Are you paying a ‘passion tax’ at work? Here’s what it’s costing you

A labour of love still deserves fair compensation

Failing to address the systematic exploitation of passionate employees can lead to mass staffing shortages and industry ‘exoduses’, disrupting the very fabric of societal function and cooperation.

Sarah Jaffe explores this idea at length in her book, Work Won’t Love You Back. One of the many contradictions she highlights about modern work culture is the simultaneous devaluation and romanticisation of those working in ‘caring professions’.

The emotional reward, or ‘labour of love’, is disregarded as it doesn’t directly generate greater profits and is not easily quantified. Yet, it’s also touted by employers and governments as if it were a sufficient substitute for actual compensation that supports the costs of living and enables people to continue doing what they love.

Add to this the fact that caring professions or industries of ‘passion’, such as teaching, nursing, and childcare, continue to be both underpaid and predominantly staffed by women, and it is clear that misogyny, as well as classism and worker exploitation, are at play.

Perpetuating the myth that work that you love is not real work at all keeps passionate workers trapped in a cycle of generating wealth that they will never enjoy their fair share of.

In her book, Jaffe explores the modern tendency to conflate work with love, and the increasingly blurred lines between our professional and personal lives as a strategy to diminish the value and legitimacy of certain types of work.

Her analysis brought to mind all the clever job advertisements I had seen that shouted about their ‘fun work culture’ and ‘family team environment’ yet neglected to disclose any information about actual remuneration.

This system is designed to allow already powerful, wealthy elites to grow even richer from the underpaid or unpaid efforts of passionate employees, while at the same time shaming those who find the courage to speak up and ask for the compensation they deserve.

No one should have to choose between doing a job they enjoy and being able to keep a roof over their head. Even if you work in a field that you love, you should never feel that being exploited is a reasonable price to pay for doing so. As Jaffe’s book highlights, work will not be there to love and support you when times are tough.

We’ve all heard the saying that nobody lays on their deathbed wishing they had spent more time at work. Now may be the time to realise that there is no award for those who suffered most in the name of their chosen profession.

Real systemic change is often brought about by a culmination of small, individual acts of courage, like asking for a pay rise or saying no to an ‘optional but encouraged’ unpaid staff meeting. Of course, not everyone is in a position to afford these risks, which is exactly why those of us who can should speak up as much as we feel comfortable to do so.

Knowing your worth and asking to be rewarded accordingly will not make you any less passionate, productive or powerful in whatever field you work in. If anything, it will help to bust the myths that there are two types of work: the kind that feels good and the kind that pays.

The more we can break down these antiquated, binary perceptions of meaningful work, the sooner we can arrive at a place where everyone feels liberated to pursue work that they are passionate about, without having to sacrifice their financial, emotional and social wellbeing.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on April 13, 2022 but has since been updated to include new content.