Well-being in the wellness industry

immaterial work as a material practice

Abstract

Traditionally, studies of work practices within Science and Technology Studies focus on uses of technological devices. By doing so, studies have shown how human actions are formed and transformed by the use of technology. In this paper we transfer inspiration from STS and ANT to a type of work which is characterized by its non-technological character, namely immaterial work, exemplified by service work in the wellness industry. Based on observations from Swedish hotel spas made by the ethnologist Tom O’Dell, we examine the production of immaterial goods such as wellness and serenity. Often, service work is described as emotion work that takes place in face-to-face interactions. By means of ANT we challenge this description, emphasizing the roles that various materials and actors play in producing experiences of wellness. For example towels, oil, and water seem crucial in constituting spa products. Moreover, we highlight the work that customers carry out to enable the production of their own well-being. Inspired by the French ANT-sociologists Antoine Hennion and Emilie Gomart we suggest that spa guests use spa products to make these products influence them. In other words, attachments to objects are made to let these objects become active. Thus, we conclude that the work of producing spa experiences consists in the emotion work that service workers carry out, together with the materials that they employ and the preparations that customers make.