Men, work and ‘giving boys the best start in life’
To wrap up Men’s Health Week, WISE Employment’s Community Liaison Officer, Nicole Findlay, talks to Rob Koch from Better Men Australia about men, work and how we can look after the next generation of young men…
Nicole: When we consider the physical, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual factors that can affect a man’s health and well-being – how important is stable and secure employment in relation to each of these factors (i.e. physical – keeping active and productive contributes to a man’s self worth)?
Rob: It is widely accepted that men are ‘wired to work’. Whether this is by nature or nurture, we are not sure – probably both. It’s about being productive and contributing to the community. This can have many expressions, not necessarily through paid employment. Men who are under-employed will often find their confidence and self-worth achieve a great boost through volunteering, or involvement in a task-oriented project that is not self-serving.
Nicole: What impact does long-term unemployment have on Men’s health?
Rob: Many men are quickly over any recreational benefits of unemployment, if he experienced any at all. His mental state takes a battering, if not by his dependants, family and friends, certainly by his own negative self-talk. Because our identity is so intertwined with our earning capacity and job satisfaction, feelings of failure can be overwhelming, leading to chronic depression, anxiety and even in some cases suicide. It is common to see him develop addictions to television, videos, computer games and pornography. It’s about living a better life vicariously through escapism. As a result his lack of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity, lethargy and dependence on stimulants – all which cost him money he doesn’t have, leading to further alternating waves of guilt, resignation and despair.
Nicole: Through your experience and observations, what positive outcomes have you seen from Men who have successfully navigated their way from unemployment to being employed?
Rob: No one ever complains about having some money to spend! In place of the chronic feelings of flatness, they are experiencing the almost intoxicating swing of energetic stimulation and the corresponding satisfied exhaustion.
Nicole: What type of support should employment and other service providers offer men showing signs of poor health due to long-term unemployment?
Rob: I mentored a man recently through a long period of unemployment after a botched operation, as well as his marriage breakdown. I kept commending the former executive for keeping himself busy by taking on part-time work that was ‘beneath him’, and helped him to look for the ‘hidden benefits’ like character development. I encouraged his efforts to keep fit, to keep praying, to keep mixing with others. We got him focussed on who he is, rather than what he does – even to the point of looking himself in the mirror each morning to recite the Better Men Creed. By simply and sincerely believing in him, he kept afloat. We explored his self-doubts about whether he was up to the challenge of a high-level executive position. He went for it, got it, and loves it. We stay in touch – the last thing he needs to feel is that he was just another ‘project’ of mine.
Nicole: Why is it important to celebrate and discuss employment in relation to Men’s health?
Rob: The National Male Health Policy (2010) identifies the impact of unemployment on health in all its dimensions. The resultant poverty is one major factor, as the World Health Organisation (WHO) points out ‘the lower the socioeconomic position, the worse the health.’ (National Male Health Policy – Social Determinants p. 2) But even with a reserve of savings to draw on, the unemployed man’s health will deteriorate simply by having a lack of purpose, activity and social connection. At the risk of oversimplifying the issue, let’s try an analogy: Imagine an ant in a colony of ants – all busily working for the greater good, each having their own specific role to play. If that one ant was sidelined and could only watch the others work, he will do everything in his power to get back out there, to the cheer of his fellow ants. Such is the power of identification and socialization. Humans are slightly bigger than ants, but wired to work, just the same.
Nicole: What are some of the greatest challenges men with poor health face in maintaining jobs?
Rob: Some conditions require constant treatment which may take him out of action more than others will tolerate. But it is often his own guilt that will see him resign, long before he is pushed out. This feeling of ‘letting the side down’, or being ‘carried’ by fitter and stronger workmates, strikes at the core of a man’s identity.
Nicole: How can we encourage young men to understand the world-of-work and develop good work practices and ethics?
Rob: I encourage fathers to take a lead role in shaping boys for the workforce. Some have found great success in writing down a list of skills, attitudes and knowledge that he will progressively undertake to teach his boy/s from an early age. Unfortunately most men are too busy to be intentional about equipping their boys for life, or it is just so far removed from their own upbringing they wouldn’t have a clue where to start. This is where men meeting together is extremely important so they can nut out a plan and strategy to make it work, so boys will work! A boy who has had no responsibilities and training in childhood, will find it incredibly hard to switch on to work the day after his schooling has finished.
Rob Koch is the founding Director and Principal Consultant of Better Men Australia, men’s work consultant, trainer, speaker, and leader of mentoring adventures based in Berwick, Melbourne, Australia.
