Noun

Pronunciation
ih-MOH-shuh-nuhl LAY-bur

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)
/ɪˈmoʊʃənəl ˈleɪbər/

Definition
Emotional labour refers to the effort involved in managing one’s emotions, expressions, and behaviour in order to meet the emotional expectations of others.

The term is often used to describe situations where a person must regulate their feelings or emotional responses as part of social interactions, relationships, or professional roles.

Origin of the Term
The term “emotional labour” was introduced by sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild in her 1983 book The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling.

Hochschild used the concept to describe how workers in service industries are often expected to manage their emotions in order to create positive experiences for customers.

Cultural Context
Over time, the term expanded beyond workplace settings and became widely used to describe emotional responsibilities within relationships, families, and social dynamics.

This idea expanded into household responsibilities and relationship dynamics in Arlie Russell Hochschild’s book The Second Shift. In this work, Hochschild examined how emotional work continues after paid employment ends, demonstrating that managing feelings, maintaining harmony, and caring for others’ emotional needs often form part of the unpaid labour that takes place within family life.

Her research helped show that emotional labour is not limited to professional roles, but also exists within domestic and personal relationships, where this work frequently remains invisible or unrecognized.

Since Hochschild’s work, the concept of emotional labour has been widely discussed in sociology, psychology, and gender studies research examining how emotional expectations shape both professional environments and personal relationships.

Related Terms
The Mental Load
Situationship
Love Bombing
Weaponized Incompetence
Burnout

Sources
Arlie Russell Hochschild — The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling
Arlie Russell Hochschild — The Second Shift: Working Parents and the Revolution at Home
Wiktionary
Sociological commentary on emotional labour

Related Terms in The Women’s Archive
Emotional Labour
Ghosting
Situationship
Breadcrumbing