Meaning of work vs meaning of life at work
Agreeing on a definition
Like many in my generation, I’ve been asking myself the question of the meaning of work. This is definitely not a simple one because of its pivotal role in shaping the overall significance of our lives, given the substantial time invested in our professional pursuits. As for the meaning of life, beyond the answers brought by the Monthy Python’s 40 years ago, the topic is way too general for such a modest blog so we’ll focus on life at work only.
Discussions about the meaning of work abound, with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) posing questions such as, “How do we find meaning in work? Are some jobs truly meaningless? What role do managers play in guiding individuals toward meaningful work?” In a 2018 article, the CIPD delves into the challenge of confronting roles that seem devoid of societal purpose.
Interestingly, if we look into the etymology of the term “work,” we find it traces back to its proto-Indo-European root meaning “to do.” While this aligns with the understanding that work involves doing something, not all languages share this nuance. In French, “travail” derives from the Latin “tripalium,” initially a torture instrument and later an implement used by blacksmiths. English retains the original negative connotation of “travail.”
So, the question arises: Should we reduce work to a form of torture, or should we perceive it as a means to positively contribute to society through the utilization of our hands and intellect?
The World Health Organization emphasizes that “Decent work supports good mental health by providing a livelihood; a sense of confidence, purpose and achievement; an opportunity for positive relationships and inclusion in a community; and a platform for structured routines, among many other benefits.” among other advantages.
When discussing the “meaning of work,” the focus invariably gravitates toward the notions of “purpose and achievement.” This can be interpreted in two ways — in the context of one’s daily tasks and feelings about routine work, or in a more philosophical sense regarding the impact on society.
Notably, the significance of this topic has surged over the years, evident in the escalating Google Trends statistics, steadily growing from almost no query 20 years ago to a peak at the end of 2022..
Making sense of our daily jobs
The pandemic, coupled with global political and environmental uncertainties, has profoundly influenced how we appraise the value of our work, as highlighted in a 2020 BBC article entitled “has the meaning of work changed forever”.
Examining the first sense of “meaning of work” — the daily job that makes sense — it is intricately tied to a company’s organizational structure. Employee empowerment, clear responsibilities, and recognition of individual contributions are crucial. Are employees enabled to make decisions within a clear framework of responsibility or is micromanagement the rule? Is everyone aware of how their work is contributing to the overall strategy, or are people just names in boxes to fill in positions?
This is a very important and often neglected aspect, because if I feel my work isn’t making a difference in the company anymore, my motivation will drop and I’ll look elsewhere how my contribution can be better aknowledged. The lesson for companies is clear: value every employee, recognize their worth, and establish clear responsibilities to foster engagement.
Making sense of work in general
Shifting focus to the broader societal contribution of work, companies face the question of how they should navigate this terrain. One element is about the mission of the company. I’ve been working in HRTech for 14 years and, beyond all aspects of technology, the entire industry’s mission is support companies managing their employees, and indirectly support employees in their working life. This is a fairly clear meaning, and each subset of the market can focus on it from their perspective.
But is the meaning of work necessarily directly linked with the mission of an organization? Porter and Kramer, in their influential 2010 HBR article, advocate for “shared value” over “shareholder value.” This paradigm shift suggests that companies should empower employees to decide how and what they contribute. Even non-”mission-driven” organizations can infuse genuine Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) values beyond mere rhetoric.
Supporting employees in parallel activities can yield mutual benefits for companies, employees, and local communities. As an example, I was invited both as an HRTech expert at Speexx and a member of the board at AUM Biosync to join a roundtable at the 2023 French Firefighter conference in Toulouse. Many of the local firefighting units in France are heavily dependent on voluntary service. This is a time that volunteers have to find next to their working and their family lives. The consensus was that firefigher units should reach out to private companies in their local communities because the voluntary time companies would give their employees would benefit not only the local community, but companies as well. Employees would be grateful for the voluntary time, and the local communities would want to support their local businesses in return.
True commitment requires real flexibility in working hours for genuine social engagement. Using firefighters as an extreme example, a serious commitment is about 1000 hours a year (on site or on call), so on average 20 hours a week. If companies want to do more than token voluntary hours (I’ve seen ridiculous things such as 1 day a year…), they need to enable employees to combine work and on call time for example.
At a much more modest scale, employees can also fit other types of volunteering in or next to their daily working life. On my side I do mentoring for young professionals and startups for example. I know other people helping food banks, or being heavily involved in community activities. Getting support from their employers accepting flexible time off for such activities, provided the regular work gets done, is a huge lever for retention and engagement.
This may indirectly address the question of the “meaning of work,” but it profoundly contributes to the idea of the “meaning of life at work.”
Maybe this is the real solution after all: empowering employees to answer these questions for themselves brings about a sense of purpose and autonomy, creating a workplace where both work and life find a meaningful intersection.
