Un lavoro che conta. Sul senso e significato dell’attività lavorativa oggi

The article aims to answer the following question: is it possible to speak of meaningful work today, and what characteristics should such an activity have? After a period of relative neglect in philosophical debate, the theme of work has regained attention, particularly in discussions identifying the conditions that constitute a ‘good job’: not only a dignified job, the absence of which is a source of poverty and great social and personal hardship, but also quality, meaningful work. In order to assess whether the concept of meaning associated with work is still central, we consider contemporary perceptions of work, the needs and expectations it generates, and the strategies organisations adopt to motivate workers. A critical reading of the socio-cultural and socio-economic factors shaping current approaches to work is therefore proposed, drawing on the concept of alienation and offering an overview of the reading on the subject offered by the new currents of critical theory and an emancipatory conception of work. Finally, we explore the more general conditions, which go beyond the specific work activity, referring to a broader socio-economic system, made up of interconnected goals and values, necessary for meaningful work to be discussed.