ABSTRACT
The purpose of this essay is to encourage professionals interested in the world of work to think of ways to improve workers’ well-being beyond individual-level interventions like career counseling or coaching. This essay is written from my perspective as an early career academic psychologist who has taught courses on career counseling and development for eight years. Over time, students in my courses have voiced more awareness of and frustration with the fact that the work lives of many people—including the students themselves and their loved ones—have been circumscribed by structural factors that they perceive to be out of their control. Indeed, the individual counseling that is the bread and butter of career practitioners may not be best suited to address issues such as inflexible work environments, the limited and shrinking social safety net, or compensation and benefits that do not satisfy basic survival needs. This essay will provide examples of how knowledge of vocational research may be leveraged to influence organizational policy (e.g., paid sick leave) or law (e.g., the federal minimum wage) that affects the lives of diverse employees throughout the United States.
