Expanding the discussion of “Emotional labor & COVID-19: MPA program director perspectives”

Research is rapidly emerging on how the global COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of modern life, including in public administration (Guy, 2020). Of particular concern are inequities experienced by populations historically targeted for marginalization, namely that many populations experiencing marginalization are more likely to contract COVID-19, die from it, and experience inequities in attempting to access life-saving vaccines (see Abdul-Mutakabbir et al., 2021; Centers for Disease Control, 2021; Gaynor & Wilson, 2020). Relatedly, the pandemic has clearly changed workplaces, regardless of sector, with more people working from home, experiencing alienation from others, encountering work-life balance issues, and more. The academic workspace has been particularly affected, and evidence is growing that the pandemic may make it more likely for instructors to experience burnout, limit students’ socialization opportunities, and even result in changes in research output between those identifying as women versus men (Corbera et al., 2020; McDonald, 2021; Muric et al., 2021; Yaghi, 2021). All of these issues point to the need to better understand the impacts of emotional labor in the public administration academy, the unpaid-yet-expected work of emotion management and regulation that are intrinsic, important parts of job responsibilities. In an earlier piece, we investigated the linkages between emotional labor, COVID-19, and equity using a survey of 92 Masters of Public Administration (MPA) program directors (Rinfret et al., 2022). Space limitations necessitated a focus on the quantitative findings, and we found evidence of differences in the experiences of emotional labor concerning academic rank, gender identity, as well as potential relationships concerning the intersections between racial identity and gender identity. The qualitative findings, however, reveal key considerations not evident in the quantitative findings. Rather than risk “drawing too much from the same well” as well as replicating the literature review context and justifications, we offer the following as both an expansion and commentary on our earlier article. In order to address this question, we apply a qualitative research framework to examine the frames exemplified by 92 MPA directors. Simply put, we examine the results from respondents in addressing two questions: (1) how do you define emotional labor in the context of your current position as an MPA Director; (2) how has COVID19 changed your day-to-day job as an MPA Director? To examine the data collected from our February 2021 responses, we use emotional labor and issue definition to contextualize our findings to suggest broad themes: Online transitions added significant, albeit necessary, challenges; while likely necessary, emotional labor on the job can be variously annoying and distracting; impacts are intersectional; public service is an act of love and requires sacrifices. JOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS EDUCATION 2023, VOL. 29, NO. 1, 9–19 https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2022.2070096