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Aiding employee recruitment and retention

1. More employees may stay on in a job, return after a break or take a job with one
Company over another if they can match their other needs better with those of their paid
work.
2. This results in savings for the employer avoiding the cost of losing an experienced
Worker and recruiting someone new.
3. Employers who support their staff in this way often gain the bonus of loyalty from
those staff.
4. The British Work-Life Balance Study 2000, including a representative survey of 2500
Workplaces, found that 58 per cent of employers thought that work-life balance practices
had improved staff motivation and commitment, and 52 per cent thought labor turnover
and absenteeism were lower, and that they helped retain female employees. The
Australian 2002 Benchmarking Study found that organizations implementing work-life
45

strategies and evaluating them observed reduced turnover, absenteeism, and increased
return from parental leave.

Reducing absenteeism
1.Many companies that have introduced family-friendly or flexible working practices
have seen benefits through reductions in absenteeism. Sickness rates may fall as
pressures are managed better, while employees may have better methods of dealing with
work-life conflicts than taking unplanned leave.
2.Workers (including their managers) who are healthy and not over-stressed may be more
efficient.

Improving the quality of people's working lives

1. Minimizing work-life role conflict can help prevent role overload and help people
have
a more satisfying working life, fulfilling their potential both in paid work and outside it.
2. Work life balance can minimize stress and fatigue at work, enabling people to have
Safer and healthier working lives. Workplace stress and fatigue can contribute to injuries
at work and at home.
3. Self-employed people control their own work time to some extent. Most existing
Information on work-life balance is targeted at those in employment relationships.
However, the self-employed too may benefit from maintaining healthy work habits and
developing strategies to manage work-flows which enable them to balance work with
other roles in their lives.

Matching people who wouldnt otherwise work with jobs

1. Parents and careers, people with disabilities and those nearing retirement are among

46

those who may increase their workforce participation if more flexible work arrangements
are possible. Employment has positive individual and social benefits beyond the financial
rewards.
2. Employers may also benefit from a wider pool of talent to draw from this is
Particularly to their benefit when skill shortages exist.
3. The Baseline Study of Work-Life Balance Practices in Great Britain found that there
Was strong demand amongst lone parents, careers and disabled people for flexible
working time arrangements?

Benefiting families and communities

1.

In a situation of conflict between work and family, one or other suffers. Overseas

Studies have found that family life can interfere with paid work, and the reverse. At the
extreme, if family life suffers this may have wider social costs.
2.

Involvement in community, cultural, sporting or other activities can be a benefit to

Community and civil society at large. Like Voluntary participation in school boards of
trustees can contribute to the quality of our children's education. While such activities are
not the responsibility of individual employers, they may choose to support them.

The benefits gained by organizations who have introduced flexible

employment practices include:
- An edge over rivals in recruiting the best people;
- Lower staff turnover;
- Improved reputation and corporate image;
- Increased numbers returning to work after maternity leave;
- A wider pool of talent from which to promote;
- Flexibility to meet emergencies, crises or unpredictable demand;
- Tasks organized around work rather than work around rigid job definitions
and processes;
- Strengthened loyalty;
- A more satisfied, happier team;

47

- Reduced stress levels;

- Less sickness and unscheduled absence;
- Improved time keeping;
- Better return on investment in training.

QWL THROUGH EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT (EI)

3.7

One of the most common methods used to create QWL is employee involvement.
Employee involvement (EI) consists of a variety of systematic methods that empower
employees to participate in the decisions that affect them and their relationship with the
organization. Through (EI), employees feel a sense of responsibility, even ownership of
decisions in which they participate. To be successful, however, EI must be more than just
a systematic approach; it must become part of the organizations culture by being part of
managements philosophy. Some companies have had this philosophy ingrained in their
corporate structure for decades; Hewlett-Packard, IBM, General Motors, Ford, etc.

Pygmalion Effect
The implications for managers and human resource specialists are to create an
organizational culture that truly treats people as though they are experts at their jobs and
empowers them to use that expertise.
When management does this, a Pygmalion effect may result, which occurs when people
live up to the high expectations that others have of them.
If management further assumes that people want to contribute and seek ways to tap that
contribution, better decisions, improved productivity and a higher QWL are likely.

To become the preferred employer of personnel by offering highest quality of

work life in the industry.

To be most outstanding supplier by meeting customer satisfaction.

To be first place among locations in the company in earnings per employee ratio
in the industry during the present decade.

To achieve at least 10% growth every year in turn over, profits and value addition.

48

3.8 POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF WORK LIFE BALANCE

Universally adopted policies and practices of work life balance

1. Part Time Working
Usually defined as less than 30 hours per week. Hours may be worked over any
number of days.
TABLE 3.1
Benefits

Points to consider
part-time working regulations
extend the rights of part-time

allows cover for busy periods

popular

option

for

workers more in line with those of

women

returning from maternity leave

full time staff

can increase overall staff numbers
and therefore training costs and
fixed overheads
negative associations with low
pay/low status

2. Flexi-time
Workers choose the hours they work within defined limits. Usually there are set 'core'
times for attendance and controls over the maximum credit or debit hours which can be
built up and carried over a period of time.
TABLE 3.2
Benefits
can
help

with

Points to consider
travel needs to be well

difficulties
can help reduce absence

organized/managed
requires a degree of self
management

enables company to extend the

hours when a service can be

49

provided
working times can be adjusted
to meet peaks/troughs
improved time keeping

3. Annualized Hours
Agreed weekly hours are replaced by an annual hours arrangement and a forward
working pattern of roistered and reserve hours. By agreement, reserve hours may be
triggered at short notice. Pay is usually set at a regular, guaranteed monthly sum.
TABLE 3.3
Benefits
increases

flexibility

to

handle

seasonal fluctuations in demand

allows parents and careers to

arrange their working hours around

term time/school holidays
allows parents and careers to take

Points to consider
administratively complex to design
and operate
implications of national minimum
wage legislation

advantage of off peak holidays

4. Term Time Working

An arrangement in which reduced hours or time off is agreed for school holidays.
TABLE 3.4

Benefits
helps
recruit

and

employees

school

children

with

retain

Points to consider
absence during prime holiday

age

time may make it difficult to

arrange cover

50

5. Flexible Roistering
Arrangements which allow employees to schedule their working times and
patterns to match predicted staffing level needs over a set period. Hours earned or owed
may be stored in a 'time bank'.
TABLE 3.5
1
2
3
4

Benefits
reduces absenteeism
reduces time taken off for
sickness
increases flexibility to meet

Points to consider
requires central administration
voluntary co-operation essential
Implications

of

national

workload peaks and troughs

Individual choice increases

minimum wage legislation.

implications of working time

motivation

regulations

6. Shift Swap
Simple working arrangements which allow employees to cover for colleagues and
to take time off without using up holiday allowance.
TABLE 3.6
1
2

Benefits
reduces absenteeism
reduces time taken off for

Points to consider
requires central administration

sickness

7. Voluntarily Reduced Work Time

51

Often referred to as 'V-Time'. Employees trade pay for time over an

agreed period with an option to return to full time afterwards.

TABLE 3.7
Benefits

can help retain staff faced with a

1

difficult personal situation or

medium

term

domestic

emergency

8. Tele-working or Flexi place

An arrangement in which employees work from home or an external
location and may communicate via a computer link.
TABLE 3.8
1
2
3
4

Benefits
reduces overheads
better retention of staff with
caring responsibilities
higher productivity
increases pool of potential
recruits

Points to consider
issues of supervision
issues of communication
requires self management
implications
of
national
minimum wage legislation

52

9. Job Share
Two, or more, people divide responsibility for one full time job.
TABLE 3.9
Benefits
1`
2

adds to the expertise available

improves information sharing
and joint working
can sustain higher productivity
over a shorter working week

Points to consider
may add to management
responsibilities
increases training/fixed costs
requires good communication
between

sharers

and

their

managers

10. Career Break

An extended period of paid, or more commonly, unpaid time off with an
agreement of a job on return. Return to work may be phased.
TABLE 3.10

1
2
3

Benefits
helps retain

staff who

are

Points to consider
job cover may need to be

careers
increases return to work after

planned
skills may

maternity leave
experience may be enhanced

absence
extra effort needed to keep in

during the break

touch and up to date

decline

during

11. Family Leave

53

Arrangements which support new parents through enhanced maternity

leave allowance, paternity leave, adoption leave, family emergency. May include time off
for moving home, family marriage, and bereavement.
TABLE 3.11

1
2

Benefits
helps recruitment and retention

Points to consider
arrangements must take account

of key employees
increases loyalty

of rights to parental leave

12. Workplace Childcare Facilities

Arrangements which may include on site nursery, out of school 'club',
or holiday play scheme offering places to employees. Baby feeding/changing stations
may be provided.
TABLE 3.12

Benefits

Points to consider
a viable option only for large

can utilize redundant premises

organizations or as part of a

can simplify the journey to

childcare/work

partnership
many
employees

prefer

childcare near to home if work

can enable breast feeding to

is at a distance
schemes must be registered with

continue after a mother has

local

returned to work

statutory requirements
childcare providers are exempt

highly

visible

symbol

employer commitment

of

authorities

and

meet

from VAT and cannot reclaim

VAT paid to their suppliers
54

improved

recruitment

retention
can
increase
commitment

a
in

and
father's

childcare

responsibilities
capital costs may qualify for tax
relief

CHAPTER-1V
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
4.1

NEED FOR THE STUDY:

Employee Work life can be decided by taking into consideration certain factors like

Interrelationship with management and employees.

Salary aspects

Welfare activities

Benefits and compensation

Safety measures

Organization culture

Work environment

Promotions

Medical facilities

Leave policy

Performance appraisal

Management support

Decision making opportunity

Hierarchy

Job responsibility and nature.

55

Thus if the employee of a company has been mad to satisfy in all the above factors, the
individual performs his job up to the expected level.
Hence this study has been undertaken to make detailed analysis on Quality of
work life of employee with special reference to HDFC BANK Pvt. Ltd., Hyd.

4.2

PROJECT TITLE:
A study to analyze Quality Of Work Life in IT industry as case study of

HDFC BANK Pvt. Ltd.

4.3

OBJECTIVES:
The main objective of the study is
a) Primary objective:
To study the work environment of the employees of HDFC BANK Pvt.
Ltd. at all levels of Management.
b) Secondary objectives:

To find out reasons for work life quality and its balance.

The activities that take place at entry level of an employee.

To find out effects of quality on work life on an employee.

To find out way to improve work life balance in organization.

To gain an insight into current working time policies and practices, as well as
work-life balance issues.

To complement existing Foundation data and research on working time largely

based on surveys of individual workers and on literature reviews.

To find the effect of managers on the employees and their job satisfaction

56

4.4

METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY:

DATA COLLECTION:
The methodology adopted in collecting the data, selection of the sample
and analysis of the data is presented below.

4.4.1

Primary data.

Secondary data.

PRIMARY DATA :
The primary source of data is collected through Interview method,

questionnaire method, direct interaction with workers and managers at various levels,
individually together and collecting free flow of opinion from workers.
4.4.2

SECONDARY DATA:
Secondary Data will be collected through the Companys Hand book,

Magazines and Journals, Text books published on Human Resource Management and
Websites & Search engines.
4.4.3

SAMPLE FRAME:

Sample size: employees from 8 departments of the organization are taken for sampling.
Sample procedure: stratified random sampling is done for all the departments and
from all management levels.
Sampling unit: employees from all levels i.e. Top management
Middle management
Low management.
4.5 GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE:

57

The study was confined only to HDFC BANK Pvt. Ltd.

4.6 CONCEPTUAL SCOPE:
It is some what difficult to accurately lay down the scope of Employee work
environment, especially because of various individual attitudes and various levels of
people are involved and the study includes the dynamic nature of employees with
complex needs.
The study covers all the general and critical aspects which play an important role in
attaining good work environment to the employees in an organization.
4.7

LIMITATIONS:

Time factor is major limitation.

Sampling technique is followed, so views each and every employee cant be

Considered.

Unwillingness of the employees to respond to certain queries.

Unwillingness of the employees to express their suggestions or opinions.

4.7.3

PLAN OF THE STUDY:

The entire data collected through the study is divided into chapters.
They are..
1. INTRODUCTION.
2. COMPANY PROFILE.
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.
4. DATA TABULATION.
5. DATA ANALYSIS.
6. FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS.
4.8

STATISTICAL TOOLS USED:

58

4.9.1

Bar charts representation

4.9.2

Percentages

4.9.3

Pie charts representation.

Bar charts representation:

A bar chart or bar graph is a chart with rectangular bars with lengths proportional
to the values that they represent. The bars can be plotted vertically or
horizontally.
Bar charts are used for plotting discrete (or 'discontinuous') data.
Percentages:
Percentages are used to express how large/small one quantity is, relative to
another quantity.
The first quantity usually represents a part of, or a change in, the second
quantity, which should be greater than zero.

Pie chart:
A pie chart (or a circle graph) is a circular chart divided into sectors, illustrating
proportion.
In a pie chart, the arc length of each sector (and consequently its central
angle and area), is proportional to the quantity it represents.
The pie chart is perhaps the most ubiquitous statistical chart in the business world and the
mass media

Chi-square test:
A non-parametric statistical test that compares research data with the
expected results from a hypothesis.

59

Formula:

(O-E)
X = ------E
O: Observed frequency.
E: Expected frequency.
X: Chi square value.

***Since the standard values are not available Chi-Square calculations are not available.

CHAPTER - V
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
5. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
1. The job is Satisfactory,
a) Agree b) Strongly Agree c) Disagree d) Strongly Disagree
TABLE 4.1
Category
Strongly agree
Agree
Satisfactory
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Respondents
15
45
75
12
3

Percentage
10
30
50
8
2

JOB SATISFACTION

60

FIGURE 4.1

Interpretation:
The survey depicts that 50% of the employees are satisfied with their job and 30%
of the respondents agreed that there is job satisfaction and 10% strongly agreed and 8%

61

of the respondents disagreed and 2% of the respondents strongly disagreed. So, from
these we can say that the majority of the employees of are satisfied with their job and it
can be further improved.
2. How do you rate the transport facilities provided by the company?
a) Completely b) Partially

c) Not at all

TABLE 4.2
Category
Completely
Partially
Not at all

Respondents
64
32
4

Percentage
22
62
16

BENEFITS

FIGURE 4.2

62

Interpretation:
From this survey 64% of the respondents are partially satisfies with the benefits
provided to them by the organization and 32% of the respondents are completely
satisfied. Only 4% of the respondents are not at all satisfied with the benefits provided
by the organization.
So, majority of the employees of HDFC BANK are satisfied with the benefits provided
by the organization.

3. Are the safety measures adopted by the company are good?

a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree
TABLE 4.3
Category
Strongly agree
Agree
Satisfactory
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Respondents
60
72
18
0
0

Percentage
40
48
12
0
0
63

FIGURE 4.3

Interpretation:

64

The survey depicts that 48% of the respondents agree that there is Safety
measures in the organization and 40% of the respondents strongly agreed and 12% are
satisfied with the Safety measures scenario.
From the above we can understand that majority of the respondents are of the opinion
that there is Safety measures in the organization.

4. Do you think the wage policies adopted by the company are reasonable?
a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree
TABLE 4.4
Category
Strongly agree
Agree
Satisfactory
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Respondents
12
36
75
18
9

Percentage
8
24
5
12
6

FIGURE 4.4

65

Interpretation:
The survey depicts that 50% of the respondents are satisfied as the organization
in paying them fairly and reasonably and 25% of the respondents agree and 12% of the
respondents are dissatisfied and 8% of the respondents are strongly agree and 6$ of the
respondents strongly disagree. Only 50% of the employees are satisfied with the payment
so, the organization should have a re-look at the pay packages.

5. The Organization gives you freedom to use your skills in your area of job.
a) Strongly Agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly Disagree
TABLE 4.5
Category
Strongly agree
Agree
Satisfactory
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Respondents
9
51
69
15
6

Percentage
6
34
46
1
4

66

FIGURE 4.5

Interpretation:
The survey depicts that 46% of the respondents are satisfied that they are given
freedom to use their skills and 34% of the respondents agree with the argument. Only 6%
strongly and 10% disagreed. Strongly disagree category comprises of 4%.
So, the majority of the employees at HDFC BANK are agreed and satisfied with the
freedom given to use their skills.
67

6. The management gives you recognition for good results achieved

a) Strongly Agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree e) Strongly Disagree
TABLE 4.6
Category
Strongly agree
Agree
Satisfactory
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Respondents
15
60
54
18
3

Percentage
10
40
36
12
2

FIGURE 4.6

68

Interpretation:
From this survey, 40% of the respondents agree that the recognition of their skills
and achievements is optimum and 36% of the respondents are satisfied and 12% are
dissatisfied and 10% of the respondents strongly agreed and 2% strongly disagree.
Hence, the majority of the employees are of the opinion that they are given
recognition for their skills and achievements to the maximum extent.

7. How do you rate the suggestion scheme implemented by the company?

a) Excellent b) Very good c) Good

d) Satisfactory

TABLE 4.7
Category
Excellent
Very good
Good
Satisfactory

Respondents
15
55
18
12

Percentage
10
70
12
8

69

FIGURE 4.7

Interpretation:
From the above chart it is clear that 70% of the employees are agreeing that the
suggestions scheme of the organization is good and 12% felt satisfactory and at the same
time there are a category of respondents comprising 8% who felt that the job rotation
program is bad. But 10% of the respondents felt very happy with the suggestions

70

programs of the company. So, it is well advised to continue the same and improve it if
there is any scope.

8. The work timings of the organization are,

a) Excellent

b) Very good c) Good d) Satisfactory

TABLE 4.8

Category
Excellent
Very good
Good
Satisfactory

Respondents
15
55
18
12

Percentage
10
70
12
8

FIGURE 4.8

71

Interpretation:
From the above chart it is clear that 70% of the employees are agreeing that the
timings of the organization are good and 12% felt satisfactory and at the same time there
are a category of respondents comprising 8% who felt that the timings are bad. But 10%
of the respondents felt very happy with the timings of the company. So, it is well advised
to continue the same and improve it if there is any scope.

9. The motivation given at the work place by the supervisors/Senior Authority

Is helpful,
a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree
TABLE 4.9
Category
Strongly agree
Agree
Satisfactory
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Respondents
15
60
54
18
3

Percentage
10
40
36
12
2

72

FIGURE 4.9

Interpretation:
From this survey, 40% of the respondents agree that supervisors motivation is
very helpful for them and 36% of the respondents are satisfied and 12% are dissatisfied
and 10% of the respondents strongly agreed and 2% strongly disagree. Hence, the
majority of the employees are of the opinion that their supervisors motivation is useful
for them to the maximum extent.

73

10 .The relations with my immediate superior is,

a) Excellent

b) Very good c) Good

d) Satisfactory

e) Bad

TABLE 4.10
Category
Excellent
Very good
Good
Satisfactory
Bad

Respondents
21
24
66
39
0

Percentage
14
16
44
26
0

FIGURE 4.10

74

Interpretation:
It is revealed that 44% of the respondents felt that there is good relation with the
seniors in the organization and 26% of the respondents felt that the relation with
seniors is satisfactory and 16% of the respondents felt that they have very good
relation and 14% of the respondents felt that they have excellent relations with
seniors in the organization. So, from this we can say that most of the employees at
HDFC BANK feel that they have good relations with seniors and they are confident
about it.

11. The relation with my sub-ordinates is good,

a) Yes

b) To some extent

c) No

TABLE 4.11
Category
Yes
To an extent
No

Respondents
33
93
24

Percentage
22
62
16

75

FIGURE 4.11

Interpretation:
I notice that 22% of the employees say that relation with their sub-ordinate is
good and 62% say that it is good to some extent and 16% of the employees say that it is
not that good.

76

So, from this we can say that the majority of the employees of HDFC BANK are
good with their sub-ordinates.

12. The company communicates the every new change that takes place.
a) Yes

b) To some extent

c) No

TABLE 4.12
Category
Yes
To some extent
No

Respondents
84
51
15

Percentage
56
34
10

FIGURE 4.12

77

Interpretation:
The survey depicts that 56% of the respondents are of the opinion that the
company communicates with them regarding every new change that takes place. On the
other hand 34% felt that they are communicated regarding the updates up to some extent.
10% of the respondents felt that they are rarely communicated with the company updates.
So from this it can be concluded that the employees are updated with most of the
company updates.

13. Is the feedback given to us about the work done by the supervisors useful?
a) Completely

b) Partially

c) Not at all

TABLE 4.13
Category
Completely
Partially
Not at all

Respondents
84
54
12

Percentage
56
36
8

78

FIGURE 4.13

Interpretation:
The survey depicts that 56% of the respondents feel the feedback given by their
supervisors is completely useful and 36% of the respondents are partially useful and 8%
of the respondents feel the feedback is not at all useful.
79

So, majority of the employees are able to make use of the feedback given by their
seniors.

14. Is the training provided in the company sufficient?

a) Yes b) To some extent c) No
TABLE 4.14
Category
Yes
To some extent
No

Respondents
84
51
15

Percentage
56
34
10

FIGURE 4.14

80

Interpretation:
I notice that 56% of the employees say that the training given to them is sufficient to
improve their skills and 34% say that it is useful to some extent and 10% of the
employees say that it is not sufficient.
So, from this we can say that the majority of the employees of HDFC BANK are satisfied
with the training provided to them.

15. The procedure followed for Job Rotation is,

a) Excellent

b) Very good c) Good

d) Satisfactory

TABLE 4.15
Category
Excellent
Very good
Good
Satisfactory

Respondents
15
55
18
12

Percentage
10
70
12
8

81

FIGURE 4.15

Interpretation:
From the above chart it is clear that 70% of the employees are agreeing that the
job rotation program of the organization are good and 12% felt satisfactory and at the

82

same time there are a category of respondents comprising 8% who felt that the job
rotation program are as bad. But 10% of the respondents felt very happy with the welfare
programs of the company. So, it is well advised to continue the same and improve it if
there is any scope.

16. Are you satisfied with the medical reimbursement scheme provided by?
Company?
a) Completely

b) Partially

c) Not at all

TABLE 4.16
Category
Completely
Partially
Not at all

Respondents
64
32
4

Percentage
22
62
16

FIGURE 4.16

83

Interpretation:
From this survey 64% of the respondents are partially satisfies with the medical
benefits provided to them by the organization and 32% of the respondents are completely
satisfied. Only 4% of the respondents are not at all satisfied with the medical benefits
provided by the organization .So, majority of the employees of HDFC BANK are
satisfied with the medical benefits provided by the organization.

17. The Welfare activities provided are helpful,

a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree
TABLE 4.17
Category
Strongly agree
Agree
Satisfactory
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Respondents
60
72
18
0
0

Percentage
40
48
12
0
0

84

FIGURE 4.17

Interpretation:
The survey depicts that 48% of the respondents agree that there is welfare
activities in the organization and 40% of the respondents strongly agreed and 12% are
satisfied with the welfare activities. From the above we can understand that majority of
the respondents are of the opinion that welfare activities are helpful in the organization
85

18. The job utilizes most of my skills and abilities,

a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree
TABLE 4.18
Category
Strongly agree
Agree
Satisfactory
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Respondents
15
60
54
18
3

Percentage
10
40
36
12
2

FIGURE 4.18

86

Interpretation:
From this survey, 40% of the respondents agree that the utilization of their skills
is optimum and 36% of the respondents are satisfied and 12% are dissatisfied and 10% of
the respondents strongly agreed and 2% strongly disagree. Hence, the majority of the
employees are of the opinion that their skills are being used to the maximum extent.

19. I am ready to take additional responsibilities with my job,

a) Yes

b) No
TABLE 4.19

Yes -25
No

-10

87

FIGURE 4.19

Interpretation:

In this 25 or 71% of the employees agreed to take over additional responsibilities.

In this 10 or 29% of the employees do not agree for handling additional

responsibilities.

88

20. How motivating is the work environment?

a) Extremely motivating b) Fairly motivating c) neither motivating nor
De motivating
TABLE 4.20
a) Extremely motivating

-12

b) Fairly motivating

-15

c) Neither motivating nor de motivating -8

FIGURE 4.20

89

Interpretation:

In this 12 or 34% of the employees are believing in extremely motivating.

In this 15 or 43% of the employees are believing in fairly motivating.

In this 8 or 23% of the employees believe in neither motivating nor de motivating.

21. The training programs should be conducted more extensively,

a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree
TABLE 4.21
Category
Strongly agree
Agree
Satisfactory
Disagree
Strongly disagree

Respondents
12
36
75
18
9

Percentage
8
24
5
12
6

90

FIGURE 4.21

Interpretation:
The survey depicts that 50% of the respondents want the training to be conducted
more frequently and 25% of the respondents agree and 12% of the respondents are
dissatisfied and 8% of the respondents are strongly agree and 6$ of the respondents
strongly disagree. Only 50% of the employees want the training to be conducted more
frequently so, the organization should have a re-look at the training schedule.

CHAPTER VI

91

SWOT ANALYSIS

6.1

STRENGTHS:

People who feel positively about their work life are more apt to voice favorable
sentiments about organization to the community.

Organization will enjoy positive talents of the employees.

Healthy work environment helps to have a pervasive residue of public good-will

towards the organization.

Job satisfaction of an individual makes the individual to retain in the organization

fir longer periods.

It also helps to gain morality in the employees.

Thus the major strength of the organization is potential work force with enormous
Experience and Talents.

6.2

WEAKNESS:

The organization has its weakness in the aspects like

Recruitment policy

Salary aspects

Promotional activities

Performance appraisal methods

Thus the in the above aspects, organization may face a great problem in its
functioning.

So there is a requirement for the organization to take corrective measures against

the above prone problems.

92

6.3

OPPORTUNITIES:

The organization has great opportunities like implementing of new technology in

the organization in order to increase its turnover.

The organization can implement new Training programs for the growth of the
employees technically.

6.4

THREATS:

Since the organization is having its own reputation in the society and among
the surrounding , it should have its own policies to keep up its fame

Lack of Data security systems.

IT development concentrated in a few cities only.

CHAPTER-VII

93

FINDINGS:

Workers are well satisfied with the working conditions and the facilities provided,
this is where private or MNC companies are well ahead of Public Companies.

Extra facilities like food or transportation being provided, but in return they
charge the perks but in addition those perks are not so high as compared to the
well high class facilities. Meanwhile the job rotation is provided 78 %

Health and yoga camps are to be provided for meditation and relaxing after a
hectic work but not as compared to the burden of the work as only 58 % are
provided such facilities and they consider it important also.

Management flexibility with respect to the social responsibility to the workers is

not up to the mark.

It is found that employees value emergency leaves, study leave, and careers leave
a lot.

Pooling of leave so that employees can use them when need arises is very popular
policy with employees. Some other popular work life balance policies with
employees are: maternity/ adoption leave and relocation assistance policy.

We found that organizations are concerned for the health of their employees thats
why they have introduced the policy of cap on time where a limit is put on the
number of hours overtime worked by them.

CHAPTER-VIII
94

SUGGESTIONS:

After analyzing the data we have come to the conclusion that employers need to
handle employees in such a manner that employees dont get frustrated with the
stress and over burdened of the work.

Facilities like food and transportation to be provided free, company has to provide
more growth opportunities to the workers.

Time to time job rotations and job incentives has to be provided.

Health and yoga camps to provide on regular basis to make their workers get rid
of stress of work load.

Employees should be given free memberships in the clubs so that they can refresh
themselves.

Social responsibility should have to increase at professional level.

Policies like time off in lieu of money. Self fostering and flexi time should be
used more prominently in the organizations.
Policies like:
o Adoption Leave
o Career Break
o Right to Request Flexible Working
o Flexi-time
o Job Share
o Maternity Leave
o Parental Leave, Careers Leave and Time off for Dependants
o Paternity Leave
o Childcare Facilities

95

CHAPTER-IX

1. LIMITATIONS:
The limitations of the survey are

The information provided by the workers is not definitely true.

Out of all the employees data is collected only from 150 employees

The samples of workers are not representative of the total workforce.

The workers hesitate disclosing the true facts in order to secure their job.

There is no measure to check out whether the information provided by the

workers correct or not.

The employees are forcefully filling the questionnaires.

Because of very busy schedule of the employees did not spent the time.

2. CONCLUSION:
The conclusion of this survey or analysis done on the topic quality of work life is,
There are good levels of quality of work life in the organization and if the organization
can keep more efforts in reducing the stress levels then there will be full levels of quality
of work life.
The organization must keep attention towards the employees flexi-time or job rotation
facilities
Overall the information collected from the employees shows that there are good levels of
quality of work life in the HDFC BANK Pvt. Ltd. The project was successfully
completed.

96

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTERNET

www.google.com

www.ask.com

www.wikepidea.com

BOOKS

Human Resource and Personnel Management William

ICFAI University Press HRM Review

Human resource management L.K. Prasad

Ashwathappa (1997) Human Resource & Personal Management

Websites:
www.citehr.com

Search Engines:
Google

97

QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear Respondent,

Name of the organization: ___________________________________________

Name of the employee:
______________________________________________
Age:
_____________________________________________________________
Marital Status:
____________________________________________________
Job Title:
_________________________________________________________
Department /Branch:
_______________________________________________
Designation:
_______________________________________________________
Working hours/Days:
_______________________________________________
1. The job is Satisfactory,

a) Agree b) Strongly Agree c) Disagree d) Strongly Disagree

2. How do you rate the transport facilities provided by the company

a) Completely

b) Partially

c) Not at all

3. Are the safety measures adopted by the company are good?

a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree

98

e) Strongly disagree
4. Do you think the wage policies adopted by the company are reasonable?

a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree

5. The Organization gives you freedom to use your skills in your area of job?
a) Strongly Agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree
e) Strongly Disagree
6. The management gives you recognition for good results achieved

a) Strongly Agree b)Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree

e) Strongly Disagree
7. How do you rate the suggestion scheme implemented by the company?
8.

a) Excellent b) Very good c) Good d) Satisfactory

The work timings of the organization are,

a) Excellent b) Very good c) Good d) Satisfactory

9. The motivation given at the work place by the supervisors/Senior Authority is
helpful,
a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree
e) Strongly disagree
10. The relation with my immediate superior is,

a) Excellent

b) Very good c) Good

d) Satisfactory

e) Bad

11. The relation with my sub-ordinates is good,

a) Yes b) To some extent c) No

12. The company communicates the every new change that takes place.

a) Yes

b) To some extent

c) No

13. Is the feedback given to us about the work done by the supervisors useful

a) Completelyb) Partially

c) Not at all

14. Is the training provided in the company sufficient?

a)Yes b) To some extent c) No

15. The procedure followed for Job Rotation is ,
a) Excellent

b) Very good c) Good

d) Satisfactory

16. Are you satisfied with the medical reimbursement scheme provided by company?

a) Completely

b) Partially

c) Not at all

99

17. The Welfare activities provided are helpful,

a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree

e) Strongly disagree
18. The job utilizes most of my skills and abilities,

a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree

e) Strongly disagree
19. I am ready to take additional responsibilities with my job,

a) Yes b) No
20. How motivating is the work environment?

a) Extremely motivating b) Fairly motivating

c) Neither motivating nor de motivating
21. The training programs should be conducted more extensively,

a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Satisfactory d) Disagree

e) Strongly disagree

100