What QWL indicators should be monitored?

Quality of Work Life and Working Conditions (QWLWC, formerly QWL) indicators are tools that measure and improve the well-being of employees within companies.

As employees place increasing importance on their well-being at work, these indicators have become indispensable for companies that want to retain their employees and build a strong corporate culture.

Do you want to know if your employees feel good in your company? Are you looking to create a fulfilling work environment for your employees and identify areas that need improvement to achieve this? You will need to consider and analyse several QWL indicators. Deskeo will present and explain these different indicators in detail to help you achieve your goals.

What is a QWL indicator?

A Quality of Work Life and Working Conditions indicator or QWLWC (formerly Quality of Work Life - “QWL”) is a quantitative or qualitative measure that evaluates different aspects of employee well-being and satisfaction at work.

These indicators relate to many areas, such as:

• physical and mental health,
• work-life balance,
• working conditions,
• professional development opportunities,
• and the quality of interpersonal relationships.

Highly indicative of employee well-being within a company, regular monitoring of these indicators is crucial for companies that want to create a healthy, productive, and attractive work environment.

They therefore play an essential role in human resources management and the daily life of a company.

What are QWL indicators for?

QWL indicators play a central role in human resources management and strategic decision-making as they allow companies to:

• Identify areas of tension and aspects to improve.
• Measure the effectiveness of QWL actions implemented.
• Monitor the evolution of employee satisfaction and engagement.
• Strengthen employer branding and attract talent.

In simple terms, by integrating QWL indicators into their HR strategy, companies demonstrate their commitment to the well-being of their employees and contribute to:

• Creating a climate of trust,
• Reducing absenteeism and turnover,
• Stimulating individual and collective performance.

For these indicators to be fully useful, they must be correctly interpreted by the company beforehand. It is therefore important to understand them all to conduct an effective analysis.

The 5 QWL indicators to follow

There are a multitude of QWL indicators, each providing specific insights into the experiences and feelings of employees within the company. Understanding them all is essential for having an overall view of the situation within your company.

Demographic indicators

Demographic indicators allow you to:

• draw a portrait of the company's population,
• identify the specific needs of each employee group,
• and reveal any inequalities within the company in terms of inclusion and diversity.

Among the demographic indicators useful for evaluating QVCT in a company are:

• The average age and age distribution.
• The level of seniority.
• The gender distribution by job and hierarchical level.
• Qualifications and educational levels.
• The turnover ratio.

Absenteeism indicators

The absenteeism rate is a key QWL indicator because when it is high it can reveal potential issues related to health, stress, motivation or working conditions.

This rate, which is very indicative of a company's health, is very easy to calculate since it only requires dividing the number of days of absence over a period by the number of theoretical working days, all multiplied by 100.

As interesting as it is, the absenteeism rate alone is not sufficient to draw effective conclusions about your employees' absences. To implement appropriate prevention measures against absenteeism it is therefore also important to analyse:

• The causes of absences (illness, work accident, maternity leave, etc.).
• The frequency of absences.
• The duration of absences.

Indicators related to career path

In the eyes of employees, QWL also includes the career development and skills development opportunities offered by the company. An employee who feels that they will no longer progress in the company's hierarchy or who feels they are no longer learning anything will tend to seek fulfilment elsewhere.

To avoid this you must therefore ensure that everyone has the opportunity to progress within the company by taking into account indicators such as:

• The internal mobility rate.
• The percentage of annual promotions.
• The turnover rate, especially during the first year.
• The average number of training hours per employee.

Health and safety indicators

Preserving the physical and mental health of employees is a priority. This is why it is important to assess the health and safety situation in your company.

To do this you can rely on indicators such as:

• The frequency and severity of work accidents.
• The number of recognised occupational diseases.
• The rate of unfitness and redeployment.
• The number of reported incidents and assaults.

Work conditions-related KPIs

Having an interesting job is no longer enough for employees; they also want to work in good conditions so that they can thrive fully. Otherwise, they will not hesitate to look elsewhere.

You must therefore ensure to offer them working conditions that allow them to thrive and that make them want to come to work every day to give their best for the company.

To assess the arduousness and quality of working conditions, you will need to take into account the following indicators:

• The arduousness rate.
• The number of "quiet days" (Days without solicitations outside of regular working hours).
• The satisfaction score.

Have you collected and analysed all the data related to QWL indicators? That’s good, but it won’t be enough... You now need to use them to set up a concrete action plan to improve the points that need it.

How to use QWL data to take action?

Collecting and analysing QWL indicators is only the first step. To have a real impact on employee well-being, it is necessary to turn this data into concrete action plans.

To effectively leverage these indicators, you will need to:

• Identify improvement priorities based on the results and feedback from the field.
• Involve managers and employees in the search for solutions.
• Define QWL objectives that are aligned with the company's strategy.
• Set up working groups to delve into certain topics.
• Regularly communicate on the actions taken and the progress made.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives by tracking indicators over time.

It is true that all this data can be tricky to integrate. But rest assured, processing and visualising QWL data can be made easier by using dedicated tools, such as Human Resources Management Systems (HRMS), survey platforms or HR analytics solutions.

The impact of QWL indicators on business strategy

Beyond their HR dimension, QWL indicators have implications for the overall performance of the company.

A high level of QWL indeed allows:

• Better productivity and work quality.
• A reduction in absenteeism and turnover.
• Greater capacity for innovation and adaptation.
• An improvement in customer relations and employee experience.

Aligning QWL and business objectives

To fully benefit from QWL indicators, it is essential to align them with the strategic challenges of the organisation.

For example:

• If the company seeks to strengthen its agility, it can track indicators related to team autonomy and versatility.
• If the priority is given to talent retention, indicators of satisfaction, professional development, and work-life balance will be particularly relevant.

QWL as a lever for employer branding

Companies recognised for the quality of life at work they offer enjoy a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining talent. Positive QWL indicators can be highlighted in employer branding communications, alongside testimonials from satisfied employees.

Labels such as Great Place to Work or Top Employer, obtained based on audits and evaluations of QWL practices, also enhance companies’ attractiveness to candidates.

Promoting a company culture centred on QWL

Beyond tracking indicators, the sustainable improvement of quality of life at work also involves establishing a genuine company culture focused on employee well-being.

This culture is manifested particularly through:

• A strong and visible commitment from top management to QWL.
• Company values embodied daily by managers.
• Management practices based on trust, autonomy, and recognition.
• A focus on work-life balance.
• Quality social dialogue and active listening to employees.

To anchor this QWL (Quality of Work Life) culture, it is therefore essential to raise awareness and train all the company's stakeholders on the issues of well-being at work. Managers thus have a key role to play in this dynamic, by deciding to adopt caring managerial practices and being attentive to warning signals.

In summary, as you will have understood, by placing QWL at the heart of your strategy, relying on relevant indicators, and cultivating a culture of well-being, you will give your company the means to reconcile performance and employee fulfilment. A key challenge to face the changes in the working world and build sustainable and resilient organizations.