Interaction of Emotional Labor and Psychological Contract Violation in Human Service Organization

Abstract

This study tests the hypotheses that flight attendants’ emotional labor aspects moderate the decreasing propensity of job satisfaction in the changing industrial environment where psychological contract violation is likely perceived by the employees. The questionnaire survey was administrated to a total of 414 flight attendants working for a European airline. A 5-point Likert-type scale was employed to assess the aspects of psychological contract violation and emotional labor. The results indicate that, first, psychological contract violation perceived by the human service employees decreases job satisfaction. Second, affective delivery (an emotional labor aspect) moderate or recover the decreasing propensity of job satisfaction. High successful human service organization offers high quality of service by the employees. The way to offer the human service make differentiates a company from others, particularly in the recent trend that IT and automated machine substitute jobs that used to be done by employees. Emotional labor and emotional competence of employees make it possible to execute the quality of service with hospitality in the organization. Emotionally competent employees provide an organization with harmony and integrity and can increase the competitiveness of the company because the employees effectively adapt its strategy and work efficiently.