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Meaningful Work and the Voices of Others in Frontline Occupations

Humle, Didde Maria and Frandsen, Sanne LU (2026) In Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies
Abstract
This article explores meaningful work across two frontline occupations, bank advisors and school­teachers. We build on narrative research focusing on the role of stories and storytelling in the sensemaking and identity construction processes related to work to explore the importance of oth­ers in the perception and construction of everyday work as meaningful. To study this, we examine the narrative construction of meaningful work in everyday work stories of self, work, others, and organizations as (ante)narrative identity construction processes. Our analysis shows that ‘making a difference by helping others’ is the predominant theme when sharing stories of everyday work situ­ations perceived and constructed as meaningful. Three... (More)
This article explores meaningful work across two frontline occupations, bank advisors and school­teachers. We build on narrative research focusing on the role of stories and storytelling in the sensemaking and identity construction processes related to work to explore the importance of oth­ers in the perception and construction of everyday work as meaningful. To study this, we examine the narrative construction of meaningful work in everyday work stories of self, work, others, and organizations as (ante)narrative identity construction processes. Our analysis shows that ‘making a difference by helping others’ is the predominant theme when sharing stories of everyday work situ­ations perceived and constructed as meaningful. Three contributions are made. First, the narrative construction of meaningful work is collective and dynamic; second, others have a powerful voice in negotiating the meaningfulness of work; and third, negative public attention affects the possibility of assessing work as meaningful. (Less)
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publication status
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Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies
publisher
Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies
ISSN
2245-0157
DOI
10.18291/njwls.167135
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2a4f8c02-28f5-4ca0-9eb1-dda89cb52dd5
date added to LUP
2026-05-08 16:53:40
date last changed
2026-05-11 10:15:47
@article{2a4f8c02-28f5-4ca0-9eb1-dda89cb52dd5,
  abstract     = {{This article explores meaningful work across two frontline occupations, bank advisors and school­teachers. We build on narrative research focusing on the role of stories and storytelling in the sensemaking and identity construction processes related to work to explore the importance of oth­ers in the perception and construction of everyday work as meaningful. To study this, we examine the narrative construction of meaningful work in everyday work stories of self, work, others, and organizations as (ante)narrative identity construction processes. Our analysis shows that ‘making a difference by helping others’ is the predominant theme when sharing stories of everyday work situ­ations perceived and constructed as meaningful. Three contributions are made. First, the narrative construction of meaningful work is collective and dynamic; second, others have a powerful voice in negotiating the meaningfulness of work; and third, negative public attention affects the possibility of assessing work as meaningful.}},
  author       = {{Humle, Didde Maria and Frandsen, Sanne}},
  issn         = {{2245-0157}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies}},
  series       = {{Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies}},
  title        = {{Meaningful Work and the Voices of Others in Frontline Occupations}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.18291/njwls.167135}},
  doi          = {{10.18291/njwls.167135}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}