When we think about meaningful work, we often focus on its benefits - greater engagement, improved performance, and enhanced well-being. But what happens when work becomes too meaningful?
In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew speaks with Carrie Oelberger, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs and McKnight Land Grant Professor, about the complexities and potential pitfalls of deeply meaningful work.
After spending a decade working in grassroots education development in Tanzania, Dr. Oelberger earned her PhD in Organization Studies from Stanford University. Now, she bridges theory and practice by consulting with philanthropic foundations and prosocial organizations while conducting groundbreaking research on meaningful work.
Understanding the Paths to Meaningful Work
Oelberger begins by introducing two distinct paths through which work becomes meaningful: self-actualization and self-transcendence.
Self-actualization focuses on personal growth and development, while self-transcendence involves contributing to something larger than ourselves.
"Ever since I was a teenager, I was interested in trying to leave the world a slightly better place than I found it, even in small, little, micro ways."
While both paths can lead to meaningful work, Oelberger's research suggests that when both are present, work can become particularly meaningful – and potentially problematic.
The Myth of "One Size Fits All"
A key insight from Oelberger's research is that there's no universal formula for meaningful work.
Her studies have identified several key factors that influence how individuals experience meaning:
Intrinsic factors (learning, personal growth)
Extrinsic factors (rewards, benefits)
Relational factors (working with others)
Pro-social factors (impact on others)
Surprisingly, even in nonprofit and social impact sectors, pro-social motivations often rank third or fourth in importance, after intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
This challenges the common assumption that everyone in these sectors is primarily motivated by altruism.
The Dark Side: Boundary Inhibition
Perhaps the most striking finding from Oelberger's research is the concept of "boundary inhibition" – where meaningful work can actually erode personal relationships and well-being.
This manifests in three key ways:
Time-based conflict:
When individuals voluntarily spend excessive time at work, leaving less time for personal relationships and activities.
Trust-based conflict:
When work devotion leads to unreliability in personal commitments.
Connection-based conflict:
When emotional investment in work creates disconnection in personal relationships.
Interestingly, these conflicts are often less problematic when both partners in a relationship share similar levels of work devotion – what Oelberger terms "occupational value homophily".
The Identity Armor Effect
Oelberger's latest research reveals another fascinating phenomenon: how meaningful work can become a form of "identity armor," particularly among single individuals in demanding fields like international aid.
When work becomes central to one's identity, the prospect of scaling back – even to pursue desired personal goals like finding a partner – can trigger an existential crisis.
Intersectional Impact: When Identity Shapes Experience
Oelberger's research reveals that the challenges of meaningful work are not experienced uniformly across different identities and contexts.
This is particularly evident in international aid work, where personal and professional trade-offs can vary significantly based on gender, sexual orientation, and cultural context.
"Women were five times more likely to be single than men... and it was really uncommon for queer folks to be partnered and doing this work."
The stark trade-offs between meaningful work and personal relationships are especially pronounced for certain groups:
These findings highlight how structural inequalities intersect with meaningful work, making decisions about career and personal life particularly challenging for marginalized groups.
As Oelberger notes, even the emotional experience of decision-making becomes more stressful for these individuals, as they must constantly weigh competing personal and professional priorities against additional cultural and safety considerations.
Practical Applications and Implications
For organizational leaders, especially in nonprofit and social impact sectors, Oelberger's research suggests several important considerations:
Recognize that employee motivations are diverse and dynamic
Model healthy work boundaries
Challenge the "martyr complex" that can develop in mission-driven work
Looking Forward…
The conversation with Dr. Oelberger reminds us that while meaningful work is valuable, it shouldn't come at the expense of personal well-being and relationships.
As she notes, "It shouldn't have to be a choice."
Organizations and individuals must work together to create sustainable approaches to meaningful work that honor both professional purpose and personal flourishing.
In part one of our conversation with Dr. Carrie Oelberger (above), we explored how meaningful work can become a double-edged sword, particularly when work devotion becomes "identity armor."
In part two, we dive deeper into another critical paradox: the myth of agency in meaningful work, and how it affects both workers and organizations.
Understanding the Myth of Agency
Oelberger introduces a powerful concept that challenges common assumptions about meaningful work: the myth of agency, which she defines as "the false cultural idea that an individual can fully overcome structural and institutional barriers through strategic individual behaviors."
This myth is particularly prevalent in caring professions and social impact work, where individuals often enter with high hopes of creating significant change, only to encounter systemic barriers that individual effort alone cannot overcome.
Three Approaches to Frontline Work
Through her research, Oelberger has identified three distinct approaches that workers take when facing structural challenges:
|
State Agents
("The Processors")
|
Citizen Agents
("The Fixers")
|
Human Accompaniment
("The Companions")
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| How They See Themselves | As bureaucrats | As advocates for clients | As partners with shared limits |
| How They Work with Clients | Often blame clients for lack of progress | Strongly push for clients' needs | Build meaningful, compassionate relationships |
| Longevity and Experience | Stay despite feeling burnt out or apathetic | Often leave quickly to make bigger changes | Stay long-term without burning out |
The Power of Human Accompaniment
Perhaps the most inspiring finding from Oelberger's research is the effectiveness of the human accompaniment approach. As she explains:
"These people don't burn out, they don't leave... When you ask these people how they feel about their work, they're like, 'I feel great about my work. I feel so lucky to be doing this. I'm so inspired by my clients.'"
Rethinking Selection and Training
Oelberger challenges traditional hiring practices, particularly the emphasis on formal education for roles where lived experience and emotional intelligence might be more valuable. She advocates for:
Identifying actual skills needed for positions
Looking beyond formal qualifications
Recognizing the value of lived experience
Being open to alternative forms of expertise
"I say this as somebody with a PhD who teaches masters and PhD students," Oelberger notes. "Sometimes we require qualifications for positions that not only don't require those qualifications, but in some ways, they can make you worse at doing your job."
Building Systemic Support for Meaningful Work
The conversation culminates in a discussion of how different countries approach work support systems. Oelberger shares an illuminating example of a European aid worker who received a year of parental leave with a replacement hire - a stark contrast to American expectations.
This points to a broader need for policy-level changes that can support meaningful work, including:
Universal healthcare access
Comprehensive parental leave policies
Education debt relief
Workplace protection policies
Social welfare benefits
As Oelberger puts it: "If society can build the boat, then we have more time to play with the sail."
Looking Forward…
This conversation with Dr. Oelberger highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of meaningful work - one that acknowledges both individual agency and structural constraints. It suggests that creating truly sustainable meaningful work requires action at multiple levels:
Societal: Policy changes that provide basic security and support
Organizational: Rethinking hiring practices and work structure
Individual: Embracing approaches like human accompaniment that recognize both limitations and possibilities
The path forward isn't about trying harder within broken systems, but rather about reimagining how we support and structure meaningful work at every level.
Recommended Reading
Dr. Carrie Oleberger’s published work - link
Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 15(2), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20311