Real Smiles vs. Faked Smiles: How Emotional Labor Impacts Service Behaviors

Abstract

This study investigates how emotional labor impacts service behaviors. Unlike previous research which focuses predominantly on the customer’s experience during a service encounter, this paper focuses on service employees and their performance during the service encounter. In particular, this study looks at how the emotional labor strategies of surface acting and deep acting impact customer service, job performance, and job satisfaction. The results from the SEMPLS analyses show that (1) surface acting has a negative impact on customer service and job satisfaction and (2) deep acting has a positive impact on customer service, job performance, and job satisfaction. Overall, the results show that a real smile instead of a faked smile helps the service employee to be successful in their job. In addition to providing the results of this study, this article also provides many managerial implications and guidelines for managers.