Museum work’s hidden emotional labour became difficult to ignore during the pandemic, with those in digital roles some of the most affected.
A paper by Nesta linked “the support of management and perceptions of the role of digital work” in museums and galleries with frequent “references to mental health issues and burnout”.
Our increasing reliance on digital technology has shifted the experience of working in the sector.
Hybrid working, switching between software and social media platforms, devising new naming conventions for collections management systems and navigating data metrics demand new forms of (often hidden) emotionally intuitive skills.
Sociologist Everett Rogers would have connected these skills with the work of “innovation champions” – those who occupy a key linking position in their organisation, possess analytical skills in understanding individual aspirations, and show well-honed interpersonal and negotiating skills.
Let us not forget the importance of care in the growing presence of technology in our daily work. Only by articulating the emotional aspect of digital labour can we build more equitable practices across the museum ecosystem.
Sophie Frost is a lecturer in creative leadership at the University of the Creative Arts, and a research fellow at the University of Leicester’s Institute for Digital Culture
