Emotional Labor

It is a term invented along with or after the popular term emotional intelligence. Unlike EQ, it measures the psychological burn out experienced as a result of being nice to strangers. People working in the hospitality sector are likely to be the victim of this syndrome. If being extra nice – smiling even when you are angry or upset, obliging even when you want to smash his head- is the essential aspect of your job, then you find it emotionally draining and depression becomes your constant companion at home.

Yesterday when the flight landed at Delhi, first time I observed that one air hostess stands at the entrance, and keeps on wishing each of the passenger “Thanks for  traveling, bye bye”. At least 400 passengers were in the flight, and in a day, she has to do 3 trips, if she repeats the mantra of thanks 1200 times, for 5 days in a weak, imagine what an effect it will have on her brain. Though the brain is coded to do repetitive work, there is a limit to it.

One research study points out that occupational hazard of smiling and being nice, in a way takes away all smile from their life, in their normal relationship they are unable to smile and be nice. It looks like that everyone can smile only certain number times in his or her life time, once the quota is over, mind shuts down the capacity to smile. Good thing is that it is not that all air hosts and receptionist suffer from this psychological defect, only some become the victim others are affected to only some degree.

And the Kingfisher is overdoing their sense of hospitality. They call a passenger as a guest. The management consultant who advised them to make this change must be a mentally retarded person. You charge me at market rate then you call me a guest, it will insult any one’s sensibility. First make it a trip free, then you are justified in calling anyone a guest. In case Deepika Padukone is traveling by Kingfisher, calling her as a guest certainly makes lots of sense.

The other thing that endlessly intrigues me about kingfisher airline is the uniform worn by women employees. Can you imagine it is red color uniform. Vijay Mallya must have been a communist in his younger days or must have been a hard core Govinda’s fan. Otherwise nothing seems to explain the complete red color, from top to bottom. All girls in that uniform look like Che Guvera’s girl friends.

Taxi drivers are far better off in Delhi, most of them give a damn about passengers. The driver tried all kinds of tricks to take extra money from me, since his tricks were very old; decoding his intension was very easy. Yet when he reached me to the destination, I gave him some extra money voluntarily. I did not want him to feel bad that he is not good at cheating.