Authentic Employee Engagement: How Emotions Support Engagement

Abstract

This study adds to the research on how emotional intelligence affects employee engagement through an examination of the mediating effect of emotional labor. Emotional intelligence is examined as an antecedent to engagement, mediated by emotional labor which has two dimensions, surface acting and deep acting. Analysis of data from 243 working adults shows negative relationships between emotional intelligence and surface acting and between surface acting and engagement. Authentic employee engagement, defined as engagement supported by deep acting revealed a positive relationship with emotional intelligence. The mediating effect of emotional labor is shown as individuals operating under deep acting report stronger engagement. Data indicate that individuals operating under surface acting experience lower levels of engagement. These findings help clarify inconclusive evidence linking emotional intelligence with engagement.