What is Emotional Labour?

Credit: Short film, “Behind The Mask”, produced by students from Singapore Institute of Technology - Sherlyn Tan, Celine Chan, Chloe Lim, Pang Jian An and Ho Sheng Rui from Digital Communications and Integrated Media programme.

Do you feel drained at work because you were constantly masking your emotions? You could be an emotional labour.

This concept was first introduced by sociologist Arlie Hochschild (1983) in her book, “The Managed Heart”. It is used to define professionals who are required to display specific emotions for their job, regardless of one’s true feelings. For example, a customer service representative may be expected to remain calm and courteous while dealing with irritated customers, or a nurse who needs to provide comforting reassurance to patients despite feeling stressed or fatigued.

While emotional labour is required of many professions, it can also be emotionally taxing and draining, particularly when individuals are required to suppress or conceal their true emotions for extended periods. This lack of congruency between outward expressions of emotions and internal experiences can result in emotional dissonance and eventually emotional fatigue and burnout.

Professionals may feel drained without realizing it because the effects of emotional labour are often subtle and cumulative over time. Furthermore, because emotional labour is often inherent in certain job roles or organizational cultures, professionals may accept it as a normal part of their work without fully recognizing its impact on their psychological health and overall quality of life.

Ideally, individuals should strive for authenticity in their emotional expressions, even when engaging in emotional labor. Authenticity involves being genuine and true to oneself, both internally and externally. When individuals are authentically aligned with the emotions required by their job roles, they can express those emotions sincerely and convincingly, enhancing their interpersonal relationships, credibility, and effectiveness in the workplace.

The effects of emotional labor can vary depending on an individual's ability to regulate emotions in healthy ways and align their internal experiences with the emotions required by their job roles. To mitigate the negative effects of emotional labor, professionals can benefit from developing emotional literacy.

It's perfectly okay to seek help when you're finding it difficult to cope with your emotions. Remember, reaching out is a sign of strength.

If you are in Singapore and need support, call the National Care Hotline at: 1800-202-6868 or refer to more resources at: https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/mindsg/seeking-support