TITLE:
Invisible Hours: Social Service Work and Unpaid Labour
AUTHORS:
Ley D. Fraser
KEYWORDS:
Emotional Labour, Overtime, Burnout, Social Services, Social Work, Turnover
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.3 No.3,
March
17,
2016
ABSTRACT: This article was based on a larger study examining
emotional stress in social service workers at the intersection of professional
expectations and the “emotional labour” that accompanies day-to-day
work. Social service workers are defined for this study as individuals who are
employed in a position where they provide support for individual clients’ mental, emotional and social
welfare over an extended period of time (this definition intentionally excluded
occupations such that offer primarily medical care, which are outside the scope
of the study). The results of the survey showed social work as a profession
filled with mature workers whose commitment and passion for their job is tempered
by the intrusive emotional labour that can claim their off hours. In addition,
the findings showed that unpaid overtime is normalized in the field and workers
may feel expected to give their job more than just the hours they are paid for.
These findings offer some considerations for why social work experiences a high
turnover rate despite the dedication and commitment of the workers.