Citation

Newnam S, Petersen A, Keleher H, Collie A, Vogel A, McClure RJ. Work 2016; 55(2): 347-357.

Affiliation

Monash Injury Research Institute (MIRI), Monash University, VIC, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, IOS Press)

DOI

10.3233/WOR-162406

PMID

27689589

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Case managers within injury compensation systems are confronted with various emotional demands.

OBJECTIVE: Employing the concept of emotional labour, this paper explores distinctive aspects of these demands.

METHODS: The findings are drawn from focus groups with 21 Australian case managers.

RESULTS: Case managers work was characterised by extra-role commitments, emotional control, stress and balancing tensions arising from differing stakeholder expectations about outcomes related to compensation and return to work.

CONCLUSIONS: By examining the experiences of case managers, the findings add to the literature on the emotional labour of front line service workers, especially with respect to the demands involved in managing the conflicting demands of work.

Language: en