The Moderating Effect of Female Managers on Job Stress and Emotional Labor for Public Employees in Gendered Organizations: Evidence From Korea

Given its focus on customer satisfaction and quality service, emotional labor (EL) is a prominent topic in public administration. As public employees are engaged more often in EL, it is critical to explore determinants of job stress and management strategies to reduce it. By examining the Korean Working Conditions Survey, this study focused on EL’s effects on employees’ well-being—job stress and job satisfaction—as well as the potential moderating effects of workplace characteristics, such as working with a female manager, work–life balance programs or resources, and participatory management processes. We examined the potential moderating role of female managers engaged in EL in gendered institutions, and found evidence that female managers buffer EL’s negative effects on their employees, even in organizational contexts gendered deeply. This finding implies that EL needs to be considered in the context of organizational culture and environment, particularly when related to gendered, hierarchical, or masculine organizations.