Effects of reciprocal, perceived person–environment fit, and emotional labor on job involvement: Moderated mediation analyses

PurposeThis study examines the relationship between emotional labor and job involvement with convenience store employee, as well as mediating (perceived P–E fit) and moderating (reciprocal P–E fit) variables of this relation by proposing a moderated mediation model.Design/methodology/methodThe SPSS Program with PROCESS macro (Models 4 and 7) analysis was used with a sample of 230 convenience stores’ employees.FindingsResults of this study demonstrated that reciprocal fit and perceived fit had moderated mediation effects between predictor (emotional labor) and criterion variables (job involvement). In addition, perceived fit evidenced positive effects on job involvement.Research limitations/implicationsWe do not investigate the generation differences, futhure research may examine the mediating effects between EL and JI. To fully understand emotional labor, the specific cultural contexts in which it takes place will need to be considered.Practical implicationsThis research has implications for the managers they could conduct social and individual identity to moderate the relationship between emotional workers and negative emotions. Furthermore, HR managers could apply training strategy to mediate the relationship between emotional labor and job involvement.Originality/valueIn the context of the emotional labor on job involvement, no studies have been conducted that have analyzed the moderated mediation effects especially the relationship between emotional labor and job involvement. This research seeks to build and extend the existing state of research on augmented moderated mediation effects by reciprocal fit and perceived fit.