TITLE:
A Moderated Mediation Model for Facial Expression, Inner Feeling, and Psychological Safety to Work Engagement: An Empirical Study for Funeral Service Workers in Taiwan Area
AUTHORS:
Ping-Fu Hsu, Yu-Ting Huang, Peng-Tung Chen
KEYWORDS:
Funeral Service Worker, Facial Expression, Inner Feeling, Psychological Safety, Work Engagement, COVID-19 Pandemic
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies,
Vol.12 No.3,
September
5,
2024
ABSTRACT: This study aims to investigate the effects of psychological safety on work engagement with moderating mediation roles of surface acting and deep acting. The paper examines the mediating role of deep acting in the relationship of psychological safety to work engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The empirical data of this study has been collected via simple random sampling through an online survey with a self-report questionnaire involving funeral service workers (N = 533) from cemeteries, morgues, crematoria, and funeral agencies in Taiwan area. Results reveal that inner feeling (deep acting) and psychological safety positively affect work engagement, while facial expression (surface acting) and psychological safety negatively affect work engagement. Also, deep acting strengthened the positive relationship between psychological safety and work engagement, resulting in a moderated mediation effect whereby surface acting moderates the indirect effect of psychological safety and deep acting on work engagement. The findings of this study provide theoretical and practical implications within the scope of psychological safety and work engagement in the frequency of interaction of emotional labor in the workplace.