Investigating and validating the factors influencing the quality of the work life of women employees in Thanjavur Corporation

1. Introduction

Quality standards and performance are often set in every workplace, depending on an individual’s or a team’s potential. This mostly depends on how a person strikes a balance between their family life and job life, as well as the level of quality in each area of their life. The working environment nowadays is hectic, and people no longer value quality the same way they once did. The relationship between an employee’s success at work and her professional and personal lives has been the subject of several hypotheses. The idea of “quality of work life” (QoWL) was inspired by concerns about the relationship between working and personal lives.

The importance of QoWL in human resource management (HRM) is crucial for fostering both individual and organizational success. It is a complete idea for setting priorities between life and work, on the one hand. The issue has become more important as a result of a significant rise in work, which is attributable to expanding advances in information technology (IT) and a highly competitive workplace. Education has enabled today’s women to work full-time and aspire to ascent as their male counterparts. The financial liability and the consciousness of being socially independent have enabled women of all social classes to strive for professional careers. It is observed that there is a contrast in outlook between unmarried and married women. It is more difficult for married women to enter a professional life while balancing the family. The married woman has several roles to fulfill. Justifying these manifold roles leads to stress and depression, thereby affecting her well-being and creating role conflict.

1.1. Review of literature

Balasundaram and Ather (1) intended for QoWL and job satisfaction (JS) to be connected. The study employed primary and secondary data appropriately. A stratified random selection method was used to choose 133 academic professionals (lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors, and professors) from 8 private institutions in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Therefore, we employed Cronbach’s alpha in the current study to assess the reliability of the scales, which were assessed to have values ranging from 0.887 to 0.990 for QoWL and JS, respectively. Various inferential statistics, including exploratory factor analysis, correlation, and multiple regression, were employed in this work, along with descriptive statistics (such as mean and standard deviation). The findings showed that QoWL and JS had a very strong connection (r = 0.729, n = 133, and p0.01) between them. It was discovered that “creativity of the work,” “job benefits for family,” and “job’s safety” had a significant favorable influence on JS aspects like “suggestions” and “promotion in career.” Through examining the relationship between QoWL and JS and pursuing policies to improve the current state of it, this study will hopefully be useful to academics, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in Bangladesh and other comparable nations.

Ankita (2019) stated that one of the elements influencing employees’ productivity inside an organization is their QoWL. However, JS is a significant contributor to an improved working environment and increased organizational effectiveness. A worker’s perception of their job and workplace is referred to as their QoWL. In this article, the link between job happiness and the quality of the working environment is examined. The study aims to better understand employee JS and the QoWL in the information technology (IT) industry. The study’s findings will assist managers and employees of IT organizations in understanding the degree of work-life quality in IT industry.

Chandranshusinha (2012) conducted a study on factors affecting the QoWL experiences in organizations. The results indicate that the factors have substantial roles to play in satiating the needs of the employees and how, at a middle managerial level, different aspects are valued and employed for developing a unique and inimitable QoWL within their socio-technical systems for eliciting favorable job-related responses.

According to Malathi et al. (2), the upper and middle classes are also consumers of costly goods, which are essential for their comfort and luxury. The multinational will be targeting consumers of all classes. The Indian consumer segment is broadly segregated into urban and rural markets and is attracting marketers from across the world. The sector comprises a huge middle class, a relatively large affluent class, and a small economically disadvantaged class, with spending anticipated to more than double by 2025. India stood first among all nations in the global consumer confidence index with a score of 133 points for the quarter ending September 2016. Further, in the discretionary spending category, 68% of respondents from India indicated the next 12 months as being good to buy, thus ensuring once again that India leads the global top 10 countries for this parameter during the quarter. Global corporations view India as one of the key markets from which future growth is likely to emerge. The growth in India’s consumer market would be primarily driven by a favorable population composition and increasing disposable incomes.

According to Dhamija et al. (3), an industry is growing at high speed by adopting unfair practices. Operators are not satisfied with the current government regulations regarding the issuance of SIMs and the imposition of a XAF 3.5 billion fine. Purpose: This study aimed to explore the impacts of job stress (JS), work environment (WE), overall compensation benefits and pay (OCS), leadership, and the moderating role of leadership on employees’ job satisfaction (EJS). Method: A quantitative method was employed in the sample size of 515 responses.

According to Balanagalakshmi and Chaitanya Lakshmi (4), !! work-life balance (WLB) is an important factor in the QoWL of an employee. Every employee wants to balance her official work and personal life. This is possible only with the right schedule prepared and followed by her. This may enable her to manage her time schedule for the accomplishment of her various work commitments, which in turn helps to manage her stress levels. This can be achieved with flexible work hours, working from home whenever there is a need, telecommuting, working in shifts, etc. WLB refers to maintaining the balance of roles and responsibilities performed at work and at home. WLB is one of the most pressing issues being faced by female employees in recent years.

According to Sari et al. (5), the QoWL, presented in a hierarchical model, influences employee work outcomes (job performance and retention intention). The paper also examines if JS mediates the above relationship. Drawing on social exchange theory, the paper examines these two research questions using 365 employees from Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) industry. The findings show that QoWL is positively associated with JS, retention intention, and in-role performance. Further, JS has a significant positive effect on the outcome variables as well. Furthermore, JS mediates QoWL and employee work outcomes.

According to Tamizhjyothi (6), QoWL is concerned with the overall climate of the work situation and refers to the favorableness or unfavorableness of a WE. A favorable WE results in a better QoWL, and vice versa. Improving the QoWL is central to organizations seeking to stay competitive. The present study contains an exhaustive review of the existing literature available on the subject. The studies have been presented in chronological order, so that the latest studies are presented first, followed by the subsequent studies.

According to Srilakshmi and Sundari (7), in today’s competitive business climate, retention of employees is one of the most discussed issues, and it can be critical to recognize the causes of employee attrition and to implement appropriate strategies for the maintenance of employees. Both organizations therefore require workers to have a lower turnover at the highest possible stage. The aim of this research is therefore to analyze the impact of HRM practices on the retention of employees in the hotel sector in Hyderabad. The hotel industry is considered a developing sector in Hyderabad, and the sector is well established as an under-researched region. This study is important because such research initiatives have been rare in the sense of Hyderabad, and, in order to fill this vacuum, this analysis has been carried out for two categories of hotel segments, i.e., 4- and 5-star hotels.

According to Sabari and Kamesh (8), HRM practices have been extensively studied in multinational companies, the education sector, and the manufacturing sector. However, only a few studies have been conducted in the banking industry. Even these researchers have not compared the HRM practices of public sector banks in Jammu and Kashmir. The research was based on a self-administered questionnaire survey of a total of 266 employees. It consists of 11 managers and 33 subordinates from PNB and 18 managers and 54 subordinates from SBI. The main HRM practices studied were general climate, OCTAPACE culture, selection, job definition, career planning, training, and performance appraisal and compensation. The data were analyzed statistically, and the findings revealed that HRM practices have a huge impact on organizational performance in the banking sector.

A study by Hanson et al. (9) sampled 234 respondents from the telecommunications, banking, educational institutions, and the hospitality industries. Respondents were selected using a convenient sampling technique. Data was collected using structured questionnaires. The main objective of the study was to assess the nature of the relationship between employee creativity and employee work-life quality. Furthermore, the study also inquired about the role of work stress and demands on the relationship between employee creativity and QoWL. The data was analyzed using hierarchical regression to control for the effects of other extraneous variables. The study revealed that there was a positive relationship between employee creativity and the QoWL. Besides, work demand and stress were also found to be significant moderators in the relationship between employee creativity and work-life quality. Employee work demands negatively impact creativity at the workplace. Recommendations as well as areas for further study have been provided.

A study by Kessuwan and Muenjohn (10) examined the influence of quality of WLB on JS among workers in a gas processing plant. A descriptive analytical design and a census approach were used to assess 200 staff. The analysis established a positive relationship between EJS and the four constructs of QoWL: safe working environments, WLB, personal development, and emotional well-being, at significant levels. With the latter construct registering the highest correlation with JS, the study recommends the management of a functional early guidance support system for workers who may exhibit early symptoms of emotional well-being distress.

1.2. Statement of the problem

The QoWL has become a universal concern for institutions. This problem has been exacerbated by societal pressures, high-tech lifestyles, and technological innovation. The integration of work and personal life has emerged as a crucial component of people’s lives. It may be difficult and have an impact on one’s emotional and physical well-being to balance a good job with a fulfilling personal life. The educational sector, formerly seen as one of the top job options, has changed as well with the passage of time. Changing teaching methods, curricula, market demands, and the next generation of students who rely on the Internet without understanding how to validate the facts on it have made careers in education more difficult. Its culture of set hours and defined times has altered to meet modern demand. Gender is not an exception. Due to the intricacy of the job, women who previously saw teaching as a fulfilling career option find it challenging to maintain balance in their personal lives. Teachers today are expected to put in long hours and manage their workload. They must employ contemporary teaching methods, build their own teaching styles, use research to advance the organization and themselves, and please the consumers—in this case, the students of the following generation. In addition to this schedule, she must attend to the demands of the family, which include the care of the children, a friendly connection with the spouse, the elders of the family, and compliance with the social standards that are set forth in Indian culture for women.

1.3. Objectives of the study

(1) To study the factors influencing the QoWL of women school teachers in Thanjavur Corporation

(2) To examine the satisfaction levels of women teachers in Thanjavur Corporation with regard to their professional lives

(3) To validate the effect of QoWL on the JS of teachers working in schools in Thanjavur Corporation

1.4. Hypotheses of the study

Ha: There is a significant influence on social relevance over JS.

Ha: There is a significant influence on physical and working conditions over JS.

Ha: There is a significant influence on work space over JS.

Ha: There is a significant influence on job characteristics over JS.

Ha: There is a significant influence of fair compensation over JS.

2. Research methodology

The gender distinction does not hold. Women who previously viewed teaching as a rewarding career choice find it difficult to maintain balance in their personal lives due to the complexity of the task. Female instructors are now expected to work long hours and handle a heavy workload. They are expected to educate students using modern techniques, develop their own teaching philosophies, grow the organization via research, and satisfy the consumers, in this case, the students of the next generation. She also has to take care of the family’s needs, which include child-rearing responsibilities, maintaining a cordial relationship with the spouse, caring for the family’s elders, and abiding by the social norms that are established for women in Indian culture.

Since women are the study’s target audience and they work as instructors at public, private, and government-aided institutions, the researcher will use her discretion to choose a sample from the female community. The sample’s geographic distribution is not uniform. The target audience will be used as the sample, according to convenience. The population is unknown based on the Cochran equation; it is finalized at 387, but for further broader perceptions, 100 more have been included in that three, which are not up to par.

For research purposes, convenience sampling and other non-probability sampling techniques, such as simple random samples, are utilized. Since women are the study’s target audience and they work as instructors at public, private, and government-aided institutions, the researcher will use her discretion to choose a sample from the female community. The sample’s geographic distribution is not uniform. The sample will be chosen from the target audience in a convenient manner. A total of 480 people made up the study’s sample. The study tool here utilized is structural equation modeling (SEM) and variance analysis with a view to knowing the frequencies of variations and reliability tests.

3. Results and discussion

3.1. Analysis

The reliability value of all 31 items is 0.847, which is above the recommended value of Hair et al. (2006). The mean value of the 31 items related to the research study is 103.13, and the standard deviation value is 14.219 (Table 1).

To test the sample adequacy of the research paper, the KMO and Bartlett tests of sphericity are used.

From Table 2, it is proven that the KMO and Bartlett test of sphericity are valid, and the KMO value is 0.870, which is above 0.50 and quantifies the inter-correlation between the variables.

It is clear from the commonalities that all 31 of the variables have extraction values that are higher than 7. Thus, all 31 variables are chosen in order to continue the factor analysis of the study. Factor analysis is done with all those elements and these overall indications (Table 3).

It is clear from Table 4 that the 31 items, which are composed of 5 constructs, collectively account for 79.363% of the total variance.

Two unique factors with Eigenvalues over 1 were produced by the EFA performed using all research variables, as shown in Table 5. The differences between the data from the questionnaire have been investigated using a maximum likelihood with varimax rotation.

From the factor analysis, six constructs, namely social relevance, physical and working conditions, work space, job characteristics, fair compensation, and job satisfaction, were explored (Table 5).

3.2. Reliability of all the factors

The reliability value of social relevance includes five statements that have Cronbach’s alpha values above 0.8 and are highly reliable (Table 6).

The reliability value of physical and working conditions includes four statements that have Cronbach’s alpha values above 0.8 and are highly reliable (Table 7).

The reliability value of work space includes three statements that have Cronbach’s alpha values above 0.7 and are reliable (Table 8).

The reliability value of job characteristics includes four statements that have Cronbach’s alpha values above 0.8 and are highly reliable (Table 9).

The reliability value of fair compensation includes five statements that have Cronbach’s alpha values above 0.8 and are highly reliable (Table 10).

The reliability value of fair compensation includes 10 statements that have Cronbach’s alpha values above 0.8 and are highly reliable (Table 11).

3.3. Confirmatory factor analysis

Amos 22 software was used to conduct confirmatory factor analysis in the current study in order to further validate the components discovered using principal component analysis (PCA). A special kind of component analysis called confirmatory factor analysis is employed mostly in social research (Kline. 2011). All constructs are handled equally in the measurement model, which also includes exogenous and endogenous variables. Low fit indices were produced by the current model. As a result, the model has to be altered to achieve a better fit. The outcomes of the current model are displayed below.

The deletion of several items from the new model makes it difficult to produce a measurement fit. The model from Charts 1, 2 is modified in accordance with the advice of modification indices (MI). According to the MI, there is a link between the error terms for items 24 and 21, 18, 19, 12, 13, 7, and 1 when taken individually. These observed variables are all connected to the same individual concept.

3.4. Structural equation modeling

Structural equation modeling is a multivariate technique combining multiple regression (examining dependence relationships) and factor analysis (representing unmeasured concepts and factors with multiple variables) to estimate a series of interrelated dependence relationships simultaneously (Table 12) (Hair et al., 2006; Schumacker and Lomax, 1996).

From Table 13, the following are the results of tested hypotheses through SEM from Chart 3:

• Fair compensation is having a significant effect on JS. The alternative hypothesis is accepted with P = 0.006.

• Physical and working conditions are having a significant effect on JS. The alternative hypothesis is accepted with P = 0.014.

• The other QoWL factors, namely social relevance, job characteristics, and work space, are not having a significant effect on JS. So, the alternative hypothesis “there are any significant influences of social relevance, job characteristics, and work space on JS” is rejected since the P-value is more than 0.05.

4. Discussion

The study’s conclusion may be seen in the data and comments of the previous chapter. The QoWL was the major topic of the report. In order to promote a positive and healthy QoWL among its employees and to benefit both the employee and the organization’s overall development, it is essential that the organization support QoWL. Institutions and the workplace are found to be extremely responsible for this factor. Conflict between work and life has also been seen to have an effect on the QoWL and discourage a healthy balance between the two. Because it was comparison research, there were certain areas where the two sectors’ opinions diverged. There were workplace-related areas where there wasn’t enough organizational assistance. The importance of family was crucial to preserving the QoWL and achieving JS. The organization needs to oversee the administration of policies relating to development and instructional assistance.

5. Results

• The other QoWL factors, namely social relevance, job characteristics, and work space, are not having a significant effect on JS.

• QoWL among its employees, and to benefit both the employee and the organization’s overall development, it is essential that the organization support QoWL. Institutions and the workplace are found to be extremely responsible for this factor.

6. Conclusion

It can be concluded that the QoWL means the feeling or attitude of people’s perceptions of self-working experiences that their jobs are meaningful and valuable, or that they are satisfied in working by receiving an adequate response to the physical, mental, social, and technological operations.

Author contributions

Conceived and designed the analysis; Collected the data; Contributed data or analysis tools; Performed the analysis; Wrote the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

When an individual’s personal interests like family, friendships, financial, or social factors could compromise his or her judgment, decisions, or actions in the workplace.

References