My Son Asked Me a Question About Work… And I’m Still Thinking About It

A few days ago, my son George asked me a question:

“Is there a job that doesn’t benefit anyone?”

At first, I thought there must be. There are jobs we don’t understand, jobs we would never want to do and jobs that can seem pointless from the outside. But I’ve been thinking about his question ever since.

And I still can’t think of a genuine job that benefits absolutely nobody.

Every job has a purpose

Some are obvious.

Doctors and nurses care for us when we’re unwell. Teachers help young people learn. Carers support people who need help. Firefighters keep us safe.

But what about the jobs we rarely notice?

The person who empties the bins keeps our communities clean.

The cleaner working after everyone has gone home creates a safe and welcoming environment for the next day.

The delivery driver might be bringing someone medication, food, a birthday present or something they’ve been waiting for all week.

We don’t necessarily see the impact of these jobs, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one.

George and I then started thinking about something as ordinary as the clothes we wear.

Before you pull on a jumper, countless people may have been involved in producing the materials, making the thread, creating the fabric, sewing the garment, packaging it and getting it into the shop.

The person operating one of those machines might never see the finished jumper.

They might never know who eventually wears it. But their part still matters.

One job becomes a small part of a much bigger chain. And I think that applies to so many of us.

What if you can’t see the difference you make?

An administrator might spend their day processing information and organising appointments without ever meeting the person who benefits from their work.

Someone ordering supplies might simply be placing orders, but without those supplies, someone else may not be able to do their job.

A receptionist might think they are simply answering phones, when actually their friendly voice could be making a nervous person feel more comfortable.

And then there are jobs where the impact is emotional.

A hairdresser might give someone a confidence boost, listen when someone needs to talk or simply provide some much-needed human connection.

A musician, actor, writer or comedian might give someone an escape from a difficult day.

Not everything that matters can be measured in money.

So, does every job matter?

I’m not sure we can say that every job is automatically worthwhile simply because someone gets paid to do it.

There are certainly jobs where people can be exploited or harmed.

So perhaps the better question is:

Who benefits from what you do?

Maybe the value of our work shouldn’t only be measured by salary, status or job title.

Maybe we should also think about whether it makes someone’s life:

safer, easier, healthier, happier or more connected.

And this got me thinking about the way we talk to young people about work.

We often ask:

“What job do you want when you grow up?”

But perhaps we could also ask:

“Who would you like your work to help?”

Not everyone will save lives or change the world on a huge scale.

Most of us will make smaller differences.

Because you don’t need an impressive job title to make a difference, you don’t even have to see the difference you make.

Sometimes you are simply one small part of a much bigger chain. And without your part, something further along that chain might not happen.

So, after several days of thinking about George’s question, I still don’t think I have an answer. I can’t think of a genuine job that benefits absolutely nobody.

But perhaps the question is worth asking ourselves from time to time:

Who benefits from what I do?

And if you’re struggling to think of anyone, perhaps look a little further along the chain.

You might be making more of a difference than you realise.

What do you think? Can you think of a job that genuinely benefits nobody?