The working day may be longer or shorter depending on the type of work.
Work is a term from the Latin word tripalĭum that has several uses. That is why the theoretical definition of the concept can be analyzed from different perspectives.
A basic approach presents this notion as the assessment of the effort made by a human being . However, from the neoclassical perspective of economics , to cite another case as an example, work consists of one of the three elements that determine all production , as happens with land and money .
An action or remunerated activity
In this way, and approaching what all citizens commonly understand by work, we can determine that the word can be used in two very common ways. Thus, on the one hand, we refer to it as the action carried out by a person who is in charge of carrying out a series of tasks or activities either on a physical or intellectual level .
And on the other hand, we use this same term to refer to any occupation that a man or woman has outside their home for which they receive a monthly financial allowance . So, for example, we could use the following example: "Luisa has a job as a waitress in a downtown bar."
From forced labor to wage labor
If one goes back to distant eras, one will be able to notice that slavery once predominated, a forced labor that occurs when an individual exerts subjugation over another and prevents them from making decisions and acting with their own will. Starting in the mid- 19th century , slavery levels began to decline and this modality was declared illegal . Since then, wage labor became the most common form of employment.
This conception of the notion of work leads to the understanding that when an individual carries out a certain productive activity he is rewarded with a salary , which is the price that is placed within the workplace for the task he carries out. The employment relationship between the person offering employment and the worker is formalized with an employment contract and is conditioned and supported by different laws and agreements , although in daily life there are also cases of what is called black work (those contracts carried out illegal that allow exploiting and profiting from workers).
Labor regulations regulate the employment relationship between the employer and the employee.
Different modalities
Other forms of employment that can be detected worldwide are productive self-employment (through which the liberal professions and commerce are carried out, for example), informal survival work and servitude , among others.
Although ad honorem work that does not involve the granting of monetary remuneration (generally carried out for social or educational purposes) is a reality, work is considered to be an activity that is carried out in exchange for economic compensation . That is why there is a colloquial phrase that states that "work is what you would not do if you were not paid for it."
Work as a physical place and as punishment
However, in addition to everything stated above, it must be emphasized that work is a noun that has many other meanings. In this way it is also used to refer to the place itself where the occupation takes place (an office, a production plant, etc.): «Miguel was not at home, he was in the work", "I'll stop by to visit you when I get off work", "My work is downtown".
And all this without forgetting that there is a series of expressions that use the concept at hand as a fundamental part. Thus, there is also talk of "forced labor" which is that which is carried out compulsorily and as part of their sentence by people who are in certain prisons.
A performance evaluation can help a person get a raise based on their job performance.
The job search
The job search is important in the lives of most adults. It is essential to have some means of subsistence and it is work that allows almost all people to get money to satisfy their needs.
Generally, the individual interested in working prepares a CV (curriculum vitae) , detailing his or her training and work history. This document can be sent to companies that announce that they are looking for workers or it can even be presented spontaneously.
The usual thing is that, beyond reviewing the CV, the company interested in hiring calls the applicant to a job interview . This meeting allows the potential employer to get to know the potential employee by talking to him.
At the meeting, the obligations and rights of the worker are usually discussed, agreeing on issues such as overtime, paid vacations and teleworking possibilities. It can also be defined whether it is a full-time job (which requires absolute availability from the employee) or a part-time job (half-day).
Self-employment
Self-employment is an interesting alternative when a person suffers from unemployment and cannot get a company to hire them. Thus, you can develop your profession independently or start a productive venture , for example.
Although this has several advantages and gives work flexibility in terms of schedules and other issues, the independent worker suffers from problems such as the lack of paid vacations and bonuses. Sometimes, they are not even able to contribute towards their retirement.