ABSTRACT
Various options with regard to the role of work in life are open to those men and women who are obliged, or choose, to become employed although, because of the opacity of social processes, they may not be fully aware of these options. They may, in varying degrees, become involved in their work itself, or in some extrinsic aspect of it such as the sociability of the work group. Or they may decide to invest as little of themselves as possible in their work, thereby becoming ‘alienated’ from it. One response to perceived alienating conditions is to seek greater participation in the decision-making processes in work organisations. Finally, the employee may seek to turn negative alienation from work into positive involvement with non-work life.
