IMPACT OF VOLUNTARY WELFARE MEASURES ON JOB SATISFACTION: A CASE STUDY OF ASHOK LEYLAND INDIA

The term is derived from the French word "WELFARE". This French word is "well-being or happiness or prosperity of individuals". Welfare means faring or doing well. It is a comprehensive term and refers the physical, mental, moral and emotional well-being of individual. Employee Welfare is an important facet of industrial relations, the extra dimension, giving satisfaction to the worker in a way which evens a good wage cannot. With the growth of industrialization and mechanization, it has acquired added importance. The workers in industry cannot cope with the pace of modern life with minimum sustenance amenities. He needs an added stimulus to keep body and soul together. Employers have also realized the importance of their role in providing these extra amenities. And yet, they are not always able to fulfill workers demands however reasonable they might be. They are primarily concerned with the viability of the enterprise. Employee welfare, though it has been proved to contribute to efficiency in production, is expensive. Each employer depending on his priorities gives varying degrees of importance to labor welfare. Employee welfare is a comprehensive term including various services, benefits and facilities offered to employees by the employer. Through such generous fringe benefits the employer makes the life worth living for employees. The welfare amenities are extended in addition to normal wages and other economic rewards available to employees as per the legal provisions. Welfare measures may also be provided by the government, trade unions and non-government agencies in addition to the employer. The basic purpose of employee welfare is to enrich the life of the employees and keep them happy and contended