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To Quality of Life and Working Conditions (QLWC)

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Created on March 17, 2025

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Transcript

Introduction

To Quality of Life and Working Conditions (QLWC)

PROGRAMME

Programme

3h30
What is QLWC? (Quality of Life and Working Conditions)
Understanding the evolution and legal framework
The general principles of the ANI agreement
The 6 pillars of QLWC
Co-construction process of a QLWC approach
Development of a QLWC action plan (example)

Objectives

  • Introduce yourself in one sentence
  • Share a situation experienced or observed in your laboratory related to Quality of Life and Working Conditions (QLWC)

QLWC (Quality of Life and Working Conditions) refers to all actions taken to improve both the well-being of individuals at work and the conditions in which they perform their duties.

The QLWC takes into account the elements:

materials

organizational

relational

Official definition ANACT

Evolution from QWL to QLWC

Quality of Life at Work

Initially, QWL focused on the well-being of employees in the context of their work, primarily concentrating on ergonomics, work-life balance, and recognition.

Quality of Life and Working Conditions

The introduction of "Working Conditions" allows for the integration of material and organizational aspects in addition to human factors.

In your opinion, what are the specific aspects of the doctoral environment that influence quality of life and working conditions ?

Know the evolution and the legal framework

How to enable subtitles in English
The ANI agreement of 2020

The general principles of the ANI agreement

Prevention of psychosocial risks (PSR)
Assessment of occupational risks
Improvement of working conditions
Social dialogue and employee participation

Taking into account diversity

Monitoring and evaluation of actions

Well-being at work

Training and Awareness

The Single Document for the Assessment of Professional Risks

The DUERP is a mandatory document for all organizations employing workers, and it serves to identify, assess, and prevent occupational risks in an establishment. In a university context, this document must also take into account the specific risks faced by doctoral students:

  • stress related to workload
  • physical risks associated with laboratory work
  • risks related to isolation, etc.

Typical structure of the DUERP

Introduction
Conclusion and commitment
Establishes the purpose and context of risk assessment
Reaffirms the commitment to safety
Risk identification
Monitoring and updating
Proposes strategies to mitigate risks
Lists potential hazards in the workplace
Risk assessment
Preventive measures
Evaluates the likelihood and severity of risks
Proposes strategies to mitigate risks

10

Examples

Where can I find a template for the DUERP?

Ministries

INRS: organization for the prevention of occupational risks

The INRS (National Institute for Research and Safety) website offers guides and document templates for assessing occupational risks. 👉 You can adapt them to your own work environment.

11

Let's exchange!

  • Share your knowledge of university instances (Social Establishment Committee, Laboratory Councils). What are their roles and impacts?
  • What are the gaps between theory and practice? (e.g., application of the DUERP in a large laboratory, administrative complexities).

12

The 6 pillars of QLWC

13

Action !

In sub-groups

10 minutes of reflection 10 minutes of restitution

  • Choose 1 or 2 pillars of the QVCT and propose 2 concrete actions to improve the conditions of doctoral students
  • (e.g.: discussion forum for doctoral students-supervisors, flexible scheduling, support group on doctoral stress).

14

Co-construction process of a QLWC approach

Plan

Do

Check

Act

15

Practical exercise

In pairs

10 minutes of work 10 minutes of presentation

  • List the existing (or non-existing) devices in your university/lab (health service, harassment referent, thesis management charter, etc.).
  • Identify what works well and what is lacking to support QLWC (e.g.: lack of communication, need for training…).

16

Development of a QLWC action plan (example)

Problem solving and improvement of the research team

Identify the problems

Allocate resources

Define the actions

Follow and evaluate

17

Thinking Workshop

Individually or in pairs

10 minutes of reflection 10 minutes of restitution

  • Choose a priority issue (e.g., workload, conflict with the thesis supervisor, funding difficulties, lack of recognition).
  • Propose 2 or 3 action paths (define resources, key stakeholders, planning).

18

Summary

The 6 pillars of QLWC

Professional equality and diversity

Health and safety at work

Social relations and professional dialogue

Work content and organization

Management and Leadership

Work environment

What concrete action will I implement in my lab / research team starting next week?

19

Do your self-assessment !

Do you think you have acquired these skills?

Understanding the challenges of QVCT in the context of a doctorate

Knowing how to identify the levers of QLWC (6 pillars) and to spot the flaws / gaps in the academic environment.

Master the applicable legal bases for universities and laboratories (ANI Agreement 2020, DUERP) and understand the implications for the status of the doctoral candidate.

Having practical tools to map existing systems and propose concrete improvements (framework charters, discussion cells, etc.).

Being able to co-construct an action plan for QVCT by involving key stakeholders (thesis director, services of the Doctoral School, team leaders, etc.).

e.g.: stress management, work-life balance, organization of research work, etc.

20

Congratulations

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION

End

L’Accord ANI 2020

aims to establish a global approach to well-being at work, ensuring that working conditions allow employees to thrive while being productive, healthy, and safe.

PLAN

The objective of this step is to identify the specific issues affecting the QLWC. This can be done through anonymous surveys, interviews with doctoral candidates, or group discussions.

The agreement advocates for training employers and employees in the management of psychosocial risks and the promotion of quality of life at work.

Once the actions have been implemented, it is important to evaluate their effectiveness. Indicators of well-being, satisfaction among doctoral students, and dropout rates can be used.

CHECK

The employer must regularly assess occupational risks, taking into account psychosocial risks, and how these risks affect the well-being of employees.

This assessment must be carried out using tools such as the Unique Document for the Evaluation of Professional Risks (DUERP), which must include psychosocial risks.

Identified risk
Prevention measures
Evaluation
Slip on slippery ground
High gravity, medium probability
Installation of non-slip mats, marking of hazardous areas
Rebalancing tasks, increasing breaks, training in stress management
Stress related to workload overload
Moderate gravity, high probability
Training on safety, use of personal protective equipment, adequate ventilation
High gravity, low probability
Exposure to chemicals

Do

Based on the diagnosis, actions are defined. These may include:

  • reorganizing work
  • improving communication between doctoral students and supervisors
  • establishing moments for exchange and psychological support.

the stress

The agreement highlights the importance of preventing psychosocial risks in the workplace, such as:

harassment

*It requires employers to identify and systematically address these risks by implementing appropriate preventive measures.

workplace violence

The agreement encourages the active participation of employees in the development and implementation of measures to prevent psychosocial risks.

He emphasizes the necessity of maintaining a constructive social dialogue between employers, employee representatives, and employee representative bodies.

The results of the evaluation allow for adjustments to actions and the implementation of new initiatives if necessary. This step ensures continuous improvement of working conditions.

ACT

Understanding the challenges of QLWC in the doctoral context: pressure to publish, diversity of missions (teaching, research, valorization), isolation, etc.

Know the evolution and the legal framework (ANI Agreement 2020, obligations related to the DUERP, responsibilities of the employer/university institution).

Identify the 6 pillars of a QLWC approach and their concrete applications for doctoral students (relationships with the research team, organization of doctoral work, work-life balance).

Knowing how to implement a QVCT approach co-constructed with the various stakeholders in the academic environment (thesis director, fellow doctoral students, services of the Doctoral School, laboratories, etc.).

Map the existing internal devices and derive improvement suggestions (e.g., listening cell, QVT referent, university preventive medicine, etc.).

Take action: develop practical solutions to improve QVCT in your research team or within your laboratory.

The ANI agreement of 2020 aims to strengthen the prevention of psychosocial risks (PSR) and promote a quality of life at work approach in companies. It applies to universities as employers, with the obligation to implement concrete actions to ensure the health and safety of employees, including doctoral candidates.

The agreement requires employers to assess and prevent psychosocial risks, implement measures tailored to each work environment, and ensure good work organization.

For doctoral students, this means that they must be integrated into prevention efforts, that they benefit from safe working conditions, and that they are taken into account in mental health and workplace well-being policies.

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Regular monitoring of the actions implemented is required to assess their effectiveness. Well-being indicators at work should be used to measure the impact of prevention and improvement measures.

The agreement also includes a component on inclusion and equality at work, highlighting the importance of taking diversity into account in the management of working conditions.

The QLWC refers to all the factors of work organization that help reduce psychosocial risks (stress, burnout, etc.), improve working conditions, and promote an environment conducive to the mental and physical health of workers.

Official definition (source: ANACT, 2020)

The agreement emphasizes the implementation of actions to improve the working conditions of employees, particularly regarding:

the organization of work

the scheduling of hours

stress management

the distribution of tasks

He recommends a better distribution of responsibilities and a balanced management of the workload to avoid overload or excessive pressure on employees.