Establishing Emotional Work Boundaries in Your Public-facing Job

For many of us working in any kind of public-facing job, there is almost something laughable about the suggestion that we can have any kind of emotional work boundaries. We understand that working with the public means that we interact with customers or clients throughout the day and have to show empathy and understanding at all times, but this is also unrealistic and tiring.

If you have to deal with the public all day, every day, then you are most likely concerned that setting emotional work boundaries may affect customers’ or clients’ reactions negatively. If this is you too, you’re not alone, and most people in public roles also have this inborn need for the approval of people, which saying no or setting limits to is difficult to do.

Even in job training, the emphasis is on being of service and being accommodating as the adage goes in customer service, “the customer is always right.” In reality, however, you receive little to no training regarding setting or maintaining boundaries, and it’s challenging to gain management or colleague support if ever a boundary is crossed. This all makes it tough to know how to draw boundaries if you are not aware of what they are in the first place.

Well, let’s look at which public-facing roles usually make it difficult to enforce such boundaries effectively.

• A customer service representative: call center agent, retail worker, or front-desk employee
• A health professional: a nurse, doctor, or some other receptionist in a medical facility
• A social worker: child welfare worker, counselor, or therapist.
• A school teacher, special education teacher, or university professor.
• A Police/Correction/Security: police officer, correctional officer, or security personnel
• Hospitality: restaurant server, hotel staff, event coordinator
• Public transportation worker-flight attendant, bus driver, conductor, ticket inspector.

In each of these roles setting emotional limits is not only a good way to maintain personal well-being; it will also help you protect your emotional space. You can do this and still make sure interactions with other people are respectful and supportive.

This kind of thinking protects you from emotional harm, prevents burnout, and allows for healthy relationships by assuring mutual respect and understanding. First comes recognition and respect for your own feelings and needs, and then those of others as well.

Some Ideas for Maintaining Emotional Work Boundaries

• You need to understand what your emotional needs and limits are, and further use those as a reflection of what makes you feel comfortable or uncomfortable in different situations.
• You may need to assertively communicate your boundaries to others by making statements that clearly state your feelings without blame or accusation, which reaffirm that position, such as, “I feel uncomfortable when you raise your voice.”
• Also try discussing your boundaries with your teammates to make sure there is mutual understanding and support.
• Set boundaries consistently so that people learn to understand and respect them and surround yourself with supportive people who know your limits, respect your boundaries, and are ready to support you emotionally.
• Keep reassessing your boundaries from time to time and make changes by observing where your interactions leave you.

Setting boundaries in a workplace will at times put you in a position where you feel guilty but once you understand that your mental health makes you better able to put others first, that is an empowering paradigm shift.

Contrary to what everyone may think, it isn’t selfish to take care of your emotional well-being as a service person and such emotional boundaries are required for the maintenance of healthy relationships. Each job has its demands, and if yours happens to fall into the category that just sucks the life out of your emotional well-being, it’s time to draw up your emotional borders.

If you have been reading this article and just know you always find yourself in a lot of these contexts, which are emotionally exhausting in your public-facing role, why not go talk to a therapist or counselor in Laguna who can help you overcome your fear of creating an emotional safety net for yourself at work? A counselor or life coach can support you through your interactions with others in the workplace effectively and guard your emotional well-being. Contact us today at Laguna Christian Counseling in California.