Emotional Labor and Job Performance of Ground Personnel in Thailand's Airline Industry

Juan Rodrigo B. Del Villar; Atirat  Promduang; Natnicha  Janiam; Porramin  Chainarin; Sudarat  Meekoh; Alfredo  C. Espejo; Saran Kumar  Sekar; Dario Abdullah  Mando

doi:10.60027/iarj.2025.281196

Authors

Juan Rodrigo B. Del Villar St Teresa International University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6315-5044
Atirat Promduang St Teresa International University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5318-3746
Natnicha Janiam St Teresa International University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1476-3232
Porramin Chainarin St Teresa International University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7386-4649
Sudarat Meekoh St Teresa International University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8275-0938
Alfredo C. Espejo St Teresa International University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8183-2457
Saran Kumar Sekar St Teresa International University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8400-8116
Dario Abdullah Mando St Teresa International University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1568-0946

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60027/iarj.2025.281196

Keywords:

Emotional Labor, Job Performance, Non-experimental Quantitative Design, Correlation, Airline Industry

Abstract

Background and Aims: In the airline industry, client satisfaction and service quality are critical, thus, understanding the impact of emotional labor on job performance is essential. While previous research has highlighted the importance of emotional labor, the specific effects of its dimensions - Surface Acting, Deep Acting, Emotional Consonance, and Suppression - on job performance remained underexplored. This study filled this gap by examining how these emotional labor strategies influence job performance among airline ground personnel.

Methodology: This study utilized a cross-sectional quantitative research design, employing purposive sampling to gather data from 100 airline ground personnel. A validated and adapted questionnaire was used to measure the dimensions of emotional labor and job performance. Descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were calculated, and Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to assess the relationships between emotional labor strategies and job performance.

Results: The findings revealed high levels of Surface Acting (M = 4.03), Emotional Consonance (M = 4.04), and Suppression (M = 3.93), with moderate levels of Deep Acting (M = 2.81). Overall, job performance was rated positively (grand M = 4.07). Strong, significant correlations were observed between emotional labor and job performance, particularly for Deep Acting (r = .743, p < .001) and Suppression (r = .753, p < .001). These results suggested that employees who engage more frequently in these strategies tend to demonstrate higher job performance.

Conclusions: The study underscores the critical role of emotional labor in the airline industry, demonstrating that specific emotional labor strategies are closely associated with enhanced job performance. For managers and policymakers, these findings highlight the importance of supporting employees in effectively managing their emotional labor to optimize job performance and overall service quality. The insights gained can inform targeted interventions and training programs aimed at improving employee satisfaction and performance.

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