Work and Leisure (JC2 GP Lecture)-Rev

7/27/2019 Work and Leisure (JC2 GP Lecture)-Rev

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Work and Leisure

JC 2 General Paper Lecture


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Contents

Evolution of work and the work ethic

Classical views on work corresponding tosocietal changes

The when, where and how of work

Leisure and its impact on work

Case studies

Death by work: Case studies in Japan and China Live to work: Case studies in Singapore and

Sweden


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1. Evolution of workand the work ethic

Adapted from

Historical Context of the Work

Ethic

Roger B. Hill, 1996


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The key socio-economic periods

at a glance

Classical period

The Industrial Revolution

Medieval period

Industrial ManagementPeople Management and

the Age of Information

The rise of Capitalism

The Age of

Empowerment?


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Classical period

Plato and Aristotle

made it clear that the purpose for which the

majority of men worked was "in order that the

minority, the elite, might engage in pure exercisesof the mind--art, philosophy, and politics"


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Classical period

Is work the means to leisure?

Plato: work was meant to allow superior people

to enjoy the good life.

Aristotle: freedom from the necessity to labour for

a living


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Medieval period

Work

Still perceived as punishment

However, the positive connotation of earnings

prevented one from being reliant on the charity ofothers.

Wealth Recognized as an opportunity to assist those who

might be less fortunate

Work which produced wealth became acceptable.


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Centralization of government, the growth of trade, and theestablishment of economically powerful towns, during the 15th century,provided alternative choices for subsistence, and the feudal systemdied out.

This structure satisfied the economic interests of small-timebusinessmen and became institutionalized.

Hard work brought respect and contributed to social order and well-being of the community.

The dignity society attached to work brought respect for workers aswell, and contempt for those who were idle or lazy, compared to pastperiods.


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Rational theorists:

Work to earn a living;

subsistence

Karl Marx:

Work to establish meaning

in life


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What is the role of the division of labour?

Emile Durkheim:

Organic solidarity Organization of labour market: labour is optimally

distributed according to merit and expertise

Assumption made: the meritocratic function will ensure

a smooth-functioning society, since people are not

discriminated from work due to non-work related

reasons

Such workers are naturally happier in such a society.


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Is it ones duty to work?

Protestant Ethic: labour as religious duty

Leading a good life in life, and after life


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Industrial Revolution

Economists warned of the poverty and decay that would befall thecountry if people failed to work hard, and moralists stressed the socialduty of each person to be productive.

Manual labour was replaced by machines and intensive division of labor

came with the industrial age.

Individual control over the quantity and methods of personal productionbegan to be mechanized.

In the factories, skill and craftsmanship were replaced by discipline and

anonymity.

Tradecraft gradually disappeared as it was replaced by new inventionsand specialization of labour.


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Industrial Revolution

Henry Ford: work based on mass production

Manufacture of standardized products in huge

volumes using machinery and unskilled labour

Assembly line: routine, discipline and volume

Deskilling the worker

Scripted performances


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Industrial Management

Scientific managementwas conceived, predicated on specializationand division of jobs into simple tasks, often along a factorysconveyor belt.

Scientific management was claimed to increase worker production

and pay.

It was therefore presumed to be beneficial to workers, as well as thecompany, since monetary gain was viewed as the primarymotivating factor for both.

In actual practice, such a style was found to be demeaning tohuman nature and did not raise workers proficiencies, as they wereisolated from the entire production process.


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People Management and the Age of

Information

The Behaviorist school of thought provides alternative theories toguide the management of workers, where scientific managementfailed.

Contrary to the principles of scientific management, thebehaviorists argue that workers are not intrinsically lazy.

For them, if the environment fails to provide a challenge, workerswould became lazy, but if appropriate opportunities are provided,

workers would become creative and motivated.


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Information

Industrial age jobs are seen as typically low-discretion, requirelittle decision-making, and analyzed and broken into simple taskswhich require very little thinking or judgment on the part ofworkers.

Information age jobs, in contrast, are high-discretion and requireconsiderable thinking and decision-making on the part ofworkers.

Jobs in the manufacturing industry also become more technical

and necessitate a higher level of thinking on the job, as machinesare interfaced with computers and control systems become morecomplex.


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Information: really?

Frederick Taylor:

Work to maximize incomes

Ezra Vogel:

Work to perpetuate valued identities;

reproduction of social order


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People Management and the Age

of Information: really?

George Ritzer: work is Mcdonaldized

Efficient (best practices)

Calculable (quantity)

Predictable (standards)

Controllable (processes)

Irrationality of rationality Unreasonable system in which people cannot always

behave as human beings


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The Age of Empowerment?

Young people, in particular, enter the workforce withrelatively good qualifications, and expect opportunitiesfor advancement in their jobs.

They anticipate that talent and hard work would be the

basis for success rather than chance or luck.

In essence, information age workers expect applicationof a positive work ethic to result in rewards, includingthe ability to positively effect their jobs.

Think! Would you consider your future job or career

based on the level of satisfaction or the nature ofthe job?


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Is leisure the antithesis to work?

Leisure: the art of play as social lubricant Relaxation (from the daily stresses of life)

Catharsis (to expel anger in socially acceptable ways)

Compensation (to express oneself amidst thedehumanizing aspects of work)


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Take a break!


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The when of work


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The when of work

Permutations

Full time work

Part time work

Flexible work Leave arrangements (maternal, paternal, parental)

Time (e.g., concept of five-day work week)

Scope (division of labour)

Leisure Must time be allocated specifically for leisure, out of work?


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Where to work?


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Where to work?

Location-based

Off-location

Working from home

Small office, Home office (SOHO)

Working from elsewhere

Outsourcing and subcontracts

E.g. Client in Singapore, Product made in England,Call Center in India


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How to work?


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How to work?

Maximize potential at workplace

Contributing to organizations success

Propagating desirable values in society

Enjoying process of goal attainment

Establishing ownership of work

Aligning oneself to personal ideals and aspirations

Minimize potential at workplace

Quota restriction Good work, relatively good pay

No need to exceed productivity to maximize returns Goldbricking

Bad work, relatively bad pay

Minimal effort to attain time-out within undesirable work


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Leisure

Some def in i t ions

Freedom from occupation or

business

Activity that brings relaxation andpeace of mind

The time a person is not working

or doing other duties


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Types of leisure activities

All non-active actions

include sleep and rest

Times when personal services are

performed

washing, eating etc.

Relaxation in organised recreation

Sport, visiting the cinema etc. in

specific locations

Social activities Visiting friends, relatives etc. in non-

specific locations


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Main functions of leisureLeisure fulfils important roles in our individual and

interpersonal lives.

It provides entertainment and a relief from

boredom.

It is our natural desire for some time to play andfacilitates social interaction.

It is crucial for our mental and physical well-being

as it relieves work-related stress and pressure and

revitalises us. It is a status symbol as it fosters self-expression

through the kind of leisure activities we engage in.


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Main functions of leisure

It improves productivity because when workers arein a relaxed mode, they can work more efficiently.

It stimulates consumption in the economy as people

participate in leisure activities.

It enables one to maximise his potential at work or at

play and leads to his holistic development.

It enables one to broaden his outlook through

appreciation of the arts and keep abreast ofscientific and technological developments.


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What is constructive leisure?

Time is used for the benefit of ones emotional well-being.

Leisure can be a tool to fight stress and tension in modern

living and the choice of activity is up to the individual.

e.g. keeping pets provides emotional solace for some whilefor others, gardening or do-it-yourself activities provide

them with relaxation.

Time that is used to take stock of our lives can manifest

itself in many forms.

e.g. for those with creative talent, it can take the form of a

tangible piece of artwork while for others it is playing a

game or listening to music.


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The role of leisure in work

Spillover effect Work experiences spill over into leisure and affect non-work

attitudes

Compensation for work through leisure Work experiences are compensated by choice of leisure activities

Segmentation Choices of work and leisure are segmented and lived out

independently


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The treatment of leisure in society

Consumption of leisure

Adversarial: Does an increase in leisure

necessarily leads to a decrease in work?

Mutually beneficial: Can work and leisure be

complementary?


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Factors which affect leisure

interests

Changing trends

Improvements in facilities

Economic affluence Higher educational attainment

Changes in technology

External/foreign influences Presence of a youthful population

Stress on medical and health benefits


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Work and leisure

The nature of ones occupation does have a bearingon the use of ones leisure hours. If the working hours are long and the work is physically an

mentally onerous, there is little time for leisure. If the hours

of work are moderate, there might be more opportunitiesfor leisure.

Weary urban workers may find solace and mentalrelaxation in parks or nature reserves while

sedentary workers may fulfil their need for physicalexercises through organised games such as soccer,or through unorganised games like swimming orjogging.


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Take a break!

http://www.visionunlimited.co.uk/InspireHumo

ur/ENTRIES/048.HTM (Scott Adams, creator

of Dilbert)
http://www.visionunlimited.co.uk/InspireHumour/ENTRIES/048.HTMhttp://www.visionunlimited.co.uk/InspireHumour/ENTRIES/048.HTMhttp://www.visionunlimited.co.uk/InspireHumour/ENTRIES/048.HTMhttp://www.visionunlimited.co.uk/InspireHumour/ENTRIES/048.HTM


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Death by work

Case Studies in Japan and China


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Case study : Karosh iin Japan


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Case study : Karosh i


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Foxconn suicides in China


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Swearing by work

Case studies in Singapore andSweden

T k 1 F i k


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Task 1: Framing an argument on work

and leisure: Are people in todays

society enjoying work-life balance? Whats old - Number of hours?

Conditions at the workplace?

Societal expectations?

Generational divide?

Whats (relatively) new -

Renegotiating the model of

work

Rejecting regimentedhardships

Take up one issue on the

left-hand column and

construct a topic sentence

with regard to the above

question.


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Work-Life Balance


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Work-Life Balance


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Tripartism- a viable model for

work-life balance?

Click these links and take note of

some initiatives that address work-life balance

http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/2672_GuidelinesonBestWLPractices.pdf

http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/3079_20040823_NTAP_Guidelines_Final.pdf
http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/2672_GuidelinesonBestWLPractices.pdfhttp://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/2672_GuidelinesonBestWLPractices.pdfhttp://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/3079_20040823_NTAP_Guidelines_Final.pdfhttp://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/3079_20040823_NTAP_Guidelines_Final.pdfhttp://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/3079_20040823_NTAP_Guidelines_Final.pdfhttp://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/3079_20040823_NTAP_Guidelines_Final.pdfhttp://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/3079_20040823_NTAP_Guidelines_Final.pdfhttp://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/2672_GuidelinesonBestWLPractices.pdfhttp://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/2672_GuidelinesonBestWLPractices.pdfhttp://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/employment-practices/Guidelines/2672_GuidelinesonBestWLPractices.pdf


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Work-Life BalanceImplement ing w ork- l i fe balance

Involv ing midd le managers in the process is the key to su ccess, says Hawazi Daipi

By Cassandra Chew

Middle managers are key to the success of work-life balance strategies in theworkplace but are often left out of the process when it comes to implementingsuch measures.

The involvement of line-managers and supervisors, in addition to that of bosses,makes a critical difference to the effectiveness of work-life strategies, SeniorParliamentary Secretary (Health and Manpower) Hawazi Daipi said on

Thursday.'An effectively implemented work-life strategy helps employees better meet theirwork demands and personal needs, which will, in turn, benefit the employer,' headded.

'From the employee's perspective, better work-life harmony means less tensionbetween work and personal lives, and a better quality of life overall, resulting inimproved ability to perform at their best at work.'

Credit Suisse buys into this philosophy. Recognising that not all middlemanagers were comfortable facilitating such changes at work, it helps themease into the role in ways such as mentoring, and interaction with workers atnetworking events.

'Baby boomers may not necessarily know how to manage younger workers oftoday. But if we expose them to different ways of leadership, they will be muchmore open,' said Ms Niki Kesoglou, a regional director at the international bank.


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Task 2: Gathering information to substantiate your

argument: Are people in todays society enjoying

work-life balance?

From your research and Hawazis comments, what are someinitiatives that address or improve work-life balance inSingapore?

What is your view on these initiatives? Do they genuinely improve work-life balance in your society?

(slides 44-47 and your contextual knowledge)

OR

Are these initiatives mere lip service? (slides 39-41 and yourcontextual knowledge)

Such case studies (and subsequent evaluation) will be useful toexemplify your assertions.


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Lagom!

English equivalent: just right

Should work be tied to maximum output,

maximum happiness orLagom?


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A review of Swedens policies on

work-life balance

Review this document

at

http://agingandwork.b

c.edu/documents/GPB10_Sweden.pdf

Comparing Singapore

and Sweden

1. Similarities?2. Differences?

Task 3: Assessing perspectives in
http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/GPB10_Sweden.pdfhttp://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/GPB10_Sweden.pdfhttp://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/GPB10_Sweden.pdfhttp://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/GPB10_Sweden.pdfhttp://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/GPB10_Sweden.pdfhttp://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/GPB10_Sweden.pdf


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Task 3: Assessing perspectives in

argumentation: Are people in todays

society enjoying work-life balance?

Assess the topic sentence you have crafted andelaboration done in task 1 (slide 43) and task 2 (slide48) respectively.

It is important to note that examples by themselves do not makeyour argument compelling, but your assessment of theseexamples does.

One way to inject personal voice in your argumentation is

through perspective-taking and assessment.

Now, having assessed both Singapores and Swedens cases,what is your analysis?


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Task 3: Using examples intelligently:

techniques to present your personal voice

after evidencingCorroborationDo both case studies corroborate your argumentation?

Use the second example to reinforce the first example, to supportyour argumentation in todays society.

ComparisonDoes one case study appear to be more compelling than the other? Argue which one is more valid, and explain why that particularcase is more representative in todays society.

Disproving

Are both case studies flawed? (e.g. ideal in theory, flawed in practice) Argue why evidence presented in one and/or both case studiesis/are flawed, and propose counter-evidence to support yourargumentation, with regard to todays society.


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Task 4: The finished product

Put together tasks 1, 2 and 3!

You should have a complete essay paragraph on: A topic sentence and some elaboration of the issue you

have chosen with regard to work-life balance

An example of an initiative from MOM, which attempts toaddress work-life balance

An evaluation of an initiative based on the Swedish casestudy, for which you would have a) Corroborated, 2)Compared or 3) Disproved with counter-evidence

to demonstrate your personal voice

This is one way you may make use of examples toinject your personal voice within your essay.

Task 5: Past year questions for your consideration and


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practice

1. Discuss the view that children always suffer when both parentswork. (Nov 1998)

2. A life of total luxury - dream or nightmare? (Nov 2000)

3. I am a millionaire. That is my religion. To what extent has thepursuit of wealth become the modern goal? (Nov 2000)

4. The most worthwhile jobs are those with the least financial gains.Do you agree? (Nov 2001)

5. The family has suffered at the expense of career in Singaporeansociety. Is this a fair comment? (Nov 2003)

6. Instead of speeding up the pace of life, we should be slowing itdown. What do you think? (Nov 2005)

7. Mass production inevitably means a loss of craftsmanship andquality. Is this true in your society? (Nov 2007)


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Acknowledgements

R. Hill (1996). Historical Context of the Work Ethic.

Anthony Giddens (1993). Sociology. Pp 490-523.

M. Haralambos. Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. Pp 228-277.

Worlds executive Digest (1983). The Changing Concepts of Work and Leisure. Pp 6-23.

Cultural, Social and Leisure Activities in Singapore. Census monograph no.3 (1990).

100 Essays from TIME. Pp 384-400.

The Straits Times. Retrieved from

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_571388.html.
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_571388.htmlhttp://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_571388.html

Work and Leisure (JC2 GP Lecture)-Rev

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