A little discussion about why labor is valued differently

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Practically everyone at least once thought about why some, working 12 hours a day, earn a penny, while others receive an incomparably higher salary at easier work. To understand why labor is valued differently, and therefore paid differently, you first need to understand what labor is.

Basic of the basics

There are two kinds of work. The first one is called physical. By the way, many unknowingly confuse it with labor in general. This is fundamentally wrong, because in the first place, it is not physical strength that is important for work, but the ability to apply it correctly. But the latter refers to mental work, and more on that later.

To understand how the work of a person engaged in physical work is evaluated, you need to remember about energy costs. By contracting, the muscles expend a certain amount of energy, which requires food and rest to replenish. Depending on the load and the level of energy consumption, physical labor is divided into three groups.

Easy - this definition fits sedentary or maximally light work, not associated with frequent stress and heavy lifting

Average physical labor is work performed while standing, or associated with constant movement and transfer of light (up to 10 kg) objects

Hard physical labor is characterized by constant tension, as well as lifting and carrying weights

For each of the above varieties, there are rules and regulations designed to reduce the wear and tear of the body from a constant load. So, for example, during hard physical work, regular breaks and full he althy sleep are necessary. Otherwise, heavy activity will lead to exhaustion of the body. This is also one of the reasons why labor is valued differently.

The ability to think

Mental work, unlike physical work, cannot be judged by simple criteria. You can try to characterize the work by the amount of information remembered or by the speed with which a person processes all this. But this does not allow us to fully appreciate the work of each of us.

Not the last role in mental work is played by the ability to make decisions quickly and bear responsibility for them. These qualities are extremely important for many professions. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the processing and analysis of a large amount of information requires the mobilization of attention. Working with your head, you can get tired no less than carrying weights, only now it will be a completely different kind of fatigue.

How work is valued

The work of each person is evaluated according to many criteria. And usually, first of all, everyone remembers the time,spent on some activity. For some professions, this is quite true, and there even the salary is calculated in accordance with the hours worked.

But how is the work of those who work not for time, but for results, evaluated? It all depends on the employer. Of course, he cannot assign a completely miserable salary for hard work. But the level of payment depends entirely on the decisions of the head. And this, in turn, is one of the answers to the question of why labor is valued differently. Each employer has their own opinion on how much to pay a particular person. And you should not look for any special logic in the decisions of the bosses.

Balance of knowledge

Knowledge and experience have always been and will be the main criteria for evaluating work. And not separately, but together. A young specialist in any field knows a lot, but knows little. Knowledge by itself is practically useless if a person cannot put it into practice. Therefore, the salary of experienced workers is so different from the income of beginners. Although the latter are often much smarter, faster, stronger and younger.

Conclusion

Now you know why work is valued differently, and it can help you take a fresh look at both your salary and the income of your subordinates.