This document defines work and discusses its classifications, elements, and dimensions. It provides several definitions of work, including physical or mental effort directed toward production, and using one's strengths and skills in a useful way. Work is classified as either mental (utilizing thinking and reasoning) or physical (involving muscles). It also identifies the key elements of work as will power, objectives, responsibility, and knowledge. Work has both objective and subjective dimensions, and has ethical value when performed by a conscious and free person.

1. Chapter 3
WORK: ITS DEFINITIONS CLASSIFICATIONS, ELEMENTS AND DIMENSIONS
Instructor: Fritzil Anne P. Narciso
“Work is a personal and social obligation”.
Work is a part of man’s life. The fulfilment of the purpose of his humanity
lies in his ability to make use on his strengths, knowledge, talents and skills in
useful and productive undertakings for the benefit of himself, his family and his
community. Work is both a universal privilege and a duty.
The Meaning of Work
What is Work?
 Physical or mental effort or activity directed toward the production or
accomplishment of something.
 The ability to make use of strengths, knowledge, talents and skills in useful
way. It is both a privilege and a duty.
Paul Glenn (1965) define “work” as man’s effort applied to the production of
goods.
History of Work
 In early Christian tradition work serves as a divine punishment.
 Hunting and gathering of food were the first known activities of human.
 As primitive people found out Agriculture to be more stable and efficient
source of food production.
 The advancement of agriculture tools paved the way for the changes of
early societies and nature of work.
 Division of labor
Machineries, as instruments of production, enhanced man’s capacity for work.
Two social classes emerged;
 Working class- workers or paid laborers
 Ruling class- capitalist businessmen, i.e., employers.
Today technology allows workers to do more complicated work. With
progress of education work become more specialized, performed with greater
skills and expertise.

2. The Classification of Work
Tuazon, et al. (1978), gives two classifications of work;
1. Mental work. This refers to those types of activities in which remembering,
thinking, reasoning, judging, and others, are utilized. This has reference to our
intellect like teaching accounting, bookkeeping and the like.
2. Physical work. This refers to those activities where speed, coordination and
intensity of muscular responses are the concern of the individual. This has
reference to our body and muscles like being a laborer, janitor, construction
worker and the like.
Another classification is made by Antonio Ozaeta (1986) cited by Mison, et al.
(1990) in his article. “Strategies in Turbulent Environment”:
1. Blue-collar or manual workers. These include all those who account for direct
labor costs.
2. Knowledge workers. These includes accountants, clerks, tellers, programmers,
supervisors and executives.
Elements of Work
Markin jr (cited by Mison, et al. 1990) Work is "the utilization of physiological
and mental processes to achieve a goal or accomplish a task"
"Work is a serious adult business that enables one to get ahead and make
a contribution. It is what one should do and must do regularly, grimly and
purposely.”
4 Elements of the Word of Work
• Will power- desire; motive; ways
• Objectives- aims; targets; goals
• Responsibility- commitment; love; reliability
• Knowledge- perception; understanding; wisdom
WILL POWER. Is man's faculty which actually determines his choice and enables
him to make and act on decision.
OBJECTIVE. Refers to a goal or an intended purpose, which defines the scope and
direction of the effort.
RESPONSIBILTY. Refers to the obligatory duty in which a person is confined by
reason of his status, roles, occupation, or assigned task.
3 Main Elements of Responsibility

3. •COMPLIANCE
•OBEDIENCE
•DEPENDABILITY
KNOWLEDGE. Is a person's ability to extract the essence of objects and reflect on
them, to analyze and generalize, to be creative and be able to think critically.
Dimension of Work
Work in the objective sense refers to the various ways and processes of
achieving a purpose, while work in the subjective sense refers to the processes
whereby man manifests and conforms himself as one who controls all mental and
physical activities. Human work has an ethical value because the one who
performs it is a person who is conscious and free.