One of the most exciting recent developments in the social sciences has been the rapid formulation and acceptance of evolutionary psychology. Evolutionary psychology (EP) theory informs us that the human mind has certainly evolved and innate mechanisms have been shaped by our ancient social history. Consequently, specifically-evolved mental mechanisms exist that assist the human mind in dealing with complex social phenomena, such as cooperation. Evolutionary psychology theorists posit that for human beings to maximise the benefits of cooperation there need to be efficient ways for individuals to determine whether other members of the social group are operating equitably. Central to successful human cooperation, therefore, we find, amongst others, crucial concepts such as fairness, trust, autonomy, reciprocity, democracy and social recognition.Because the associated mental mechanisms have evolved over millennia they are largely hardwired into the human brain, are relatively slow to evolve, and have not been able to keep pace with the vast and rapid social change brought about through modernity and industrialism. We are left struggling, therefore, with psychological stressors that exist because of the resultant mismatches.This research study considers moral ethics within the workplace as an important component of quality of worklife (QWL), and suggests a new view be taken through the lenses provided by evolutionary psychology theory. This is done specifically with respect to the ethics of a social environment (the business community) that is often quite alienating to our socially evolved minds. This study was conducted with reference to business ethics specifically and it highlights the incongruent landscape lying between that and personal moral ethics. Through the application of social critical theory, it challenges the orthodoxy concerning the relationships between personal liberty, justice and the neo-liberal market economy. It also illuminates the reasons why it is important for business ethics and personal ethics to be brought closer together, and it suggests redefining QWL as a way of bringing about this paradigmatic shift.

One of the most exciting recent developments in the social sciences has been the rapid formulation and acceptance of evolutionary psychology. Evolutionary psychology (EP) theory informs us that the human mind has certainly evolved and innate mechanisms have been shaped by our ancient social history. Consequently, specifically-evolved mental mechanisms exist that assist the human mind in dealing with complex social phenomena, such as cooperation. Evolutionary psychology theorists posit that for human beings to maximise the benefits of cooperation there need to be efficient ways for individuals to determine whether other members of the social group are operating equitably. Central to successful human cooperation, therefore, we find, amongst others, crucial concepts such as fairness, trust, autonomy, reciprocity, democracy and social recognition.Because the associated mental mechanisms have evolved over millennia they are largely hardwired into the human brain, are relatively slow to evolve, and have not been able to keep pace with the vast and rapid social change brought about through modernity and industrialism. We are left struggling, therefore, with psychological stressors that exist because of the resultant mismatches.This research study considers moral ethics within the workplace as an important component of quality of worklife (QWL), and suggests a new view be taken through the lenses provided by evolutionary psychology theory. This is done specifically with respect to the ethics of a social environment (the business community) that is often quite alienating to our socially evolved minds. This study was conducted with reference to business ethics specifically and it highlights the incongruent landscape lying between that and personal moral ethics. Through the application of social critical theory, it challenges the orthodoxy concerning the relationships between personal liberty, justice and the neo-liberal market economy. It also illuminates the reasons why it is important for business ethics and personal ethics to be brought closer together, and it suggests redefining QWL as a way of bringing about this paradigmatic shift.

[Truncated abstract] It is essential to attract, recruit and retain quality teachers in rural and remote schools for provision of quality education to rural and remote students. A robust body of research confirms that teacher quality contributes to quality of education (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Hay McBer, 2000; Kaplan & Owings, 2002; OECD, 2002; Ramsay, 2000). Staffing histories of rural and remote schools identify persistent difficulties in recruiting and retaining teachers, but previous research has failed to address the experiences and perspectives of rural and remote teachers from the earliest phases of appointment, tracking their experiences over time. In times and places of persistent teacher shortages, teacher quality of worklife issues are paramount. Factors impacting on teacher quality of worklife may impact on teacher retention, staffing levels and ultimately the quality of education for children. For these reasons, this study aimed to develop substantive theory about the experiences of teachers commencing appointments in rural and remote schools by investigating the perspectives of novice, interstate and overseas-qualified teachers. The study sought to develop understandings of rural and remote teachers quality of worklife. In order to achieve this aime, the experiences of 29 teachers were examined, in four categories of teachers likely to be appointed to rural and remote locations: young novices; mature-aged novices; interstate; and overseas-qualified teachers in a qualitative collective case study. ... Awareness of the variety of factors in multiple environments, and the complex interplay between them, helps to account for the diversity of perspectives and quality of worklife outcomes for rural and remote teachers. Two theories were generated from ten propositions. The first theory, Quality of Worklife for Rural and Remote Teachers: Person-Environment Fit to Multiple Environments, identified protective and risk factors associated with workrole, workplace, organisation, geographic and socio-cultural community environments. The theory recognises spillover between work and non-work life experiences, impacting on quality of teacher worklife; however, factors directly associated with worklife impacted most significantly on quality of worklife. The second theory, Processes of Adaptation to Multiple Rural and Remote Environments, identified processes (teacher expectations, evaluations of environments, responses to environments) and coping strategies (direct-action, palliative and avoidant) as leading to one of four outcomes: integration; resilient integration; disequilibrium; and withdrawal. The case study findings offer original understandings of experiences of teachers newly appointed to rural and remote schools, through the development of theory about multiple environments teachers encounter and processes of adaptation associated with their relocation to rural and remote areas. The findings have implications for theory, policy and practice, and contribute new dimensions to the general quality of worklife literature.

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie studie is onderneem om te bepaal watter determinante 'n rol speel in die beroepsbevrediging van grondvlak maatskaplike werkers en watter gehalte van die werksleweprogramme benut kan word om dit aan te spreek. Tydens die empiriese fase van die studie is 'n vraelys aan die maatskaplike werkers van die Vereniging vir Liggaamlike Gestremdes (streek Wes-Kaap) gesirkuleer waarin aannames oor beroepsbevrediging en gehalte van die werkslewe getoets is. Die response bevestig 'n hoer arbeidsomset as die gemiddelde, 'n behoefte aan billike en regverdige vergoedingspakkette, bevorderingsgeleenthede, 'n werksomgewing wat werksekuriteit bied en 'n gebrek aan inspraak in die leierskap en bestuurstyl van welsynsorganisasies. Die rol wat die supervisor kan speel figureer sterk sowel as die behoefte aan gehalte van die werksleweprogramme soos, deelnemende bestuur, sensitiwiteitsopleiding, doelwitbestuur en spanwerk. Enkele aanbevelings vvord aan administrateurs en supervisors gemaak oor die uitbou van maatskaplike werkers se beroepsbevrediging en die benutting van gehalte van die werksleweprogramme sodat arbeidsomset bekamp en koste-effektiwitet verhoog kan word. / This study was undertaken to establish which determinants play a role in the job satisfaction of direct service social workers and what quality of worklife programmes can be utilised to address the problem. During the empirical phase of the study, a questionnaire was circulated to social workers of the Association for the Physically Disabled, Western Cape, in which suppositions regarding job satisfaction and quality of worklife was tested. Responses confirmed the need for fair remuneration packages, promotion opportunities, job security, a high labor turnover and a lack of participation in the management of welfare organisations. The role of the supervisor figures strongly. Quality of worklife programmes such as participatory management, sensitivity training, management by objectives and teamwork are needed. Suggestions are made to administrators and supervisors concerning the development of job satisfaction and the utilisation of quality of worklife programmes to control labour turnover and improve cost effectiveness. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Maatskaplike Werkrigting)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie studie is onderneem om te bepaal watter determinante 'n rol speel in die beroepsbevrediging van grondvlak maatskaplike werkers en watter gehalte van die werksleweprogramme benut kan word om dit aan te spreek. Tydens die empiriese fase van die studie is 'n vraelys aan die maatskaplike werkers van die Vereniging vir Liggaamlike Gestremdes (streek Wes-Kaap) gesirkuleer waarin aannames oor beroepsbevrediging en gehalte van die werkslewe getoets is. Die response bevestig 'n hoer arbeidsomset as die gemiddelde, 'n behoefte aan billike en regverdige vergoedingspakkette, bevorderingsgeleenthede, 'n werksomgewing wat werksekuriteit bied en 'n gebrek aan inspraak in die leierskap en bestuurstyl van welsynsorganisasies. Die rol wat die supervisor kan speel figureer sterk sowel as die behoefte aan gehalte van die werksleweprogramme soos, deelnemende bestuur, sensitiwiteitsopleiding, doelwitbestuur en spanwerk. Enkele aanbevelings vvord aan administrateurs en supervisors gemaak oor die uitbou van maatskaplike werkers se beroepsbevrediging en die benutting van gehalte van die werksleweprogramme sodat arbeidsomset bekamp en koste-effektiwitet verhoog kan word. / This study was undertaken to establish which determinants play a role in the job satisfaction of direct service social workers and what quality of worklife programmes can be utilised to address the problem. During the empirical phase of the study, a questionnaire was circulated to social workers of the Association for the Physically Disabled, Western Cape, in which suppositions regarding job satisfaction and quality of worklife was tested. Responses confirmed the need for fair remuneration packages, promotion opportunities, job security, a high labor turnover and a lack of participation in the management of welfare organisations. The role of the supervisor figures strongly. Quality of worklife programmes such as participatory management, sensitivity training, management by objectives and teamwork are needed. Suggestions are made to administrators and supervisors concerning the development of job satisfaction and the utilisation of quality of worklife programmes to control labour turnover and improve cost effectiveness. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Maatskaplike Werkrigting)

AFRIKAANS : In hierdie studie is daar enersyds bepaal of daar spesifieke stressore aanwesig is wat tot werknemers van die betrokke tersiêre opleidingsinstelling se verhoogde stresvlakke en gepaardgaande siening van ‘n negatiewe gehalte van werklewe (GWL) bydra. Andersyds was die fokus op die effektiwiteit van die huidige Stresbeheerprogram (SBP), waar vasgestel is of deelname aan die spesifieke program tot 'n beter en meer positiewe ervaring in die werknemer se GWL bydra. Die studie het uitgebreide teoretiese perspektiewe op die gehalte van werk, stres, welstand en intervensies in die werkplek voorsien. Vanuit die literstuurstudie in gemelde hoofstukke 2, 3, 4 en 5 blyk dit duidelik dat verandering in die werksomgewing en die gevolglike stres wat dit meebring op die werknemer se belewenis van welstand en gehalte van werklewe impakteer, en dat die werknemer se reaksie op beide voorafgaande die deurslaggewende faktor in die bereiking van gesondheid en welstand is. Werkgewers het die verantwoordelikheid om ‘n gelukkige werkplek te vestig deur die benutting van intervensieprogramme ten einde werknemers in staat te stel om eienaarskap van hul lewens te aanvaar in die bereiking van optimale gesondheid en welstand. Die literatuurstudie is opgevolg deur ‘n empiriese ondersoek waartydens evaluatiewe navorsing benut is. Die kwantitatief-kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenaderings met fokus op Creswell se ‘dominant- less-dominant’ model is gebruik, waar die kwantitatiewe fases as oorheersende paradigma gebruik is. Die kwantitatiewe beskrywende opname-ontwerp se ewekansige kruisseksie-opname is benut om ondersoek in te stel na die aard, omvang en impak van stres op die GWL van werknemers aan die betrokke tersiêre opleidingsinstelling. Die aangepaste ‘ASSET’-posvraelys is aan respondente van die twee gekose fakulteite en respondente van die SBP voorsien. Die kwasieksperimentele navorsingsontwerp se een-groep voortoets-na-toets ontwerp en handafgelewerde vraelyste het gedien as tweede kwantitatiewe fase van die studie. Tydens fase drie, die kwalitatiewe fase, is die gevallestudie met fokus op kollektiewe gevallestudie as navorsingstrategie gevolg waartydens semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met ‘n onderhoudskedule gebruik is om addisionele inligting te bekom. Die belewenisse en behoeftes van die respondente, wat die SBP opleiding voltooi het, is bepaal ten einde sodanige belewenisse en behoeftes tydens die aanpassings van die SBP in ag te neem. Die gestruktureerde vraelyste, sowel as die semigestruktureerde onderhoude is as voor- en na-toets gebruik om die effektiwiteit en die benuttingswaarde van die huidige SBP te bepaal. Die keuse van die onderskeie benaderings, strategie en ontwerpe, wat tydens die navorsingsproses gevolg is, was relevant en suksesvol ten einde die geformuleerde probleem aan te spreek, die navorsingsvrae sinvol te beantwoord, en die hipotese te bevestig. Die navorser kon dus daarin slaag om, deur gebruikmaking van metodologiese triangulasie, die kwantitatiefkwalitatiewe benaderings te kombineer waartydens meervoudige metodes aangewend is om alle moontlike aspekte van dieselfde fenomeen te beskou en te vergelyk, en sodoende die geldigheid daarvan te verifieer. Gebaseer op bevindinge, kan die gevolgtrekking gemaak word dat stressore wel by werknemers van die betrokke tersiêre opleidingsinstelling aanwesig is, dat stres ‘n wesenlike impak op die GWL van werknemers het, en dat die huidige Stresbeheerprogram wel ‘n verbetering in die GWL van werknemers teweeggebring het. ENGLISH : On the one hand this study determines whether there are specific stressors present, which lead to higher stress levels and contribute to the accompanying negative quality of worklife perspective of employees at the relevant tertiary institution (QWL). On the other hand the focus is on the effectiveness of the current Stress Management Programme (SMP), in order to determine whether participation in this specific programme contributes to a better and more positive experience of the employee's QWL. This study provides extensive theoretic perspectives on the quality of work, stress, wellbeing and interventions in the workplace. From the literature review in Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5, it is clear that change in the work environment, and the subsequent stress it imposes, impacts on the employee's experience of quality of worklife and wellbeing and the employee's reaction to both these is the decisive factor in reaching health and wellbeing in the workplace. Employers have the responsibility to establish a healthy workplace by utilising intervention programmes in order to enable employees to accept ownership of their lives in reaching optimum health and wellbeing. The literature review is followed by an empirical investigation during which evaluative research was utilised. The quantitative-qualitative research approaches, with focus on Creswell's ‘dominant-less-dominant’ model was used where the quantitative phases were used as the dominant paradigm. The quantitative descriptive design's random cross section is utilized to investigate the nature, extent and impact of stress on the QWL of employees at the relevant tertiary education institution. The adapted ‘ASSET’ mailed questionnaire was provided to respondents from two chosen faculties and respondents who participated in the SMP. The quasiexperimental research design's one-group pre-test / post-test design and hand-delivered questionnaires served as the second quantitative phase of this study. During the qualitative third phase, the case study, with focus on a collective case study as research strategy, was followed during which semi-structured interviews with an interview schedule were used to obtain additional information. The experiences and needs of respondents, who completed the SMP training, were determined in order to take into account these experiences and needs when the SMP is adapted. The structured questionnaires, as well as the semi-structured interviews were used as pre-test and post-test to determine the effectiveness and the utilization value of the current SMP. The choice of the different approaches, strategy and design which were followed during the research process, were relevant and successful in order to address the formulated problem, to provide a sensible answer to the research question, and to confirm the hypothesis. The researcher could therefore succeed to, by using methodological triangulation, combine the quantitative-qualitative approaches, during which multiple methods were applied to explore and compare all possible aspects of the same phenomenon and to subsequently verify the validity thereof. Based on findings, the following conclusion can be made: firstly, there are stressors present at the relevant tertiary education institution; secondly, stress has a substantial impact on the QWL of employees; and the current Stress Management Programme contributes to an improved QWL of employees. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted