The work view command isn't very useful when working with the default, single view layout. To get a better idea of what it does, change to a multi-view layout (menu -> view -> layout -> open, pick L2, OK). Also, turn on the view borders and names (menu -> preferences -> visualization -> names/borders -> turn on the view names and borders). You will now see 2 views of your part, one will be labeled "WORK" and will respond to the spaceball. Right click in the other view and choose "work view" to make that view the work view.
It's one of the commands that nobody uses but that development doesn't dare to remove because if they would,
immediately some large company would rise and shout "aaah, we use that everyday !"
Since the advent of 3D displays and so-called 'Spaceball' control devices, the usefulness of working in multiple views, at least outside of Drafting, has continuously dropped to the point where it's hardly seen anymore, at least that was my observation over the years watching the evolution of the display hardware and how software was enhanced to leverage those changes.