Perceptions of Quality of Work Life (QWL) among Technical-Administrative Staff at a Public University Unit in São Paulo: How is the Worker's Health?

• Grant number: 24/14978-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Occupational and Organizational Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Mário Lázaro Camargo
• Grantee: Andrey Castro Bernardini
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Organizational and Work Psychology (OWP) is a specialized and interdisciplinary field of Psychology that integrates knowledge and practices from various areas such as Occupational Medicine, Administration, Economics, Ergonomics, and Occupational Safety, aiming to understand and improve the relationship between humans, work, and organizations. This research focuses on Quality of Life at Work (QLW) and its impact on the physical and mental health of workers, addressing the tendency of individuals to detach from work on weekends, often expressed by the phrase "Sextou." This expression can reflect both discomfort at work and a way to humorize the everyday professional experience, both individually and collectively. OWP faces the challenge of understanding the elements that make up the organizational system, facilitating the creation of work environments that promote workers' quality of life and well-being. QLW is a central concept and concern for QWP, representing a set of actions by a work organization, whether public or private, involving the implementation of improvements and innovations in people management policies and practices to enhance the work environment. These actions aim to increase worker satisfaction, reduce psychosocial risks, and promote health. The importance of QLW has been reinforced by changes in the work environment and social demands for civil and labor rights, as well as organizational social responsibility. To promote QLW, it is essential to empower managers and workers to develop an organizational culture that values health and prevents illness. Psychosocial factors, which include perceptions and experiences derived from the interaction between work, work environment, organizational conditions, and personal characteristics of workers, are crucial for QLW. Understanding these factors allows for the implementation of interventions that promote workers' health and the planning of preventive actions. The lack of attention to safety and health at work can lead to illness, influenced by policies that flexibly legislate labor laws and worsen working conditions. In Brazil, the increase in absences due to mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, highlights the need to address QLW. This study aims to analyze the QLW condition of the technical-administrative staff of the Faculty of Sciences of the State University of São Paulo "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP). The research will use the "Escala de Avaliação da Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho" by Fabian Marin Rueda (2016) and a structured questionnaire to obtain quantitative and qualitative data on workers perceptions of their work environment and activities. The data will be analyzed quantitatively through Exploratory Data Analysis and qualitatively using Content Analysis, allowing for a deep understanding of work conditions and QLW. The research will be conducted with respect for the participants rights, following the guidelines of the National Health Council and, therefore, will be submitted for evaluation by a Research Ethics Committee. The study aims to contribute to the construction of knowledge about the human-work-organization relationship, strengthening the identity of OWP and highlighting its importance in promoting health and quality of life at work. Understanding and improving QLW is essential to ensure that workers have adequate conditions to perform their work activities, preventing illness and promoting a healthy and satisfying work environment.