Employee Welfare, Health and Safety: Welfare Measures, Stress Management and Work-Life Balance (Overview) Questions

Question 1

Define employee welfare.

Accepted Answer

Employee welfare refers to facilities and services provided to improve employee **well-being** and working/living conditions beyond wages and salary.

Question 2

What is workplace safety?

Accepted Answer

Workplace safety is the protection of employees from **accidents and hazards** by using safe procedures, training and controls.

Question 3

State one objective of employee welfare measures.

Accepted Answer

One objective is to improve employee **health and morale**, leading to better productivity.

Question 4

What is stress (in workplace context)?

Accepted Answer

Stress is a response when job demands exceed an individual’s **resources/capacity**, causing mental or physical strain.

Question 5

Work–life balance helps reduce burnout. (True/False)

Accepted Answer

True. Good **work–life balance** reduces prolonged stress and burnout and improves retention.

Question 6

Give one example of a welfare facility.

Accepted Answer

Canteen facility is an example of an employee **welfare** measure.

Question 7

Differentiate statutory and voluntary welfare measures using a table (any three points).

Accepted Answer

Statutory vs voluntary welfare:

| Basis | **Statutory** | **Voluntary** |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | legally required | provided by choice |
| Purpose | minimum standards | well-being + motivation |
| Examples | basic safety/welfare facilities | wellness/EAP, flexi-work |

Thus, statutory welfare is compulsory; voluntary welfare improves employer brand and engagement.

Question 8

Explain objectives/importance of welfare measures (any three) with points.

Accepted Answer

Importance of welfare measures (any three):

- improves **health** and morale
- reduces absenteeism and turnover
- increases productivity and efficiency
- strengthens employer–employee relations

Hence, welfare supports both employee well-being and organisational performance.

Question 9

List key elements of a safety programme (any five) using a table.

Accepted Answer

Safety programme elements (any five):

| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| safety policy | management commitment |
| hazard identification | risk assessment |
| **training** | safety induction, drills |
| PPE and procedures | helmets, safe SOPs |
| reporting system | near-miss/incident reporting |

These controls reduce accidents and improve compliance.

Question 10

Explain causes of workplace stress (any four) and one control (brief).

Accepted Answer

Causes of stress (any four): workload/time pressure, role ambiguity, lack of control, poor relationships, job insecurity.

One control: ensure **role clarity** and realistic workload through staffing and planning.

Question 11

Explain accident causes and prevention (any three points) with a small table.

Accepted Answer

Accident causes and prevention:

| Cause category | Example | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| **Unsafe acts** | ignoring rules | training + supervision |
| **Unsafe conditions** | faulty machine/poor lighting | maintenance + audits |
| Human factors | fatigue/stress | breaks + job redesign |

Thus, prevention needs both behaviour control and workplace safety systems.

Question 12

Explain employee welfare: meaning, objectives and classification (exam-style) with a table and conclusion.

Accepted Answer

### Meaning
Employee welfare includes facilities and services that improve **well-being** beyond wages.

### Objectives
- improve health and morale
- reduce absenteeism/turnover
- improve productivity and relations

### Classification
| Type | Meaning |
|---|---|
| **Statutory** | legally required minimum welfare |
| **Voluntary** | additional well-being benefits |

### Conclusion
A strong welfare system supports employee satisfaction and organisational performance while strengthening employer brand.

Question 13

Write an exam-style note on health and safety management: hazards, controls and safety programme (include a flow/table and conclusion).

Accepted Answer

### Health and safety management
Aim is to prevent hazards and reduce risk.

Flow: Identify hazards → Assess risk → Apply controls → Train → Monitor/audit → Improve

| Control type | Examples |
|---|---|
| **Engineering** | machine guards, ventilation |
| Administrative | SOPs, shift planning, signage |
| PPE | helmets, gloves |

### Conclusion
With systematic hazard control, training and monitoring, organisations reduce accidents and ensure legal compliance.

Question 14

Explain stress management techniques at individual and organisational levels (exam-style) with a table and conclusion.

Accepted Answer

### Stress management

| Level | Techniques |
|---|---|
| **Individual** | time management, exercise, relaxation, counselling |
| **Organisational** | job redesign, role clarity, supportive leadership, WLB policies, EAP |

### Conclusion
Stress should be managed by both employees and organisations; combined efforts improve **well-being** and performance.

Question 15

Write an exam-style answer on work–life balance: meaning, practices and benefits (include a table and conclusion).

Accepted Answer

Work–life balance (WLB) means balancing work and personal life to reduce stress.

| Practice | Benefit |
|---|---|
| flexi-time/remote work | lower stress |
| workload planning | less burnout |
| supportive leave culture | better retention |

Thus, WLB improves **well-being** and reduces absenteeism/turnover.

Basis	Statutory	Voluntary
Nature	legally required	provided by choice
Purpose	minimum standards	well-being + motivation
Examples	basic safety/welfare facilities	wellness/EAP, flexi-work

Employee Welfare, Health and Safety: Welfare Measures, Stress Management and Work-Life Balance (Overview)

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