An emotional labor perspective on the relationship between customer orientation and job satisfaction

Abstract

How service employees act and speak with customers is an important part of service quality, so customer orientation (CO) and emotional labor have become critical issues in the hospitality industry. Applying the emotional labor concept to Donavan and his associates' 2004 study about the relationship between CO and job satisfaction, this study aimed to demonstrate how the relationship is established in hospitality. Drawing on person–job fit theory from the perspective of emotional labor, this study examined different effects of emotional labor on the relationship. The findings of this study suggested that employee CO is positively related with job satisfaction and deep acting while negatively related with surface acting. This study also found that emotional labor mediates the positive relationship between CO and job satisfaction. This study did not find a moderating effect of job position on the direct relationships among CO, emotional labor, and job satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications of the study findings are also discussed.