Work in Contemporary Society: Theories, Impact, and Class Structures

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the concept of work, its historical evolution, and its significance in contemporary society. It begins by defining work and tracing its historical development through pre-industrialization, industrialization, and post-industrialization periods, highlighting the impact of technological advancements and globalization on working practices. The essay then delves into sociological theories, including structural functionalism and conflict theory, to explain the dynamics of work and its relationship to societal structures. Furthermore, it explores the impact of work and lack thereof on individual well-being, examining how work fulfills various needs, such as physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. The essay also analyzes the relationship between work and social classes in British society, discussing how work defines class structures and the emergence of contemporary work practices. Finally, it concludes by emphasizing the crucial role of work in modern society, acknowledging the challenges and opportunities that arise from evolving work environments, including the impact of digitalization, remote work, and the need for interpersonal and communication skills in the workforce.

The World of Work
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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Main body........................................................................................................................................3
Definition of work..................................................................................................................3
Historical development of work.............................................................................................3
Explain reasons for changes in working practices.................................................................4
Sociological theories in relation to work................................................................................4
Impact of work and lack on individual’s well being..............................................................5
Work and classes in British society........................................................................................6
Work in contemporary society...............................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................8
Books and journals.................................................................................................................8
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Introduction
Work is an essential part of everyone life as it plays major role in our lives. Work is
changing our lives in mots effective manner as it is undergoing dramatic changes which helps an
individual in developing himself and his way of working (Brown, and Whittle, 2020). As
working can be in context with students or the employees working in an organisation. In this
given essay aim so to discuss about the work and its impact on well being of people. further there
is a historical development of work and the key factors which could be current changes to
working practise leading to contemporary working practises. Then it consists of impact of work
and lack of working on individual wellbeing. Then there is a work and classes in brush society
and work in contemporary society.
Main body
Definition of work
Work is considered as activity such as job, that an individual person uses physical and
mental efforts to do, generally for money (Wisha nizam, 2020). The author has recognised work
as in some of the categories like work in the form of rewarded and recognition and in the form of
payments and money. Then another is reproductive labour that consist of effectors that are
involved in raising of the children. Another is charity work which can be unpaid and done by
some of the people to help somebody (Game, Pringle, and Grace, 2020). As there are some of the
examples of work in contemporary society- that when individual in an organisation is getting
rewards for his better performance that can be in monetary work. Another example is that when
people is doing charity or when one is cooking or paying the bills of the members and shopping
etc.
Historical development of work
Work is considered as both internal and external. Internal work can be describing as health,
mentally and fulfilment of success. Then external work is determined by earning, social values
and recognition. At the time when work was not paid then there were three different stages.
These are pre industrialisation, industrialisation and post industrialisation (Sweet, and Meiksins,
2020). As in the stage of pre industrialisation, people were more focusing on land at that time
and this was based on the low skilled people, or labour. Then at the stage of industrialisation,
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there is a use of various machines and transportation facilities are there. Then in post
industrialisations there is an immigration that is related with modernisation and globalisation. As
when work was unpaid then the people are working for surviving. As in today’s generation in
urbanisation, people are working for fulfilling their wants and not for the needs (Thompson,
2020). As they have to fulfil their desires. In context of the Marxism theory, this is also known as
conflict theory, as in this people are working with limited resources. And there are many of the
changes that are being seen in the engineering development and in the machines and
transportations. In this industrialisation, they are dealing with machines and not with the land.
Now families are having new perspectives, as all the employed and there is a low income in the
family so for that women are also start working in the families so that they could earn more.
There can be positive impact which is seen in industrialisation and urbanisation as everyone is
having work and all the earning in a family. Everyone is educated and they are serving to the
economy.
Explain reasons for changes in working practices
Now a day’s work practise is being changing because of globalisation and digitalisations
so there is use of information and communication now a days which results in bringing of the
various technologies. Workforce are working both male and female and results in increasing the
productivity of the company as well (Pons, 2020). Now there is a use of digital technologies like
internet, mobile phones and computers which enhance the productivity of the company and
global economy both. The demand of the skilled labour is highly because they are one who are
innovating something new in the company a making changes in the society. there can be man of
the other reasons which are seen in the global economy. Capitalism and urbanisation are most
impotent which have changed the lives of people and helps them in their physical mental health.
Sociological theories in relation to work
Sociology there is the theory which explain the phenomenon that is related with the
sociological point of view. There are some of the theories that are being related to work. These
are Structural functional theory: In this given sociological theory, it sees society as an organism
that are considered as interrelated parts and they are working together in order to maintain social
order (Imran, and Atiya, 2020). It states that how these theories could meet biological and social
needs of the individuals. It is said that change in on of the institution will results in changing in
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another. These parts of the system are adopting social equilibrium and continue to exist in the
society. This theory is given by Emile Durkheim. Then another theory which is considered in
this essay is Conflict theory: as this they are given by Marx perspective and in this, he is saying
that society is continuing to the competition of people over some of the limited resources. It is
highlighting the activities of economy like wealthy production and distribution and power etc.
one of its institution said that social institution can helps in reducing inequalities in terms of
power or resources. From this conflict theory, there is a birth of feminist theory, as in this it is
first concentrated with the rights of women and political rights that are included in the gender
inequality in the form of sex, gender and race and some of the other social movements like post
structuralisms and globalisation etc. These theories are looking at work in society as women are
to allowed to be work in the company’s ad they are sometimes not paid equally as compared to
men. So, these theories are being used by company in order to provide their rights of working in
a company’s and moving forwards and creating opportunities for them.
Impact of work and lack on individual’s well being
There can be both positive and negative impacts of work on the individual well being and
on their socially, physically and psychologically behaviour. As starting from the physiological
needs- these are water, shelter. As if individual is working then he could be able to make money
so then they could afford their basic necessities. On the next needs that is safety needs as this is
that needs in that person needs security and safety and this will help in being safety in their
company. then another needs which is to be fulfilled with the work is love and belonging as a
this is considered as social needs. As person ends being in friendships and family and sense of
connection with them so this will help them when they work in terms of money (Khan, 2020).
Another is esteem needs as this is status and recognition- as if employees are working effectively
in the organisational then are also motivating and get recognitions and freedom and appreciation
in their company and in their society. Then another is self-actualisation- as this is stage in which
person is willing to achieve what he wants so he so all efforts to achieve all their desires.
On the other hand, lack of work also creates most negative impacts on people health,
physically etc. so it is discussed that all the stages of Maslow heirachary could not achieved f a
people are not able to work. As in context with first stage- if a person is not work, then for the
first time he could even get food and shelter but people cannot be able to achieve all the needs
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which are mentioned in this life. As next needs that is safety needs can be achieved by person. If
a person so not working or he is unemployed then they could even impact on love ad belonging
need because friends and family will not give respect to those people who is unemployed or
doing no work. So, the next need is esteem- in this company is mainly people cannot able to get
respect in the society and even by that person physical health will get suffers (Küpers, 2020).
They sometimes getting many of the disorders.
Work and classes in British society
Functionalism is the theory which is given by Emile Durkheim as in this all the parts of
social are interrelated. As work defines class of every person. Asa if person is working more or
he is working for the longer duration. Then it might be seen that socio economic class which is
seen by working of the person in effective manner (Owusu-Addo, Renzaho, and Smith, 2020).
As in case of upper class, it refers to powerful and wealthiest people who are living in a society.
And in the lower class they are the one who are working for surviving in a society. as now a
day’s people are defining class according to the interests and culture (Milner, Myers, and
O'Byrne, 2020). So, this brings results in knowing about the class of people as this can be upper,
middle or lower. In the case of construction work, the people who are working are of lower less
because they are working for serving in a society and they belong to lower class employees who
are working in a company so they are resulting in upper class or middle class because they are
someone who are paying some are getting salary.
Work in contemporary society
Now a day’s works is changing time to time. This can be through globalisations,
technologies and migration as brings more requirement of the people in the company (O’Leary,
and Cantillon, 2020). Due to this covid people are working work from home and they are
working online with communicate with their supervisors. Now a day’s people are working full
time and part time both. They are self-employed, zero hour contract ad apprenticeships persons
who are working in the company organisations. There is a use of various interpersonal
communications and ICT and presentation skills and communication skills which are to be
needed by employees in order to make effective contacts with other employees working in an
organisation.
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Conclusion
From the above it is concluded that work I most important for every person in their life and
their company. By working in an effective manner, person could be able to achieve his gaols and
objectives. Now a day’s works can be of different types which are discussed above in the report.
Then another is working now an adays from work from home or online in different shifts results
in affecting their health but by this communication between team members are less. There can be
various theories are available which helps in working so this could be kept in mind while
working.
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References
Books and journals
Brown, G. and Whittle, R., 2020. Profit and Power in the Bitworker World. In Algorithms,
Blockchain & Cryptocurrency: Implications for the Future of the Workplace. Emerald
Publishing Limited.
Game, A., Pringle, R. and Grace, H., 2020. Gender at work. Routledge.
Imran, R. and Atiya, T.M.S., 2020. The role of high-performance work system and human
capital in enhancing job performance. World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management
and Sustainable Development.
Khan, N., 2020. Employment of women and causes of fewer shares in different countries of the
world. Available at SSRN 3546582.
Küpers, W., 2020. Embodied Inter-Practices in Resonance as New Forms of Working in
Organisations. Experiencing the New World of Work; Aroles, J., Dale, K., de Vaujany,
F., Eds.
Milner, J., Myers, J.S. and O'Byrne, P., 2020. Assessment in social work. Red Globe Press.
O’Leary, N. and Cantillon, P., 2020. Why shouldn’t we do that on placement if we’re doing it in
the real world? Differences between undergraduate and graduate identities in speech
and language therapy. Advances in Health Sciences Education, pp.1-17.
Owusu-Addo, E., Renzaho, A.M. and Smith, B.J., 2020. Developing a middle-range theory to
explain how cash transfers work to tackle the social determinants of health: A realist
case study. World Development, 130, p.104920.
Pons, O., 2020. Probability and Stochastic Processes: Work Examples. World Scientific.
Sweet, S. and Meiksins, P., 2020. Changing contours of work: Jobs and opportunities in the new
economy. Sage Publications.
Thompson, N., 2020. Understanding social work: Preparing for practice. Red Globe Press.
Online
Wisha nizam, The meaning of work in contemporary society, 2020. [online] Available through
<https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/meaning-work-contemporary-society-wisha-nizam>
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