Abstract

SILVA, Narbal  and  TOLFO, Suzana da Rosa. Meaningful work and human happiness: exploring approaches. Rev. Psicol., Organ. Trab. [online]. 2012, vol.12, n.3, pp.341-354. ISSN 1984-6657.

Work studies are complex and derive from various areas of scholarship. In psychology, attention to the meanings that workers attach to work grew, in a distinct way, with the studies by the MOW Group. This international group found that the meaning of work is associated with the centrality of labor, social standards regarding labor, and the values placed on the results of labor. Regarding these factors, research participants presented concepts grouped as positive, neutral (or instrumental), or negative. Further studies also found that the meaning of work can be represented in the form of a continuum, ranging from the positive to the negative pole, and that in contemporary society positive conceptions prevail. Thus it is appropriate to question, in this theoretical article, how current approaches that address the psychology of happiness at work may be related to positive perceptions of work. The actions or indicators found in organizations focused on happiness, well-being, and quality of working life, which involve the construction of supportive relationships and take into account healthy principles of human coexistence, are fundamental questions that guide the discussion in this work.

Keywords : Meaning of Work; Happiness; Psychology.

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