The Relationship Between Work-Life Balance, Emotional Labor and Affective Commitment – An Empirical Study In The Hotel Industry

Although emotional labor and work-life balance gain considerable interest in research and practice, current literature has neglected to investigate their interconnections and influence on employees’ commitment. Referring to emotional labor and work-life balance theories the authors examine the relationship between employees’ work-life balance, emotional labor and affective commitment. Results of an empirical study in the German and Austrian hotel industry indicate that the perception of work-life balance and the emotional interaction autonomy (i.e., employee’s scope of action in the performance of emotion display in service interactions) predict employees’ commitment. This study helps to understand the relevance of employees’ needs for employee retention in the firm. Implications for management and research are discussed.