The Role of Emotional Labor in Public Service

The following sections are included:

• What Emotional Labor Is and Is Not

  • It is not emotional intelligence

  • It is not public service motivation

  • It is not leadership

• Emotional Labor: What It Is

• The Relationship Between Emotional Labor and Burnout

  • First dimension: Emotional exhaustion

  • Second dimension: Cynicism

  • Third dimension: Ineffectiveness

• Implications for Practice

  • Critical incident debriefings

  • Self-care plans

  • Redesign of jobs

  • “Time-outs”

• Conclusion

• References