Taking Pride in Dirty Work: An Examination of Employees' Identity and Identification in a Dirty Work Organization

• In Event: Am I Part of This Organization? Organizational Identification

Abstract

Hughes (1958) defines “dirty work” as physically, socially, or morally tainted. “Dirty workers” experience difficulty constructing a positive identity due to the lack of social acceptance surrounding their occupations (Ashforth & Kreiner, 1999), yet report taking pride in their work. This case study of a portable sanitation company examines intersections of dirty work, identity, and identification in an attempt to understand how employees at a dirty work organization describe their relationship with their work.

Author

• Natalie Litera, Purdue University