BUDDHIST METHOD FOR PROMOTING PROFESSIONAL TRAINING CARREER OF CHANTABURI PROVINCIAL PRISON PERSONNEL

Abstract

This research article aimed to: 1. study the quality of work life of personnel of the State Railway of Thailand; 2. examine the factors affecting their quality of work life; and 3. propose the integration of Buddhist principles for developing the quality of work life of personnel of the State Railway of Thailand. This study employed a mixed-methods research design. For the quantitative research, the sample consisted of 388 personnel of the State Railway of Thailand selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire with an overall reliability coefficient of 0.952 and analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and stepwise multiple regression analysis. For the qualitative research, 18 key informants were purposively selected. Data were collected through structured in-depth interviews and analyzed using descriptive content analysis. In addition, a focus group discussion was conducted with 10 participants to validate the knowledge synthesized from the findings.

The findings revealed that 1. The overall quality of work life of personnel of the State Railway of Thailand and all individual dimensions were at a high level. Job and employment security and work-life balance had equally the highest mean scores, followed by health and well-being and skill development, respectively. 2. Four factors promoting quality of work life policy and administration, nature of work, work achievement, and interpersonal relationships significantly affected quality of work life at the 0.01 level and jointly explained 57.0 percent of the variance. In addition, three dimensions of the Bhavana 4 principles Kayabhavana (physical development), Cittabhavana (mental development), and Paññabhavana (wisdom development) significantly affected quality of work life at the 0.01 level and jointly explained 54.4 percent of the variance; and 3. The integration of Buddhist principles for developing the quality of work life of personnel of the State Railway of Thailand involved connecting five organizational factors promoting quality of work life with the Bhavana 4 principles to develop personnel in terms of physical well-being, conduct, mental well-being, and wisdom, together with fair work systems and management. This integration contributes to the development of the four dimensions of quality of work life and enhances the quality of public service delivery.