Social representations of quality of life at work among university staff : an exploratory study in a French university

Quality of work life (QWL) is an established concern in private and, more recently, public organisations and is now a key issue in human resource management.While studies on this subject are increasing, research on the QWL of staff -both administrative and academic -at public universities is lacking.As such, this study examines the social representation of QWL in these establishments.Our research mobilises Abric's structural theory to assess QWL issues in universities.Empirically, this research takes the form of a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews in an effort to gain a better understanding of these social representations.The findings highlight a common base shared by all profiles: Abric's core theory (2003) allows us to identify a "central core" (comprising well-being, working together, social climate, and physical work environment) and "peripheral elements" (including communication, stress, workload allocation, and administrative-academic staff relationship) in the social representations of QWL.However, the findings reveal disparities in representations depending on the profiles studied (academics vs. administrative staff).These data enable us to shed more light on the complexity of the concept in the context of a public university.Moreover, this research provides guidance for policymakers and university directors on refining the quality of work-life policies implemented in public universities.