quality of work-life drivers for frontline manufacturing employees

Quality of Work-Life Drivers for Frontline Manufacturing Employees: A Joint Study from Sodexo and Bradley UniversityRachel S. Permuth, PhD, MSPH, National Director of Research, Sodexo Dawn Roberts, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Bradley University

2 The information and concepts contained in this document are the proprietary property of Sodexo. As such, they cannot be reproduced or utilized without permission. ©2015

INTRODUCTIONIn manufacturing, the quality of the frontline employee’s work-life is rarely studied. Most research on this population focuses on increasing the quantity and quality of their production efforts, rather than improving their workplace experiences. These two issues are not mutually exclusive. Rather, a happy and healthy workforce is a key ingredient to a successful enterprise. Thus, the primary purpose of this study was to explore what factors color the frontline employee’s impressions of his or her work experiences (“Quality of Work-life” or QWL).

RESEARCH QUESTIONWhat work-related factors drive the frontline manufacturing employee’s QWL perceptions?

METHODOLOGYResearch Team:In early 2014, Sodexo partnered with an undergraduate Psychometrics course at Bradley University to conduct an exploratory study on QWL drivers among frontline manufacturing workers. Ten students, along with the course professor, Dr. Dawn Roberts, worked with Sodexo’s research team to form the exploratory framework for our questions based on a review of appropriate industry literature.

Study Participants:This study was exempt from IRB review. We conducted structured interviews of 16 hourly, frontline manufacturing employees in the fast-moving consumer goods and large machinery industries. Interviews were conducted by phone by undergraduate students following instructions in our interview protocol to ensure uniform administration. Every effort was made to transcribe verbatim the participants’ answers to the interview questions for later analysis. Once the interviews were concluded, all participant responses were content-analyzed by a senior qualitative researcher from Sodexo.

Methods:To address the foregoing research question, we employed an exploratory, qualitative approach. First, we developed a set of open-ended interview questions specifically designed to broadly inform the research question. All interview questions and their summary responses are contained in Appendix A.

RESULTSOur content-analysis yielded four drivers of the frontline manufacturing worker’s QWL: Workplace Safety, Workplace Relationships, Job Characteristics, and Work-Life Balance. Each is discussed in turn below.

1) Workplace SafetyWorkplace accidents and injuries cost employees in terms of their physical and mental health and morale.1 Not surprisingly then, workplace safety emerged as one of the most important components of the frontline manufacturing employees’ workplace experiences by directly impacting their QWL. Indeed, most respondents reported workplace safety as a major concern to themselves as well as to their co-workers and employers. Respondents reported a number of safety concerns that impacted their QWL, including exposure to dangerous equipment and chemicals, hazardous air quality, unsafe temperatures, the availability of protective wear (e.g., glasses, steel-toed boots) and safety training, compliance with safety procedures and positive safety culture. For example, one respondent stated:

Safety is the most important part of my job and our company’s number one concern. We attend safety trainings daily and if there is a situation, it is dealt with immediately.

Another indicated that:

[Safety] is pretty awful. They do supply us with ear plugs, safety glasses, and heat resistant gloves. But all in all it is a dangerous place to be and you are working with really dangerous stuff. There could be no way to make it completely safe. There is always very awful smoke that you do not want to breathe. Sometimes it is hard to see across the building because of it.

WORKPLACE SAFETY

NEGATIVES POSITIVES

+ Protective Gear+ Safety Training+ Safety Compliance+ Positive Safety Culture

- Malfunctioning Equipment- Hazardous Air Quality- Unsafe Temperatures- Exposure to chemicals

For information on increasing workplace safety in the manufacturing industry, visit the Sodexo Motivation USA Website and download their white paper, “Improving Workplace Safety with Recognition and Rewards Programs.”

3The information and concepts contained in this document are the proprietary property of Sodexo. As such, they cannot be reproduced or utilized without permission. ©2015

3) Job CharacteristicsThere are five core job characteristics that directly impact manufacturing employees’ QWL: autonomy, skill development, task diversity, positive feedback, and challenging work. These characteristics impact QWL via their ability to affect three critical employee psychological states: experienced meaningfulness, experienced responsibility for outcomes, and knowledge of the actual results. Improved employee psychological well-being influences employee outcomes, primarily performance, motivation, and overall QWL.5 Importantly, although none of the interview questions explicitly asked the respondents about any of the five core job characteristics, each emerged as influencing, to some extent, at least one or more of the respondents’ perceptions of their QWL. For example, respondents indicated that autonomy and recognition for a job well done improved their work environment, while lack of on-the-job training and routine work worsened it.

JOB CHARACTERISTICS

» Autonomy» Skill Development» Task Diversity» Positive Feedback» Challenging Work

4) Work-Life BalanceOccupational research suggests that strain is a response to an imbalance between demands on the individual and the resources that he or she has to deal with those demands.6 Job strain influences a number of organizational and employee outcomes, including organizational productivity, absenteeism, and turnover, as well as employee job satisfaction, physical and psychological health, and overall QWL.7,8,9 Interview respondents identified a number of work-related demands and resources that make their work more or less enjoyable. For example, several respondents reported that management’s focus on quantity over quality, random scheduling practices, and long work hours diminished the quality of their work lives. These respondents also indicated that such demands might be counterbalanced if their company offered more frequent breaks, a living wage, and better amenities.

Furthermore, the ability to achieve a balance between their work and personal lives emerged as a prominent need desired by many of the respondents. Achieving work-life balance means that:

[O]ne feels completely fulfilled in both their work and their personal lives, they are happy with the time available for both, and they can almost entirely disconnect mentally from one while doing the other.10

2) Workplace RelationshipsTwo primary types of relationships exist in the workplace: (1) peer-to-peer; and (2) supervisor-to-subordinate. A large body of research demonstrates that satisfaction with workplace relationships promotes employee wellbeing and reduces job-related strain.2,3,4 In line with that research, most of the interview respondents cited that both relationship types were important to their QWL, although the nature of these two types differs. For example, respondents reported camaraderie and teamwork as being important components of their relationships with peers. In fact, one respondent referred to his coworkers as his “other family.” Another stated that:

The most enjoyable parts of my work environment would be the camaraderie along the line. We have to work together to get the job done and it is a sense of companionship on the line that makes it enjoyable.

As to relations with their supervisors, respondents cited trustworthiness, empathy, and responsiveness as being important components of those relationships.

PEER-TO-PEER» Friendship» Camaraderie» Teamwork» Not Competitive

BOTH» Task Support» Positive Mood» Accountable» Trustworthy» Respectful

SUPERVISOR-TO-SUBORDINATE

» Empathetic» Passionate/Invested» Recognizes & Rewards» Collaborative» Responsive

WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIPS


Nearly every respondent indicated that the ability to better balance work and non-work-life domains is essential to their QWL. Unfortunately, many respondents also indicated that achieving that balance was difficult due to long hours and shift work. They also indicated that more personal time meant less money, a tradeoff that would only exacerbate existing financial issues. For example, one respondent reported that:

[Balance is] very important because we spend more time at work than home. I believe we would all like to spend more time at home than work but we need to work to make money. Also right now I need more money for expenses which makes me work more than I would like to.

DEMANDS RESOURCES

Quantity overQuality

InflexibleDeadlines

Long Hours

Shi� Work

Living Wage

Clean, Organized &Relaxed Environment

Frequent Breaks

Amenities forExercise & Nutrition

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

CONCLUSIONConsistent with a large body of organizational research, frontline workers in the manufacturing sector desire supportive workplace relationships, a safe working environment, more autonomy, task diversity, skill development, challenging work, and feedback, and a better balance between their work and personal lives. Manufacturing companies that implement workplace designs with these QWL drivers in mind will reap happier and more productive employees and, consequently, a better bottom line.

QWL DRIVERS FOR THEFRONTLINE MANUFACTURING

EMPLOYEE

Work-LifeBalance

WorkplaceSafety

JobCharacteristics

WorkplaceRelationships


APPENDIX AIndividual Questions

Question 1: What do you think are the most important parts of your work environment to make it enjoyable for you?

The most common response to this question related to the social or interpersonal domain. Fourteen of 16 respondents provided a response that, at least in part, related to it. These included socializing with co-workers (or not being isolated), peers having good attitudes, liking peers, camaraderie, companionship, and relationships. The next most common answer, provided by 6 respondents, was the importance of teamwork and having coworkers as productive and devoted to quality as themselves. Several respondents indicated that a bad attitude (typically of a manager or boss, but also from a co-worker) causes a bad day for all. A few mentioned some form of praise, gratitude, appreciation, or acknowledgment as being important to his/her enjoyment of work or quality of work QWL. Alternatively, some mentioned the lack of such acknowledgment as having an adverse effect on these same elements.

Other themes that arose:

Gratitude, praise, appreciation and acknowledgment; Workplace environment (including music, cleanliness, organization, safety, a relaxed environment with breaks, and temperature); Safety; Equipment; Jobs or tasks (change or diversity, ease); Management (relationships, trust, support and resources when problems arise, responsiveness); Trust; Learning and skill development; Communication; Resources; Quality; Autonomy; Foresight, preparation and planning; Exercise or physical activity; and Benefits.

Not all respondents believed that the manufacturing environment could be enjoyable. Despite the negative approach, one respondent still emphasized the importance of interpersonal and social support, reporting that:

Honestly, I do not really know if you can make it an enjoyable environment there; the work that you are doing is not enjoyable and it is not happy; it is a very loud, smelly, chemical-filled place. But having employees watch out for each other and caring about getting the job done right the first time helps. We joke around with each other sometimes but you have to do your job and work is work and should not be enjoyable. There are things that I would do to improve my environment but not make it enjoyable.

Question 2: Are you overall satisfied with your current work environment? Tell me more about that opinion. What types of things make your work better? Worse?

Most respondents reported that they do feel satisfied with their work environment.

Making work better – respondents reported:

Gratitude or appreciation; Incentives/bonuses (e.g., food, financial); People; Getting along with co-workers (including positive attitudes and good moods to facilitate getting along and working productively); Teamwork; Organized workplace environment; Open-minded managers; Equipment for physical work; Improve safety; Easy jobs; Not having to fix others’ mistakes; Foresight and planning/preparation; Benefits; Leading others; Autonomy; Trust from management.

Making work worse – respondents reported:

Others being less productive (i.e., not pulling their weight); Being underpaid; Lack of training; Having to wear safety gear and protective clothing; Stressful deadlines; Focus on quantity over quality; Camera surveillance; Chemical exposure/hazardous air quality; Bad communication; High taxes; Low-quality materials; Night shifts; Better training for new hires to lower turnover.

Temperature, hazardous air quality, and unsafe conditions (e.g., broken equipment) were the most reported issues with the work environment.

Question 3: Do you believe that you are being treated fairly by your boss, your peers, and the company in general?

Nearly all respondents reported they do believe they are treated fairly.

Comments:

Leniency on policies (as a trade-off for more money); Promotion; Benefits; Pay; Training

Some respondents made the distinction between being treated fairly by bosses and co-workers by stating that, even though they felt they received fair treatment from the company generally, co-workers do not always treat them fairly due to reasons like not getting along, competition, and insecurity.


wages (and increases) do not reflect a true cost of living. Many respondents indicated that overtime is the avenue by which they can make enough money to support themselves. Further, some indicated that the money is not good enough considering the hazards and risks of a dangerous workplace environment.

One respondent indicated a level of mistrust with the management and system because raises that were promised were not delivered. He reported:

They give a bullshit cost of living raise but it doesn’t reflect how inflation has changed. There are quarterly bonuses based off your quarterly earnings. Told us that 4 bonuses would be 10 percent of our total earnings, but the first time I got it, we all got the same exact amount. Even though some people were being paid more, we all received the same bonus. So obviously the system doesn’t work like they say. Their idea of a raise is “Hey, you want to work 40 hrs this weekend?” Beyond 80 hours, you still receive time and a half but the previous place I worked, after 80 hours I would get double time.

A few reported that the pay was very good and that they also received benefits.

Question 6: Do you have the opportunity to socialize with anyone at work? When is that and do you have particular people you talk to more than others?

Most of the respondents indicated that they make time to socialize while at work (not necessarily during work hours) and spend time socializing on breaks.

Question 7: What do you believe others think is the most important part of their work environment?

Safety was the answer given by the majority of respondents. The second most common response was having good co-workers (e.g., supporting one another; being productive; pulling their own weight).

Supportive co-workers and a hard-working team that… is much more enjoyable and makes the overall day that much easier when the person I am working beside is getting as much done as I am, so I am able to take my time and focus on my current project… Lastly, the overall relationship with everyone makes communication easier and teamwork more enjoyable. When you are able to have fun at work and feel comfortable opening up to people, the overall time spent there is completely enjoyable.

Question 4: Can you tell me about safety at your company?

Most of the reports of safety were positive (i.e., safety is a high priority), but some respondents complained of specific issues (e.g., leaking or faulty equipment; lack of training). For example, one respondent reported:

Every month there is a safety meeting on a new topic (fire safety, emergency drills, handling heavy and sharp objects, etc.), as well as monthly inspections of the floors, doors, walls, etc. All gets recorded and entered into a system online that gets sent to a higher power in the company. There is also a routine we follow if an associate or customer gets injured, which includes paperwork and a meeting with the individual. This gets entered into the documentation that is sent to a higher executive.

While another reported:

The work environment is not safe. Most machines would be shut down if OSHA [inspected]. I am constantly breathing in heavy smoke and chemicals.

Air quality (hazardous air) and temperatures arose in several interviews. On the one hand, most of the respondents indicated the availability of safety protocols and training. On the other, they indicated that air quality and temperatures remained a health and safety problem in the workplace. Beyond the issue of these hazards to health, some respondents also indicated that workers had notified management and that the issues were not resolved (or looked into).

Reports:

Protective clothing; Training; Accountability of management and workers; Focus on making the workplace safe for employees; Company priority; Taken very seriously; Training courses provided/mandated; Scheduled, regular training and safety meetings; Specialized training for equipment; Cleanliness.

Question 5: What do you think about the economics of this job — meaning, talk to me about wages, perception of fair pay among employees, and does it meet your family’s needs?

Some respondents indicated that wages are sufficient because they are single or still live with their families, but that the wages would not suffice if they were supporting a family. Overall, several respondents indicated that they cannot support their family or would not meet family needs.

Many respondents reported that it is difficult to get a raise and that wages are too low. Further, many related that, even if there are cost-of-living increases in place,


Question 10: Tell me a bit about your boss… if you were the ultimate boss of the entire company, what things would you change?

Nearly all respondents described their bosses in very positive terms. Those who were especially positive seemed to focus on bosses being invested and passionate, being knowledgeable about the manufacturing workers’ jobs, acknowledging and commending good work, and being aware of the workers’ conditions and situations. Additionally, respondents associated respectfulness, understanding/empathy and likeability with good bosses.

Respondents also indicated to this question that a bad mood from management can cause a bad day for employees.

Proposed changes include:

Increased break time; Better pay; Changing shift hours; Air quality (habitability) and hazardous environment; Fixing equipment; Better training; Better understanding of employees by managers; Better relationship between management and employees; Hire more employees; Increase quality control and standards; Offer promotions to employees; Cut back on frivolous spending (to offer more money to employees); Change dynamics so it is not employees against management.

In addition, people reported the following:

Quality of raw materials; Quality of work; Working equipment; Good communication; Organization and cleanliness; Timeliness; Fair pay.

Question 8: Have you ever felt a time in your work experience here that your needs for quality of work life were not being met?

About half of the respondents responded positively and half responded negatively. The primary reason for a low quality of work-life was a lack of training or support (i.e., several reported that they were thrown into work they didn’t know how to do). Many respondents emphasized the importance of managers understanding workers’ situations and being able to do their jobs. Most, but not all, indicated positively that their managers are capable and knowledgeable about doing their work and several indicated that managers had been promoted from similar jobs to their own.

Issues reported:

Low pay; Emphasis on quantity over quality; Unreasonable deadlines/heavy workloads; Unsafe temperatures; Feeling bored or not challenged.

Question 9: How important is balancing your work life with your outside life to you? Do you believe you are balancing to the extent to which you would like? If so, how? If not, why not?

Nearly every respondent indicated that balance is essential to their quality of life. However, many respondents associated working a lot of hours with having no life outside of work or trading off extra money for having an outside life. Several respondents reported an inability to balance work and their private lives/families. Most attributed this lack of balance to working too many hours (i.e., needing to work to make ends meet). Changing (or random) schedules was another reason for a lack of balance, although those with flexible schedules (few) indicated this allowed for a better balance. Further, there was evidence that several of the respondents believed that they have to trade off personal and family time for work.

The issue of socializing at work and balancing work and life also varied based on the shift (i.e., first, second, or third shift). More than one respondent indicated isolation as a Third Shift issue, during which fewer workers are scheduled. One respondent reported that:

Tonight I worked the 2nd and 3rd shifts. I am who they report to (of 6 people); boring and by yourself. This place runs differently than others. I like day shift because it is social rather than just a work environment.


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quality of work-life drivers for frontline manufacturing employees

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