SERVICE WITH A SMILE: A HUMAN RESOURCES PERSPECTIVE OF EMOTIONAL LABOR

Abstract

Emotional labor, the process of regulating both feelings and expressions for organizational goals, is commonplace in the hospitality industry. Past research has constantly provided empirical evidence that emotional labor can have positive consequences on organizational success but negative impact on employees’ well-being.Within the context of the Malaysian hotel industry, this paper discusses the concept and consequences of emotional labor and how important it is for organizations toacknowledge their workers’ emotional contribution to the organizational performance. Some suggestions in terms of human resources (HR) practices to assist hotel employees provide quality service while dealing more effectively with the strain associated with the performance of emotional labor are also offered.