How to recognize work when is not work anymore? This question entails two aspects: the first one is a question of method (how to recognize work?). The second one is about this hypothetical subject that is 'work when it is not work anymore?'. If we talk about non-profit and informal work opposed to 'standard' work, then 'work that is not work anymore' is actually still work. Although, from an ethnocentric point of view, it is different from 'standard' work, which is supposed to be a reference in order to identify the nature of human activities. However, when analyzing the norm in informal activities, whatever the prevailing kind of work in a society, and from a conceptual as well as from a practical point of view, allows us to consider that a social human activity cannot be informal. A few methodological points will help us to understand these activities supposed to be informal, focusing on ergonomic's and ergology's epistemic principles.
informal work; non-profit work; formal work; norm; dynamic three poles system