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Emotional labour in non-governmental organisations: narrative analysis and theory expansion

January 2019 International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion

Sharon H. Mastracci , Ian T. Adams

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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore emotional labour in the context of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) using word data from interviews of five NGO directors on their recruitment criteria when hiring staff. We analyse interview transcripts using semiotic clustering. First-order concepts are organised into second-order themes which are summarised as aggregate dimensions to develop a proposition and expand emotional labour theory. We find evidence of emotional labour in NGOs: modelling behaviour for clients, serving as mentors to new staff members, maintaining boundaries between self and clients, suppressing panic in crisis, cognitive reframing, and compartmentalisation. We provide evidence of emotional labour in NGOs, which contributes to emotional labour theory by focusing solely on this important sector of public service. Little research has been done on emotional labour in such organisations, and consistent with prior findings, we find aspects of emotional labour in NGOs can be rewarding and fulfilling as well.

Summary

This study examined how workers at non-governmental organizations manage their emotions as part of their job duties, finding that staff must carefully control their feelings when mentoring colleagues, setting boundaries with clients, and staying calm during crises. While this research focuses on NGOs rather than police, it reveals important insights about emotional demands in public service work that likely apply to law enforcement officers who face similar challenges in managing their emotions while helping people and responding to emergencies. Understanding how emotional labor affects workers in helping professions could inform better training and support systems for police officers dealing with traumatic or stressful situations.

(AI-generated summary, v1, January 2026)

Citation Information

Citations: 1 (as of July 2026)

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APA

Sharon H. Mastracci, Ian T. Adams (2019). Emotional labour in non-governmental organisations: narrative analysis and theory expansion. International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijwoe.2019.10023347

BibTeX 
@article{mastracci2019,
  title   = {Emotional labour in non-governmental organisations: narrative analysis and theory expansion},
  author  = {Sharon H. Mastracci and Ian T. Adams},
  journal = {International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion},
  year    = {2019},
  doi     = {10.1504/ijwoe.2019.10023347},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1504/ijwoe.2019.10023347}
}

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