The Importance of Understanding Emotional Labor to Both the Employees and Employers - Essay Example

Emotional Labor Name Professor Corse Date Emotional labor Everyone is mandated to work, and, therefore, labor is part and parcel of us. Individuals work not only because they want to meet their daily needs, but because it is a command from God. It is worth noting that a command from did not exclude some people from working, rather it gave everyone an equal chance when it comes to working. At times, this work may come about with certain challenges. However hard the challenges might be, employees are expected to overcome them. This essay demonstrates what emotional labor is, and the understanding of emotional labor for both the employees and employers and some way that the above party can deal with such circumstances. First, before anchoring into the details about emotional labor, it is worth to first understand what emotional labor is. Emotional labor can be termed as the work that involves a person to display emotions that match the expected position while carrying a work duty. Alternatively it can as well be described as the struggle that is required by someone to ensure a clear separation from a certain situation so that a work can be done. Due to human nature, it is noted that many, if not all those individuals who are employed have once been faced with such a scenario (Allen et al, 2014, p.30). This is a scenario where, an employee is expected struggle to overcome the moods that the clients are in for the sake of pleasing the customers. According to research, it has been recorded that portraying a genuine concern for the needs of the customers, by smiling, making positive eye contact and many more are all pertinent to customer’s discernment of service quality. It follows that all the above activities, when they are very significant to the working power of a worker is termed as emotional labor (Linliang, 2013, p.172). Emotional labor is not something to assume. In most cases, when facing clients who are generally unpleasant, angry and very annoying, emotional labor can be extremely challenging. The main part of this challenge is when originates from the need to hide the true emotions and feeling, and instead maintain a smiling face as you node your head even when your feelings are critical and that you are encountering very negative responds. This is what many people, who are at work usually, face, every time they report on duty. Nevertheless, since they do not have the power to reject or retreat from serving, they are forced to undergo emotional labor, since they expect to get a paid so as to be sustained. Almost all managers will always place a great deal of strategic pertinence on orientation of the service, not only to visiting clients but also to internal clients and colleagues, as well. According to research it is elaborative to heed that emotional labor is practical to many areas of business; however the consequences are even greatest in the traditional servicing roles. All that the managers should note is that emotional labor at most affects workers, and, therefore, organization should ensure it has a role to play in order to minimize emotional labor that the workers usually encounter on a daily basis, at their place of work. The importance of understanding emotional labor to both the employees and employers There is pertinence in understanding emotional labor. Both the employees and employers should understand how to completely tackle up this situation when it arises. However, when both parties understands the existence of this phenomenon, the first countering of this is to ensuring there is a precluding of interpersonal problems as well as regulating interactions. This action is known as facilitation of task performance (GOPALAN et al, 2013, p.350). Also, the employers should understand that the emotional labor can cause a serious issue on their organizations. For instance, an employee who is always facing emotional labor will always get the impairment by primarily priming the expectation of good service-ship. In other words, emotional labor will always affect employees; psychological well-being. It is evident that there is a link between one’s physical state and one’s emotional state. Understanding emotional labor will always foretell the managers that their employees might get burnouts, and they might feel that they are not satisfied with their job. Therefore, the understanding of this torture to employees and employers will direct them to evade the above, and also things like poor cynicism, self-esteem, self-alienation, depression and role of alienation just to sample but a few. Therefore, if emotional labor is understood earlier, the above issues can be avoided at all mean, hence creating a workable environment. Apart from the creation of workable environment, it is better to note that both the parties’ interests will be preserved. No one is readily and willing to sacrifice his or her interests, therefore, understanding the concept of emotional labor will lead to the preservation of one's interests’ hence creating admirable working place (Sanders, 2013, p.88). How employers and employees overcome emotional labor The first step that both the employees and employers should do in dealing with emotional labor is to understand that it exists and it is something that sucks. Then for employers, the first thing is to try and hire people who can genuinely enjoy serving others. Those individuals who like being in a service of others. Suck people will of course be making a job out of doing so, and, therefore, they will be using what they a lot to make some money over it. To them that is a plus, and so they will be in service no matter the rejection and annoyance (BASIM 2013, p.1492). Managers also should educate his or her employees to do work just in the right way he or she wants. After which there will be a room for holding them accountable of what they are doing. Another thing is to ensure employees are empowered. Empowerment here means, teaching the employees on how to solve an issue and then having them on their feet. In this way, almost all employees will understand how to tackle a client and so they will not always be colliding with them while offering their services. On the other hand, the employees should be taught to remain silence. Even though at times silence may indicate a sign of disobedience or despise, but the truth is that those who remains silence will always over any challenge. But those who cannot keep quiet will always exchange with clients, and as per the rule that clients are always right, then it means that the employee will be on a wrong side here. Therefore, learning to be silent is something that is worth of praise. However, the expected silent should arise when a customer or client is annoying. Therefore in summary, to avoid emotional labor, each manager should ensured that that he or she hires the right people, and it that is not enough, it is worth that the manager should give the hired people proper training so that they can manage emotional labor in a more convenient way. They should also be empowered to work properly, and then get the annoying clients out of their way in a more civilized manner. Managers also should fetch for employees who have a higher customer and employee satisfaction. If the above are considered, then emotional labor will be minimized at a larger cost in any given organization. No one will feel happy to work in an environment where he or she is engulfed with situations that make him or her feel rejected. This situation leads to emotional labor. Therefore, to counter such a situation, all the parties (the employees and the employers) should first understand that such a thing exists and that it is a bother (Karimi et al, 2014, 180). This is the point that will ensure a possible solution is found. Notably, it is wiser to heed and agree that there is no way a solution can be found on a problem that do not exists. It is always that a problem will exist first, and then a solution comes in second. The challenges are there, and some of the known main challenge when it comes to working is emotional labor. Many have been living with it, and are still living with it without understanding how to control it. However, the truth is that a problem knows a problem solved. That is why; this essay has emphasized a lot of understanding that emotional labor is real before tackling it. References Allen, J., Diefendorff, J., & Ma, Y. (2014). Differences in Emotional Labor Across Cultures: A Comparison of Chinese and U.S. Service Workers. Journal Of Business & Psychology, 29(1), 21-35. BASIM, H., BEGENİRBAŞ, M., & YALÇIN, R. (2013). Effects of Teacher Personalities on Emotional Exhaustion: Mediating Role of Emotional Labor. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 13(3), 1488-1496. GOPALAN, N., CULBERTSON, S. S., & LEIVA, P. (2013). Explaining Emotional Labor's Relationships with Emotional Exhaustion and Life Satisfaction: Moderating Role of Perceived Autonomy. Universitas Psychologica, 12(2), 347-356. Karimi, L., Leggat, S. G., Donohue, L., Farrell, G., & Couper, G. E. (2014). Emotional rescue: the role of emotional intelligence and emotional labour on well-being and job-stress among community nurses. Journal Of Advanced Nursing, 70(1), 176-186. Linliang, Q. (2013). Contesting "Institute Nanny Motherhood": The Emotional Labor of Childcare Workers in a Contemporary Chinese State-run Orphanage. (English). Taiwan Journal Of Anthropology, 11(2), 147-199. Sanders, R. (2013). THE HEALTH CARE INITIATIVE FOR EMOTIONAL LABORS. International Journal Of Academic Research, 5(2), 87-91. Read More