Of your not a key worker, has it made you feel like your job is a bit worthless ?

[Lardlizard]

I’m not slating anyone I do charity work, but all this upheaval really makes you Evaluate things

If of course

No because if you look at the actual government definition it's nothing to be proud of. My DH fell into the definition as a back office middle manager in financial services. I didn't despite working with vulnerable people.

I know people have bought into the ideology that keyworkers are heroes but I think it's misguided.

Erm, no!

My job generates income and does some good even though it is in the DREADED EVIL private sector.

Nope!

Being a key worker doesn't make you a hero and the list of key workers was so ridiculous you could pretty much shoehorn anyone into one of the boxes.

No.

I changed jobs last year - same role, different sector. Old role, I would have been a key worker. New role, not a key worker but I arguably generate work that is of greater value to society (though doesn’t pay quite as well so less tax!)

There are plenty of jobs that are beneficial to society without meeting the key worker definition or even a tighter definition of ‘vital to keep the short term running’.

Yes I agree the list of key workers pretty much includes almost everyone

I am a key worker, but I think everyone has helped keep the country running and are all valuable jobs in their own right

I think at the moment that it's quite difficult to find an employed person who isn't a "key" worker of some description

No, I work for money and no other reason, so to me, my job certainly isn't worthless.

No. I work in marketing but the co I work for installed networks for some of the Nightingale hospitals. We manage cyber security for councils, hospitals, manufacturing etc.

Without us, all sorts of things could go wrong, so no, the job isn't worthless. Nobody's job is worthless or they wouldn't get paid.

I’m a keyworker and it’s made me realise I desperately want to switch to the private sector.

I am struggling to cope with my colleagues - many of whom have some kind of undeserved hero complex.

No. If having a job that is worthwhile to society (except very broadly by contributing to the economy) was high on my list I would have chosen a different career path. Recent events have not changed that.

@FlowerofLondon

I’m a keyworker and it’s made me realise I desperately want to switch to the private sector.

I am struggling to cope with my colleagues - many of whom have some kind of undeserved hero complex.

Are the private sector key workers with an undeserved hero complex some how better then?

No, because I'm a single parent and my job keeps a roof over our head. I'm proud of it even though it's not "key" to society.

I do volunteer work anyway to do my bit to contribute.

@Mintjulia the mix of cyber security and marketing is my absolute dream! I have job sector envy

Nope.

I do the same/similar role I've always have done, and if I worked at some of my previous organisations I would have been categorised as a key worker.

My DP, some extended family and friends were categorised as key workers. They all did different jobs and even with the ones working in healthcare only a handful are on the front-line.

I didn’t realise I was a key worker till quite a while into the lockdown! My view of my job did not change at all upon gaining the knowledge that I was a key worker. Far too many people are in my view. It is an arbitrary accreditation with no inherent value - that in no way detracts from the hugely important work done by many who have been so titled.

Not even slightly. Because I've been working throughout lock down and without that money, we'd be in serious shit. Also, without the fact that I'm still generating an income, I can't contribute to society and the economy in other ways.

I think it's actually quite sad that the phrase "key worker" might have made people who have other jobs feel like less. Because its entirely untrue.

No mainly because I am a keyworker (childminder) and I have never felt so undervalued particularly by the government. All of these financial packages available for businesses and some childcare settings and all that's available for us is the SEISS payment.

Key workers are now like dinosaurs - fucking extinct.

They were only a thing in the early days of the lockdown.

No because the definition was so wide!
Tbh I pay taxes and work in an area of research that benefits people so I feel like my job is valuable enough 😂

Only when my 5 year old announced that daddy's job is much more important than mummy's job because daddy makes people better. I mean, he's got a point but how rude . Anyway, mummy's job pays the mortgage.

I hate the word key worker and the hero status it gives people.

i say this as one

A woman from my work keeps barking on about being a key worker on Facebook and asking about key worker discounts - she was furloughed! They only furloughed 7 out of 65 members of staff so how she thinks she’s key is beyond me.

No.

Not a key worker but have worked all through lockdown.