Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Technology: Commercial Administration, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2012. / Stress management is becoming more and more important as workloads increase. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2005:1-22) estimates that there will be a gradual rise in the number of people experiencing mental health difficulties in the workplace by the year 2020. Current trends indicate an emphasis on the employer's responsibility to provide services that meet their employees' mental health (WHO, 2005:1-22). International organizations such as the European Union and the World Health Organizations have thus been making recommendations about the measures that employers need to take to tackle workplace stress and promote employee wellbeing. Research indicates that employee wellbeing is determined both by an individual's personality and the context of the work situation. Employers can have a huge impact on employee wellbeing, by creating appropriate work demands, support and levels of control, effective communication and engagement, supportive leadership and management and by promoting activities that improve health and wellbeing. This research attempted to better understand the happy/productive worker thesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of job satisfaction on the wellbeing of administrative staff at the Durban University of Technology (OUT). A mixed methods approach was used to collect data in the form of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews from administrative staff on the six campuses of DUT. Analysis of results indicated that: job satisfaction significantly impacts on the wellbeing of employees; staff were unhappy with their work conditions and this subsequently led to physiological symptoms of stress and which in turn negatively impacted on the their health; and were experiencing many symptoms of burnout. Further investigation is needed to fully understand the predictors of burnout, i.e. the organizational and individual factors that impact burnout so that appropriate interventions may be put into place to increase employee wellbeing. / M

Esta pesquisa analisou como as empresas gerenciam seus programas de qualidade de vida no trabalho através das práticas de gestão de projetos. A principal contribuição está na aplicação de uma metodologia de administração de projetos por meio dos processos e áreas de conhecimento capazes de colaborar com a área de Recursos Humanos, responsável pela gestão desses programas. A metodologia de pesquisa escolhida foi de estudos de casos múltiplos, sendo a investigação de caráter qualitativa e exploratória. As empresas pesquisadas são de portes médio e grande situadas nas regiões Norte, Sudeste e Sul do Brasil. Foram entrevistados gerentes, diretores, CEO, superintendentes e coordenadores. A coleta dos dados primários foi feita com o uso de entrevistas estruturadas pela aplicação do questionário elaborado para esta pesquisa. O levantamento dos dados secundários realizou-se tendo como fontes documentais as publicações de gestão de pessoas e projetos relativos às empresas e documentos disponibilizados pelas organizações. No tratamento dos dados coletados aplicouse a análise de conteúdo com as categorias de programa de qualidade de vida no trabalho e gestão de projetos. Os resultados desta pesquisa apontaram para a aplicação de práticas de gestão de projetos de forma empírica e baseada nas necessidades do dia a dia, como também, constatou-se serem específicas de cada empresa estando evidenciada a definição de metodologia de gestão dos processos de preparação, estruturação, execução e conclusão com o apoio das áreas de conhecimento de comunicação, gerenciamento de riscos, recursos humanos e aquisições para melhor gerir os programas de qualidade de vida no trabalho. As ações desenvolvidas pelos programas em estudo são associadas aos aspectos biológicos, psicológicos, sociais e organizacionais como maneira de cuidar da saúde dos empregados como um todo. O desafio das equipes multidisciplinares dos programas de qualidade de vida no trabalho está em colocar em prática as diversas ações dentro das restrições de tempo, escopo e custo para atender às expectativas empresariais e responder às solicitações e necessidades dos empregados. Portanto, as contribuições desta pesquisa estão na análise crítica dos programas de qualidade de vida no trabalho fundamentada nas práticas de gestão de projetos permitindo, com isso, novas investigações e a colaboração com a identificação do modelo de mensuração dos resultados das ações de qualidade de vida no trabalho dentro desses programas no sentido de amadurecer as atuais práticas de gestão de projetos. / This research has examined how companies manage their quality of work life programs through the practice of project management. The main contribution is the application of a methodology for management of projects through the processes and knowledge area which are able to work with the area of Human Resources, responsible for managing these programs. The chosen research methodology was multiple case studies, and the investigation was of a qualitative and exploratory character. The companies surveyed are of medium and large sizes and located in the North, Southeast and Southern Brazil. Managers, directors, CEO, superintendents and coordinators have been interviewed. The collection of primary data was made using structured interviews for the implementation of the questionnaire prepared for this research. The survey of secondary data was held with documentary sources and the publications of human resource management and projects relating to documents released by the companies and organizations. In processing the data collected it was applied an analysis of content with the categories of quality of work life program and project management. The results of this research show the application of project management practices in empirical format and based on the needs of day to day needs, but it was found to be specific to each company with a clear definition of methodology for managing the preparation, structuring, implementation and completion with the support of the areas of knowledge of communication, risk management, human resources and procurement to better manage the quality of work life programs. The actions developed by the programs under study are related to the biological, psychological, social and organizational aspects as a way to care for the health of employees as a whole. The challenge of multidisciplinary teams of the quality of work life is to put into practice the various actions within the constraints of time, scope and cost in order to meet business expectations the demands and needs of employees. Therefore, the contribution of this research is the critical analysis of the quality of work life with practices of project management. Thus, allowing further research and collaboration with the identification of the measuring model for the results of the actions of quality of work life within these programs to mature the current practice of project

O fenômeno da economia solidária no Brasil tem se expandido como resposta ao desemprego e a exclusão social. É constituído por empreendimentos econômicos solidários cujo propósito é a geração de trabalho e renda para aqueles trabalhadores que, num dado momento, ficaram alijados do mercado formal de trabalho, como na situação de massas falidas de empresas privadas. Neste contexto a cooperativa é tida como a forma típica de empreendimento econômico solidário, alicerçada em pressupostos de igualdade de participação na gestão e na posse coletiva dos meios de produção aos seus associados, pela via de práticas de autogestão. Contudo a literatura da economia solidária admite que esta modalidade de gestão não se constitua na única forma de gestão presente no interior das cooperativas, ou seja, nestas ocorrem também práticas heterogestionárias oriundas da sociedade de mercado regida sob as bases do capitalismo. A coexistência destes padrões, a princípio, antagônicos de gestão implica em práticas paradoxais, que por sua vez, se refletem na qualidade de vida no trabalho dos cooperados. Deste modo, esta tese objetivou compreender como o paradoxo entre autogestão e heterogestão se reflete na qualidade de vida no trabalho percebida pelos cooperados de uma cooperativa oriunda de massa falida. Para tal, foi realizada uma pesquisa exploratória-interpretativista, por meio de um estudo de caso qualitativo na cooperativa Cotravic, utilizando como procedimentos metodológicos entrevistas espontâneas e semi-estruturadas, e observação de campo, tendo sido os dados tratado mediante análise de conteúdo. Os resultados evidenciaram a existência do paradoxo autogestão e heterogestão principalmente nas práticas de gestão relativas à organização das instâncias de tomada de decisão, participação democrática e remuneração do trabalho realizado, revelando oscilações quanto à satisfação com a qualidade de vida no trabalho em função de padrões autogestionários e heterogestionários. O presente estudo defende a gestão do paradoxo numa concepção de complementaridade em que a ambiguidade entre autogestão e heterogestão seja reconhecida e sintetizada como uma alternativa de gestão em prol da eficiência produtiva da cooperativa e do bem-estar individual e coletivo de seus cooperados. / The phenomenon of solidarity economy in Brazil has expanded in response to unemployment and social exclusion. It consists of solidarity economic enterprises which have the purpose of generating employment and income for those workers who, at a given moment, were shut out of the formal labor market, as in the situation of bankrupt estates of private companies. In this context, cooperative associations are regarded as the typical form of economic solidarity enterprises, based on assumptions of equal participation in the management and collective ownership of the means of production by its members, through practices of self-management. But the literature of the solidarity economy admits that this type of management does not constitute the only form of management present within the cooperative, that is, at these cooperatives also occur hetero-management practices arising from market society governed under the foundations of neoliberal capitalism. The coexistence of these management patterns implies in antagonistic paradoxical practices, which in turn are reflected in the quality of work life of members. Thus, this thesis is aimed at understanding how the paradox between hetero and self-management is reflected in the quality of work life perceived by a cooperative of cooperatives survey arising from the bankruptcy estate. For this purpose, a exploratory-interpretive was conducted, through qualitative case study on cooperative Cotravic, using as instruments mainly spontaneous interviews and semi-structured interviews and field observation, proceeding to an analysis of the outcome. The results confirmed the existence of the self versus hetero management paradox and mainly in management practices relating to: organization of instances of decision-making, democratic participation of members and remuneration for work performed, resulting in improving the quality of life at work perceived by the cooperative Cotravic members, revealing oscillations regarding satisfaction with the quality of work life in terms of and self-managed hetero-managed standards. The conclusion of the study points to the importance of the paradox between self versus hetero management embedded in management practices of the Cooperative for reflecting on the quality of work life perceived by members. In this sense, the present study proposes a management paradox conception of complementarity in which ambiguity can be leveraged in support of the productive efficiency of the cooperative and the welfare of their individual and collective members.

O presente estudo acessou a extensão em que o Questionário de Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho (QVT), adaptado para Servidores de Instituições Federais de Ensino (IFES) brasileiras (QQVT-IFES) reflete o modelo conceitual de QVT de Walton (1973). A adaptação desta medida para servidores de IFES, considerou como referência o questionário proposto e validado por Timossi et al. (2009), (QQVT). O QQVT sofreu três alterações e com base no modelo de Walton, que estabelece oito critérios para avaliar QVT, originou o QQVT-IFES. Foram avaliadas as características psicométricas do QQVT-IFES e acessadas as validades de conteúdo e aparente da medida. Numa primeira fase, adaptando a proposta de Hernadez-Nieto (2002) para o cálculo do coeficiente de validade de conteúdo (CVC) foram escolhidos 55 juízes dentre os 168 servidores da área de QVT da IFES, após o cálculo do tamanho da amostra indicar um mínimo de 43. Os juízes responderam, em duas etapas, quantitativa e qualitativa, um questionário de julgamento (QJ/QQVT-IFES) das questões propostas no QQVT-IFES. O QJ/QQVT-IFES apresentou alta confiabilidade. Nas escalas de clareza da linguagem e pertinência prática, apontaram numa escala tipo likert de 1 a 5, o quanto o item da escala era claro e pertinente. Puderam em espaço próprio, comentar sobre cada item, em forma de texto e sugeriram melhorias, inclusão de itens, criticaram termos e formas. A validação de conteúdo mostrou um desempenho satisfatório do QJ/QQVT-IFES, com CVCt=0,80 para a escala de clareza e CVCt=0,86 para a escala de pertinência, com valor de corte de 0,70. O erro Pei encontrado com 55 juízes foi de 1,9 x 10 -96, valor considerado = 0. O processo de validação aparente gerou 319 comentários dos juízes/avaliadores aos 34 itens do QQVT-IFES. A segunda fase do estudo consistiu em nova adaptação, desta vez do QQVT-IFES, gerando o QQVT-IFES/2. A validação de conteúdo do QQVT-IFES/2 com 36 itens, seguiu o mesmo método do QQVT-IFES, desta vez com 5 juízes, conforme a proposta metodológica original de Hernandez-Nieto (2002). Verificou-se melhoria no desempenho quanto ao CVCc de 76,4% dos itens correlatos ao QQVT-IFES, mesmo com erro Pei significativamente maior (0,00032). O QQVT-IFES/2 obteve CVCt de clareza de 0,92 e pertinência igual a 0,95, maiores que os do QQVT-IFES. Uma terceira versão foi gerada, resultado dos melhores itens dos dois questionários, o QQVT-IFES/3. O processo de validação de conteúdo encontra nas escalas de clareza e pertinência caminho objetivo para futuros processos de validação, aos quais o questionário deverá ser exposto, a exemplo das validades de construto e preditiva. / This study accessed the extent to which the Quality Of Life at Work Questionnaire (QLWQ), adapted for civil servants working at Brazilian federal universities (QLWQ-IFES), reflects the conceptual Walton’s model of QLW (1973). Adaptation of the QLWQ-IFES involved assessment of content and face validity carried out by 55 participants, Brazilian federal university civil workers working as judges. Content validity coefficient (CVC) was calculated based on judges’ evaluation of two criteria of the questionnaire: items’ clarity and practical relevance. Face validity was assessed by examination of participants’ comments on the QLWQ-IFES adapted version generated from the results of the content validity. The questionnaire showed evidence of content validity, as indicated by item clarity index of 0.80 and practical relevance of 0.86. The face validation process produced 319 comments from judges, generating the final version of the questionnaire (the 36-item QQVT-IFES/2). Submitted to five judges’ evaluation, the questionnaire’s final version showed better evidence of content validity: 0.92 and 0.95 for the clarity and for the practical relevance of the items. Considering the importance of the construct focused by this questionnaire for health promotion at work setting, further studies on construct and predictive validities of Quality Of Life at Work Questionnaire remains.

Identificar como a tecnologia da informação e seu uso estratégico têm contribuído, ou não, com a promoção e com a gestão da qualidade de vida no trabalho. Foram analisadas questões macroeconômicas, como o ambiente globalizado e virtualizado, e a formação de uma nova sociedade baseada na informação e no conhecimento. Em função destes fatores-chaves da pesquisa, o objetivo central foi entender os impactos destas mudanças nas organizações e nas relações humanas com o trabalho, identificando como estas mudanças estão relacionadas à tecnologia da informação. A partir de extensa revisão bibliográfica, que gerou a fundamentação teórica, e da escolha pela metodologia de estudo de caso realizou-se um levantamento qualitativo e quantitativo, identificando em uma realidade organizacional os conceitos apresentados, procurando descrever quais os efeitos que as práticas em tecnologia da informação têm contribuído para o alcance de bem-estar e conforto para as pessoas na empresa. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que a tecnologia da informação provoca mudanças nas relações do trabalhador com o ambiente. Foram identificadas alterações em função da nova realidade proporcionada pela execução remota das atividades profissionais por meio do teletrabalho. Estas alterações foram percebidas nas dimensões biológicas, psicológicas e sociais do ser humano. E, conseqüentemente, a relação do trabalhador com a empresa muda para adaptar-se à nova dinâmica organizacional. E para minimizar os possíveis efeitos negativos destas alterações e dar o suporte necessário para a obtenção de melhores resultados, a Gestão de Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho seria uma alternativa interessante. Por meio da Gestão de Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho, os colaboradores (não só os teletrabalhadores) terão melhores condições de desempenhar suas tarefas, com conforto e bem-estar. E a empresa, com os prováveis e maiores comprometimento e satisfação dos trabalhadores, conseqüentemente, estará preparada para superar os desafios e alcançar as metas desejadas num ambiente mais complexo e competitivo. / To identify as the information technology and its strategic use have contributed, or not, with the promotion and the management of the quality of work life. Macroeconomic questions had been analyzed, as globalization and the virtual environment, and also the formation of a new society based on the information and the knowledge. In function of these factors keys of the research, the central objective was to understand the impacts of these changes in the organizations and the relation human beings with the work, identifying as these changes are related to the information technology. From extensive bibliographical revision, generating theoretical recital, and of the choice for the methodology of case study, a qualitative and quantitative survey was become fulfilled, identifying in a organizational reality the presented concepts, looking for to describe which the effect that the practices in information technology have contributed for the reach of well-being and comfort for the people in the company. The reached results demonstrate that the information technology provokes changes in the relations of the worker with the environment. Alterations had been identified in function of the new reality for the remote execution of the professional activities by means of telework. These alterations had been perceived in the biological, psychological and social dimensions of the human being. And, consequently, the relation of the worker with the company changes to adapt it the new organizational dynamics. And to minimize the possible negative effects of these alterations and to give the necessary support for the achievement of better profits, the Management of Quality of Work Life would be an interesting alternative. By means of the Management of Quality of Work Life, all collaborators (not only the teleworkers) will have better conditions to perform its tasks, with comfort and well-being. And the company, with probable and more commitment and satisfaction of the worker, consequently, will be prepared to surpass the challenges and to reach the goals desired in an environment more complex and competitive.

The purpose of this research was to determine if a relationship exists between McGregor’s Leadership Theory and subjective states of well-being among higher educational leaders in state and community colleges in Florida. The underlying supposition was that the preference for what Douglas McGregor called Theory X or Theory Y assumptions, indicate intrinsic assumptions about human nature and are linked to subjective happiness. Quantitative data were collected through electronic administration of two surveys and demographic questions to higher educational leaders at 28 state and community colleges in the State of Florida. These instruments measured levels of well-being through the PERMA-Profiler instrument and preferences for Theory X or Theory Y using the Theory X and Theory Y Managerial Assumptions Inventory. Multiple correlation and regression analyses were used to address the research questions. This study detected no relationship between well-being and happiness in this sample. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

It is estimated that by 2020, 25% of the US labor force will be aged 55 or older. Along with this demographic shift, Americans and employees in other industrialized nations are now working longer than before, either out of preference or financial necessity. Therefore, it is essential that we understand how to support employees so that they can continue working in a healthy, happy, and productive manner as they age. The construct of work ability (the extent to which people perceive they can meet the mental and physical demands of their jobs) has the potential to guide research and practice on how best to support employees throughout the lifespan. However, though studied extensively in the occupational health literature, work ability has only recently gained attention in the Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Occupational Health Psychology literatures. This study helps to further integrate work ability into our field and theoretically ground the construct using the Job Demands-Resources model (Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner, & Schaufeli, 2001). Specifically, this study examined psychosocial characteristics of the work environment (age diversity climate, team cohesion, organizational justice, and leader-member exchange) that were expected to buffer against the negative effects of increased age and poor health on work ability. The interaction between team cohesion and poor health had a significant effect on work ability. While the other hypothesized interaction relationships were unsupported, ancillary analyses showed that both team cohesion and age diversity climate do relate positively to work ability, even after controlling for age and health. These findings highlight the importance of a positive social work environment in supporting employees' work ability throughout the lifespan. Suggestions for future research include examining additional psychosocial predictors and behavioral outcomes of work ability, as well as conducting intervention studies aimed at increasing work ability by improving social aspects of the work environment.

The purpose of this research was to develop a taxonomy of workplace diversity and examine its implications for understanding and predicting diversity at work. A 7-dimension taxonomy was originally developed by reviewing contemporary literature on diversity in the workplace. The taxonomy is grounded in Social Identity Theory. Preliminary research found that each of the seven dimensions of the taxonomy were present in 78 critical incidents describing work-relevant diversity dynamics. The current study reports the development and administration of an instrument, the Workplace Diversity Inventory (WDI), which was used to empirically examine the 7-factor model of the taxonomy in over 20 different industries. Exploratory factor analysis using data from 209 respondents supported a six-dimension taxonomy, with one factor from the proposed taxonomy (Leadership) collapsed into two of the included WDI dimensions (Diversity Climate and Organizational Justice). Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis indicated an adequate to good fit for the six-factor model, with the WDI reduced from 47 to 24 items. Results and implications for theory and practice are discussed.

The inextricable ties between work and family have been extensively studied, however, with both societal and organizational change there is a continuing need for organizational research to elucidate the effects work can have on family, individual, and job well-being. Through three studies, this body of work demonstrates the role of supervisors, psychological contextual factors, and workplace work-family resources for improving employee and spouse family well-being and employee psychological and job well-being. This dissertation drew upon data from the Study for Employment Retention of Veterans (SERVe) and the Work-family Health Network (WFHN). Study 1 investigated the link between a supportive supervisor training and employee and spouse ratings of spouse and parent-child relationship quality at 3 and 9 months, while examining the moderating effects of baseline stress. Results revealed that the supportive supervisor training is associated with improved spouse reports of spousal relationship quality 3 months following the training. Additionally, results suggested that the training protects against employee and spouse declines in relationship quality under conditions of higher baseline employee stress. Study 2 examined the daily within and between-person link between work-to-family conflict (WFC) and affective well-being for employees and their spouses, with a focus on how daily family supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB) can protect against WFC associated declines in mood. Findings from Study 2 revealed that daily WFC is related to declines in both employee and spouse mood at the within and between-person levels, however the associations between WFC and spouse mood are nuanced. Specifically, employee WFC was associated with spouse positive mood at the within-person level, but with spouse negative mood at the between-person level. Furthermore, FSSB protected against daily within-person WFC associated declines in employee positive mood. Study 3 utilized a novel theoretical integration of COR theory and climate framework, multi-level methodology, and a time-lagged design in order to elucidate the relationships between supervisor work-family views, unit-level work-family resources (e.g., FSSB and schedule control), and individual well-being. Results revealed that positive supervisor views about flexible work arrangements (FWA) for employees was associated with higher unit levels of FSSB, and that unit level FSSB and schedule control were both strongly related to subsequent employee burnout. Additionally, supervisor FWA was indirectly associated with job-burnout via FSSB. These three studies drew upon multi-level, multi-time points, and multi-source data to further work-family literature and theory, and demonstrate the importance of work-family resources for protecting employees and their families from stress related resource loss. The unique contributions of this dissertation and future directions are discussed.

Abstract not available