The effect of subjective well-being on the management of successful organizations

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this research was to analyze the effect of subjective well-being on successful organizational management through the study and measurement of the variables: quality of work life, job satisfaction and happiness at work.

Design/methodology/approach: This research has a positivist or quantitative approach of a correlational type at a descriptive level and corresponds to a population sample of 302 workers randomly selected from a total of nine hundred collaborators hired by the Universities of Barranquilla, Colombia.

Findings: In order to predict the behavior of a dependent variable based on other independent variables, the multiple regression model was used, so the statistical data indicate that subjective well‑being index can increase or decrease in organizations and derives from the perception of quality of work life of employees. In this research, job satisfaction was the factor with the highest score, followed by the quality of work life variable, then happiness at work, and due to these factors, subjective Well-being at work is generated. The conclusions of the research denote the importance for organizational management to know the perception of workers. The data generated through this measurement will allow companies to personalize their work well-being programs, and to invest better in their logistical and human economic resources, as well as how to create business strategies that promote higher levels of commitment and work productivity, this diagnostic measurement model helps human talent areas to be more aligned with the real needs and expectations of employees. The analysis of the study concludes that the development of strategies to improve the subjective well-being of employees promotes successful organizational management.

Originality/value: This research analyzes subjective well-being at work, because most of the studies carried out on this topic focus on subjective well-being from a personal perspective, emphasizing how citizens evaluate their lives in general terms. This article is focused on aspects related to the perception of workers in the work context based on the measurement of three variables in an integrated manner; In general, other research has analyzed the variables individually and related them to other aspects such as the work environment or productivity. The originality of this study lies in the integrated analysis of the three variables quality of work life, satisfaction and happiness at work as predictors of SWB at work. The data from this measurement model provides relevant information so that organizations can make better decisions regarding their policies for attraction, loyalty and retention of human capital, in this way they can design strategies, create incentive and benefit plans, according to the employee’s expectations and needs.