You work hard… but are you getting paid fairly for it?
Maybe this question has crossed your mind on an ordinary workday. Maybe it came up after seeing someone earn more than you — someone who, in your eyes, does less. Or maybe the thought showed up when another bill landed on your desk.
In the end, the question seems simple:
Who decides how much your work is worth?
Spoiler: the answer isn’t simple at all.
But it says a lot about how the world works — and how much we still need to reflect on value, recognition, and fairness.
When effort isn’t enough to determine worth
Since childhood, we’re told that effort is everything: study hard, work hard, give your best — and success will follow. But what happens when that effort doesn’t translate into fair compensation?
People who work in essential services — like public sanitation, early education, or public healthcare — are often underpaid, while celebrities, influencers, and executives can earn a fortune with a single campaign, contract, or deal.
This isn’t about comparing journeys — it’s about questioning criteria.
Should the value of work be tied to its social impact or the profit it generates? To working hours or to the status it holds? To the scarcity of professionals or to the privileges involved in entering a certain field?
Supply, demand, and the invisible game behind wages
Behind what we earn lies a game of invisible forces. The market dictates more than we’d like to admit, and two of its biggest players are:
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Supply: How many people are willing (and qualified) to do what you do?
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Demand: How many companies, brands, or clients need this service?
When supply is high and demand is low, prices — or in this case, wages — tend to drop. The opposite is also true. That’s how, for instance, software developers often earn much more than elementary school teachers.
Both are essential. But one is scarce in the market, while the other, unfortunately, is not treated as a priority.
This logic may sound cold — and it is. It reduces people to numbers, talent to statistics, and purpose to spreadsheets.
“If it were easy, everyone would do it”: the myth of meritocracy
It’s common to hear that those who earn more do so because they studied harder or worked harder. And yes, there’s real merit in dedication. But that view ignores the uneven starting points in society.
While some people have access to quality education, nutritious food, a stable environment, and emotional support, others face adversity from childhood — often working early to help their families.
Certain careers are encouraged in some circles and nearly invisible in others. The result? A world where talent doesn’t always get a chance to thrive.
Meritocracy, when detached from social reality, becomes a comfortable excuse to justify privilege — not a fair measure of value.
Symbolic value: what does your profession mean to others?
There’s also the question of symbolism. Some professions carry status, prestige, or glamour. Others are seen as “basic,” “low-level,” or “ordinary” — even though they’re absolutely necessary.
This symbolic value influences how much people think a job is “worth.”
Have you noticed how companies often pay more for a branding consultant than for a cleaning crew? Or how a “minimalist” design might cost more than a 12-hour hospital shift?
Society assigns value based on image, not necessarily on real contribution.
Feminized and racialized professions: when value is shaped by prejudice
It’s important to remember that not all jobs have historically been seen the same way.
Many occupations held predominantly by women or people of color have been — and still are — undervalued, both socially and financially.
Jobs like nursing, social work, domestic work, and teaching are essential but often overlooked. This is no coincidence — it’s structural.
That means your work’s value isn’t defined only by what you do. It’s shaped by gender, race, class, location, and even your accent.
Working with purpose is beautiful. But can it pay the bills?
Many people find meaning in what they do, even when underpaid. There’s passion, dedication, pride.
But surviving on purpose alone can be romantic — and unsustainable. Especially in a world where everything has a price, including time, mental health, and quality of life.
It’s possible (and fair) to want to do what you love and get paid well for it.
And the opposite is also true: you don’t have to love your job to deserve respect and fair compensation.
Valuing others’ work is also a way to recognize our shared humanity.
What if you could set your own worth?
Imagine, just for a moment, that you could define your hourly rate. How much would an hour of your time be worth? What number would you put on your daily delivery of effort, creativity, patience, and responsibility?
Would anyone be willing to pay that?
This exercise reveals how much we internalize values imposed by others — employers, price lists, social norms — without questioning if they make sense for our reality.
Maybe it’s time to negotiate more, speak up more, and settle less for “that’s what they pay out there.”
Real change starts with collective conversations
As long as discussions around wages and value stay confined to whispers between coworkers or inner frustrations, not much will change.
But when we bring these topics into the open—in our homes, on social media, in group chats—they gain power.
Talking about salaries is still taboo.
But it’s also a powerful tool for justice.
Shining a light on what lies behind paychecks (or the lack of one) is a step toward breaking cycles of inequality.
This isn’t just about money. It’s about dignity.
Because in the end…
What you do has value.
How much they pay you for it doesn’t always reflect that value.
And that gap? It hurts. It wears you down. It limits dreams.
But it can also be the spark for change—personal and collective.
If you’ve read this far, it’s because this question probably resonates with you:
Who decides how much your work is worth?
Maybe the answer is still taking shape.
But the first step is refusing silence as an answer.