감정노동자로 살아낸 두 사람의 일과 삶의 이야기

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand the personal life of Customer service representatives by exploring the work and life stories of the two emotional workers, centering on the life of call center Customer service representatives. The research question for this is as follows. First, what is the life experience of the study participants before they worked as a call center Customer service representative? Second, what is the life experience of a call center Customer service representative as an emotional worker? Through the narrative inquiry process, the meaning of the study participants’ life experiences before they worked as a call center Customer service representative was defined as ‘holding out and living’ and ‘being helpful to the family’ In the life story of a call center Customer service representative as an emotional worker, the meaning of ‘stability and being oneself’ and ‘being recognized as a capable being’ was defined. Through this study, it was emphasized that emotional workers’ narratives were important for integrated understanding and resolution of emotions and bodies with the understanding of individual lives of call center Customer service representative that is mostly happening non-face-to-face and their vivid experiences. In addition, social and institutional intervention seem necessary to prevent burnout and establish a support system for it. Above all, establishing a venue for empathy and solidarity will help them improve their psychological stability and autonomy. The study is expected to build the basis for appropriate psychological and counseling intervention to address the psychological difficulties they experience in the field of this job.