Abstract
The South African economy has increasingly become a service-based economy; however, the strain between employees and employers in the South African service sector is increasing. Service-sector employees make use of emotional labour to express positive emotions, and psychological contract breach and violation can lead to negative emotions. As perceived organisational support is often used by organisations to buffer the negative effects of psychological contract breach, violation and emotional labour on employee behaviours, its moderating effects need to be examined. The aim of this study was, therefore, to examine the impact of psychological contract breach and violation on emotional labour, together with the buffering effects of perceived organisational support.
The current study followed a quantitative research approach and a cross-sectional survey design. The sampling technique was non-probability sampling, specifically convenience sampling. The respondents were employees in sub-sectors of the South African service sector, and, after removing missing and invalid responses, the sample comprised a total of 425 respondents. The data were collected using reliable and validated instruments. Multiple regression and moderation analyses were used to answer the research questions.
The results of the study reported mixed results on the relationship between psychological contract breach and emotional labour. The results do indicate that a statistically significant positive relationship exists between violation and emotional labour. Thus, when violation increases, emotional labour also increases. The study further evidenced that the interaction of breach and perceived organisational support combined do not have a statistically significant impact on emotional labour. The results suggest that perceived organisational support does not moderate the relationship between breach and emotional labour. The results of this study also show that the interaction of violation and perceived organisational support combined does not have a statistically significant impact on emotional labour. This indicates that perceived organisational support also does not moderate the relationship between violation and emotional labour.
Organisations should be conscious of the effects that increased psychological contract breach and violation could have on employees, as well as the negative outcomes. As employees experiencing psychological contract breach and violation may also result in an increase in emotional labour, organisations should also pay attention to the negative outcomes associated with increased emotional labour.
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This study makes various contributions to the body of knowledge, including increasing the data available on psychological contract breach, violation, and emotional labour. Another contribution of this study is an increased understanding of the relationship between psychological contract breach and violation on emotional labour. This research study shows that perceived organisational support is not a moderator of these relationships.
Keywords: emotional labour; service sector; South Africa; perceived organisational support; perceived organisational support; psychological contract breach; psychological contract violation.