Quality of work life : a hermeneutic phenomenological inquiry of oncology doctors' lived experiences in a KwaZulu Natal provincial hospital

Abstract

This hermeneutic phenomenological study sought to explore the phenomenon “quality of work life” through the lived experiences of oncology doctors. The study confirmed the findings of previous studies that identified quality of work life as an outcome and process that result in subjective experiences of objective (work-related) dimensions that are moderated by satisfaction and reciprocity between employers and employees. To get an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon, a qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological methodology was followed and semi-structured interviews were conducted using a sample of nine (9) participants. Analysis of the data was done through the utilisation of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The findings point to the day-to-day challenges faced by oncology doctors, which have been classified as lower order needs (hygiene factors) that result in a diminished sense of quality of work life, but are moderated by higher order needs (motivators) and a sense of career identity. Findings from this research can be used by organisations to develop the quality of work life programmes and policies which will aid in enhancing employee well-being and service delivery.

Hierdie hermeneutiese fenomenologiese studie het gepoog om die fenomeen “kwaliteit van werkslewe” deur die beleefde ervarings van onkologiedokters te ondersoek. Die studie het die bevindings van vorige studies bevestig wat werklewenskwaliteit geïdentifiseer het as ʼn uitslag en proses wat lei tot subjektiewe ervarings van objektiewe (werksverwante) dimensies wat deur tevredenheid en wisselwerking tussen werkgewers en werknemers gematig word. Ten einde ʼn diepgaande begrip van die fenomeen te verkry, is ʼn kwalitatiewe hermeneutiese fenomenologiese metodologie gevolg en semi-strukturele onderhoude gevoer deur ʼn steekproef van nege (9) deelnemers te gebruik. Dataontleding is deur middel van Verklarende Fenomenologiese Ontleding (IPA) gedoen. Die bevindings wys op die daaglikse uitdagings waarvoor onkologiedokters te staan kom wat as behoeftes van ʼn laer orde (gesondheidsfaktore) geklassifiseer is en wat tot ʼn verminderde sin vir werklewenskwaliteit lei, maar word gematig deur behoeftes van ʼn hoër orde (motiveringsfaktore) en ʼn sin vir beroepsidentiteit. Bevindings van hierdie navorsing kan deur organisasies gebruik word om die kwaliteit van werksleweprogramme en -beleide te ontwikkel wat sal help om werknemers se welstand en dienslewering te verbeter.

Lolu cwaningo Olugxile Ekuhlangenwe Nakho Okuphathekayo Kwabantu Ngabanye Namaqembu lufuna ukuhlola lo mkhuba “izinga lempilo yomsebenzi” ngokuhlangenwe nakho okuphilayo kodokotela bekucwaninga nokwelashwa kwamathumba. Ucwaningo luqinisekise okutholwe yizifundo zangaphambilini ezihlonze ikhwalithi yokuphila komsebenzi njengomphumela nenqubo ephumela ekuzizweleni okucabangelayo kobukhulu benhloso (okuhlobene nomsebenzi) obungathwa ngokwaneliseka nokuvumelana phakathi kwabaqashi nabasebenzi. Ukuthola ukuqonda okujulile kwalesi senzakalo, indlela yokusebenza yokuhumusha okuhlobene nendlela egxile ocwaningweni lokuqaphela kanye nezinto ezinolwazi oluqondile ezisezingeni eliphezulu zalandelwa futhi inhlolokhono ehlelwe kancane yenziwa kusetshenziswa isampula yababambiqhaza abayisishiyagalolunye (9). Ukuhlaziywa kolwazi kwenziwa ngokusetshenziswa ukuhlaziya okuchazayo okuhlobene nendlela egxile ocwaningweni lokuqaphela kanye nezinto ezinolwazi oluqondile. Okutholakele kukhomba ezinseleleni zansuku zonke odokotela abacwaninga nabelapha amathumba ababhekene nakho, okuye kwahlukaniswa njengezidingo eziphansi zokuhleleka (izici zenhlanzeko) eziholela ekunciphiseni komqondo wekhwalithi yokuphila komsebenzi, kodwa zilinganiselwe izidingo zokuhleleka okuphezulu (izisusa). kanye nomuzwa wobunikazi bemisebenzi. Okutholwe kulolu cwaningo kungasetshenziswa izinhlangano ukuthuthukisa ikhwalithi yezinhlelo zempilo yomsebenzi kanye nezinqubomgomo ezizosiza ekuthuthukiseni inhlalakahle yabasebenzi kanye nokulethwa kwezinsizakalo.

Tlhathollo hemeniki ya nyakiṧiṧo e nyaka go hlotṧetṧa fenomenone ya “boleng bja bophelo bja moṧomo” ka go ṧomiṧa maitemogelophelo a dingaka tṧa onkholotṧi. Nyakiṧiṧo e tiiṧeditṧe dipoelo tṧa dinyakiṧiṧo tṧa go feta tṧe di ṧupilego boleng bja bophelo bja moṧomo bjalo ka poelo le kgato ye e nago le poelo maitemogelo a sapotṧekitifi a opotṧekitifi (ye e tswalane le moṧomo) bogolo bjo bo lekanyaditṧwego ka kgotsofalo le go fa le go fega magareng ga bengmeṧomo le baṧomi. Go hwetṧa kweṧiṧo ye e tseneletṧego ya fenomenone, lenaneo la dinyakiṧiṧo kwalithetifi la hemenetiki le ile la latelwa gomme dipolediṧano tṧa seka-peakanywa (semistructured) di dirilwe ka tṧhomiṧo ya sempolo ya batṧeyakarolo ba senyane (9). Kahlaahlo ya datha e dirilwe ka tṧhomiṧo ya IPA e lego Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Dipoelo di ṧupa go ditlhohlo tṧe di lebanego le dingaka tṧa onkholotṧi, tṧe di hlopṧago bjaloka dihlokwa tṧa otara ya fase (hygene factors) tṧe di fago dipoelo tṧa phokotṧego ya boitsebiṧo bja boleng bja bophelo bja moṧomo, efela di lekaneditṧweka dihlokwa tṧa otara ya godimo (motivators) le bokwi bja boitsebiṧo bja moṧomo. Dipoelo tṧa dinyakiṧiṧo tṧe di ka ṧomiṧwa ke mekgatlo go aga diprograma tṧa boleng bja bophelo bja moṧomo le dipholisi tṧe di tlo thuṧago go kaonafatṧa phelobotse le kabo ya ditirelo.