Emotional labour and burnout among police officers

Benjamin Hopkins; David Dowell; Joe Flitton

doi:10.1108/PIJPSM-12-2022-0154

Emotional labour and burnout among police officers

Benjamin Hopkins^*, David Dowell, Joe Flitton

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Purpose
With rare research access to the police service in the United Kingdom, the authors investigate levels of burnout and the performance of emotional labour.

Design/methodology/approach
Using 330 surveys completed by serving police officers, the authors investigate levels of burnout and also the performance of the three elements of emotional labour.

Findings
Investigating heterogeneity, the authors create a typology of three different types of officer. In addition to a core group, this includes groups with misaligned and matching values. Surface acting impacts on all groups, and in each group it is associated with increased levels of burnout.

Originality/value
A unique feature of this research is the involvement of a practitioner from the police service in the authorship team, together with re-engagement with the police service in order to refine this typology. Possible coping strategies are introduced following this consultation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	477-489
Number of pages	13
Journal	Policing
Volume	46
Issue number	3
Early online date	25 Apr 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-12-2022-0154
Publication status	Published - 30 Jun 2023

Keywords

Burnout
Emotional labour
Employee well-being
Police
Public sector

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10.1108/PIJPSM-12-2022-0154

Hopkins_2023_PIJ_Emotional_labour_AAM
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited. This work has been made available online in accordance with publisher policies or with permission. Permission for further reuse of this content should be sought from the publisher or the rights holder. This is the author created accepted manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-12-2022-0154.
Accepted author manuscript, 382 KBLicence: CC BY-NC

Cite this

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title = "Emotional labour and burnout among police officers",

abstract = "Purpose With rare research access to the police service in the United Kingdom, the authors investigate levels of burnout and the performance of emotional labour. Design/methodology/approach Using 330 surveys completed by serving police officers, the authors investigate levels of burnout and also the performance of the three elements of emotional labour. Findings Investigating heterogeneity, the authors create a typology of three different types of officer. In addition to a core group, this includes groups with misaligned and matching values. Surface acting impacts on all groups, and in each group it is associated with increased levels of burnout. Originality/value A unique feature of this research is the involvement of a practitioner from the police service in the authorship team, together with re-engagement with the police service in order to refine this typology. Possible coping strategies are introduced following this consultation.",

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AU - Dowell, David

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N2 - Purpose With rare research access to the police service in the United Kingdom, the authors investigate levels of burnout and the performance of emotional labour. Design/methodology/approach Using 330 surveys completed by serving police officers, the authors investigate levels of burnout and also the performance of the three elements of emotional labour. Findings Investigating heterogeneity, the authors create a typology of three different types of officer. In addition to a core group, this includes groups with misaligned and matching values. Surface acting impacts on all groups, and in each group it is associated with increased levels of burnout. Originality/value A unique feature of this research is the involvement of a practitioner from the police service in the authorship team, together with re-engagement with the police service in order to refine this typology. Possible coping strategies are introduced following this consultation.

AB - Purpose With rare research access to the police service in the United Kingdom, the authors investigate levels of burnout and the performance of emotional labour. Design/methodology/approach Using 330 surveys completed by serving police officers, the authors investigate levels of burnout and also the performance of the three elements of emotional labour. Findings Investigating heterogeneity, the authors create a typology of three different types of officer. In addition to a core group, this includes groups with misaligned and matching values. Surface acting impacts on all groups, and in each group it is associated with increased levels of burnout. Originality/value A unique feature of this research is the involvement of a practitioner from the police service in the authorship team, together with re-engagement with the police service in order to refine this typology. Possible coping strategies are introduced following this consultation.

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KW - Emotional labour

KW - Employee well-being

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KW - Public sector

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JO - Policing

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Emotional labour and burnout among police officers

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Keywords

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