Journal article
Life’s dignity within and beyond the workplace: Results from a national sample of US workers
Work, employment and society
09/28/2026
DOI: 10.1177/09500170261468238
Abstract
While social relationships are essential to dignity, empirical research has yet to explore how the core qualities of these relations associate with a dignified life. Given widespread alienation among contemporary workers, we suspect that a life’s dignity may derive equally, if not more, from relations beyond the workplace. Drawing on 2021 Gallup survey data from the United States ( N = 551), this study captures an increased range of processes spanning work and non-work relations (respect, recognition, authenticity, closeness and/or support). Findings show that work and non-work relations are both strongly linked to perceptions of living a dignified life, though recognition and authenticity are somewhat harder to come by than respect, closeness or emotional support. Non-work relations matter significantly more for dignity in women’s lives, while work relations matter more for men’s dignity. However, a lack of differences by college degree status underscores how agency and boundary work are vital to constructing a life’s dignity.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Life’s dignity within and beyond the workplace: Results from a national sample of US workers
- Creators
- Matthew A. Andersson - Baylor UniversityLaura Upenieks - Baylor UniversitySteven Hitlin - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Work, employment and society
- DOI
- 10.1177/09500170261468238
- ISSN
- 0950-0170
- eISSN
- 1469-8722
- Publisher
- Sage
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 09/28/2026
- Academic Unit
- Sociology and Criminology
- Record Identifier
- 9985241828602771
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