Physician Emotional Labour and Job Performance

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between emotional labour and job performance and examines the mediation effects of emotional exhaustion on the relationship between the emotional labour and job performance of physicians. Data were collected from a sample of 530 physicians in Taiwanese hospitals. To achieve these objectives a mediated model was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine if the hypothesized model fit the data. The hypothesized model fits the data best (χ2 = 173.048, df = 69, p < 0.0001, goodness of fit index GFI = 0.956, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.968, root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.053). Path analysis showed that emotional exhaustion plays a fully mediated role on the relationship between deep acting and job performance as well as plays a partially mediated role on the relationship between surface acting and job performance. We confirmed that surface acting for physicians has a direct impact on job performance and affected job performance through the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion. The influences of surface acting on physicians providing medical services are evident. The results deserve the attention of hospital management to better assist physicians to maintain the correct mindset, take appropriate emotional control and patient communication strategies, rather than simply setting rules that require physicians to suppress displays of emotion.