Stigma & Dirty Work: In-Group and Out-Group Perceptions of Essential Service Workers During COVID-19

Details

• Personal Author:
  Beltramo JMD ; Grinley A ; Horan K ; Mejia C ; Pittman R ; Shoss MK
• Description:
  The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on essential service workers has given rise to their newfound "hero" status, resulting in a dramatic shift of their occupational value. Service work has been long envisioned as "dirty work", and further, stigmatized by members of society (the Out-Group), until recently. This study utilized occupational stigma theory to identify the mechanisms under which both essential service workers and society at large came to unify around the importance of perceived dirty work in the United States. Critical discourse analysis was employed as a qualitative methodology, particularly examining the In- and Out-Group's coping mechanisms for coming to terms with the value of "dirty" service work heroes. Theoretical implications include the utilization of stigma theory for Out-Groups, and revealed a previously undetected Out-Group coping tactic. Practical implications include the urgency for keeping the "hero" story alive so that all service workers benefit from the movement. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communicable Diseases Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Coping Mechanisms Coping Behavior COVID-19 Group Dynamics Heroes Hospitality Industry Hourly Employees Line-level Employees Occupational Psychology Occupational Stigma Theory Qualitative Methods Service Industries

  More +
• ISSN:
  0278-4319
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Florida ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  93
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20068184
• Citation:
  Int J Hosp Manag 2021 Feb; 93:102772
• Contact Point Address:
  Cynthia Mejia, University of Central Florida, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Department of Foodservice & Lodging Management, 9907 Universal Boulevard Orlando, FL, 32819, United States
• Email:
  Cynthia.Mejia@ucf.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• Performing Organization:
  Sunshine Education and Research Center, University of South Florida
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  International Journal of Hospitality Management
• End Date:
  20290630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e4c5ad80e0514f5f4bf527e037fc27f69948e9c3e63d4d9173305987674441aea6178aee2c0fad05ac2c562004b83a4388fe77dd197e79cb168703c0f7125923
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/230394/cdc_230394_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.28 MB ]