Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Meaning of Work

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Integrating Christian Faith and Work

  • 480 Accesses

Abstract

As America faces growing ethnic diversity, political division, economic hyper-segregation, isolating technologies and moral plurality, Americans have less in common to connect them (Putnam, 2000). However, regardless of the level of compensation, whether mental or physical effort is required, or if it is aligned with personal strengths, work is ubiquitous, and common to all of us, “as common as mud” (Percey, 1973, p. 38). But definitions regarding the essence of work vary widely depending on culture, historic conditions, station in life, or religious perspective. This chapter will explore the meaning of work and consider the various sources from which meaningful work is derived. And, while work is a common experience to all of us, it is actually rather difficult to describe because of the personal, social, value-laden, and contextual elements associated with the meaning of work. At the end of this chapter, it is hoped that readers will possess a broad and correspondingly better understanding of the meanings associated with the word work. Although it is also quite possible that, after reviewing all the possible meanings for work, there might be agreement with the statement: “so work is whatever one thinks work is” (Volf, 2001, p. 7).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alvesson, M. (2002). Understanding organizational culture. London: SAGE. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/daemen/detail.action?docID=254769

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Barney, J. B. (1986). Organizational culture: Can it be a source of sustained competitive advantage? The Academy of Management Review, 11(3), 656–665.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bass, B. M., & Steidlmeier, P. (1999). Ethics, character, and authentic transformational leadership behavior. The Leadership Quarterly, 10(2), 181–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Behrend, T. S., Thompson, L. F., Meade, A. W., Grayson, M. S., & Newton, D. A. (2007). Gender differences in career choice influences. PsycEXTRA Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1037/e518532013-606

  • Bellah, R. N. (1985). Habits of the heart. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berg, J. M., Grant, A. M., & Johnson, V. (2010). When callings are calling: Crafting work and leisure in pursuit of unanswered occupational callings. Organization Science, 21(5), 973–994. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0497

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blustein, D. L. (2006). The psychology of working: Exploring the inner world of dreams and disappointments. Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bono, J. E., & Judge, T. A. (2003). Self-concordance at work: Toward understanding the motivational effects of transformational leaders. Academy of Management Journal, 46(5), 554–571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brief, A. P., & Nord, W. R. (1990). Work and the family. In W. R. Nord & A. P. Brief (Eds.), Meanings of occupational work: A collection of essays (pp. 204–232). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, D. (Ed.). (2002). Career choice and development. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, M. E., Treviño, L. K., & Harrison, D. A. (2005). Ethical leadership: A social learning perspective for construct development and testing. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 97(2), 117–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buszka, S., & Entine. (1997). A case of green washing: The body shop. Proceedings of the Academy of Business Disciples: Social Responsibility and Ethics Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cha, S. E., & Edmondson, A. C. (2006). When values backfire: Leadership, attribution, and disenchantment in a values-driven organization. The Leadership Quarterly, 17(1), 57–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.10.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chalofsky, N. (2010). Meaningful workplaces: Reframing how and where we work. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaves, A. P., Diemer, M. A., Blustein, D. L., Gallagher, L. A., DeVoy, J. E., Casares, M. T., et al. (2004). Conceptions of work: The view from urban youth. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51(3), 275–286. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.51.3.275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clancy, S. M., & Dollinger, S. J. (1993). Photographic depictions of the self: Gender and age differences in social connectedness. Sex Roles, 29(7–8), 477–495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Abate, C. P. (2005). Working hard or hardly working: A study of individuals engaging in personal business on the job. Human Relations, 58(8), 1009–1032. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726705058501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denison, D. R. (1990). Corporate culture and organizational effectiveness. John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diekman, A. B., Brown, E. R., Johnston, A. M., & Clark, E. K. (2010). Seeking congruity between goals and roles. Psychological Science, 21(8), 1051–1057. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610377342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Digman, J. M. (1990). Personality structure: Emergence of the five factor model. In L. W. Porter (Ed.), Annual review of psychology (Vol. 41, pp. 417–440). Palo Alto, CA: Annual Reviews.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dik, B. J., & Duffy, R. D. (2012). Make your job a calling: How the psychology of vocation can change your life at work. West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellison, C. G., & Sherkat, D. E. (1990). Patterns of religious mobility among black Americans. Sociological Quarterly, 31(4), 551–568.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • England, G. W., & Whitely, W. T. (1990). Cross-national meanings of working. In A. P. Brief & W. R. Nord (Authors), Meanings of occupational work: A collection of essays (pp. 65–106). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ewest, T. (2017). The prosocial leadership development process. In Prosocial leadership (pp. 81–96). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ewest, T. (2018). Emerging forms of leadership and their ethical and prosocial moorings. In The Palgrave handbook of workplace spirituality and fulfillment (pp. 1–16).

    Google Scholar 

  • Feinstein, L., Duckworth, K., & Sabates, R. (2008). Education and the family. New York, NY: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forbes Technology Council. (2018, February 08). 13 reasons Google deserves its ‘best company culture’ award. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2018/02/08/13-reasons-google-deserves-its-best-company-culture-award/

  • Fry, L. W. (2003). Toward a theory of spiritual leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 14(6), 693–727.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galligan, Y., Haupfleisch, R., Irvine, L., Korolkova, K., Natter, M., Schultz, U., et al. (2017). Mapping the representation of women and men in legal professions across the EU. Brussels: European Parliament’s Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giacalone, R. L., Jurkiewicz, C. L., & Fry, L. W. (2005). From advocacy to science: The next steps in workplace spirituality research. In R. F. Paloutzian & C. L. Park (Eds.), Handbook of the psychology of religion and spirituality (pp. 515–528). New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gottfredson, G. D., Jones, E. M., & Holland, J. L. (1993). Personality and vocational interests: The relation of Holland’s six interest dimensions to five robust dimensions of personality. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 40(4), 518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grant, D., O’Neil, K., & Stephens, L. (2004). Spirituality in the Workplace: New empirical directions in the study of the sacred. Sociology of Religion, 65(3), 265. https://doi.org/10.2307/3712252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gysbers, N. C., Heppner, M. J., & Johnston, J. A. (2014). Career counseling: Holism, diversity, and strengths. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hackman, J., & Oldham, G. R. (1976). Motivation through the design of work: Test of a theory. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 16(2), 250–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073(76)90016-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heiligers, P. J. (2012). Gender differences in medical students’ motives and career choice. BMC Medical Education, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-12-82

  • Highhouse, S., Zickar, M. J., & Yankelevich, M. (2010). Would you work if you won the lottery? Tracking changes in the American work ethic. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(2), 349–357. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofman, M. (2001). Anita Roddick. Inc., 23(5).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind: Intercultural cooperation and its importance for survival. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holland, J. L. (1997). Making vocational choices: A theory of vocational personalities and work environments (3rd ed.). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • House, R. J., Hanges, P. J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., & Gupta, V. (Eds.). (2004). Culture, leadership, and organizations: The GLOBE study of 62 societies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT Database. (2019). Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Retrieved from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/sl.tlf.cact.fe.zs

  • Jacobsen, M. H. (1999). Hand-me-down dreams: How families influence our career paths and how we can reclaim them. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jagsi, R., Griffith, K. A., Decastro, R. A., & Ubel, P. (2014). Sex, role models, and specialty choices among graduates of US medical schools in 2006–2008. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 218(3), 345–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2013.11.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, W. A. (2007). Meaningful connections: Positive relationships and attachments at work. In J. E. Dutton & B. R. Ragins (Eds.), Exploring positive relationships at work (pp. 189–208). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz, D., & Kahn, R. L. (1978). The social psychology of organizations (Vol. 2, p. 528). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Komives, S. R., & Wagner, W. (2009). Leadership for a better world: Understanding the social change model of leadership development. John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee-Ross, D. (2015). Personality characteristics of the self-employed. Journal of Management Development, 34(9), 1094–1112. https://doi.org/10.1108/jmd-06-2014-0062

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, W. M., & Ali, S. R. (2005). Addressing social class and classism in vocational theory and practice: Extending the emancipatory communitarian approach. The Counseling Psychologist, 33(2), 189–196. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000004272269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacKie, D. (2017). Positive approaches to leadership development. In The Wiley Blackwell handbook of the psychology of positivity and strengths-based approaches at work (pp. 297–316).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mannevuo, M. (2018). The riddle of adaptation: Revisiting the Hawthorne studies. The Sociological Review, 66(6), 1242–1257. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038026118755603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClelland, D. C. (1961). The achieving society. New York, NY: Van Nostrand.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, D. W., & Ewest, T. (2013). The present state of workplace spirituality: A literature review considering context, theory, and measurement/assessment. Journal of Religious & Theological Information, 12(1–2), 29–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/10477845.2013.800776

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mission & Priorities. (2016, May 03). Retrieved May 15, 2019, from https://www.fbi.gov/about/mission

  • Neubert, M. J., & Dougherty, K. D. (2013). Christian perspectives on faith at work: An empirical exploration of faith and work associations across Christian religious traditions. In Handbook of faith and spirituality in the workplace (pp. 47–67). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Nicolaou, N., & Shane, S. (2010). Entrepreneurship and occupational choice: Genetic and environmental influences. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 76(1), 3–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2010.02.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nord, W. R., & Brief, A. P. (1990). Work and nonwork connections. In W. R. Nord & A. P. Brief (Eds.), Meanings of occupational work: A collection of essays (pp. 171–199). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nord, W. R., Brief, A. P., Atieh, J. M., & Doherty, E. M. (1990). Studying the meanings of work: The case of work values. In W. R. Nord & A. P. Brief (Eds.), Meanings of occupational work: A collection of essays (pp. 21–64). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Hara, W. T. (2004). Centuries of success: Lessons from the world’s most enduring family businesses. Avon, MA: Adams Media.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piercy, M. (2002). To be of use. In G. Keillor (Ed.), Good poems. Minneapolis, MN: Viking Adult.

    Google Scholar 

  • Podolny, J. M., Khurana, R., & Hill-Popper, M. (2004). Revisiting the meaning of leadership. Research in Organizational Behavior, 26, 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0191-3085(04)26001-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone: America’s declining social capital. In Culture and politics (pp. 223–234). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, M. S. (1993). Work in people’s lives: A location for counseling psychologists. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 40(4), 425–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosso, B. D., Dekas, K. H., & Wrzesniewski, A. (2010). On the meaning of work: A theoretical integration and review. Research in Organizational Behavior, 30, 91–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.riob.2010.09.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salancik, G. R., & Pfeffer, J. (1978). A social information processing approach to job attitudes and task design. Administrative Science Quarterly, 23(2), 224. https://doi.org/10.2307/2392563

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sands, B. (2017, December). Why is the HR profession dominated by women? Retrieved from https://study.com/blog/why-is-the-hr-profession-dominated-by-women.html

  • Schein, E. H. (1985). Defining organizational culture. Classics of Organization Theory, 3, 490–502.

    Google Scholar 

  • Subich, L., & Simonson, K. (2005). Career counseling: The evolution of theory. In F. T. Leong & A. Barak (Eds.), Contemporary models in vocational psychology: A volume in honor of Samuel H. Osipow (pp. 257–278). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tajfel, H., Turner, J. C., Austin, W. G., & Worchel, S. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In M. J. Hatch & M. Schultz (Eds.), Organizational identity: A reader (pp. 56–65). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tellhed, U., Bäckström, M., & Björklund, F. (2017). Will I fit in and do well? The importance of social belongingness and self-efficacy for explaining gender differences in interest in stem and heed majors. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 77(1–2), 86–96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-016-0694-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Volf, M. (2001). Work in the spirit: Toward a theology of work. Wipf and Stock Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walumbwa, F. O., Hartnell, C. A., & Oke, A. (2010). Servant leadership, procedural justice climate, service climate, employee attitudes, and organizational citizenship behavior: A cross-level investigation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(3), 517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watt, H. M., & Eccles, J. S. (Eds.). (2008). Gender and occupational outcomes: Longitudinal assessments of individual, social, and cultural influences. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisgram, E. S., Bigler, R. S., & Liben, L. S. (2010). Gender, values, and occupational interests among children, adolescents, and adults. Child Development, 81(3), 778–796. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01433.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wrzesniewski, A., Dutton, J. E., & Debebe, G. (2003). Interpersonal sensemaking and the meaning of work. Research in Organizational Behavior, 25, 93–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0191-3085(03)25003-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Youssef, C. M., & Luthans, F. (2012). Positive global leadership. Journal of World Business, 47(4), 539–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Daemen College, Amherst, NY, USA

    Sharlene G. Buszka

  2. Houston Baptist University, Houston, TX, USA

    Timothy Ewest

Authors
  1. Sharlene G. Buszka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Timothy Ewest
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sharlene G. Buszka .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Buszka, S.G., Ewest, T. (2020). The Meaning of Work. In: Integrating Christian Faith and Work. Palgrave Studies in Workplace Spirituality and Fulfillment. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22914-6_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation