Reflecting on the Q12 veneration in the company I work for, I realized that this is a perfect enticement to become married to one’s job. We’re not supposed to be just satisfied with our work. We’re supposed to be engaged! Satisfaction isn’t good enough. It has to be engagement – the first step toward marriage… But why should I be engaged if there is no prenuptial agreement? When I am employed at will and there’s no reciprocity in commitment? Yes, they are paying me for my services, so let me be satisfied with that. If you want me to give you my soul, ensure me that I will still have a job tomorrow and the day after. According to Ilene Philipson’s research, it is not even good for my mental health to be engaged or married to my job (in her book “Married to the job”). She also eloquently shows that the commitment is one-side: there is no job security. I can understand why an employer would want us to be engaged: more productivity with (likely) less pay. It’s a good thing for them. But I fail to see why it would be good for me.

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