The relationship between emotional labour and burnout in food and beverage businesses: The case of Kütahya

Emotional labor in business life refers to the efforts made by employees to fulfill emotional demands. Employees may have to exert emotional labor for reasons such as ensuring customer satisfaction, being a part of the existing organizational structure, and achieving their goals in working life. However, the desire of businesses to achieve their goals such as making profits, adapting to the competitive environment or gaining competitive power may cause employees' emotional labor to be evaluated as capital. Especially service businesses that are communication intensive can benefit significantly from the emotional labor factor in providing service quality and customer satisfaction. In the study, the relationship between emotional labor and burnout of employees working in food and beverage businesses in Kütahya was examined. For this purpose, a survey conducted on 508 employees of food and beverage businesses in Kütahya was subjected to statistical analysis. Correlation and regression analyze were conducted for the hypotheses determined within the scope of the study. As a result of the analyses, a positive and very weak correlation was detected between the superficial behavior dimension of emotional labor and the depersonalization dimension of burnout, while according to the results of the regression analysis, it is understood that the superficial behavior dimension of emotional labor affects the depersonalization dimension of burnout in the right direction. A positive and very weak correlation was detected between the superficial behavior dimension of emotional labor and the lack of personal accomplishment dimension of burnout. At the same time, according to the results of the regression analysis, it is seen that the superficial behavior dimension of emotional labor affects the lack of personal accomplishment dimension of burnout in the right direction. While a positive and very weak correlation was detected between the in-depth behavior dimension of emotional labor and the lack of personal accomplishment dimension of burnout, according to the regression analysis results, it was seen that the in-depth behavior dimension of emotional labor positively affected the lack of personal accomplishment dimension of burnout. While it was observed that there was a positive and very weak correlation between the naturally felt emotions dimension of emotional labor and the lack of personal accomplishment dimension of burnout, according to the results of the regression analysis, it was determined that the naturally felt emotions dimension of emotional labor directly affected the lack of personal accomplishment dimension of burnout.