There are so many categories used to divide workers under different classifications but the most common way to classify them is by using collar colours. We all must have heard of white and blue-collar jobs because these two are the most popular ones.
Both terms have different meanings, different work and different salaries. White-collar workers are basically those who work in office settings, in administrative, clerical or management posts. They earn an annual salary, whereas blue-collar workers are generally performing manual labour and are paid hourly or on a piecework basis.
In this article we will try to explain the differences between white and blue collar jobs in detail
Is it Necessary to Define Jobs by Collar Colour
Absolutely not, but, be it supply chain jobs or any other job, jobs are generally classified by the kind of collars, shirts or clothing colour that workers wear which certainly is not mandatory. All these terms based on collar are basically part of a presetup belief system that does not include facts. These terms are just used to make it easier to differentiate between different categories of workers.
What Are White-Collar Jobs
White-collar workers is a term referred to people who work in office settings or we may call them suit and tie workers who are mostly wearing white collared shirts. They handle administrative, clerical and management settings. We can take examples of white collar workers like; a data entry clerk or a manager in a corporate firm. White collar workers receive fixed annual salaries and are not involved in physically taxing jobs
What Are Blue-Collar Jobs
Blue-collar workers are the ones who engage in hard manual labour, usually in things like mining, agriculture, construction and maintenance work etc. In this category of workers, they don’t really have to be skilled or professionally trained, they usually acquire skills on the job. mechanics , welders, construction workers are a few more examples of blue-collar jobs and they probably acquired this name because most of these workers historically wore blue collared shirts.
Key differences
There are so many differences between white collar and blue-collar jobs but these are not based on facts. But these days, Blue-collar assessment is as important as White-collar assessment. These are basically based on how the collar system is perceived by an individual and it can vary from person to person. One can go on to view various industries, education of the people working there, how they dress up etc. and can differentiate as per their personal viewpoint.
Here are some main differences that you will definitely find relevant
Societal Viewpoint
White-collar jobs are always believed to be better than blue-collared jobs. White collared jobs only require working inside an office setting, whereas blue collared jobs include manual or taxing labour which makes the latter less desirable.
Today’s developed world offers its workers jobs that require mental exertion over physicality which makes it possible to have the burden of physical labour removed completely.
Based on Education
It is believed that blue-collar workers are not as educated as white-collar workers which is true to some extent but not entirely. White-collar jobs always require people who are at least graduates or so but blue-collar jobs require nothing of this sort except for some skills that one might need to get a job. So, people who are educated automatically go by white-collar workers and those who are less educated or not educated at all come under blue-collar workers.
Based on clothing
The term, blue-collar and white collar find its origination in the history where people involved in manual labour used to wear blue attires to hide anything like; dirt, oil, and soil etc.
White-collar was referred to people who were associated with button down shirts with ties worn by business fellows.
Class Division
Apart from the perception that white-collar workers make more money than blue-collar workers, it is also believed that both belong to different social classes. Because white collar people earn more money and are well educated which provides them a higher status in the society. Blue-collar workers earn less money and are not educated enough and this makes them fall under a lower social ladder. One thing you need to remember is that this doesn’t happen in all the scenarios since nothing is factual.
Skill Variations
One of the most important differences is considered the skills of workers which makes them fall under these two different collar jobs. White-collar workers are required to be educated, professionally trained, and skilled whereas blue-collar workers are not necessarily needed to have skills, they can acquire skills with the job itself.
Apart from this their skills vary indefinitely. White-collar workers are mostly working under mental attention while blue collar people are involved in hard manual labour.
The Bottom line
White and blue-collar are not just two collars to classify the working people. There are many more like; pink collar are sectors dominated by women, red collar are basically people working for the government and red collar etc These classifications have a lot to do with history because all these terms were once used in the past to refer to different classes of workers.
Though this categorization is not fact based and is fading away day by day, we still cannot deny its relevance since people aren’t aware of any other ways to do so. But one needs to be careful while using these terms because a lot of people find them derogatory.
