emotional labor

[ ih-moh-shuh-nl ley-ber ]

noun

1. the sum of small acts performed by one person to make other people’s lives more pleasant and to protect them from negativity, including hiding the effort required to do so.
2. the suppression of negative emotion and the assumption of a polite and cheerful facade at work, especially by employees in the service industry, as waitstaff, flight attendants, sales clerks, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of emotional labor¹

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

Just acknowledging the emotional labor and time that goes into navigating remote school is an important step.

From Washington Post

This emotional labor can be draining and often goes unnoticed and unrewarded.

From Fortune

At Lean In, we’re hearing stories from executive women who say that the emotional labor needed to get employees through this crisis is disproportionately falling to them.

From Fortune