Employers Can Help Workers Ditch "Dirty Work" Label

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - "It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it." And in the United States, millions do. They drive trucks long distances to deliver goods; they collect garbage; they clean houses; they care for the ill. Such jobs are important, even imperative, to life as we know it, but all too often the people who perform them are under appreciated by society. Researchers at the University of Arkansas have found ways that employers can mitigate the sting of stigmas against what sociologists have termed "dirty work" and in the process, lower turnover rates and raise job satisfaction.

"Dirty work is defined as any job that is physically, morally or socially tainted," explained Joanna Newman, a graduate student at the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

Occupations that are physically dirty such as garbage collectors or truck drivers, those that require workers to be in contact with undesirable elements of society, such as drug counselors or prison guards, or those that may be seen as somewhat demeaning such as bill collectors or morticians are all examples of what could be considered "dirty work."

"These jobs are not necessarily without prestige," Newman said. "They may be important, even admirable, but to most of society, they are not desirable."

Newman; Professor Anne O'Leary-Kelly, also of the Walton College of Business; Mary Logan of the London School of Economics and Political Science; and Ellen Whitener of the University of Virginia have spent the past five years studying over-the-road truck drivers to learn more about the stigmas that people employed in so-called "dirty jobs" face, as well as some of the mechanisms employers can use to help their employees cope with society's sometimes less-than-generous perceptions of them.

"One of the things we were really looking at is what would our advice be to companies on how to buffer workers from these stigmas," Newman said. The researchers identified several factors that affect how workers in these fields deal with society's negative perceptions, and they found that, in all of these areas, employers can have an even stronger influence.

Many employees in these fields find themselves the victims of negative stereotyping. Because the work is considered dirty," the researchers noted, the workers themselves come to be seen as dirty" also. While these stereotypes may be untrue, they nevertheless persist, and the constant barrage of negative opinions can cause employees to become unhappy in their jobs and to leave the profession. This creates a serious problem for employers who have to deal with high turnover rates and the many problems (training costs, lowered productivity, damaged customer relations, etc.) that go with them.

Traditional identity theory set forth by sociologists says that the more a career is respected and validated by society, the more an individual will take pride in being a member of that profession. The flip side of this theory, then, is that individuals in occupations that are stigmatized by society will be less likely to identify with their jobs.

However, after surveying more than 700 "dirty workers," the researchers found that this often is not the case.

"The results of our study were actually rather surprising," Newman said. "Identity theory suggests that people will be more likely to associate with jobs that provide a lot of esteem building or self-enhancement. We found, though, that even though society stigmatizes these jobs as "dirty work," most of these workers take quite a bit of pride in identifying with the job they do. This led us to try to determine why that was."

The issue, the researchers discovered, lay in the difference between being aware of a stigma and believing or internalizing it.

"We have found that people can be aware that others have stereotypes of them, but do you accept them? Do you believe them? That's the key," Newman said. "Then the more interesting questions become what are the factors that influence whether or not you do internalize them, and what can employers do to influence internalization?"

An individual's personality and attitude, they found, play a large part. People who are strong self-monitors-those who are very aware of others' opinions and who pick up on stimulus cues very easily-tend to be more likely to internalize the negative stereotypes, and thus, be unhappy in their jobs.

While employers have little control over their employees' personalities, O'Leary-Kelly pointed out that "they can provide positive messages about the job to their employees that can help to counter the negative stereotypes." By reminding employees of the positive aspects of the job, employers can help to reframe the way in which an individual perceives his or her work.

However, personality is only a small part of the internalization equation. Creating a strong organizational culture is another way employers can help workers avoid internalizing negative stereotypes, the researchers found. Shared norms, values, rituals and traditions all help to forge bonds between employees that help to create a sense of community. This "family atmosphere" in the workplace helps employees identify with each other and with their jobs, which increases both job loyalty and satisfaction.

Job competence is another important aspect of an employee's job satisfaction, and many employers now offer continued training programs that encourage employees to expand their knowledge and skills.

"We discovered that even though an individual may know he or she is working in a devalued field, they derive a sense of pride from knowing that they are very good at what they do," Newman explained. "So a sense of his or her own competence can influence a jobholder's internalization of the job's negative perceptions."

Another factor that also has a strong effect on employees' feelings about their jobs is the prestige of the organization. Many businesses are becoming aware that a strong presence in their communities not only enhances their corporate reputation but boosts employee morale as well. Companies that have reputations for being involved in charitable work and that are active in "giving back" to their communities provide a sense of pride for their employees, Newman said, and this helps to counter the negative images that workers may face.

By far the most important factor that helps workers overcome job-related stigmas, though, is the support they receive from their families. "If employers make the family more comfortable with and supportive of the profession, that can have a spill-over effect to the worker," explains O'Leary-Kelly. Benefits for family members, activities such as company picnics and softball leagues that encourage family participation and even support networks for family members are ways in which many employers can reach out to employees' families.

"When the family is supportive of the profession, it can reaffirm the positive aspects of the job and act as a shield against the negative stereotypes that society can communicate," Newman noted.

While society's views of "dirty work" may not soon change, the researchers point out that, by taking a few important steps, employers have the power to combat these negative stigmas and create a sense of pride among their employees.

"Job identity affects both productivity and performance. The more identified a person is with his or her organization, the less he or she will internalize negative stereotypes, the lower the rate of turnover will be, and the more satisfied he or she will be in the job," Newman concluded.