Organisational Behaviour For Dummies

Chapter 7

Handling Emotionally Demanding Jobs

In This Chapter

Working with people and their emotions

Getting all emotional with work

Burning out and feeling down

How many times do you reflect on a situation and think to yourself, ‘I had to try not to cry,’ ‘I forced myself really hard not to laugh,’ or ‘I was determined not to show I felt hurt?’ Often, controlling your emotions is part of behaving appropriately, such as feeling sad at funerals, happy at weddings, or not laughing during a serious work presentation. Or, you may want to keep your emotions in check because you don’t want someone to know how you really feel. This control is all very well in your personal life, but think how you’d feel if your job depends on not showing how you really feel or having to fake your emotions.

In this chapter, we look at what an emotion actually is, what it entails within a work environment, and the types of work where you’re more likely to use your emotions. We also explain the ins and outs of emotional labour; how and why, as an employee, it can be a problem; and how, as a manager, you can limit negative consequences.

Understanding Emotional Labour

Usually, you’re careful about the emotions ...