ABSTRACT
The exercise of power and control at work can have a significant influence on the way people view their jobs and careers. We saw in the previous chapter on alienation and fulfilment that many people crave autonomy and respect at work and that inflexible approaches to management can have a damaging effect upon the way work is viewed. In order to analyse the impact of work upon people, we need to look beyond the individual and place workers within a social context. This chapter is going to focus upon the way that power and control influence the relationships between workers and how uncertainty at work serves the interests of employers. A distinction is made between power and control, though they are clearly closely related. The term power is used herein to refer to the ability to influence outcomes. This is a broad term which includes a range of associated concepts, including control. The term control is used in a narrower way and refers to the ability to circumvent conflict and create a compliant culture. Power and control are tools that can be used by management to secure their desired outcomes. We will see in chapter 5 how attempts to use these tools are not always successful, but for now the emphasis is upon identifying some of the distinctive features of power and control, how they operate in a variety of sectors and how the creation of uncertainty at work can undermine the confidence and self-esteem of workers.
