Unaccounted work of women leaders – the experience and impact of providing emotional labour on women leaders

Purpose The emotional labour (EL) of female principals and assistant principals is understudied in Canada, and this study aims to help understand the nature of female school leaders' EL, which could provide insights into reducing compassion fatigue and burnout. Design/methodology/approach This localized qualitative research study used focus group conversations to explore common themes related to the EL of female school leaders from Alberta, Canada. Findings Participants in this study suggested that EL was instrumental to their work. Three themes emerged from the data analysis: the description of organizational feeling rules and EL, perceptions of gendered leadership norms and EL and EL workload and expectations. Originality/value This study provides a nuanced understanding of EL and its implications for leaders' well-being.