The Effect of Emotional Labour on Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment among Ayurveda Physicians in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Similar to other medical specialities, Ayurvedic physicians have a distinct set of duties and responsibilities, with patient interaction playing a big role. In interpersonal interactions with patients, Ayurvedic physicians need to control their emotions. Emotional labour (EL) is the term used to describe the extreme patience and emotional control required to provide effective patient care. Previous researchers have not given adequate attention to studying the effect of EL on-job satisfaction (JS) and organizational commitment (OC), of Ayurvedic physicians. This research attempts to explore the effect of EL on JS and thereby OC, particularly among Ayurveda physicians in Sri Lanka. Primary data was gathered using multistage sampling from 331 Ayurvedic physicians in Sri Lanka for a structured questionnaire. The Partial Least Squires Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) was utilized to analyse the data, with the support of SmartPLS software. The results revealed that EL has a positive influence on OC while EL positively affects JS. The results further confirmed that JS has a positive effect on OC. Finally, the findings demonstrated that JS plays a partially mediating function in the connection between EL and OC. These findings help the advancement of existing knowledge by providing empirical evidence in the context of Ayurvedic physicians in Sri Lanka. Healthcare administrators and policymakers should pay attention to improving emotional labour, job happiness, and organizational commitment of Ayurvedic physicians to enhance patient care efficiency.