Emotional Labour And Emotional Intelligence As Predictors Of Job Attitudes: The Moderating Role Of Perceived Organisational Support

ABSTRACT This study introduces perceived organizational support (POS) as a moderating variable to provide some explanations to the possible relationship between emotional labour, emotional intelligence and job attitudes among nurses and midwives in Ghana. The study employed a sequential explanatory mixed-method approach (QUAN-qual), a cross-sectional design and proportionately sampled three hundred and forty-two (342) nurses and midwives from six public and quasi-public health facilities in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. With use of standardized survey questionnaires and an interview guide, findings from the quantitative study (using SEM) revealed that while surface acting and emotional intelligence significantly predicted job attitudes, deep acting failed to show any significant association with job attitudes. It was further discovered that POS significantly moderated the relationship between deep acting and emotional intelligence on one hand and job attitudes on the other hand. However, POS did not moderate the relationship between surface acting and job attitudes. Findings from the qualitative study (using thematic analysis) provided insight to the relationship or no relationship between the study. In addition, religio-social resources encompassing religion/spirituality and social support were identified as additional job resources in helping health professionals to handle the emotional demands of their profession. The theoretical as well as the practical implications of the study findings were extensively discussed in relation human resource practice, academia and professional healthcare delivery