Equal Dignity For Every Job

People have usually experienced a hunger for courtesy and respect since time immemorial. One of the strongest prerequisites for most people is the need to feel noteworthy. The most important thing to realise is that "no work is big or small." In practicality, discrimination based on profession is caused by human superiority complexes and hierarchical systems. We must adopt a new perspective on good and bad work. Since all professions are either directly or indirectly interconnected with each other or contribute to the prosperity of the country, they should be treated with decency and respect. Labourers are not an exception. We anticipate receiving the greatest, most well-known physicians, engineers, educators, attorneys, and chartered accountants; nevertheless, in the interim, we sometimes overlook the true pioneers or supporters of such fields. 

 Labourers deserve respect and dignity too in terms of being provided with a humane and equitable environment; their contributions cannot be overlooked. These working professions provide us with our needs: agriculture, sanitation, construction, and manufacturing jobs that comfort our lives. They are the ones who mentally and physically do heavy work like mining, factory work, and construction. In our society, labourers are categorised on the basis of their poor wages. We cannot imagine sanitation in the absence of them. For instance, it is important to perceive that if we do not have garbage men and women, who would keep our cities clean? Where would you put your garbage, and who would haul it off? Almost all of us fall into the hands of suffering. We cover our noses while we pass a garbage dump that gives us bitter experiences. Even we may not be ready to do such volunteer work. 

Human intelligence needs perception to understand this. No human is a genius; we are all made up of a unique mixture of intelligence and stupidity. For instance, a doctor's expertise is in healing the diseases of patients, but his intelligence is not of use when his vehicle breaks down. In this situation, he must hasten up to the auto mechanic. And mechanic  repairs his vehicle because he  has  earned expertise  in repairing vehicles.  Therefore, every profession has its own importance and deserves mutual respect to have a peaceful and harmonious environment. There is an urgent need to stop judging and start appreciating the efforts of workers, regardless of the nature of the work they do.

 The realization of equality in every profession on the basis of importance helps one feel comfortable with the job he or she does. Benjamin Franklin said, "When you are good to others, you are best to yourself. Movies like 'The Hunger Games' are a warning about class division. The movie demonstrates the worth of labourers, emphasising that we should treat everyone equally. Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Carnegie were a couple of those labourers who became leaders in a great nation. That is why labourers, like other professions, must be treated with dignity and respect. In addition to this, they must be rewarded with decent wages.

Additionally, respect for all professions should be taught at home and in schools and colleges. Teachers can also have a big impact on beneficial societal transformation. Most importantly, imbibing respect for all kinds of professions helps to create harmonious and healthy relationships among all professions.

One must cultivate a sense of gratitude without allowing ego to stand in the way. Gratitude ought to be a way of life. It can mean a smile, a thank you, or a gesture of appreciation. The psychologist William Janes said, "One of the deepest desires of human beings is to be appreciated. The feeling of being unwanted is hurtful. One should give a positive interpretation of someone's job. Sincere appreciation is one of the greatest gifts you can give to the people who deliver service to you. Mother Teresa said the biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted. Appreciation must come from within. It is not important to wait for acknowledgement in return. This is not sincere appreciation.

Another key is to show your appreciation whenever someone helps you. Everyone, from higher authorities to office cleaners, wants to feel appreciated for their contributions. So, genuinely compliment the people around you when they do some good tasks. This will be key to fostering and strengthening work relationships.

Yet another key skill to maintaining good relationships is to develop people skills. Good relationships start with good people skills. Find out how well you score with soft skills such as collaboration, communication, and conflict resolution. One has to identify relationship needs. Look at your own relationship needs: do you know what you need from others? And do you know what they need from you? Understanding these needs can be instrumental in building better relationships with a sense of mutual respect. Happy employees deliver work to their best; therefore, employers must create a motivational atmosphere at the workplace. A smile is infectious when the boss is grumpy and everyone is stressed. Just like a negative attitude spreads negativity, a positive attitude spreads happiness.

In the end, it all comes down to how you regard people from different walks of life; that is the way of experiencing peace and harmony not only at the workplace but everywhere. Humanity blooms blissfully when there is love and respect among all professions. 

(The author is a visiting faculty, assistant professor at Kathmandu University School of Law and School of Science ,and lecturer of English at Global College of Management.)