The New Face of Exploitation through Passion — When 'Loving Your Job' Becomes an "Obligation": The Cost of the 'Love' Companies Demand

"I really like this job"—such a statement is inherently positive and even carries a hint of pride. However, in recent years, phrases like "a workplace you can love" and "a role you can love" have surged in recruitment ads and corporate messages. Working is increasingly being discussed not as an economic transaction (exchange of wages for labor) but as an emotional commitment.

The theme this time is an attempt to deconstruct that "love." The article explores what happens inside us when we "love" our work more deeply than just "liking" it. It also touches on the slightly bitter reality that this doesn't always lead to good outcomes.

"Loving your job" is different from satisfaction or immersion

The first important point is not to equate "loving your job" with mere "job satisfaction" or "engagement." The article, through multiple studies, organizes job love as a state where the following three elements are present.

1. Enthusiasm for the work itself : It's not about being forced; it's about feeling energized while doing it.

2. Commitment to the organization : Seeing the company's challenges as your own and finding meaning in your role.

3. Connection with colleagues : Not a blurring of personal and professional lines, but a bond of trust and belonging.

When these three elements are simultaneously present, work shifts from being something you "do" to becoming "a part of you." That's why it's powerful. The article emphasizes that job love is a "rare alignment" and can become a strong psychological resource.

When it works well, it fosters happiness and resilience

When job love grows in a healthy environment, people can persevere. It goes beyond mere satisfaction or motivation, creating a deeper desire to "continue" and "engage." As a result, psychological well-being improves, and it's easier to maintain involvement even in challenging situations—the article shows such correlations.

From a company's perspective, this is attractive. People who love their jobs are more likely to extend their efforts beyond their job descriptions. Instead of thinking "someone else will do it," they think "I'll do it." This becomes a reliable driving force for the team, increasing the on-the-ground energy.

However, here's the main point. That driving force can become a "weakness" the moment conditions collapse .

The moment love becomes "fragility"—when boundaries cannot be drawn

The article does not definitively state that "job love directly causes burnout." However, based on past research, it suggests that deep attachment can become a vulnerability in workplaces with "bad conditions."

Why? People who love their jobs tend to have a strong sense of responsibility. They often feel "I don't want to cause trouble" or "If I don't hold on, things won't work." In a healthy workplace, this is rewarded as a "strength." However, when conditions such as weak management, staff shortages, distorted evaluations, or disregard for boundaries overlap, attachment turns into "can't refuse," "can't rest," and "can't leave."

What's even more troublesome is when the workplace encourages "bring your whole self" or talks about work as a "calling" or "mission." While the words are beautiful, if the actual workload, compensation, discretion, and psychological safety do not accompany them, love is collected as "obligation" rather than "volition" . Here, the sense of fulfillment is a fine line away from "exploitation of fulfillment."

The company's paradox: The more they want to be "loved," the more fragile they become

Companies often want "enthusiastic people." However, expecting too much love can backfire. The paradox presented in the article is this.

• The stronger the job love, the more people strive for the organization

• Therefore, organizations want to "encourage love"

• However, if encouraged without protective measures (appropriate load, boundaries, support, clear expectations), the stronger the job love, the more people get hurt

• As a result, the "continuous contribution" that the organization wanted is undermined

The important thing here is that "love cannot be manufactured." The moment love becomes a KPI, it turns into a performance for achieving goals, increasing exhaustion. If you seek love, you first need the soil where love can grow—meaningful work, supportive leadership, and healthy job design. Love appears not as a "substitute for good management" but as a "result of good management."

Reactions on social media (typical points of discussion)

This article's theme resonates easily on social media. In fact, posts and introductions dealing with related topics (the side effects of glorifying love for work) tend to gather the following reactions.

1) "Isn't that a manual for exploitation of fulfillment?"

The most common reactions are those of empathy. Experiences where "I can work hard because I like it" were replaced with "I can endure because I like it" are shared, and long working hours, vague expectations, and lack of transparency in evaluations are criticized as a set. Phrases like "If you want love, provide wages and personnel" are increasingly used in a sharp tone.

2) "Liking your job doesn't equal unhappiness; it depends on the conditions."

On the other hand, there are voices supporting the article's balance (not denying love itself). They share positive experiences, such as "There are times when liking your job is a salvation" and "Connections at work supported recovery," while organizing the issue as the "use of love."

3) "In recruitment, what should you really look for in a 'workplace you can love'?"

In the context of recruitment and job change, practical reactions increase, suggesting to look at "conditions for love to grow" rather than "whether you can love it." For example,

• Are expectations clearly defined?

• Is the staffing plan realistic?

• Can managers adjust the workload?

• Are boundaries (vacation, contact time, discretion) respected?
  Such checklists tend to emerge.

4) "The call for 'bringing your whole self to work' comes from a position of power."

There are also noticeable voices of caution against slogans like "be yourself" and "work is family." Especially those who have been in workplaces where "the words are warm, but the systems are cold" react strongly. The critique that "words that dissolve boundaries can also become a way to shift responsibility" is common.

5) Management's reaction: "Love cannot be an evaluation metric."

Posts from managers and HR often read this as a reflection on "engagement initiatives." It is shared as a learning point that "praising passion without reducing the load is dangerous" and "psychological safety and job design come first." Here, the discussion tends to lean towards "system design."

Conclusion: The question to reconsider is not "Can it be loved?" but "Is it protected?"

The article poses not a romantic question but one of practicality: not "Do you love your job?" but **"Is your love for work based on a system that protects you?"**

Liking your job can enrich your life. However, there are workplaces where those who step in too deeply because they like it are the first to break. The stronger the love, the more necessary the design of boundaries, load, and support becomes.

Before talking about love, talk about management. — Whether we can restore that order may become the watershed for future "ways of working."

Source

Article on Phys.org (What it means to "love your job" / Organization of the three elements / Advantages and vulnerabilities / The organization's paradox)
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-job-liability.html

Related article page on Phys.org (Touching on the side effects of "glorifying love for work" for understanding surrounding topics)
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-virtue.html

Introduction article by Rice Business (Research introduction on how "glorifying job love" can lead to guilt, burnout, and bias. A supplement for organizing discussion points on SNS)
https://business.rice.edu/news/executives-arent-sold-strategy-planning-research-finds

The Conversation-related post on Facebook (Confirmation that related themes are shared on SNS and comments are attached. Reference for organizing "typical points of discussion" on SNS reactions)
https://www.facebook.com/theconversationUS/posts/loving-your-work-can-be-great-but-judging-whether-others-love-their-work-isnt-wh/1261854042627938/

The Conversation-related post on LinkedIn (Confirmation that the same theme is also spread on business SNS and reactions are attached)
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/conversationus_work-passion-career-activity-7399606539625549824-wlek