Labour welfare and social security

Concept and objectives of Labour Welfare:

Welfare means faring or doing well. It is a comprehensive term that
refers to the physical, mental, moral and emotional well-being of an
individual. It deals with opportunities for a good life of worker and
his/her family. Labour welfare refers to all those efforts of employers,
trade unions, voluntary organizations and governmental agencies
which help employees/workers feel better and perform better.
Employee/Labour welfare includes various services, facilities and
amenities provided for the betterment of workers. They enable the
worker and his/her family to lead a good life. It is an addition to
compensation, but not in monetary terms. The term welfare is a
relative term and thus, varies from time to time, region to region and
nation to nation.
ILO at its Asian Regional Conference, defined labour welfare as a term
that includes such services, facilities and amenities as may be
established in or in the vicinity of undertakings to enable the persons
employed in them to perform their work in healthy, congenial
surroundings, and to provide them with amenities conducive to good
health and high morale.
Hence, labour welfare is essential for overall socio-economic
development of a country.

Objectives:

No doubt, a worker is indeed a soldier safeguarding the social and

economic factors of the industrial economy, and his/her actions and
interactions within the industrial framework will have a great impact and
influence on industrial development.
The social and economic aspects of the life of a worker have a direct
influence on the social and economic development of the country. Thus,
there is every need to take extra care of the worker- to provide both
statutory and non-statutory facilities to him/her.
The Labour Act,1992 of Nepal has made some statutory provisions
about various welfare facilities to be provided by employers to its
employees. Thus, some of the objectives of labour welfare can be pointed
out as:
Attract and retain competent employees/workers and to develop their
commitment and loyalty.
Remove dissatisfaction, place an employee in a favorable mood, provide
satisfiers, and then motivation takes place.
Minimize social evils, such as alcoholism, gambling, prostitution, drug
addiction, and the like.
Improve the image of the organization as a good employer and develop
labour relations.
Enhance workers efficiency, decrease labour turnover and absenteeism.
Make the worker happy, cheerful and confident looking, etc

Types of Labour welfare programs:

The meaning of labour welfare will be more clear by listing the
activities and facilities which are referred as welfare measures. Moorthy
in his monumental work on labour welfare, divided welfare
measures/programs into two broad groups, namely:
Welfare programs/measures inside the workplace
Welfare programs/measures outside the workplace

Welfare programs inside the work place :

It is also known as intramural facilities/activities consist of facilities
provided within the factories and include medical facilities,
compensation for accidents, provision for canteen, supply of drinking
water, washing and bathing facilities, provision of safety measures,
activities relating to improving conditions of employment, and the like.
Furthermore, it includes:
1. Conditions of the work environment
. Neighborhood safety and cleanliness
. Housekeeping; up keeping of premises- compound wall, lawns, gardens,
passages and doors, white washing of walls and floor maintenance.
. Workshop (room) sanitation and cleanliness; temperature, humidity,
ventilation, lighting, elimination of dust, smoke, gases.
. Control of effluents (liquid waste).

 Convenience and comfort during work like operatives posture, seating

arrangements.
Distribution of work hours and provision for rest hours, meal times and
breaks.
Workmen's safety measures like maintenance of machine and tools,
fencing of machines, providing guards, helmets, aprons and first-aid
equipment .
Supply of necessary beverages and pills and tablets like milk, soda.
Notice boards; posters, pictures, slogans, information or communication.
2. Conveniences:
Urinals and lavatories, wash basins, bathrooms, provision for spittoons;
waste disposal.
Provision of drinking water; waters coolers.
Canteen services; full meal, mobile canteen.
Management of workers cloak rooms, reading room and library.
3. Workers health services: Factory health center; dispensary, ambulance,
emergency aid, medical examination for workers; health education,
family planning services.
4. Women and child welfare: Antenatal and postnatal care, maternity aid,
and child care; women's general education; separate services for women
workers; family planning services.
5. Workers recreation: Indoor games; strenuous games to be avoided during
intervals of work.

6. Employment follow-up: Progress of the operative in his/her

adjustment problems with regards to machines and
workload, supervisors and
colleagues; industrial
counseling.
7. Economic services: Co-operatives, loans, financial grants;
thrift and saving schemes; budget knowledge,
unemployment insurance, health insurance, employment
bureau, profit-sharing and bonus schemes; transport
services; provident fund, pension; rewards and incentives;
workmen's compensation for injuries; family assistance in
times of need.
8.
Labour-management participation:
Formation and working of various committees like work
committee, safety committee, canteen committee;
consultation in welfare area, in production area, in the area
of administration, in the area of public relation.
Workmen's arbitration council.
Research bureau.
9.
Workers education: Reading room, library, circulating
library, visual education, literacy classes, adult education,

Welfare program outside the work place:

Housing; bachelors quarters; family residences according to
types and rooms.
Water, sanitation, waste disposal.
Roads, lighting, parks, recreation, playgrounds.
Schools; nursery, primary, secondary and high school.
Markets, co-operatives, consumer and credit societies.
Bank.
Transport.
Communication; post, telegraph and telephone.
Health and medical services; dispensary, emergency ward,
out-patient and in-patient care, family visiting; family planning.
Recreation; games; clubs; crafts center; cultural programs like
music clubs; interest and hobby circles; reading rooms and
library; swimming pool; athletics, gymnasia.
Watch and ward; security.
Community leadership development; council of elders;
committee of representatives; administration of community
services and problems; child, youth and women's clubs, etc.