Can We Talk about Emotional Flexibility? Cognitive Emotional Regulation Strategies as Moderator of the Relationship between Emotional Labor and Self Esteem

The present study looks at the impact of emotional labor (which consists of two strategies, surface acting and deep acting, that can be used flexibly depending upon the situation) on the service agents in organizations like call centres. This study aims to explore the moderating role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies on the relationship of emotional labor with employee self esteem when the customers are in two basic moods i.e. angry and happy. The study was done in an experimental setting. The results of the study indicate that the impact of emotional labor on employee self esteem does get moderated differently by positive and negative emotional regulation strategies.