Scott Schieman is a professor in the department of sociology at the University of Toronto.
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
Aristotle was on to something. These days, however, “knowing yourself” might be easier said than done. Acquiring self-knowledge is challenging, especially when many institutional anchors feel unmoored.
When it comes to the regular and organized sources of self-understanding, even after all the changes through the pandemic, nothing is better than work.
Think about this question: “How much does your job help you to understand the sort of person you really are?”
If you derive self-understanding from work, then you’re like most Canadians: 22.1 per cent said their job helps them understand themselves ‘a lot’ and another 36 per cent said ‘somewhat.’ Only 15.2 per cent said that in no way did their job provide any insight into the self. That is according to the Canadian Quality of Work and Economic Life Study, a survey I conducted with the Angus Reid Group in March, 2023.
My research focuses on differences between Canada and the United States, so I simultaneously fielded the same survey to 2,300 American workers. I was shocked by how closely the figures align: 20.5 per cent of Americans said their job helps them understand themselves ‘a lot’ and another 36.9 per cent said ‘somewhat,’ while 17.1 per cent said ‘not at all.’
I also wanted to check for residual effects of the pandemic, so I partnered with the research firm YouGov to conduct a national survey of 5,000 American workers in November, 2023. I call this study Measuring Employment Sentiments and Social Inequality (MESSI).
The MESSI reinforces the patterns: 20.8 per cent said their job helps them understand themselves ‘a lot’ and another 34.6 per cent said ‘somewhat,’ while 19.2 per cent said ‘not at all.’
As a set, these three surveys – totalling 9,600 Canadian and American workers – uniformly show that most people acknowledge deriving some self-understanding from their job.
Fifty years ago work provided a similar window into the self. The Quality of Employment Survey in 1973 found patterns that match those in my 2023 surveys: 29.4 per cent said ‘a lot,’ and another 28.9 per cent said ‘somewhat,’ while 20.5 per cent said ‘not at all.’
A lot of dirt – and unfavourable buzzwords (for example, quiet quitting) – have been flung at work in recent years. Despite that, a consistent majority of workers continue to gain self-understanding from work. That’s something we should celebrate and promote. Why? Listen to this sampling of what people divulged when I asked what work does for self-understanding.
“In firefighting you can be involved in high-stress critical situations where quitting isn’t an option,” said a 34-year-old firefighter. “So, you’re pushed and have to cope, and you realize at times you can accomplish more than you thought.”
“My job gives me fulfilment for the successes of my students,” said a 57-year-old special needs teacher. “Some thrive in society; they grow and improve. We do a lot of early intervention programs and its rewarding to see the fruits of our effort that money cannot buy.”
A 55-year-old cashier said: “My job shows me exactly how I am when I interact with other people – whether they are having a good day or otherwise. By talking to people, I get to learn things about other countries, crafts, gardening … whatever the subject may be.”
“After reflection, knowing the tasks that I enjoy versus those I don’t enjoy helps me understand myself better,” said a 45-year-old government inspector. “An example: I don’t like tasks that require group input. It turns out, I don’t like receiving the opinion of others.”
“The annual evaluation is a bit of a mirror and helps me understand how I am and act,” said a 47-year-old software developer. “By comparing myself with my colleagues on a daily basis, it helps me to understand who I am.”
A 26-year-old municipal legislator adviser said: “While I do many different tasks, I’m able to realize what I like and where my passion lies. It also puts me in challenging situations which I learn from.”
“It’s a career that regularly exposes your character, skills and abilities,” said a 44-year-old police officer.
Work’s boost to self-understanding has endured for at least a half-century. Fifty years from now, when future sociologists repeat the same question, I believe roughly six in 10 will continue to report that work helps them understand the person they are ‘somewhat’ or ‘a lot.’ And that self-understanding will still be a positive thing.
As much as things change, they pretty much stay the same – at least when it comes to what work can do for you.
This column is part of Globe Careers’ Leadership Lab series, where executives and experts share their views and advice about the world of work. Find all Leadership Lab stories at tgam.ca/leadershiplab and guidelines for how to contribute to the column here.