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High quality of work life pays off for employees and businesses.

Article Excerpt
It is common to hear about quality of life factors as they relate to communities, and how a high quality of life can be a major factor in attracting economic development. But what about the "quality of work life?" What importance does that have to the bottom line of a business?

A business measurably benefits from improved quality of work life because employees are more engaged in their work and deliver more discretionary effort, said Tom Wagner, president of Wagner Consulting Group Inc. in Madison.

"Discretionary effort is the difference between doing just enough to get by without penalty and the person's maximum sustainable performance," Wagner said. "Measurable benefits to a high quality of work life are lower turnover, higher productivity and more profit. Also, employees are more loyal to a culture than a company. This can be a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining top talent. Specifically, a good quality of work life can offset wages that are somewhat lower than elsewhere."

Wagner said an employee's perceived quality of work life is determined primarily by two factors, both of which are controllable...

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