P&P October 2015

from the eld

By Kerry Desjardins and Charlie Lucke

The Importance of Work: More than Just a Paycheck

I n the field of human services, we are constantly talking about work, and rightly so. For most human service customers employment is critical to their ability to meet their needs and support the health and well-being of their families and communities. This is why workforce engagement is such a critical component of many human service programs. But work is about more than financial self-su ciency. Work is an essential, defining com- ponent of most Americans’ lives. In a nation that highly values independence and rugged individualism, a person’s job, and the freedoms and social influ- ence one garners from earning a living through working at employment worth doing, is inextricably linked to identity. Throughout childhood, children display their budding professional interests through costumes and brightly colored presentations answering the ubiquitous question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Work defines us consider- ably more as we move into adulthood. The transition from being depen- dent on one’s parents to becoming a financially independent worker dra- matically a ects a person’s identity and self-esteem. One of the first ques- tions adults ask one another when first meeting is, “What do you do?” Perhaps this perpetual question serves as an answer to the “What do you want to be” question we are peppered with throughout childhood. Some professions—and the workers that perform them—are elevated in the public eye for their valor and selfless commitment to the support of the common good. Think firefighters, the military, doctors and nurses. And while many workers may not be considered heroes or leaders for the work they

lack basic worker protections, such as decent wages, opportunities for pro- fessional growth, appreciation for the value of employees to a company, and authentic and open communication between employer and employee can have negative psychological e ects on workers, such as lower self-esteem, which carry over into other areas of their lives. For example, research indi- cates that negative work experiences are associated with negative parenting styles. “Two-generation” approaches to work and family stability focus on holistic services that recognize the critical roles that parents play in shaping their children’s lives, and acknowledging the strong interrela- tionship between work success and family success. Work is critical to human service customers’ ability to become financially stable and meet

do, they still garner respect from their ability to provide for themselves and their families. Work o ers not only a means to support a family, but also an extra familial source of identity. Unfortunately, many Americans face very limited employment opportuni- ties. Whether through low levels of skills and education, or exclusion from the systems of social capital that lead to better opportunities, many Americans encounter barriers that prevent them from finding and securing jobs that promote stability and well-being. The connection between employment and well-being is well-established. Unemployment is shown to have a number of negative psychological e ects. However, securing a job does not ameliorate those e ects if the working conditions do not a ord some of the supports that many people find helpful, if not essential. There is dignity in all work, but it is not intrinsic in all jobs. Those jobs that

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Illustration by Chris Campbell

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Policy&Practice October 2015