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‘Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing’

Author

Listed:
  • Caroline Lloyd

    (SKOPE, Cardiff University, lloydc4@cardiff.ac.uk)

  • Jonathan Payne

    (SKOPE, Cardiff University, paynej3@cardiff.ac.uk)

Abstract

A current theme within debates over interactive service work is that many routine service jobs are ‘skilled’ because they require workers to perform ‘emotion work’ and ‘articulation work’. Drawing upon workers’ views of their skills in two mass market call centres in the UK, the article questions the use and validity of these new skill concepts. It is argued that these concepts overplay the amount of task variation, discretion and control available to workers. Even more problematic is the tendency to equate skill with the ability to cope with badly designed jobs and stressful working conditions.The findings suggest that there is a need for a thorough debate about what is meant by a ‘skilled job’ in an expanding service-based economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Caroline Lloyd & Jonathan Payne, 2009. "‘Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing’," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 23(4), pages 617-634, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:23:y:2009:i:4:p:617-634
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017009344863
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. George Callaghan & Paul Thompson, 2002. "‘We Recruit Attitude’: The Selection and Shaping of Routine Call Centre Labour," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(2), pages 233-254, March.
    2. Paul Thompson & Chris Warhurst & George Callaghan, 2001. "Ignorant Theory and Knowledgeable Workers: Interrogating the Connections between Knowledge, Skills and Services," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(7), pages 923-942, November.
    3. Paul Thompson & George Callaghan & Diane Broek, 2004. "Keeping Up Appearances: Recruitment, Skills and Normative Control in Call Centres," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Stephen Deery & Nicholas Kinnie (ed.), Call Centres and Human Resource Management, chapter 6, pages 129-152, Palgrave Macmillan.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shantz, Amanda & Booth, Jonathan E., 2014. "Service employees and self-verification: the roles of occupational stigma consciousness and core self-evaluations," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 65956, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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