lity of work life (QoWL) among farmers in Thailand

Abstract

Working conditions and quality of work life reflect a person’s overall quality of life and wellbeing. The purpose of this cross-sectional survey study was to investigate the working conditions, quality of work life, and related factors among farmers. The samples consisted of 445 farmers from the Wang Chin and Song Districts in Phrae Province, Thailand. Data collection was accomplished through a self-administered questionnaire. A structural equation model was specified to investigate the extent to which individual characteristics, interpersonal factors, and working conditions contribute to the quality of work life. More than half of the participants were (52.1%) men; the average age was 48.26 years; the average monthly income was 5,113.48 THB; 89% held debt; and 56.9% were landowners. Farmers’ perceptions of working conditions, namely, the physical, chemical, and ergonomic working environment were poor, and there was a significant risk of workplace accidents. The results revealed that the overall quality of work life among employees was moderate (82.9%). The causal model of the quality of work life was assessed and justified through SEM. The model fits well with the empirical data (GFI = 0.973, AGFI = 0.912, CFI = 0.985, RMSEA = 0.062, SRMR = 0.053). A combination of marital status, relationships with family and peers, social support, the biological environment, and ergonomics explained 23.3% of the variation in the quality of work life. The findings indicate that government organizations involved in agricultural work should work with interdisciplinary groups to improve the quality of farmers’ working lives. It is recommended that a one-stop service center be established in an easily accessible area, as a resource for farmers to store their knowledge and gain inspiration. Farmers should be encouraged to work together to improve their ability to negotiate and the community’s ability to build a sustainable quality of life.