Emotional labour

Abstract

Even before the craze for emotional intelligence it was recognised that many workers were required to display certain emotions as part of the job. In effect this ‘emotional labour’ means hiding or suppressing real feelings while displaying other, even opposite emotions. They may have ‘appropriate emotions’ which they have to display more or less intently than would come naturally. Waiters and nurses, gardeners and fitness trainers, accountants and attorneys, psychotherapists and independent financial advisers all have to fake emotion: concern, interest, enthusiasm, and so on.