“The Unbearable Subordination of Employees: A Sociologist’s View on the Challenges of Finding Meaning and Well-Being at Work”

Employees have aspirations for their work, a social issue, in terms of meaning. But they suffer from the constraints of subordination to the boss, suffer from managerial influence and the fragmentation of teams, a modern characteristic. Speeches on benevolence and happiness, artificial injunctions, create disappointment. This is the thesis of the sociologist Danièle Linhart, director of research emeritus at the CNRS, author of the Unbearable subordination of employees (Érès).

Can you be happy at work?

Happiness refers to private life. It is better to speak of well-being, of serenity. But yes, working brings satisfaction, because of the social utility, the mobilization of skills, the effort. However, being fulfilled at work is rare today. The employer establishes his domination, his grip, so that the employees are as profitable as possible.

Realizing one’s intimate personality in the context of a highly prescriptive job, which comes under the “Taylorian” logic of performance, is difficult. There are questionings, burn-outs, depressions. And value conflicts: we see it with caregivers in nursing homes, who lack the time to do well. You can’t be the professional you want to be.