Quality of work life in a setting of precariousness: a delusional panacea

Abstract

This paper analyzes the factors of the precariousness of work in relation to the quality of life of the worker. It develops a critical line of reasoning that begins by understanding the contours of precarious work in capital order, and then the understanding of what Quality of Work Life (QWL) is and finally, an analysis of the challenges faced by workers today in relation to the possibilities of finding meaning in both life and work, which leads towards a project of human emancipation. The main idea put forward is that the QWL policies adopted by companies can temporarily relieve some symptoms, but do not reach the structural causes of the problems. The humanization of the management of the workforce may be a necessary scene within organizations, but should not be seen as a solution for work troubles.

work; precariousness; insecurity; quality of work life