Concept of Better Working Lives and How This Can Be Designed
Better working lives can be defined as improved quality of working life, which is fulfilling, balanced, and meaningful for workers, and work that enhances the well-being of employees (Naagar, 2024). This is consistent with establishing workforce productivity, involvement, a well-motivated workforce, and the general well-being of individuals within the workplace environment, including the stress between work and personal lives (Truesdale, 2020). The Good Work Index developed by the CIPD is a tool to measure the quality of work based on the following indicators: pay, job security, working hours, physical and mental health standards, and development prospects.
Designing Better Working Lives
Designing better working lives involves considering several elements:
Job Quality
Work should be interesting and manageable but not too easy so that people can accomplish it. Autonomous, responsible, and goal-oriented tasks enable a better workplace environment regarding job satisfaction (Truesdale, 2020). Furthermore, providing important and relevant work that is relevant to the workers’ core selves enhances their self-identity, thus boosting their self-generated work motivation.
Work-Life Balance
Flexible work arrangements, such as the option to work from home and the ability to choose flexible hours, empower employees to strike a healthier balance between their professional obligations and personal family needs. This not only impacts well-being but also customers’ loyalty and retention. The CIPD Good Work Index reveals that better working lives are defined by the work-life balance of time and energy.
Fair Pay and Job Security
It may require employees to feel that they are financially well taken care of and paid for the effort they put into their work. Reasonable wages, remunerations, and benefits also help decrease stress and create a good perception of the working environment (Savickas et al., 2019). However, the job–related part of the Good Work Index also reaffirms that Job security is important to employee well–being and long-term job satisfaction.
Career Development and Learning Opportunities
Ensuring that the staff members have continuing requirements that have been scheduled to meet the development and performance training and career growth is important. This means that employees who clearly understand how they could be promoted could look forward to working in the company with enthusiasm. For instance, bringing mentorship programs and continuous professional development (CPD) policies enhance staff and personnel growth.
Health and Well-being Support
Employees’ optimal physical, mental, and emotional health helps them feel valued in their work environment. This can only be done through wellness programs, mental health services, and ergonomic working conditions. In its framework, the Good Work Index posits that working environments that focus on health are beneficial in ensuring healthy and more effective and efficient human capital.
Enhancing Working Lives with Examples
An example of enhancing working lives is Unilever, which announced the ‘Future of Work,’ which aims to equip its employees for the digital era and provide flexible work arrangements and a positive organisational culture (Savickas et al., 2019). In the case of Google, which encourages the wellness of employees by providing wellness programs, flexible workplaces, and constant learning and knowledge enhancement, one can understand how a better working life can be created.
