The Hospital Porter: A Behavioural Profile of on Occupation in the World of the Core of the Sick Available to Purchase

It is popularly held that some less‐skilled occupations cannot be intrinsically satisfying and meaningful to employees and that extrinsic rewards (that is, mainly monetary) assume an importance that transcends all else. This belief is certainly not substantiated by our researches of the work of hospital porters in two of the largest and most modern teaching hospitals in this country. These workers have recently been very much in the news on account of the impact their protests for better recognition have made. It is highly significant that instead of finding their work activities alienating, the reverse appears to be so and that the emphasis of their work orientation is on public service and “care”.