Assessing emotional labour practices amongst lecturers in private higher education institutions in KwaZulu-Natal.
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Date
2017
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Abstract
The purpose of this study is to assess emotional labour practices amongst lecturers in private
higher education institutes. This study focuses on private higher education institutes in Kwa
Zulu natal, specifically lecturers that are exposed to an environment which is emotionally
demanding .Private higher education institutions are the main interest in which academics may
experience emotional labour. For this reason the various private higher education institutions
is the focus of this study.
Literature on emotional labour was discussed. This terms plays an important role in higher
education institutions, where lecturers are seen to be providing more of a service in this
profession rather than just playing the role of an academic. Both the private higher education
sector and emotional labour is discussed extensively and reviewed in relation to one another.
Thereafter emotional regulation processes and concepts, coping mechanisms and management
support is discussed as part of the literature. The research methodology applied was qualitative
research. Qualitative research allows the researcher to make sense of people experiences and
interacting with them, thereafter making use of qualitative research techniques to collect and
analyse information (Blanche, Durrheim &Painter, 2006). A case study was used. This case
study focused on the academic staff at private higher education colleges. Given that the
research undertaken in this study is qualitative; a case study is also the most appropriate
research design considering the contextual, iterative and phenomenological nature of the study.
This study used in- depth interviews as a data collection instrument. Interviews are used to
elicit imperative information during research, interviewing is more natural form of interacting
with people rather than making them fill out a questionnaire, this is the reason as to why
interviews fit well with the interpretive approach to research (Blanche et al., 2006) .In- depth
interview allows the interviewer to extract maximum information needed from participants.The
findings were that academics need to constantly regulate emotions in order to function
effectively at work.
There is a high degree of emotion suppression in individuals that work in private higher
education institutions. Most individuals feel that there are no support structures to able them to
cope better within this service related work environment. Stress and exhaustion was evident
within this environment. For future studies, the researcher recommends a support structure for
lecturers within private institutes and additional management support towards employee mental
wellbeing including emotional support programmes.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.