Teddy Roosevelt's assertion in a Labor Day speech 109 years ago still rings true this holiday; worthwhile labor can greatly enrich human life. Our research found that people's everyday work lives are greatly enriched when they make progress at work that they find meaningful. But what makes work worth doing?
Sometimes it's obvious. No one would question whether trying to cure disease is worth doing. The same goes for inventing and making products that enhance people's lives. But is all work worthwhile? Our own research focused on knowledge workers — highly educated people doing creative work and solving complex problems. As a result, readers often ask whether our findings apply to workers in the service industries or manual laborers. We believe they do apply, but only when workers feel that they are making a contribution to something or someone they value.
To read the original article: What Makes Work Worth Doing? - Teresa Amabile and Steve Kramer - HBS Faculty - Harvard Business Review
