Emotional Labor and Employee Engagement Within a Pediatric Hospital

Emotional Labor and Employee Engagement Within a Pediatric Hospital by Michele L. Mitchell MSW, University of Denver, 2009 BS, Adams State College, 1995 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University August 2015 Abstract High levels of emotional work, staffing shortages, high turnover rates, low workforce engagement levels, and complex healthcare reforms are common problems in healthcare settings. Healthcare leaders are increasingly aware of the vital impact an engaged workforce can have on patient outcomes and an organization’s ability to survive despite current challenges in the healthcare setting. It is important for leaders to understand what factors may influence the ability to engage with their organization, such as emotional labor. The purpose of this correlational quantitative study was to test whether emotional labor is related to employee engagement within a large Midwestern pediatric hospital. The theoretical frameworks that helped guide the development of this study were Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, Kahn’s engagement theory, intergroup emotions theory, and Diefendorff and Richard’s model of emotional display rules. Three measures (a demographic questionnaire, the revised Emotional Labour Survey, and the Job Engagement Scale) were used to address the relationship between the variables (the subscales of emotional labor and employee engagement). Data analysis involved simple bivariate correlations and curvilinear regressions. Results indicated that the subscales of faking emotions and hiding feelings negatively correlated with employee engagement. Five of the 6 subscales also had a significant curvilinear relationship with employee engagement. Gender did not play a moderating role in this study. Social change implications and recommendations include the potential for improvements in the need to identify and develop training and self-care strategies necessary for staff to endure the emotional fallout associated with the high emotional demands of their job.High levels of emotional work, staffing shortages, high turnover rates, low workforce engagement levels, and complex healthcare reforms are common problems in healthcare settings. Healthcare leaders are increasingly aware of the vital impact an engaged workforce can have on patient outcomes and an organization’s ability to survive despite current challenges in the healthcare setting. It is important for leaders to understand what factors may influence the ability to engage with their organization, such as emotional labor. The purpose of this correlational quantitative study was to test whether emotional labor is related to employee engagement within a large Midwestern pediatric hospital. The theoretical frameworks that helped guide the development of this study were Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, Kahn’s engagement theory, intergroup emotions theory, and Diefendorff and Richard’s model of emotional display rules. Three measures (a demographic questionnaire, the revised Emotional Labour Survey, and the Job Engagement Scale) were used to address the relationship between the variables (the subscales of emotional labor and employee engagement). Data analysis involved simple bivariate correlations and curvilinear regressions. Results indicated that the subscales of faking emotions and hiding feelings negatively correlated with employee engagement. Five of the 6 subscales also had a significant curvilinear relationship with employee engagement. Gender did not play a moderating role in this study. Social change implications and recommendations include the potential for improvements in the need to identify and develop training and self-care strategies necessary for staff to endure the emotional fallout associated with the high emotional demands of their job. Emotional Labor and Employee Engagement Within a Pediatric Hospital by Michele L. Mitchell MSW, University of Denver, 2009 BS, Adams State College, 1995 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University August 2015 Dedication Life is full of experiences that can either guide us, direct us, or attempt to destroy us. I like to think of life as a journey on a ship of experiences. Ten years ago, a tidal wave came crashing over the side of my ship. At five years old, my son was diagnosed with a highly malignant brain tumor. Talk about a wave that stopped my ship right in its tracks with a screeching halt! I found myself bailing out water for weeks and months. Navigating the land of pediatric brain cancer has been filled with times of fear, pain, sadness, anger, amazement, relief, joy, and thankfulness. My son has continued to amaze me with his ability to take each new day and each new challenge head on with grace, perseverance, and most importantly with an amazing sense of humor. Through this journey, I have realized the true meaning of life which is the rare beauty and value each person brings to their own unique vessel. I have also learned to be truly present and treasure every single moment God has given me. I have also learned the vital importance of following one’s dreams. I would not be standing here today about to accomplish a lifelong dream of pursuing my Ph.D. and embarking on a new journey filled with new experiences without these treasured lessons. I would also not be standing here today without the amazing support of my husband, family, friends, and community. Through these journeys, I hope I have shown you that all things are possible and to never give up on yourself or your dreams. My son, my step-children, my husband, my parents, my family, my friends, and God have truly been the wind beneath my sails. This study is dedicated to all of you! Thank you for your undying sacrifices, prayers, strength, love, and support. Acknowledgments Pursuing my Ph.D. has been an amazing journey filled with challenges, frustrations, sacrifices, joy, and accomplishments. This journey would not have been possible without the support from so many individuals. First, I would like to acknowledge and thank my incredible family. To my son, your ability to model determination and perseverance with grace and humor is truly inspirational. To my step-children, your patience, support, and unconditional love will forever be appreciated. To my husband, Tim, your countless sacrifices, unwavering support, unconditional love, and your faith in my ability to accomplish my dreams will forever be cherished. To my parents, you never held back expressing how proud you were of me; you taught me the importance of believing in myself as well as the power of prayer and faith; and you taught me that I could soar high in the midst of any challenge or circumstance. To my family and friends, for never making me feel guilty for not being around or involved in many different activities and life events over the past several years due to my pursuit of this degree. I would also like to thank you for the unwavering support, words of encouragement, prayers, and good thoughts along the way. To my research mentor, Erin, your passion and love for statistics coupled with your amazing ability to compassionately teach others will forever be appreciated and treasured. To my methods expert, Dr. Napoli, for challenging me to be a better researcher as well as to take the time to truly understand the data and findings. Finally, I would like to acknowledge my sincere gratitude for my amazing chair, Dr. Dawdy. Your guidance, encouragement, and unconditional support were invaluable during this journey. I will forever be grateful. Table of