M. Tech. (Human Resource Management, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / It is essential for universities of technology to employ academics who are willing to go beyond the requirements of the job to contribute to the university’s effectiveness. The developing trend in the organisational behaviour literature indicates that quality of work life (QWL) and job satisfaction are attitudes that have a major impact on organisational outcomes such as productivity, job performance, turnover intention and happiness. Although the relationship between the aforementioned constructs is considered important, there is a scarcity of research regarding these constructs in the context of a university of technology (UoT) in South Africa. The primary objective of this study was to determine the relationship between quality of work life, job satisfaction and happiness among academics at a UoT in southern Gauteng, South Africa. A quantitative research approach and a survey-based descriptive method was used to achieve the primary objective. A structured questionnaire was distributed among 300 academic employees at a UoT in southern Gauteng, South Africa. Means and factor analysis were performed to gather insights of employees in terms of factors of QWL, job satisfaction and happiness of employees and to establish the underlying factors of the constructs respectively. Additionally, a correlation analysis was conducted to establish the strength and direction of the association among the constructs. Finally, a regression analysis was performed to determine the predictive relationship between the constructs. The results of this study indicated positive significant correlations between the factors of QWL, job satisfaction and happiness. Regarding model 1, QWL was entered as the independent variable, and job satisfaction as the dependent variable. With reference to model 2, the independent variable was job satisfaction and happiness the dependent variable. Regression analysis indicated positive predictive relationships between the five factors of QWL and job satisfaction and between job satisfaction and happiness. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the workload of academics should be reassessed to reduce pressure, task overload and mental exhaustion that will negatively impact on the QWL. Furthermore, employee involvement in decision making should be introduced to improve academics' job satisfaction. Finally, self-efficacy should be considered to assist academics to have confidence in their abilities to complete their work or achieve their goals.

M. Tech. (Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / Retailing refers to the activities involved in selling goods or services to the final consumer for personal use as opposed to business purposes. It is a socio-economic system that gets people together to interchange goods and services for a small payment, which matches the final consumers’ needs. In South Africa, the industry has grown by a yearly average of 3 percent in the past eight years and Gauteng, as a province, contributed 26.5 percent to this growth. Therefore, the retail industry has been growing at a very slow rate. Letooane (2013:2) asserts that that there is a need for research in leadership power bases, QWL and how best the needs of employees can be satisfied to improve their intention to stay. In this reard, the primary objective of the study was to examine the relationship between leadership power bases, quality of work life (QWL) and intention to stay among employees at a selected retail outlet in Gauteng province. The research methodology applied to conduct the study was a consolidation of a literature review and an empirical study.The study focused on the work of French and Raven (1959) power sources, namely coercive, legitimate, reward, referent and expert power. It also looked at QWL as the nature of the workforce in retail today is generally very different from the workforce of the past decades. In addition, the study explored how QWL will assist retailers in enhancing their employees’ intention to stay. A quantitative research approach was followed in this study and a simple random probability sampling method was adopted. A structured questionnaire, divided into four sections, was utilised to survey 300 (both male and female) employees from three branches of the selected retail company in the Daveyton township. The pilot study preceded the main survey and the internal consistency reliability was ascertained. Of the 300 questionnaires distributed to the participants, a total of 285 responses were usable for data analysis (response rate of 95 percent). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 25.0, was used to analyse data into descriptive statistics, reliability and validity analysis, correlations and finally, regression analysis, which was used to test the relationship among the constructs under investigation. The results indicated that coercive power base (β=0.456) and legitimate power base (β=0.210) contribute positively to the prediction of QWL, while reward power indicated a negative prediction of QWL (β= -0.044). Furthermore, the influence of QWL towards employees’ intention to stay was represented by a positive beta weight of (β=0.754). Additionally, all Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.764 to 0.913, (exceeding the threshold of 0.7) thus suggesting that all the items in the scale tap into the same underlying constructs. Results from this research study will assist retailers to increase the QWL levels in their companies by advancing the factors that were identified in this research study. Additionally, these results may enable retail store managers to comprehensively understand how employees perceive power bases and how these employees’ perceptions influence QWL and, subsequently, their intention to stay. The implications of the results are addressed as well as the limitations of the study and future research opportunities are further identified.

The aim of the study was to conceptualise psychological empowerment as perceived in a South African context in terms of the dimensions and contributing factors. The study was conducted by means of quantitative and qualitative methods. The sample included employees from different geographic areas, genders, races, level of education and positions in organisations in different sectors. Relationships between demographic variables and psychological empowerment were determined. To determine to what extent South Africans are psychologically empowered, according to Spreitzer’s (1995) model, means and standard deviations were calculated for the four dimensions (meaning, competence, self-determination and impact) and overall psychological empowerment (PE) and a percentile table was utilised to establish a norm and compare it with a norm established in previous research. Management practices were found to be significantly related to PE. However, when regression analysis was done, only the practices, motivation, delegation and job and role clarity significantly predicted PE. Perceptions of empowerment were investigated and it appeared that economic empowerment is emphasised in the media, while the majority of interview respondents seemed to have a balanced or positive view of empowerment as enabling. The psychological experiences of employees were explored and dimensions of psychological empowerment that are similar to what was found by previous research emerged. Some characteristics were found to be unique given the present context. Dimensions and characteristics that emerged from the study were resilience, sense of competence, sense of achievement, sense of control, sense of meaning, making a difference and empowerment of others. The theoretical frameworks proposed by Menon (2001) and Zimmerman (1995) were investigated, which confirmed the importance of a goal orientation and pro-active behaviour in psychological empowerment. These theories were evaluated and compared to cognitive theories as suitable frameworks for the study of psychological empowerment. Contributing factors that emerged from the qualitative study most prominently were opportunity and recognition. Locus of control emerged as a possible intrapersonal factor and it was explored further as a contributing factor. Together with the significant factors from the quantitative survey, these factors were employed to recommend a strategy for the development of psychological empowerment with the dimensions of empowerment as outcomes. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / The research question in this study involves the subjective experiences of quality of worklife (QWL) by alcoholics and non-alcoholics, in order to form an idea about the differences in such experiences, between the two groups. Personality is related throughout to QWL and alcoholism. A sample consisting of 60 alcoholics and 58 non alcoholics was used. Personality measurements were done by using Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16-PF) whilst experienced QWL was measured with the self developed QWL-questionnaire. In order to test the hypotheses for this study, the data has been processed by using Pearson's Product-moment coefficient of correlation and t-tests. The results from the study indicate a significant relationship between personality and certain exclusive QWLdimensions for alcoholics. There is however, no significant difference in the subjective experiences of global QWL between alcoholics and non-alcoholics. Several personality factors have been identified as being related to alcoholism. / Die navorsingsvraagstuk in hierdie studie betrek die subj ektiewe ervaring van gehalte van werklewe (GWL) deur alkoholiste en niealkoholiste, ten einde 'n begrip te vorm van die verskil in sodanige ervaring, tussen die twee groepe. Persoonlikheid word deurgaans in verband gebring met GWL en alkoholisme. 'n Steekproef bestaande uit 60 alkoholiste en 58 nie-alkoholiste is gebruik. Persoonlikheidsmetings is met die 16-Persoonlikheidsfaktorvraelys van Cattell gedoen terwyl ervaarde GWL met die selfontwerpte GWL-vraelys gemeet is. Ten einde hierdie studie se hipoteses te toets, is die data verwerk deur van Pearson se produkmomentkorrelasiekoeffisient en t-toetse gebruik te maak. Die studie se resultate dui op 'n beduidende verband tussen persoonlikheid en sekere eksklusiewe GWL-dimensies by alkoholiste. Daar bestaan egter geen beduidende verskil in die subjektiewe ervaring van globale GWL tussen alkoholiste en nie-alkoholiste nie. Daar is etlike persoonlikheidsfaktore geidentifiseer wat met alkoholisme verband hou. / Industrial and Organizational Psychology / M.Com. (Industrial Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / 'n Opname is onder geregistreerde verpleegkundiges in diens van plaaslike besture onderneem met die doel om 'n perspektief op die gehalte van hul werkslewe te verkry, faktore te identifiseer wat hulle motiveer om 'n loopbaan in plaaslike besture te kies en die faktore te identifiseer wat werkstevredenheid positief /negatief be"lnvloed. Ontleding van die data het aangedui dat negatiewe faktore in die werkslewe soos onder andere die gebrek aan deelname in besluitneming en beperkte loopbaangeleenthede werksontevredenheid tot gevolg kan he. Positiewe faktore soos die geleentheid om gereelde diensure te werk en die status wat geregistreerde verpleegkundiges in die gemeenskap geniet, bevorder werkstevredenheid. Dit is hoofsaaklik hul belangstelling in primere gesondheidsorg en die geleentheid om gereelde diensure te werk wat geregistreerde verpleegkundiges motiveer om 'n loopbaan in plaaslike besture te kies. Aanbevelings om die kwaliteit van die werkslewe van geregistreerde verpleegkundiges te verbeter en werkstevredenheid te bevorder, is geformuleer. / A survey was undertaken among registered nurses in the service of local authorities to obtain a perspective on the quality of their worklife, to identify factors that influence registered nurses in local authorities and to identify those factors that influence the quality of the worklife and job satisfaction positively /negatively. Analysis of the data indicated that negative factors in the worklife such as limited participation in decision-making and limited career opportunities could lead to dissatisfaction in the work situation. Positive factors such as the ability to work regular hours and the status of registered nurses in the community promote job satisfaction. It is mainly their interest in primary health care and the opportunity to work regular hours of duty, that motivate registered nurses to choose a career in local authorities. Recommendations to improve the quality of the worklife of registered nurses and to promote job satisfaction were formulated. / Nursing Science / M.A. (Verpleegkunde)

Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Technology: Management, Durban University of Technology, 2012. / It has become imperative for organisations to create family-friendly work-environments, where employees can effectively balance work and family life, in order to ensure employee satisfaction and increased productivity. A critical review of the quality of work life factors and organizational commitment literature was therefore conducted, in order to ascertain their psychometric applicability to knowledge workers within the Pulp and Paper industry in the greater eThekwini Metropolitan Area. A total of 450 questionnaires were distributed to employees in the pulp and paper industry within the eThekwini metropolitan area. The employees were randomly selected, while the organisations were stratified selected. A questionnaire was used to measure the different dimensions of quality of work life factors as well as the different dimensions of organisational commitment. The gathered data was processed through an SPSS program. A number of statistical tests were then performed on the collected data, where biographical variables were compared with the independent variables. The questionnaire was considered moderately reliable because the overall coefficient alpha was 0.525. The Pearson’s value indicated that there was a positive relationship at 0.01 level of significance between the majority of the quality of work factors (organizational climate, task characteristics, job satisfaction, role behaviour, utilization and future orientation) and the organisational commitment. No relationship was found between remuneration and organizational commitment. There was no significant difference in organizational commitment across the biographical variables of marital status, age, length of service and span of control. There was, however, a significant difference in organizational commitment across different levels of education. The Analysis of variance indicated that there was no significant difference in organizational commitment across marital status group. There was however a significant difference in organizational commitment across length of service. There was a significant difference I organizational commitment across supervisory span of control. The results from the hierarchical multiple regression indicated that with the exception of age, education and experience, all other demographics variables do not have an impact on affective commitment. The results also indicated that age, education and experience had an impact on continuance commitment. Similarly, age and education contribute significantly to normative commitment. The structural equation model comparative technique was performed to all constructed models and indicated that all models had a good fit in relation to the data based on the GFI. The best-fitting model for consequences demonstrated that organisational citizenship behaviour and procedural justice were important variables. Apart from that, affective, continuance and normative commitment were also found to be part of the model.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The old belief that work and life are two separate, conflicting issues no longer holds true for companies that wish to establish a sustainable competitive advantage. Because of the transformation of global markets and the changing demographics of the workforce, the benefits of work-life balance for employees and employers can no longer be ignored. The purpose of this research was to ascertain whether the use of work-life balance enhancing practices leads to increased organisational benefits and improved employee morale. The study identified numerous benefits of efficient work-life balance practices for employees as well as employers and established that the existence of work-life balance practices enhances organisational benefits and employee morale. The research question was addressed through the use of a self-developed structured questionnaire consisting of a list of written questions. The survey was carried out using an online questionnaire and targeted professionals in permanent paid employment in South Africa. In answer to the research objectives, the outcomes of the survey suggest that work-life balance is decreased as a result of an increase in work-life conflict. Work-life conflict may be aggravated by an increase in stress levels, work commitments impacting negatively on time available for leisure activities or family responsibilities, and an increase in the number of hours worked. The existing corporate culture and related negative perceptions surrounding employees making use of work-life balance initiatives, may further add to the conflict between work and life. The results of the survey indicated that not having effective work-life balance practices in a company may negatively impact on organisational aspects such as reduced job satisfaction, poor retention; increased absenteeism and more negative spill-over from life to work. The absence of work-life balance practices may affect employee morale adversely as a result of a decrease in well-being due to a lack of balance; poor health due to stress and feeling over-worked; an increase in work-life conflict; more negative spill-over from work to life; and an increase in work-life conflict due to an increase in working hours. Based on survey results, improved productivity, better recruitment and enhanced career commitment were not directly affected as a result of a lack of work-life balance practices. To realise the full benefits that effective work-life balance practices have to offer requires a paradigm shift away from a focus on policy to a process approach which involves examining the nature of paid work as well as the underlying assumptions in an effort to uncover innovative ways of altering these to benefit organisations, employees and societies more holistically. It is hoped that this research will help encourage the debate of exploring a social sustainability methodology that questions some of the existing assumptions of competitive capitalism which value economic growth for its own sake regardless of related social issues. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die historiese oortuiging dat werk en lewe „n aparte, teenstrydige vraagstuk is, is nie langer geldig vir maatskappye wat hoop om „n volhoubare kompeterende voordeel daar te stel nie. Die voordele wat werk-lewe balans vir werknemers sowel as werkgewers inhou, kan nie langer geïgnoreer word te midde van die veranderende wêreldwye marklandskap asook veranderinge in die demografie van die werksmag nie. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om vas te stel of die gebruikmaking van effektiewe werk-lewe balanspraktyke tot verhoogde organisatoriese voordele en verbeterde werknemermoraal lei. Die studie het verskeie voordele van effektiewe werk-lewe balanspraktyke vir werknemes en werkgewers geidentifiseer. Dit het ook vasgestel dat die bestaan van praktyke wat werk-lewe balans aanmoedig, voordele inhou vir die organisasie sowel as werknemermoraal. Die navorsingsvraag is aangespreek deur „n selfontwikkelde gestruktureerde vraelys wat bestaan uit „n lys van skriftelike vrae. Die opname is uitgevoer met behulp van 'n aanlynvraelys en het professionele mense in permanent betaalde werk in Suid-Afrika geteiken. Na aanleiding van die navorsingsdoelwitte, het die uitkomste van die opname daarop gedui dat werk-lewe balans afneem as gevolg van „n toename in die werk-lewe konflik. Werk-lewe konflik word vererger deur „n toename in stresvlakke, werksverpligtinge wat „n negatiewe impak het op tyd beskikbaar vir ontspanning of gesinsverantwoordelikhede, en „n toename in die aantal ure gewerk. Die bestaande korporatiewe kultuur en verwante negatiewe persepsies rondom werknemers wat gebruik maak van werk-lewe balans inisiatiewe, kan verder bydra tot die konflik tussen werk en lewe. Die resultate van die opname het aangedui dat die afwesigheid van effektiewe werk-lewe balanspraktyke in „n maatskappy mag „n negatiewe impak hê op organisatoriese aspekte soos verlaagde werksbevrediging, swak retensie, verhoogde afwesigheid en meer negatiewe oorloopgevolge tussen lewe en werk. Die afwesigheid van werk-lewe balans praktyke kan werknemermoraal nadelig beïnvloed as gevolg van „n afname in welstand weens „n gebrek aan balans; swak gesondheid as gevolg van stres en „n gevoel van oorwerk; „n toename in werk-lewe konflik; meer negatief oorloopsgevolge tussen werk en lewe; en „n toename in die werk-lewe konflik as gevolg van „n toename in werksure. Gebaseer op die resultate van die studie, was verbeterde produktiwiteit, beter werwing en verbeterde loopbaan toewyding nie direk beïnvloed deur „n gebrek aan werk-lewe balans praktyke nie. Om die volle voordele van effektiewe werk-lewe balanspraktyke te realiseer, verg „n paradigmaskuif weg van „n fokus op beleid na „n benadering wat die aard van betaalde werk ondersoek, sowel as die onderliggende aannames, in „n poging om innoverende maniere van die verandering hiervan te ontbloot tot voordeel van organisasies, werknemers en gemeenskappe. Daar word gehoop dat hierdie navorsing sal help om die debat aan te moedig wat die moontlikheid van „n sosiale volhoubaarheid metodologie wat sommige van die bestaande aannames van mededingende kapitalisme, wat ekonomiese groei bo alles nastreef, ongeag verwante sosiale kwessies sal ondersoek. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Flourishing employees are happier, more creative, better at problem solving, take less sick days and stay at companies for longer. Considering all the successful business outcomes if employees are flourishing, management should actively measure and promote subjective well-being. This research explored the concept of happiness and the features of subjective well-being. It further measured the levels of subjective well-being and compared this with staff turnover and sick leave at a law firm in Johannesburg. The research found a strong link between high levels of well-being, considered as flourishing, and productivity. The results also revealed a strong inverse relationship between flourishing and loneliness, validating the adage that we are social creatures. Lastly, the research found that healthy employees consider themselves happier than unhealthy employees do.

Unsatisfactory working conditions and job stress may be indicative of working in a society where work-life balance is a desired, but often elusive, goal (Duxbury & Higgins, 2001; Smola & Sutton, 2002; Sturges & Guest, 2004). Working conditions in the healthcare sector are reported to be particularly problematic and stress inducing compared to other work sectors (Yassi, Ostry, Spiegel, Walsh, & de Boer, 2002). In fact, quality of work life (QOWL) among healthcare workers is believed to have deteriorated to the point where it is impeding the capacity of the system to recruit and retain staff needed to provide effective patient care (Koehoorn, Lowe, Rondeau, Schellenberg, & Wager, 2002). The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences of healthcare staff who participate in QOWL initiatives aimed to provide employees with creative, educational, and fun activities designed to address feelings of stress. This study included thirteen staff members from disciplines that comprise the Health Care Team at a facility specializing in aging and veteran's care. Data were collected through conversational interviews with staff from each of the following disciplines: nursing, recreation therapy, physiotherapy, creative arts, clinical nutrition, social work, audiology, occupational therapy, and pastoral care. The data were deconstructed into common themes through an open-ended process, which lead to the identification of common experiences across the data provided by the staff. Upon further comparison of the themes, it was identified that work demands were believed to detract from care provision and strained manager relations were believed to minimize quality of care. However, a strong professional identity was evident as staff described being able to rise above adversity and use their skills and competencies to provide quality care to residents. The data also suggested QOWL initiatives seem to be valuable because they provide opportunities for staff to interact socially. This interaction helps foster and strengthen connections amongst staff, which they feel transfers to the work place through improved working relationships. Participants described feelings of personal gratification that can be derived from team cohesiveness. They also acknowledged the carry over value that team work brings to residents by way of improved care provision. Furthermore, the relationships that staff members develop with one another were viewed as sources of strength, particularly in times of increased stress. In addition to the social element associated with the QOWL initiatives, these initiatives also seem to address a need for restoration, humour, and balance within the work day. Without planned opportunities for rejuvenation and humour appreciation, participants admitted that they would seldom take the time to incorporate these into their work day. Therefore, QOWL initiatives can provide staff with a reason to take a break and find their balance. The findings indicate the factors affecting QOWL are varied and complex. The findings also indicate that there can be a paradoxical nature to work within a health care setting. Paradoxes exist in relation to the provision of professional care and the provision of minimized care. Paradoxes also exist in relation to the expressed need for restoration, humour, and balance and the low priority staff will place on taking time to fulfill these needs.

The well-being of employees is an important issue. Researchers, policy makers and organisations are directing more resource into this field as the link between the health of people and their performance in the workplace becomes increasingly understood. This research programme examines how employee well-being can be measured. Having the right tools to successfully appraise well-being at the outset is judged to be imperative where any research or organisational programme to bring about change is under consideration. A review of existing methods indicates that the current provision of scales to assess the well-being of workers is limited and the construction techniques used in their development may be improved upon. At the core of this study is the testing of a new measurement framework which seeks to address these deficiencies. This innovative approach is taken from one established practice used to assess the well-being of patients using health related quality of life instruments. Three organisations participated in the study; a call centre operation, a police force and a county-based library service. Using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, three pilot questionnaires were constructed using Impact Analysis; an established procedure deployed in health related quality of life settings. Basic findings from each case study were analysed against conventional construction methods and against existing employee well-being scales. Results were also examined in respect of how they compared with the wider literature on employee well-being. ii The Impact Analysis method was critically appraised. Although weaknesses in respect of some of the qualitative phases of analyes were noted, the overall notion of transferring the practice of Impact Analysis to an occupational setting was assessed as cautiously encouraging. While this scale construction method lacks the statistical elegance of factor analytical methods, provisional indications suggest potential benefits in content validity over extant occupational scales where the assessment of a study population’s own experiences are critical to any well-being evaluation strategy. Based on the findings, a new operational definition for employee well-being is posited. A new, working model is also proposed. This emphasises for the first time, the need for specificity when researchers and organisations are seeking to evaluate a multi-dimensional, subjective construct that is employee well-being. Limitations regarding the study are noted. This means that the findings should be treated as tentative rather than conclusive. Nevertheless, it is hoped that this study will inject new thinking on how employee well-being may be evaluated using an alternative approach. By doing so, it is ventured that research communities and employers alike may take up the methods described in this study to conduct assessment programmes that could benefit not just the study teams or the employers, but importantly, the workers themselves.