Christopher Michaelson, ethics and business law professor at the University of St. Thomas, recently spoke with WCCO-TV about his new book, Is Your Work Worth It? and the complex relationship between work, purpose and fulfillment.
From the story:
Michaelson: We probably all ask that question at some point, and I think one thing about the book is that every chapter title is a question. But the answers might be different for any of us.
Host: Did you notice this trend really started to pick up during the pandemic, or did you notice this before the pandemic where people were starting to question, ‘Why am I working? Is my work actually worth it?’
Michaelson: My co-author, Jennifer Tosti-Kharas, and I have been doing academic research together for years, and our research actually began in studying the victims of 9/11 and how their family members remembered the role of work in their lives. So, this research has contributed to our book, as well as the research of many others. But we actually started writing the book in the pandemic, and so that put a whole new lens on this way that we all ask this question. And, you know, people leaving their jobs during the pandemic, some people being coerced to leave their jobs, and of course still others discovering what essential work really means. So, I think that we have a new opportunity as a society and as individuals to really be thoughtful about what we work for.
