The role of customer service manual on workplace emotional burden in nationwide cross sectional study
10.1186/s40557-019-0285-9
- Author:
Sehyun YUN
1
;
Sung Shil LIM
;
Jihyun KIM
;
Young Kwang KIM
;
Jong Uk WON
;
Jin Ha YOON
Author Information
1. Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, The Institute for Occupational Health College of Medicine, 50, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-749 South Korea. flyinyou@gmail.com.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Customer service manual;
Emotional burden;
Emotional demand;
Service industry;
Mental health;
Korea working condition survey
- MeSH:
Female;
Humans;
Logistic Models;
Male;
Mental Health;
Odds Ratio
- From:Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
2019;31(1):5-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: We aim to discuss the overall effect of customer service manual (CSM) on service industry workers using Korean Working Condition Survey. METHODS: Out of 50,007 total survey participants, 11,946 customer service workers were included in the current study (5613 men, 6333 women). Answers to survey questions were used to define the use of CSM, emotional burden, emotional dissonance, engaging angry customers and other covariates. Emotional burden included either depressive event or stress level. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of experiencing emotional burden was calculated by logistic regression model. Interaction effect between CSM and engaging angry customer on emotional burden was also estimated. RESULTS: Out of 11,946 subjects, total of 3279 (27.4%) have experienced emotional burden. OR (95% CI) of experiencing emotional burden was 1.40 (1.19–1.64) in men and 1.25 (1.09–1.44) in women. There was gender difference in interaction effect between the use of CSM and engaging angry customers. In men, OR (95% CI) was 3.16 (1.38–7.23) with additive effect when always engaging angry customers with CSM compared to rarely engaging without CSM, while in women OR (95% CI) was 8.85 (3.96–19.75) with synergistic effect. Moreover, the risk of depressive event increased only in women with OR (95% CI) 2.22 (1.42–3.48). CONCLUSIONS: Our current study highlighted association between emotional burden and CSM in both men and women service workers. Furthermore, women were affected more severely by CSM. The results from current study suggest that CSM should be changed appropriately to benefit workers.
