Emotional labor actors, well-being, and objective performance

Abstract

To manage the emotional labor demands, employees may primarily rely on one strategy or the other while they may use surface and deep acting in conjunction. However, most research on emotional labor have investigated how two emotional labor strategies function to predict employee well-being separately. This variable-centered perspective is difficult to capture subpopulations of employees who may differ in their combined use of surface and deep acting. Using latent profile analysis, the current study examined potential emotional labor profiles from a person-centered perspective. We identified 5 emotional labor profiles: trying yet faking, some faking, high deep actors, high regulators, and moderates. Also this profiles differently predicted employee well-being (emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction) and objective performance (new sales and member increase). The present study captured the particular conditions in which emotional labor may lead to positive or negative outcomes for employees and organizations.