Examining Meaningful Work and its Relationship with Leisure Amongst Professional Knowledge Workers in a Public Sector and Not-for-Profit Sector Organization

Abstract

Modernist perspectives on work and leisure rooted within the post-war period have reflected a differentiated relationship between work and leisure (Parker, 1971; 1983; Wilensky, 1960). The impacts of globalization, de-regulation of the labour market and the rise of flexible accumulation of capital have altered traditional modernist notions of work and leisure (Rojek, 1995; 2001; 2005b; Schor, 1992). Recent literature demonstrates the manner in which leisure is re-appraised in the postmodern context (Blackshaw, 2010; Rojek, 1995; 2001; 2010b), providing new ways of understanding how leisure can engage with work (Bowers, 2011; Guerrier & Adib, 2009; Ravenscroft & Gilchrist, 2009). This dissertation examines meaningful work and its relationship to leisure amongst professional and knowledge workers in a not-for-profit and public sector organization. Three areas of investigation were pursued using qualitative approaches, consisting of in-depth semi-structured interviews. Article one comparatively examined experiences of meaningful work amongst workers from both organizations, and the extent to which experiences aligned to what is understood as a ‘liquid work’ organization (Clegg & Baumeler, 2010; Poder, 2007). Through an analysis of the factors that promote and hinder satisfaction, workplace satisfaction was primarily found within the not-for-profit sector organization, which more closely reflected a ‘liquid work’ organization. Article two examines leisure’s engagement with satisfying and productive forms of work through what is understood as a form of ‘civil labour’ (Rojek, 2001). Through an analysis of workers’ feelings towards work, different levels of engagement offer the potential for leisure to engage in productive and satisfying work. This was primarily evident amongst not-for-profit workers, whose engagement in work provided opportunities for developing social and cultural capital. Finally, article three examines the extent to which a de-differentiation of work and leisure (Rojek, 1993; 1995) is taking place amongst workers in the two settings. In comparatively examining workers’ perceptions of work and leisure, it is evident that a differentiation still exists. The discussion focuses on the relevance of workers’ experiences of work in producing different ways of understanding leisure in relation to work. The concluding chapter presents an integration of three articles, limitations, alternative methods and proposals for future research.