Emotional division-of-labor: A theoretical account

Abstract

Division-of-labor is an account of how individuals vary in the types of contributions they make towards collective work efforts. This paper extends the longstanding concept into the realm of emotion in organizations, by developing a theoretical account of emotional division-of-labor (EDOL). Activities that require emotional abilities permeate the roles necessary for interdependent tasks in modern organizations. As with any other form of human capital, it is not necessary to draw equally from each person. Work is structured, instead, to distribute emotion-laden roles across members of workgroups. The model emphasizes that EDOL is both engineered deliberately and also emerges organically during interdependent work. Those who tend to take on roles requiring emotional competencies are those who are capable, believe themselves to be capable, and/or are believed to be capable. Highly committed group members of any capability level can also fill gaps as problems or opportunities arise. Case studies are presented for two settings in modern organizations—police crisis management and automobile dealerships—and reveal that group members use different combinations of emotional abilities to varying degrees, use specific abilities in complementary ways, and use the same abilities to enhance each other’s efforts. EDOL can leverage diversity in skill sets, as colleagues take on roles that compensate for each other’s weaknesses. Implications for leadership and group emotional intelligence are discussed.