What is Your Work Orientation?

                                                             

In today’s fast-moving global economy, the concept of a one-size-fits-all linear career path is a thing of the past. Employees have unique needs in the context of their work. Some view it as a means to an end, some as a stepping stone for career advancement, while others may consider it a calling. These three types of orientations toward work are described in more detail below (Wrzesniewski et al., 1997):

1. Job orientation: Individuals with a job orientation are only interested in the material benefits from work and do not seek or receive any other type of reward from it. Their main source of joy is outside work, and work is a means of providing resources to enjoy their time outside of work. They often wish time would pass more quickly at work and greatly anticipate weekends and vacations.

2. Career orientation: Individuals with a career orientation have a deeper personal investment in their work. They strive to move upward in their career, receive better pay or higher titles, and achieve more power and the better social standing that comes with this advancement. They sometimes feel their work may be a waste of time but know they must do well enough in their current role to grow.

3. Calling orientation: Individuals with a calling orientation do not work solely for monetary gain or career advancement (though these are not excluded) but for the fulfillment that their work brings them. They describe their work as an integral part of themselves and their identity. They are intrinsically motivated by their work.

These orientations are not mutually exclusive, and one can have a calling orientation and still desire good pay and a title. Research shows that people with a calling orientation report a higher level of job satisfaction (Wrzesniewski et al., 1997). While all this is great in theory and appeals to common sense, you are best served when you align your meaning of work with your true orientation. Knowing about these work orientations also helps you understand why your colleagues may have a different way of looking at work, especially if you are in a supervisory role. Finally, if you are trying to find a new job in your field, transition to a new role at the same job, or change your vocation, having a good grip on your work orientation will help you choose something that is most satisfying to you.

There is no hard-and-fast algorithm for who leans toward which type of work orientation. Just because a calling orientation has a feel-good quality doesn’t mean one must always strive for it. In fact, research shows that people who are passionate about their job, a quintessential attribute of the calling orientation, are more likely to be exploited at work (Kim et al., 2020). Of course, this is not to say that you become less passionate about what you do. However, if you are one of those people who always volunteers to do the extra work that no one else is willing to do because it is your “calling,” beware that you may be signing up for more burnout!

To learn more about evidence-based self-management techniques that promote mental health and well-being, check out Dr. Duggal's Author Page.

HARPREET S. DUGGAL, MD, FAPA

REFERENCES

Kim, J. Y., Campbell, T. H., Shepherd, S., & Kay, A. C. (2020). Understanding contemporary forms of exploitation: Attributions of passion serve to legitimize the poor treatment of workers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 118(1), 121-148.

Wrzesniewski, A., McCauley, C., Rozin, P., & Schwartz, B. (1997). Jobs, careers, and callings: people’s relations to their work. Journal of Research in Personality, 31(1), 21-33.