Quality of life at work from the perspective of regulatory agency employees

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify regulatory agency workers' perceptions regarding the concept of Quality of Life at Work (QWL), based on their representations of well-being and ill-being in the work environment. Regarding the methodology, it is a qualitative and descriptive research, with a cross-sectional design and primary data collection. Information was gathered between June 2023 and September 2023 from a sample of 94 workers, with the majority being female (61.0%), aged between 43 and 57 years (41.0%), holding a specialization/MBA degree (38.0%), earning between R$ 5,500 and R$ 11,000 (40.0%), and the majority working in agencies located in Pernambuco (58.0%). With the assistance of openEVOC and Excel software, analyses were conducted using the Word Association technique, and subsequently, the data were categorized to develop the Word Association Diagram. The main results indicated that QWL was represented by the following core elements: 1) balanced/reduced working hours; 2) living close to work; 3) good building infrastructure; 4) comfortable equipment and furniture; 5) possibility of telecommuting and flexibility; 6) professional recognition and stability. It is expected that the findings of this research may contribute to the implementation of actions aimed at people management, with potential impacts on productivity, the quality of services provided to society, and the optimization of institutional outcomes.