The effect of emotional labour on English teachers in Japan

Aaron Taylor
Coventry University, London, UK

This research investigates the extent to which emotional labour is experienced by non-Japanese teachers of English as a foreign language in Japan, what coping mechanisms are employed and how it impairs individual performance. Understanding these issues is pivotal in improving the competitive advantage of these organisations and the productivity of the many individuals that continue to work in the industry. The research has demonstrated that teachers carried out surface acting on a daily basis and several instructors acknowledged the need to perform deep acting over a sustained period of time. Whereas some teachers endured the working conditions, the most important coping mechanism involved engaging in camaraderie. Teachers had difficulties not being allowed to exhibit any form of creativity, having excessive workloads, dealing with students who were silent, had mental problems or were xenophobic. These factors made their working conditions stressful and emotionally draining.
[ PDF full text for this article ]

Author: Dr Aaron Taylor is a Principal Lecturer in Human Resource Management at Coventry University London. His research interests are in pedagogy and HRM. He lived and worked in Japan for 10 years, firstly as an English teacher followed by working in HR and teaching at the University of Tokyo. Email: aaron.taylor@culc.coventry.ac.uk Web: https://www.coventry.ac.uk/london/study/staff-directory/management-and-human-resources/aaron-taylor/ Please cite as: Taylor, A. (2020). The effect of emotional labour on English teachers in Japan. Issues in Educational Research, 30(4), 1539-1557. http://www.iier.org.au/iier30/taylor.pdf