In Sunday’s Times, Lisa Belkin relates the latest poll of workers which found that 40% of workers were excited to return to their jobs on Monday.

Every once in a while I hear from people who love their jobs. I don’t mean people who are merely pleased to have a job, or relieved not to despise that job, but rather workers who are head-over-heels ecstatic about the work they do. People who would keep on working if they hit the lottery. People who jump out of bed in the morning, thrilled that it is Monday.

A study from the Ajilon Office, a division of Ajilon Professional Staffing, found that 40 percent of respondents were excited to begin each new week. That left 60 percent who weren’t quite as thrilled about it, but the minority who love their jobs are a reminder to the rest of the population of what work can ideally be.

She then goes on to talk about the sizable group of work-lovers.

I may have read too much Marx, but my first thought as I scanned this article was, “False consciousness! False consciousness!”

Then I thought about Arlie Hochschild, and thought “Bad home life! Bad home life! Work has become home and home has become work!”

Or is all this a triumph of 21st management techniques? We’re learning how to treat workers better.

Thoughts? Would you keep doing your job if you won the lottery?