Emotional labor and work engagement at work in military policemen

Abstract

This study aimed to analyse relations between emotional labor strategies and demands and work engagement in a sample of 302 military policemen. Instruments were the Emotional Labour Scale - ELS, Emotion Work Requirements Scale - EWRS and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale - UWES. Predictive Power of emotional labor dimensions were tested through multiple regression analyses. Demands of expressing negative emotions and demands of intensity and variability did not show statistical significant correlation with engagement. Demands of expressing positive emotions toward victims, superiors and other policemen, as well as the deep action strategy were both positive predictors, unlike superficial action strategy was a negative predictor of engagement at work. The study gives contributions to differentiate emotional demands according to interaction target group, deepens the understanding of military policemen emotional work and its relation to work engagement, underlyning the relevance of socioemotional competences development among these profesionals.