ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors contend with finding a sustainable conceptual framework to guide efforts toward human sustainability at work. The authors eschew sole reliance on either moral imperatives, profit maximization, or scientific evidence as unilateral guides, advocating instead for a nuanced dialogue that integrates these perspectives. This chapter discusses the declining preeminence of moral predicates, making them insufficient to alone guide the conversation forward. Shortcoming of capitalism’s relentless pursuit of growth, which generates economic success, is that it often neglects the psychological toll on employees. This analysis extends to the limitations of science, which describes the nature of life but has no say in how we should live it normatively. The authors propose a humanism-centered approach to modify capitalism, emphasizing the intrinsic value of human experience and agency. This version of humanism does not reject capitalism’s successes but suggests that economic progress should be measured against its contributions to human sustainability at work. By integrating moral psychology, existential philosophy, the necessities of business, and scientific predicates, the chapter calls for a balanced approach that recognizes both the importance of economics and psychological health.
