Pieter Andrew Van Dijk

Emotional labor and tourism-based visitor interactions: Job characteristics as determinants of emotion regulation

Emotional labor is experienced by tourism employees when interacting with visitors to tourism sites through the demonstration of emotions designated to be appropriate by the employing organization. While the performance of emotional labor has become a key requirement of the job for many tourism employees, little is currently known about the factors involved in the employees decision to engage in the emotion regulation activities of either deep or surface acting in order to meet this job demand. What is known is that the decision to engage in deep acting results in more positive outcomes for the employee (lower levels of burnout) and potentially the organization (enhanced customer satisfaction). This study examines the role of key job-environment characteristics in the decision of tourism employees to engage in either deep or surface acting in the performance of emotional labor. These key job-environment characteristics consist of variations in the frequency, variety, intensity, and duration of visitor/customer service interactions. The sample for the present research consisted of 181 visitor/customer service personnel participants recruited from two tourism-based organizations. The results indicated that the frequency of interaction predicted the performance of surface acting and the combination of the frequency and variety of emotional display significantly predicted the performance of deep acting. Contrary to expectations, the intensity and duration of emotional display did not explain any variance in deep acting. The findings have implications for the work design of tourism-based roles where the performance of emotional labor is required to fulfill organizational expectations.

An examination of the role of psychological safety in the relationship between job resources, affective commitment and turnover intentions of Australian employees with chronic illness

Globally a growing proportion of employees are experiencing some form of chronic illness that may substantially impact on their work role, resulting in perceptions of vulnerability and insecurity. The implications of chronic illness for employees are, however, largely overlooked by researchers and human resource practitioners. This study examines the relationship between job resources, perceptions of psychological safety at work, affective commitment and turnover intentions for employees with chronic illness (N = 92) compared to a referent group of general employees (N = 512). Using multigroup SEM analysis the results demonstrate that psychological safety partially mediates the relationship between job resources and affective commitment for both groups of employees; however, the effect is significantly greater for the chronically ill. An unexpected finding was that the relationship between affective commitment and turnover intentions was stronger for the referent group. The results suggest that the development of a workplace environment characterized by feelings of safety, interpersonal trust and mutual respect will assist in the development of an inclusive organizational climate for this vulnerable group of employees. Our study responds to the call for current theoretical models of work stress and well-being to be more representative and inclusive of marginalized workers, including the chronically ill.

Closing the gap: Longitudinal changes in employment for Australians with multiple sclerosis

Background and objectives: Previous studies have documented far lower employment participation rates for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) compared to the general population. In a large national sample of PwMS, we examined employment status, longitudinal changes in employment and the provision of modifications to work role/environment from 2010 to 2013. Methods: Employment data were collected through the Australian MS Longitudinal Study from 2010 to 2013, with 1260 people responding to all four surveys. Employment rates were compared with the Australian general population. The survey included questions on the provision of modifications to employees’ work role and work environment. Results: Employment (full- and part-time) increased from 48.8% in 2010 to 57.8% in 2013, mainly due to increases in male full-time employment. The employment gap between PwMS and the general population fell from 14.3% in 2010 to 3.5% in 2013. Male employment rates, however, remain significantly lower than the general population. The majority of PwMS who required adjustments to either their work role or environment received them. Conclusion: The gap in employment between PwMS and the general population has substantially reduced from 2010 to 2013, with organisations responding positively to requests for work role/environment adjustments.

To re-enact or not to re-enact? investigating the impacts of first- and third-person interpretation at a heritage tourism site

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of first-person street theatre reenactments versus third-person interpretation at a recreated 1850s gold-rush heritage tourism site. Data collected from 357 visitors following 7 different interpretive activities indicated that third-person interpretation produced significantly higher mean respondent ratings than those activities that used first-person interpretation on 6 of 10 cognitive, affective, and behavioral indicators. Further scrutiny revealed that third-person interpretation resulted in higher levels of cognitive and affective outcomes for some visitor audiences when compared to first-person interpretation, but that there was no difference between first- and third-person interpretation on most behavioral outcomes. Both types of interpretation may be needed in order to achieve a full range of visitor outcomes. A multivariate analysis of covariance illustrated the potential implication of activity length in determining visitor outcomes; that is, the longer the activity, the greater impact of interpretation on measured outcomes. Isolating the effect of type of interpretation versus duration requires further research.

Estimating MS-related work productivity loss and factors associated with work productivity loss in a representative Australian sample of people with multiple sclerosis:

Background: Little is known about the work productivity loss in multiple sclerosis (MS). Objectives: To quantify the MS-related work productivity loss and to compare factors associated with labour force participation and work productivity loss. Methods: Participants were from the Australian MS Longitudinal Study. MS-related work productivity loss included absenteeism (time missed from work) and presenteeism (reduced productivity while working). Data were analysed using log-binomial and Cragg hurdle regression. Results: Among 740 MS employees, 56% experienced any work productivity loss due to MS in the past 4  weeks. The mean total work productivity loss was 2.5  days (14.2% lost productive time), absenteeism 0.6  days (3.4%) and presenteeism 1.9  days (10.8%)), leading to AU

Emotional labour and negative job outcomes: An evaluation of the mediating role of emotional dissonance

6767 (US

Are you for real? An evaluation of the relationship between emotional labour and visitor outcomes.

4985, EURO€4578) loss per person annually. Multivariable analyses showed that work productivity was determined most strongly by symptoms, particularly ‘fatigue and cognitive symptoms’ and ‘pain and sensory symptoms’, while older age, and lower education level were also predictive of not being in the labour force. Conclusion: MS-related presenteeism was three times higher than absenteeism, highlighting the importance of presenteeism being included in employment outcomes. The dominance of symptom severity as predictors of both work participation and productivity loss emphasises the need for improved management of symptoms.