The nature of work: paid and unpaid work, reasons people work, the changing nature of work, and how work contributes to individual identity, wellbeing and financial independence

What this dot point is asking

You need to understand what work is, including both paid and unpaid forms, why people work, and how the nature of work has changed over time. The focus is the meaning and role of work in people's lives, which sets up the rest of the option on balancing work with other commitments.

What work is

Work can be defined as energy or effort directed toward achieving a goal. It is broader than paid employment: it includes paid work done for an income and unpaid work such as housework, caring for children or relatives, and volunteering. Recognising unpaid work as work matters in CAFS, because much of the caring and household labour that keeps families functioning is unpaid and often unrecognised, yet it is essential and demanding.

Paid and unpaid work

Paid work provides income through a wage or salary and is what most people mean by a job. Unpaid work, including raising children, caring for an ageing or disabled family member, and volunteering in the community, produces real value without payment. The division between paid and unpaid work is central to this option because individuals must balance both, and the load of unpaid work falls unevenly, often more heavily on women.

Why people work

People work for financial reasons, to earn the income that provides independence, security and an adequate standard of living. But work also meets non-financial needs. It can provide a sense of purpose and identity, self-esteem, social connection and belonging, structure and routine, and a way to contribute to society. These reasons explain why work matters to wellbeing beyond the pay, and why losing work, or being unable to work, can affect a person's identity and mental health.

The changing nature of work

The nature of work has changed significantly. Technology has automated some jobs and created others, enabled remote and flexible work, and sped up the pace of work. Employment has become more casualised and insecure, with more part-time, contract and gig-economy work and fewer jobs for life. Careers now often involve multiple changes and ongoing retraining rather than a single lifelong occupation. These shifts change how people experience work and how it interacts with family life.

How work shapes identity and wellbeing

Because work meets both financial and psychological needs, it is closely tied to identity and wellbeing. Satisfying, secure work supports self-esteem, financial independence and social connection, lifting wellbeing. Insecure, unsatisfying or excessive work, or unemployment, can undermine wellbeing through financial stress, loss of purpose and isolation. The way work is structured therefore has consequences not just for income but for the whole person and their family.

Why this matters for the option

Understanding the nature of work sets up the central problem of the option: individuals must combine paid work with unpaid family and caring roles and other commitments, in a labour market that is itself changing. In the exam, strong responses define work broadly to include unpaid work, explain the financial and non-financial reasons people work, and use the changing nature of work, such as the rise of casual and gig work, to analyse the pressures on individuals and families.