Emotional labour and the pursuit of the personal brand: Public relations practitioners’ use of social media

Date
2011
Authors
Bridgen, L.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
ISSN
1468-2753
Volume Title
Publisher
Intellect Ltd
Peer reviewed
Yes
Abstract
Public relations practitioners are encouraged to use their feelings and emotions at work, which Yeomans (2007: 218) describes as 'learning to please'. Executing the growing social media aspect of the public relations role can offer practitioners significant pleasure, although due to the industry's desire for transparency in online engagement a practitioner's identity is becoming an increasingly large part of the employer's product and subsequently responsible for aspects of organizational success. Drawing on interviews with public relations practitioners, this article examines the extent to which professional online engagement can be analysed in terms of 'emotional labour' (Hochschild 1983). It explores whether the pleasure that practitioners derive from online work, the freedom it gives them to work remotely and flexibly and the licence it offers to build a personal brand also serves to hide exploitation, legitimize long working hours and reaffirm existing gender roles.
Description
Keywords
public relations, social media, emotional labour, employment, personal brand
Citation
Bridgen, L. (2011) Emotional labour and the pursuit of the personal brand: Public relations practitioners’ use of social media. Journal of Media Practice, 12 (1), pp. 61-76
Research Institute