COVID-19 outbreak effects on affectivity, emotional labor, and emotional exhaustion of service workers

Abstract

Purpose. This paper investigates service workers’ emotional aspects, including affectivity, emotional labor, and emotional exhaustion during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology. This papertests the hypotheses by analyzing data from 250 service workers in Indonesia responding to online questionnaires. Findings. The result shows that workers with positive affectivity respond positively to the new work measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and do not feel emotionally exhausted. Meanwhile, for the workers with negative affectivity, new work measures evoke their emotional exhaustion. Research implications for practice. The present study suggests that service workers with negative affectivity are prone to negative consequences amidst the crisis, hence managers should pay more attention to them. Further, this study suggests the organization initiate training and development programs regarding service delivery during the crisis, as the quality of services given by the workers are at risk during thecrisis. Value of the results. This study empirically establishes that during the time of crisis, affectivity, emotional labor, and emotional exhaustion interact differently compared to the normal time.