Emotional labor in community governance: A case study of community workers in China

Abstract Amid the global trend toward urban governance transformation and the humanization of public services, emotional labor has increasingly emerged as a key mechanism in grassroots governance. As key participants in community governance, Chinese community workers exhibit emotional labor practices that are deeply embedded in institutional structures and shaped by distinctive cultural characteristics—offering valuable theoretical insights. Drawing on emotional labor theory, this study employs semi-structured interviews and behavioral event interviews to systematically examine the forms, strategies, and dual effects of emotional labor among urban community workers in China. The findings reveal that: (1) emotional labor negotiates a balance between institutional norms and emotional authenticity through a dynamic process of ‘surface acting—deep acting—genuine expression’; (2) emotional labor not only enhances service flexibility and governance acceptance but also fosters community identity and grassroots trust through emotional resonance and empathy; and (3) the continuous emotional demands placed on community workers result in emotional exhaustion and burnout, underscoring the urgent need for institutional support mechanisms.