MODERATING FACTORS AND EMOTIONAL LABOR: PREDICTORS OF WORKPLACE TENURE IN THE FOODSERVICE SECTOR
Abstract
Effectively managing emotions in the workplace, especially in service-oriented industries, profoundly impacts customer satisfaction and employee contentment. A critical facet of this arena is emotional labor, encompassing the regulation of emotions as an integral component of job responsibilities. Yadisaptura (2015) contends that service roles necessitate a blend of intellectual, physical, and emotional labor, where the orchestration of emotions manifests in observable facial and bodily expressions, endowing emotional labor with tangible value.
These dynamic finds particular resonance within the expansive domain of the hospitality industry, acknowledged as a global economic behemoth. Notably, the foodservice sector within this industry serves as a crucible for the application of emotional labor. The act of projecting organizationally-sanctioned emotions to patrons is construed as a form of labor, demanding concerted effort, strategic planning, situational acumen, and adaptability. James (1989) asserts that this entails a deliberate display of emotions that may not necessarily align with an employee's private sentiments. Universally recognized manifestations of emotional labor encompass warm smiles, meticulous attention to customer needs, affable demeanor, professional comportment, a willingness to assist, sustained eye contact, and genial small talk - all pivotal expectations imposed on service personnel.
The foodservice sector has witnessed a discernible surge in the incorporation of emotional labor into pivotal facets such as employee recruitment, onboarding, training, and performance assessments. Ogbonna's (1990) research attests to an escalating emphasis placed by employers on the meticulous selection and training of service staff, specifically designed to cultivate emotional labor. This entails the development of robust mechanisms for oversight and evaluation of its deployment in service interactions.
