Older and (Emotionally) Smarter? Emotional Intelligence as a Mediator in the Relationship between Age and Emotional Labor Strategies in Service Employees

Background/Study Context: The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether age was related to emotional labor strategies (surface and deep acting), and whether emotional intelligence partially explained this relationship. Additionally, employee well-being was examined as an outcome in this model. Methods: A total of 519 participants (age 18-68), working in a variety of service occupations, participated in a cross-sectional survey study. Validated measures for emotional intelligence, emotional labor strategies, positive affectivity, and employee well-being were administered. Results: A structural equation model supported the hypothesis that age was related positively to deep acting and negatively to surface acting, relationships partially mediated by emotional intelligence. Emotional labor strategy, in turn, affected well-being. Conclusion: Implications were discussed in employee selection and employee well-being, particularly in the customer service context. It is recommended that future research investigates how aging is related to emotional labor strategies in other occupations that have different emotional requirements (e.g., negative display rules).