The Response to "More Than Job Satisfaction"

Kirsten Weir’s statement about the significance of work to most adults is right on point, and I agree with it. To me, labor shall give the humankind the feeling of existence, and plays an important role in our lives. Thus, the author indicates that people should create meaning in work as much as possible.

Weir points out several ways to find the meaning in work which I find useful such as taking pride of one’s job, thinking of the families, the obligation, and the relationships with one’s partners. From my own perspective, I think the thinking of family is the most significant way through which one can find the meaning in work.

The author says, “The people who are the most content are those who believe their work has a higher calling,” to some degree, her point of view is true. As long as ones believe that their jobs are meaningful to society, they shall devote more to their works just like the story of the bricklayers or the example of the zookeeper. However, ones cannot put all their heart onto the work with little return. Therefore, sustainable financial support shall encourage laborers in their jobs. That is why I say that what Weir claims above is just partially right.

Specifically, Kirsten Weir mentions about a few ways to practice “job crafting” through which workers may find meaning in their work such as prioritizing on favorite tasks, spending more time on positive relationships, and thinking of one’s work from a different angle. I, personally, find these methods acceptable, although I think it is not easy to practice them at work places. Firstly, one cannot just favor one task to another one due to the requirements of work, which are the pressure from one’s superior officers and from the expected results. Secondly, it’s hard for one to change his/her perspective on something, especially on work. Most adults tend to avoid changing their routines, habits, and even their ways of thinking.

In conclusion, Kirsten Weir’s ideas in the article are substantial that I find them reasonable and pragmatical. 

Summary

Summary of “More Than Job Satisfaction”

Kirsten Weir, the author of “More Than Job Satisfaction,” begins the article with a fact that the adults spend most of their time to work, and that the works are considered to be their identity. However, according to a 2013 report of Gallup Inc. the author points out that two-third of American workers are not devoted to their jobs, and she calls it “disengagement” which costs U.S. companies hundreds of billions every year. She implies that one of the causes to the problem is how great the meaning that the American workers find in their jobs.

The author claims that there are ways to increase meaning and improve the life quality through work. She mentions about Michael G. Pratt, Boston College’s professor who uses a story of the bricklayers to strengthen his ideas that every job has its own meaning, and that there are various ways to create or seek for the meaning in work. Additionally, she brings up the study of Douglas Lepisto and Camille Pradies in their book “Purpose and Meaning in the workplace,” that employees can find the meaning of work through their prides, responsibilities to family, duties to fulfill, and even the relationship among the colleagues. Weir says that those who believe in what they are doing is good to humankind, are the most content people. And she gives example of the work of the zookeepers who, even though, earns not so much, they still love their job. The author explains that because the bond between the job and the zookeepers, which encourages them to do their best. Next, she mentions about “job crafting,” which is the term used by Jane E. Dutton, PhD, a professor at the University of Michigan indicating the way to create meaning through work. The author, then, lists out several ways to create meaning which are prioritizing to the tasks that ones are interested in, concentrating on positive relationships, and actively thinking about one’s work from different angles. At the end, Weir warns that the enterprises might use job crafting to exploit their employees. She concludes that the enterprises and companies should help their workers to find meaning in works which is good for both sides.