Effects of emotional labor and adaptive selling behavior on job performance

• Xifeng Wang

  Nanjing Technological University

• Guocai Wang

  Nanjing University

• Wee Chow Hou

  Nanyang Technological University

We examined the effects of salespersons’ emotional labor strategies on adaptive selling behavior and individual job performance in the direct selling industry. Participants were 254 salespeople who completed measures of deep acting, surface acting, adaptive selling behavior, and job performance. The analysis results showed that salespersons’ deep acting was positively related to adaptive selling behavior and job performance, whereas salespersons’ surface acting was negatively related to adaptive selling behavior and job performance. In addition, adaptive selling behavior partially mediated the relationship between emotional labor strategies and job performance. These suggestions will allow human resource managers to select the right employees and prepare them to meet customers’ varied requirements through using deep acting, demonstrating adaptive selling behavior, and minimizing the detrimental effect of surface acting as much as possible.

1. Xifeng Wang, Nanjing Technological University

   Economics and Management School

2. Guocai Wang, Nanjing University
   Department of Marketing, Business School
3. Wee Chow Hou, Nanyang Technological University
   Division of Marketing and International Business, Nanyang Business School

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