scholarly journals The ethics of service work in a neoliberal healthcare context: doing embodied and “dirty” emotional labor

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilith Arevshatian Whiley ◽  
Gina Grandy

PurposeThe authors explore how service workers negotiate emotional laboring with “dirty” emotions while trying to meet the demands of neoliberal healthcare. In doing so, the authors theorize emotional labor in the context of healthcare as a type of embodied and emotional “dirty” work.Design/methodology/approachThe authors apply interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to their data collected from National Health Service (NHS) workers in the United Kingdom (UK).FindingsThe authors’ data show that healthcare service workers absorb, contain and quarantine emotional “dirt”, thereby protecting their organization at a cost to their own well-being. Workers also perform embodied practices to try to absolve themselves of their “dirty” labor.Originality/valueThe authors extend research on emotional “dirty” work and theorize that emotional labor can also be conceptualized as “dirty” work. Further, the authors show that emotionally laboring with “dirty” emotions is an embodied phenomenon, which involves workers absorbing and containing patients' emotional “dirt” to protect the institution (at the expense of their well-being).

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Edge ◽  
Susan Wheatley

Purpose This paper aims to gain a detailed understanding of their experience of well-being from the perspective of mental health peer workers. Design/methodology/approach An interpretative phenomenological analysis design using semi-structured interviews was conducted with four peer workers. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and then analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Participants described their experience of well-being in terms of a journey over time that followed an unpredictable course. They understood their well-being in terms of their engagement in occupations. An occupational science framework was used to understand the participants’ experience of their well-being in terms of doing, being and becoming. Originality/value This paper is among the first to approach the exploration of the experience of well-being for peer workers using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis design.


2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan M. O'Mahony ◽  
Jane Creaton ◽  
Kevin Smith ◽  
Rebecca Milne

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to find out how intermediaries interpret their role working with vulnerable defendants at court. Design/methodology/approach – In this study six intermediaries who have worked with defendants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview and the interview transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings – Intermediaries appeared to be trying to make sense of their developing identities as professionals in the courtroom and this theme is conceptualised through social identity complexity theory. Practical implications – Health and care professionals undertaking a new function in the criminal justice sector should receive training about the psychological processes underlying developing professional identities. Such training should reduce the cognitive load when they work in the new environment and failure to undertake this training may lead to less efficient practice. Gaining an understanding of their professional positioning within the court environment may assist with retention of intermediaries in this new role. Originality/value – This is the first published study where intermediaries have been interviewed about their experiences with defendants. Recommendations are made including the requirement for additional training for intermediaries to understand the underlying psychological processes and conflicts they may experience when working with defendant cases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
David William Stoten

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to elicit the views of students on their experiences of being part of a doctoral community. In doing so, this paper will shed light on the success of doctoral schools and the degree to which students identify with the wider community of postgraduate researchers. Design/methodology/approach This research adopted an in-depth interview method based on interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings The findings indicate that Higher Education still has some way to go before all students identify as being part of a doctoral school. The data suggest that significant differences exist between PhD and Doctor of Business Administration students on their perceptions of being part of a doctoral community. Originality/value This paper contributes to the growing corpus of work produced through IPA, and also provides insights into the development of a doctoral school.


Author(s):  
Li Laurent ◽  
David Sheffield ◽  
Fiona Holland

AbstractBuddhism is an ancient religion and philosophy of living that is practised worldwide. More recent interest in mindfulness as a practice and intervention in the West has highlighted Buddhist-derived concepts as useful in supporting health and well-being. As a result, the desire to understand Buddhism in its more complete form has strengthened. Although research into mindfulness and compassion is growing, there is a new interest in second-generation mindfulness, i.e. interventions that draw upon a more holistic use of Buddhist practices. To date, little research has explored this in Western contexts. For the current study, Nichiren Buddhists from the United Kingdom who had been practising for at least three years were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore their experience of this practice and how it informed their approach to daily life and, in particular, their health and well-being. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was employed as a method to understand the participants’ experiences. Three themes were generated using an inductive approach: (1) finding meaning—“All experiences have got so much value now”— which reflected the participants’ determination to seek purpose and value in all aspects of their life; (2) Buddhism as a needed ‘tool’—“I use it all the time”—which revealed their practice as an important method to help them manage their lives; and (3) agency—“I’m in control of my destiny”—which highlighted the participants’ engagement (supported by their Buddhist practice) in taking responsibility for their actions and responses. Findings indicate the need for future studies to further explore Buddhism as a mechanism for enhancing and sustaining well-being.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriano Stadler ◽  
Anete Alberton ◽  
Anne M.J. Smith

PurposeThis paper examines entrepreneurship education (EE) in Brazil and Scotland and unpacks convergent and divergent practices in vocational education (VE). The authors evaluate access to EE in VE and suggest and how it might be advanced in Brazil.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA); interpretative analysis of interviewee experiences with 12 educationalists, in management and academic roles, from two Brazilian and two Scottish VE institutions, contextual findings inform advances.FindingsIn Scotland, there is a well-defined entrepreneurial ecosystem where government policy and partners support and monitor provision of and accessibility to EE. In Brazil, government does not regulate policy provision of EE, and there is no defined entrepreneurial ecosystem of partners. IPA enabled the authors to examine divergent entrepreneurial education provision and evaluate accessibility to EE in Brazil.Research limitations/implicationsImplications include ways to advance educational inclusivity and accessibility for VE students in Brazil and a call to address availability through policy is underpinned by empirical data. Contextual characteristics of the study might be considered limiting but address a broad call to contribute to EE in VE settings.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study equip educationalists with new knowledge about advancing EE provision and delivery in VE, which in turn supports inclusivity.Originality/valueThe authors contribute directly to an agenda that will create impact for young Brazilians through accessible EE models that place EE in VE at the forefront of social change in Brazil.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 215-228
Author(s):  
Andrea Fischbach ◽  
Benjamin Schneider

This special issue introduces new perspectives on emotional labor in the service context. That is, while service work has been a focus of much of the emotional labor research world, explication of the context in which that service work occurs (including the customers served, the leadership of those who serve, and the larger organizational context) has not received much attention. In addition, the emotional labor of customers has also not been much explored. The papers included in this special issue explore these issues from the viewpoints of both the fields of organizational behavior and services management; they consider emotional labor from both employees’ and customers’ perspectives; and they explore the outcomes of emotional labor in ways that signal the common human experiences of people when in interaction with each other. Together, these papers offer new insights on emotional labor by translating service characteristics and service leadership into attitudes and experiences of service workers and customers, their behaviors and emotions, and ultimately into their health and wellbeing. This introduction provides a series of lenses useful for interpreting the papers in this special issue. We hope that the depth and diversity of new directions for emotional labor research and practice that are suggested by this special issue will inspire many researchers and practitioners navigating this world to provide both understanding of it and further the health and well-being of those involved in it.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Artur Dias ◽  
Aurora A.C. Teixeira

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the aftermath of business failure (BF) by addressing: how the individual progressed and developed new ventures, how individuals changed business behaviors and practices in light of a failure, and what was the effect of previous failure on the individual’s decisions to embark on subsequent ventures. Design/methodology/approach The authors resort to qualitative methods to understand the aftermath of BF from a retrospective point of a successful entrepreneur. Specifically, the authors undertook semi-structured interviews to six entrepreneurs, three from the north of Europe and three from the south and use interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings The authors found that previous failure impacted individuals strongly, being shaped by the individual’s experience and age, and their perception of blame for the failure. An array of moderator costs was identified, ranging from antecedents to institutions that were present in the individual’s lives. The outcomes are directly relatable to the failed experience by the individual. The authors also found that the failure had a significant effect on the individual’s career path. Originality/value While predicting the failure of healthy firms or the discovery of the main determinants that lead to such an event have received increasingly more attention in the last two decades, the focus on the consequences of BF is still lagging behind. The present study fills this gap by analyzing the aftermath of BF.


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Coral Westaway ◽  
Lizette Nolte ◽  
Rachel Brown

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to extend our understanding of the issues facing those who experience multiple moves around homelessness projects. It considers these issues and how they relate to best practice, informing the delivery of psychologically informed environments (PIEs). Design/methodology/approach A qualitative design was employed, with interviews undertaken with men currently residing in hostels for those with additional needs. These men had already experienced multiple moves within the hostel system. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings Main themes consider issues and challenges associated with hope and moving forward; help and the conditional or temporal nature of this; identity and stigma; and intimacy and relationships. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed. Research limitations/implications Implications include best practice for future planning with service users, the relational nature of hope, how best to manage endings and practical guidance for service developments in these settings. Originality/value These findings further the understanding of the challenges faced by service users with complex needs and how best to address them. They build on PIE guidance, offering tangible advice for practice.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-111
Author(s):  
Joanne E. Nulty ◽  
Belinda Winder ◽  
Sally Lopresti

Purpose The treatment and placement of transgender individuals within the UK prison system has garnered considerable political and media attention. The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of the experiences of three transgender women located within a male, category C prison in England. Design/methodology/approach Participants were interviewed and their accounts analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings Three overarching themes emerged from the data set: participants’ experiences of transition; their identity within custody and the challenges associated with presenting as female within a male establishment; and what they perceived as their fight against the prison system which encompassed a fight for their rights alongside a daily struggle against harassment, victimisation and discrimination. Research limitations/implications Three participants were interviewed which impacts the generalisability of the findings. Implications link to the care and management of transgender prisoners. Practical implications The care and management of transgender prisoners is a complex issue. This paper contributes to the discussion on how best to support and care for this group of service users who are arguably amongst the most vulnerable within the prison system. Social implications Findings are discussed in relation to policy, management and safeguarding of transgender prisoners within the UK prison system. Recommendations are made regarding their placement and management in prison. Originality/value There are limited accounts from transgender prisoners regarding their experiences in prison. This paper aims to address that gap.


Author(s):  
Olivia Sagan ◽  
Antigonos Sochos

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of a social art practice and group attachment in the life of a mental health service user with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Design/methodology/approach – Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used as a means by which to explore interview data and bring to bear theories of attachment and psychosocial theories of the creative process. Findings – The study found that the process of coming to be seen and showing, relating and narrating, was part of a process enabled by experiences of group attachment within specific groups. These groups appeared to share the core principles of a TC. The artist’s improving reflective capacity and art practice informed and strengthened each other within a context of attachment, containment, communication, inclusion and agency (Haigh, 2013). Research limitations/implications – Whilst phenomenological work of this kind is small scale, the nature of the involvement with the participant facilitates a first person narrative which allows unique insight into human meaning making. Practical implications – The study offers pointers regarding the role of social art practice and emphasises the importance of developing attachments as part of mental well-being, as well as the potential role and challenge of this for individuals with severe relational problems. The study stresses the importance of groups that nurture particular experiences such as belongingness and sense of agency, and suggests why these experiences may be more effective for some individuals than one-to-one therapy. Social implications – The research adds to the debate regarding the benefits of engaging with the arts and the means by which the value of publicly funded community arts projects can be assessed. It also puts forward the case for TCs as potentially offering a substantial springboard not only to recovery but to higher creative functioning. Originality/value – The paper attempts to offer a deeper understanding of the combined and interlaced therapeutic power of creative endeavour; narrative identity; group attachment and the role of the fundamental principles of TCs.


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