The Relationship Between Emotional Labor and Job Satisfaction Among Frontline Employees
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Yansa
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0626-8373
Nabilah
Cahyaning Suryaningrum
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8596-2206
Abstract
Job satisfaction is an important psychological factor influencing employee well-being, service quality, and organizational performance, particularly among frontline employees who interact directly with customers. Frontline employees are frequently required to regulate and display emotions in accordance with organizational expectations, a process referred to as emotional labor. Excessive emotional labor may reduce employees' job satisfaction because of continuous emotional regulation and psychological strain. This study aimed to examine the relationship between emotional labor and job satisfaction among frontline employees working in a multisector company. A quantitative correlational research design was employed. The participants consisted of 124 frontline employees selected using a total sampling technique. Data were collected using the Emotional Labour Scale (ELS) developed by Brotheridge and Lee and a Likert-type Job Satisfaction Scale. Pearson's product-moment correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between the variables. The findings revealed a significant negative correlation between emotional labor and job satisfaction (r = −.45, p < .001), indicating that employees experiencing higher levels of emotional labor tended to report lower levels of job satisfaction. Conversely, lower emotional labor was associated with higher job satisfaction. These findings suggest that emotional labor is an important psychological factor associated with job satisfaction among frontline employees. Therefore, organizations should implement effective emotional regulation strategies, foster supportive work environments, and provide psychological support programs to enhance employee well-being and job satisfaction while maintaining high-quality customer service.
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