What Makes Work Important ?

The importance of work can be quite subjective. Is your work important? Is your neighbor’s work important?

Work often gives individuals an identity (‘I’m a dentist’), and also can increase or decrease one’s self-esteem. In general, by knowing what people do for work, good or bad on our part, we attach a certain value to them.

For example, would you treat someone differently if she were the CEO as opposed to the receptionist of a multinational corporation? Perhaps. Regardless, we all want to feel good about what we’re doing, as our work is tied to our self-concept.

The notion of occupational prestige is one indication of the extent to which society values various occupations, such that those whose occupations have high prestige (i.e., physicians, professors) are most-often held in high esteem by others in the society.

On the other hand, there are many occupations that are NOT held in high esteem (i.e., laborer, clerk). Does this mean that individuals in these occupations cannot have a positive self-concept or high self-esteem?

Of course not!

In these occupations, individuals gain esteem in the knowledge that the work they are doing is important. Additionally, one’s work group may help buffer one’s esteem by identifying valuable aspects of the work that may not be apparent to those outside the occupation. Has anyone ever watched ‘Dirty Jobs’ on the Discovery Channel and not been impressed by how incredible and hard-working those men and women are?