PRINCIPLES
FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF WELFARE ACTIVITIES
The
success of welfare activities depends on the approach which has been taken into
account in providing such activities to the employees. Welfare policy should be
guided by idealistic morale and human value. Every effort should be made to
give workers / employees some voice in the choice of welfare activities so long
as it does not amount to dictation from workers.
There are
employers who consider all labour welfare activities as distasteful legal
liability. There are workers who look upon welfare activities in terms of their
inherent right. Both parties have to accept welfare as activities of mutual
concern. Constructive and lasting Progress in the matter of social justice can
be achieved only if welfare activities are accepted as essential factors in the
progress of the business organization.
Labour
welfare is dependent on certain basic principles. The following are the
principles on which successful implementation of welfare programmes depends:
1. Adequacy of Wages: Labour welfare
measures cannot be a substitute for wages. Workers have a right to adequate
wages. But high wage rates alone cannot create healthy atmosphere, nor bring
about a sense of commitment on the part of workers. A combination of social
welfare, emotional welfare and economic welfare together would achieve good
results.
2. Social Liability of Industry: Industry,
according to this principle, has an obligation or duty towards its employees to
look after their welfare. The constitution of India also emphasizes this aspect
of labour welfare.
3. Impact on Efficiency: This plays an
important role in welfare services, and is based on the relationship between
welfare and efficiency, though it is difficult to measure this relationship.
Programmes for housing, education and training, the provision of balanced diet
and family planning measures are some of the important programmes of labour
welfare which increases the efficiency of the workers, especially in
underdeveloped or developing countries.
4. Increase in Personality: The development
of the human personality is given here as the goal of industrial welfare which,
according to this principle, should counteract the baneful effects of the
industrial system. Therefore, it is necessary to implement labour welfare
services. Both inside and outside the factory, that is, provide intra-mural and
extra-mural labour welfare services.
5. Totality of Welfare: This emphasizes that
the concept of labour welfare must spread throughout the hierarchy of an
organization. Employees at all levels must accept this total concept of labour
welfare programme will never really get off the ground.
6. Co-ordination or Integration: This plays
an important role in the success of welfare services. From this angle, a
co-ordinated approach will promote a healthy development of the worker in his
work, home and community. This is essential for the sake of harmony and
continuity in labour welfare services.
7. Democratic Values: The co-operation of
the worker is the basis of this principle. Consultation with, and the agreement
of workers in, the formulation and implementation of labour welfare services
are very necessary for their success. This principle is based on the assumption
that the worker is "a mature and rational individual." Industrial
democracy is the driving force here. Workers also develop a sense of pride when
they are made to feel that labour welfare programmes are created by them and
for them.
8. Responsibility: This recognizes the fact
that both employers and workers are responsible for labour welfare. Trade
unions, too, are involved in these programmes in healthy manner, for basically
labour welfare belongs to the domain of trade union activity. Further, when
responsibility is shared by different groups, labour welfare work becomes
simpler and easier.
9. Accountability: This may also be called
the Principle of Evaluation. Here, one responsible person gives an assessment
or evaluation of existing welfare services on a periodical basis to a higher
authority. This is very necessary, for then one can judge and analyze the
success of labour welfare programmes.
10. Timely: The timeliness of any
service helps in its success. To identify the labour problem and to discover
what kind of help is necessary to solve it and when to provide this help are
all very necessary in planning labour welfare programmes. Timely action in the
proper direction is essential in any kind of social work.
Last, but
not the least is the fact that labour welfare must aim at helping workers to
help themselves in the long run. This helps them to become more responsible and
more efficient.
