Separated by ‘Collar’- Unified by a Purpose
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Life begins once a person seeks employment. It is when a person evolves from a dependent to a provider.
This is a volatile topic, since employment depends on individual skills and capabilities. As with everything else, the human race is adapted to create ‘classifications’ by pasting stereotypical labels on each employment field. Similar to other ‘classifications’ these entail a certain trail of prejudice which deems ‘worthiness’.
In the years of old, man has launched the ‘Collar’ based classification which prevails even in the present context. Employment fields are labeled with a particular colored collar; emphasizing ‘priority order’.
Gold Collar workers are interpreted as extremely skilled and knowledgeable individuals. This category usually comprise of doctors, lawyers and scientists. They combine the mind of a white-collar worker with the hands of a blue-collar employee. The ‘Gold’ title is given due to their contributions to the respective fields and to the economy.
White Collar denotes a professional working for a salary. This refers to office workers and the management in general.However, in certain developed countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, a person is assumed to be a white-collar worker when one engages in a highly professional and successful career or works in either an administrative or managerial role.
Blue Collar represents a member of the working class, who performs manual labour and earns and hourly wage or paid a piece rate for the amount of work done.
Pink Collar workers are also members of the working class who performs in the service industry. They work in positions such as waiters, retail clerks, salespersons, and many other positions involving relations with people. This was previously used to describe jobs that were typically held by women; now the meaning has changed to encompass all service jobs.
Grey Collar is used to classify those who work beyond the age of retirement. Health Care professionals and IT professionals are a few notable examples.
The list goes on, and there seems to be a classification for each profession, but does that mean that there should be a pecking order? It is true that those in the higher classifications have earned the status, but that doesnt mean that the rest is redundant.
Public transport is important to everyone. Regardless of status, it is evident that each individual has utilized the public transportation service for more than one occasion during a lifetime. Has anyone paused to give a glance at the conductor who keeps yelling ‘have the change ready’, or “move to the front, theres space” (even if there wasn’t)? Did the bi-polar bus driver who drove inconsistently like a turtle on one occasion and as if its an audition for the new fast and the furious movie on another pique your interest? How about that tuk-tuk driver who says ‘Sorry madam, the meter isn’t working’?. Now imagine a world without these individuals. The entire transportation structure shall arrive at a standstill.
This can be viewed in several perceptions. If all drivers, conductors deem their employment as demeaning, people would have to either walk, or have to acquire personal vehicles. While the former seems appealing to ones health, the latter leads to certain environmental concerns. The road traffic will skyrocket, and the harmful emmisions made by all of these vehicles will adversely create air pollution.
GDP from transport in Sri Lanka decreased to 232601 LKR Million in the first quarter of 2019 from 320545 LKR Million in the fourth quarter of 2018. These fluctuations occur due to lack of employee participation since the society tends to look down on the profession.
That is just the outer layer of the entire discussion. The nation is filled with individuals who silently work without much appreciation nor recognition with whatever skills left in their arsenals. Imagine a world without people to run those garbage trucks; waste management would turn into a national crisis.
An organization without cleaning staff would be highly insanitary. It would give the brand an unappealing image which would ultimately repel its customers. Delivery of letters and packages would be made impossible, if postmen went off on leave. Who would lay cement on bricks, and create architectural wonders if masons and construction related laborers felt as if they are not needed? These are but a few significant notations which need to be kept in mind to delve into the next stage of the discussion.
The conundrum need to be addressed through 2 approaches
The first thing to do is to get a strong grip of the so-called prejudice and get a much needed reality check (if the hat fits, put it on). Just because a person has skills that one person lacks doesnt mean that the other is useless. It is important to realize that even if you are at the top, there are times which you might have to depend on persons who you consider are ‘below’ your caliber. Visualize your predicament if these entities did not exist. A system cannot exist merely with the presence of higher-ups; the lower tier contribution is just as important. With that in mind, it is ideal to start viewing everyone as equal humans.
On the other hand, the self perception of those engaged in these professions needs to be changed. As explained, everyone has a part to play, and each role has its own unique contribution. Instead of viewing the occupation as ‘low paying, low esteemed and under appreciated’ start being appreciative of the fact that someone somewhere is depending on you. The problem of the society is, that they are quick to judge, and these judgments are mostly impulsive. The other concern is how quickly they believe and succumb for labels. If a few consider it as a minus, the entirety voluntarily acknowledge that notion without considering the possibility of it actually turning out to be a positive.
On that note, it is advisable to reaffirm your importance, regardless of how you are viewed within the society. As long as the earned money is clean, and it is deserving, the manner in which it is acquired should not be of importance.
The closing remark which needs to be remembered is that as humans, we are separated by ‘collar’, but interlinked and unified by a purpose which is far greater than individual personas.
- Randheer Mallawaarachchi