welfare

Welfare

A generic term for many government assistance programs. In general, it refers to programs in which the government pays money to indigent and unemployed persons. However, it may include non-cash payments such as food stamps. It may or may not include a requirement that able-bodied persons on welfare attempt to find work. Welfare is very controversial. Proponents argue that it helps the persons least able to help themselves, while critics contend it encourages people not to work. See also: TANF, Dole.

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welfare

that aspect of management concerned with the wellbeing, both physical and emotional, of employees. It is an umbrella term for a range of services and activities. HEALTH AND SAFETY (the regulation of working conditions) is probably the most important but is often managed separately from other welfare functions. Other welfare activities include the provision of canteens and social clubs, sports facilities, medical officers etc. Some organizations also provide counselling services to help individuals cope with, for instance, work-related stress.

The reasoning behind employer concern with welfare suggests that a contented workforce is likely to be more productive. Some employers also feel that it is a social obligation to their employees. Welfare activities usually come under the remit of the PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT function. In fact, in the UK the origins of personnel management lie in the concern to improve employee welfare felt by certain employers in the early years of the 20th century. See FRINGE BENEFIT, HUMAN RELATIONS. See also SOCIAL SECURITY.

Collins Dictionary of Business, 3rd ed. © 2002, 2005 C Pass, B Lowes, A Pendleton, L Chadwick, D O’Reilly and M Afferson