ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on skill formation, which is useful to outline some of the basic conditions of work and employment. Given that traditional indicators are unreliable, the role of selection, recruitment and training in identifying and shaping social competencies is moved to the centre of the stage. The chapter focuses on a case study of 'Telebank'. Telebank management believes that they require a particular mix of skills. One of the most important call centre skills is the ability to manage emotions. The concept of emotional labour is helpful here - employees must work on their emotions in order, for example, to present a pleasing voice to the customer. The emotional effort bargain thus constitutes a hidden and contested dimension of skill formation. Just as there is a gap in management rationales, the traditional concept of emotional labour is insufficient to understand the complex and contested terrain.
