SIGNIFICAÇÕES DO TRABALHO NA ADULTEZ E NA VELHICE

REFLEXÕES A PARTIR DE UM RELATO DE EXPERIÊNCIA

Abstract

This study aims to understand how different stages of human development attribute meaning to work, analyzing the perceptions of an adult and an older adult through an experience report mediated by a discussion circle. Grounded in Gestalt therapy, particularly the notion of the organism-environment field and the processes of creative adjustment, the study considers work as an activity that emerges as a figure in the experiential field as needs arise, organizing one’s perception of self and the world. Throughout life, work takes on multiple functions influenced by social, economic, emotional, and identity-related factors. The results show that, for the older participant, work maintains a central role even after retirement, being associated with dignity, usefulness, and belonging. Her continued participation in the labor market relates both to financial needs and to the desire to feel active and socially integrated. For the adult participant, work represents an ongoing process marked by the pursuit of professional development, autonomy, learning, and future projection. Her motivations are oriented toward personal achievements and the building of a career that provides satisfaction and meaning. The analysis demonstrates that the meaning of work is dynamic, changing according to the demands of each stage of life. Thus, understanding these differences is essential for more humanized organizational practices that consider the needs of workers at different moments of the life cycle. The study reinforces that work, beyond meeting material needs, constitutes an important axis of psychological, social, and existential development across the lifespan.