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The fact that the world of work is changing rapidly is nothing new. Just 20 years ago, no one would have imagined that it would actually be possible to work for an agency in Zurich from the beach in Bali. But that's not all - robotics and artificial intelligence are also massively expanding the range of possibilities and promoting new opportunities. And for a long time, the idea persisted that robots and AI would eliminate unwanted work and allow us to concentrate on the enjoyable tasks - or that we would no longer have to go to work at all and could "finally do what we want".
Why we actually go to work
However, the loss of work does not increase happiness, but instead fuels fear - for various reasons. On the one hand, this behavior is explained by economic rationality, i.e. that work is the source of income, prestige and social security. For Hartmut Rosa, Professor of Theoretical Sociology at the University of Erfurt, however, this idea falls short. He is convinced that work also includes a variety of sources of feedback, for example when we receive reactions from customers to the products we deliver or are praised by colleagues for our presentations.
Wörwag and Cloots also provide similar results in their study on New Work: "Cohesion in a community" was cited as one of the most important work values with 86%. This was immediately followed by "social security for the family" at 83% - although there are of course differences in preference depending on age and gender. For example, women were more likely to cite "social security for the family" and "cohesion in a community" as important work values, while men tended more towards "getting ahead and achieving prosperity" and "overcoming challenges". However, the most important reason why we go to work is "self-realization and self-development".
Only 50% can realize themselves in their work
This is also confirmed by occupational psychologist Theo Werner in an interview with Die Zeit. He correctly describes that identification with the job plays a major role across all levels. After all, employees who identify with their job - and thus experience appreciation - are also the most satisfied. That's not really surprising. If you turn the tables and ask the heretical question, who can really be satisfied with a job that they don't really think much of? In other words, a job that is not meaningful for you?
For Werner, that would probably be very few - because most people are even prepared to accept a loss of money and social status if they consider their job to be meaningful. People who can identify with their work are therefore more likely to be able to fulfill themselves. However, although eight out of ten people - regardless of age - want to be able to fulfill themselves at work, this wish is only fulfilled by one in two employers.
