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Iranian J Publ Health, Vol. 35, No. 4, 2006, pp.8-14
1
Dept of Occupational Health, School of Public Health & Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University
of Medical Sciences, Iran
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2
Dept of Health Care Management, School of Allied Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
Abstract
A high quality of work life (QWL) is essential for organizations to continue to attract and retain employees. QWL is a com-
prehensive program designated to improve employee satisfaction. This research aimed to provide insights into the positive
and negative attitudes of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) Hospitals’ employees from their quality of life. A
cross- sectional, descriptive and analytical study was conducted among 908 TUMS hospitals’ employees by questionnaire at
15 studied hospitals. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select respondents as nursing, supportive and
paramedical groups. The results showed that the majority of employees were dissatisfied with occupational health and safety,
intermediate and senior managers , their income, balance between the time they spent working and with family and also
indicated that their work was not interesting and satisfying. TUMS hospitals’ employees responding to this survey have a
poor quality of work life. We suggest more training and educations for TUMS hospitals’ managers on QWL issues are planned.
8 *Corresponding author: Tel: +98 21 88965608, Fax: +98 21 88953077, E-mail: hdargahi@tums.ac.ir
G Nasl Saraji and H Dargahi: Study of Quality…
…
ogy, work environment and skill training and Intermediate manager/supervisor’s treatment of
development (7). As such quality of work life staff.
has been defined as the workplace strategies, Amount of work to be done.
operations and environment that promote and Level of stress experienced at work.
maintain employee satisfaction with an aim to A cross- sectional, descriptive and analytical
improving working conditions for employees study was conducted among 908 TUMS hospi-
and organizational effectiveness for employers tals’ employees as twenty percent of total hos-
(6). In health care organizations QWL has been pitals’ employees by questionnaire at 15 studied
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described as referring to the strengths and weak- hospitals. Response rate was seventy percent. A
ness in the total work environment (8). Organ- stratified random sampling technique was used
izational features such as policies and proce- to select respondents as nursing, sup-portive
dures, leadership style, operations, and general and paramedical groups.
contextual factors of setting, all have a profound In addition, respondents were asked to define
effect on how staff views the quality of work the most important issues affecting the overall
life (9-11). quality of work life. Before beginning the main
The research reported here aimed to provide in- survey, a pilot study performed with 50 ran-
sights into positive and negative attitude of Te- domly respondents to check the reliability and
hran University of Medical Sciences Hospitals validity of questionnaire instrument. The reli-
employees from their quantity of work life. ability coefficient for this measure was rela-
tively high (Cronbaach alpha= 0.92)
Materials and Methods
The research reported here amid to provide in- Results
sights into the positive and negative attitude of The vast majority (90%) of workers indicated
Tehran University of Medical Sciences Hospi- that they were unsatisfied or very unsatisfied
tals’ employees from their quality of work life. with occupational health and safety standards at
Our survey sought to measure employees’ atti- work.
tude about a range of 14 key factors affecting Eighty nine percent of the respondents were
their quality of work life. These factors are: negative about treatment they received from their
Fair and reasonable pay compared to others do- intermediate managers/ supervisors.
ing similar work. Seventy five percent of the respondents were
Concern over losing one’s job in the next months satisfied or very satisfied work the way in which
and years. people at work got on together.
Sexual harassment or discrimination at the work- Only two and half percent of the respondents
place. indicated that their pay was fair.
Interesting and satisfying work. Sixty two and half percent of the respondents
Trust in senior management. indicated that the work they did was not inter-
People at the workplace wish to get on together. esting and satisfying.
Recognition of efforts by intermediate man- Over twenty five percent of the workers were
ager/ supervisor dissatisfied with their career prospects.
Career prospects Seventy eight percent of the employees had a
Amount of control over the way in which work distrust of senior management.
is done. Eighty two percent of the workers expressed
Health and safety standards at work. dissatisfaction with the balance between the
Balance between the time spent at work and the time they spent working and the time they spent
time spent with family and friends. with family and friends.
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Iranian J Publ Health, Vol. 35, No. 4, 2006, pp.8-14
Seventy one percent of the workers were dis- tals (less 250 beds) with those who worked in
satisfied with the level of stress experienced at large hospitals (250 or more beds). In general,
work (Table 1-2). employees in small hospitals had higher quality
One of the most significant findings was the of work life than employees in large hospitals.
differences in employees’ attitude based on the To a lesser extent employees of large hospitals
respondents’ age. Fig. 1 shows that for workers were also far more unsatisfied they received from
dissatisfaction clearly increased with age, with intermediate managers/ supervisors, control they
significant differences between young workers had over the way in which they did their work,
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(aged under 25 yr) and older age workers (aged relationship between coworkers, amount of
45 yr and above). Distrust of senior manage- work they had to do , levels of stress experienced
ment increased significantly with age. Older and balance between work life and family life
workers were also more likely to have higher (Fig. 3).
levels of dissatisfaction with the amount of Low income and long hours also meant dissat-
work they had to do, their career prospects and isfaction. In total, ninety five percent of low-
their levels of pay relative to other employees income earners (those earning less than 2500000
doing similar work. RLS or 300 $) were dissatisfied with their work
Fig. 2 shows the relatively high percentage of compared to just frothy nine percent of high-
workers over the age of 25 yr who indicated income earners (those earning more than 2500000
dissatisfaction with the levels of stress they felt RLS or 300 $). Not surprisingly that the major-
and with their ability to adequately balance ity of high-income earners and low-income earn-
work and family time and the work they did. ers were also dissatisfied with the balance they
Substantial differences also employed when were able to achieve between time at work time
comparing employees who worked in small hospi- and with family and friends.
Table 1: Attitude of TUMS Hospitals’ employees about their quality of work life
Type of work they did 558 62.5 350 38.5 908 100
Trust to senior management 200 22 708 78 908 100
10
G Nasl Saraji and H Dargahi: Study of Quality…
…
Table 2: Attitude of TUMS Hospitals’ employees by type of Job about their quality of work life
Satisfied Unsatisfied Total
Type of job
n % n % n %
50
44
45
40
40 38
34
35
30
30 26 28
24
25 45 years old or older
19.5
20 25-44 years old
14 25 years old or younger
15
11
10 8
5
0
distrust pay career amount
Fig. 1: Dissatisfaction amongst TUMS hospitals’ employees by age for distrust, pay, career and amount.
45
40 38
34
35 31
30
30 28
Fig. 2: Dissatisfaction amongst TUMS hospitals’ employees by age for stress, interest and balance
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Iranian J Publ Health, Vol. 35, No. 4, 2006, pp.8-14
58
60
50 49
50 46
39
40
32 33 33
30 25 less them 250 beds
23
20 over 250 beds
15
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10
10
0
Treat Control Cow ork Am ount stress balance
Fig. 3: Dissatisfaction amongst TUMS employees of small size and large size hospitals
12
G Nasl Saraji and H Dargahi: Study of Quality…
…
and some QWL appear to be organization and With the rising standard of living in developing
context specific (14). countries, the values and expectations of em-
Endless numbers of research studies show that ployees should also change in accordance with
an organization can only achieve its goal from rising disposable income and opportunities to
an economic perspective to the extent that the speed such income (18- 20). Senior manager wish
employees at the heart of the organization share to care about with employees, tend to have a
these goals, are motivated, and are given the re- loyal motivated workplace, but the employees
sources to do their work effectively. There is a need to know what available is (4).
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consensus that all of the following job attributes Finally, the results of this survey can also used
must be addressed to motivate employees and as baseline measures against which the findings
enable them to achieve the organizations, goals: of future quality of work life surveys can be
autonomy, feedback, support, feeling their work compared. Such comparisons place this type of
contributes to organizations goals, having the research within a continuous quality improve-
resources need to do their task, and knowing the ment framework.
limits and extent of their work as QWL (15).
Low quality of work life may affect the quality Acknowledgements
of services and organizational commitment and The authors would like to thank the hospitals’
may be a contributing factor associated with managers and employees, because this survey
shortages of health care providers (16). would not have been possible without their as-
TUMS hospitals’ employees responding to this sistance. This research has been supported by
survey have a poor quality of work life. This is grant of Tehran University of Medical Sciences
indicating the majority of employees are unsat- and Health Services.
isfied with most aspects of work life. The re-
sults show that having high income and inter- References
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