Doctoral Dissertation Research: Hospice Care Workers and Emotion Management in the Workplace

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal 1129541 - Abstract Doctoral Dissertation Research: Hospice Care Workers and Emotion Management in the Workplace How do emotions factor into the daily lives of workers within caring occupations? This project uses the case of hospice care workers to understand the ways that workers divide emotional tasks, the consequences of experiencing emotions at work, the factors that mitigate negative consequences of emotionally difficult work, and strategies workers use to make work meaningful. Using mixed qualitative (participant observation and semi-structured interviews) and quantitative (closed-ended survey) data collection techniques, this work will rely on, challenge, and help refine the concept of emotional labor, which includes producing or displaying organizationally supported feelings as well as creating the conditions under which others have particular feelings. Ultimately, the project aims to produce a better understanding of the conditions under which emotional experiences at work are detrimental to workers, and the conditions under which they are useful. Additionally, this project will examine the ways that individuals' personal characteristics, occupational positions, and organizational policies structure the amounts and kinds of emotional labor performed, the consequences, and the strategies for dealing with emotional labor. Hospice, an end-of-life care option that emphasizes quality of life and utilizes teams to meet the needs of patients, is an ideal case for this analysis as it is an especially emotional workplace and the structure of hospice organizations requires extensive collaboration with others. Broader Impact The broader impacts of this research include improving the experiences of hospice and other care workers through explicitly assessing policies and organizational structures that make work difficult or worthwhile. Exjperiences can also be improved as a result of analyzing the ways that different kinds of workers in different kinds of positions deal with emotions and the consequences of emotional labor. By looking at the diverse ways in which emotions factor into the experiences of a diverse set of workers, this project contributes to a larger dialogue about how to make work in any service or helping occupation more rewarding.