The Value of Work

Questions and Answers

Making money

Completing tasks for survival (correct)

Enhancing productivity

Following a structured schedule

Work became less productive

Work became more task-oriented

Work became structured by the clock rather than seasons (correct)

Work became more community-oriented

Decreased job security

Increased commuting time

Improved communication with colleagues

Enhanced productivity due to happiness (correct)

Workers losing touch with the workplace and colleagues Signup and view all the answers

People will have to accept the changes Signup and view all the answers

A sense of structure and purpose Signup and view all the answers

Signs similar to addiction withdrawal Signup and view all the answers

They tend to be considered non-jobs Signup and view all the answers

It significantly increases death rates within the first six months Signup and view all the answers

It serves as a major source of identity and self-esteem Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

People tend to miss work when they don't have it, despite its negative aspects, as it gives them a sense of value and purpose.
A salary is seen as proof that one matters and boosts self-esteem.

Paid employment is considered a "proper job" in our work-centred culture, whereas housework and voluntary work are viewed as non-jobs.
People prefer work that is useful, interesting, and paid, but even unenjoyable tasks can provide psychological benefits.

Achieving tasks during work contributes to a sense of well-being.
Having a structured schedule and working as part of a team gives people a sense of purpose.
The workplace often serves as a social club, information network, and even a dating agency.

Many people are job addicts, exhibiting symptoms like irritability and lethargy when they can't work.
Newly retired men, in particular, show a significant increase in death rates in the first six months after leaving employment, likely due to loss of purpose and identity.

In pre-industrial times, work was task-oriented, focused on survival, and integrated into community life.
The Industrial Revolution changed work to be time-structured, with a focus on money, separating it from "free time".
The Information Technology revolution has again transformed work, with 3.5 million employees in the UK now working from home, improving productivity but risking loss of human contact.

The nature of work is changing and will continue to do so, requiring people to adapt to new ways of working.
The traditional nine-to-five working day is no longer the only norm, and people may need to return to a more flexible work rhythm.